Home > Products > Custom Products > Custom Design Examples > Power Generation Industry

Power Generation Industry

Application: Control Panel for large Turbine engines The application called for a converter to be designed that would provide a 5 volts output with 20 amps of current. The input range for the system was 20 - 32 Vdc. In appearance a very simple task, 100 watts of output with a routine input operating range of less than 2- 1. Output accuracy for the application called for 4.87 - 5.25 max.

Unique problems:   Solutions: 1) 100 % redundant operation upon customer request Output "OR"ing diodes on all units 2) Load Sharing/ paralleling required   Current sensing each unit and feedback to the redundant unit with constant current correction to maintain balance 3) 5 foot output cable to required load and regulated at far end of cable   Remote sense circuits at the load with provisions for IR loss down 5 feet of cable length 4) Live power "hot swapping" required   Inrush limiting circuit with 3 second delayed start up 5) Input reverse polarity protection required   Input forward voltage diodes to prevent reverse input voltage and input shorts which causes loss of hold up time 6) 2 mili-second ride-thru before 20 mili-second hold up time   2 mili-second ride-thru of input power loss before alarming system 7) No air flow available, convection cooling only   Flat Base Plate design for system bolt down 8) Output alarms and power on indicators needed   All input/output signals monitored and alarmed 9) Hazardous Location application   CSA Class 1 - Div. 2 certification 10) Output Over-voltage protection on single and on parallel operation The converter must sense, at the far end of the cable, which of the 2 units is in over-voltage and keep the good unit alive and shut down the bad unit.   Monitoring circuitry to sense each unit output voltage is done both at the customer load point and before the internal "or"ing diodes. These 2 measurements are then compared to determine which unit is providing the out of tolerance voltage. The lower voltage unit then sends a shutdown signal to the out of tolerance unit, there-by keeping the system operational at all times and preventing any system shutdown or damage.