Selection of solutions for industry and automation systems
Nowadays, every automated system relies to a greater or lesser extent on semiconducting components. This means that it requires a DC power supply, so a voltage converter is almost always present in a control cabinet. And it is not without reason that it is very often a Mean Well converter.
Mean Well is a well-known and recognised supplier of a broad range of power supply units. The company produces both compact LED drivers and industrial power supply system components. Their extensive assortment of products also includes DIN rail-mounted AC/DC converters. These components are used in numerous automation system-related applications, and Mean Well engineers do their utmost for their products to perform excellently in all fields of use. See below for an overview of the most popular series of such power supply modules. All of them are readily available from TME warehouses.
This article covers the following issues:
- Compact power supply modules for home automation systems and similar applications
- Advantages of active power coefficient correction features
- Power supply modules that withstand momentary spikes of current
- Converters supplied with 2-phase current
- Load-sharing to obtain power rating up to 3.8 kW
EDR series
Compact power supply modules with a typical range of 1-phase input voltages (up to 264 V AC). They can be mounted on various rails (TS-35/7.5/15). They are certified for use in industrial controller systems as per the UL508 standard and feature the interference immunity specified in the EN61000 standard. Another important feature of these products is their slim profile facilitating installation of simple automation system controllers (e.g. building automation) in small distribution boxes. The products come with overload, overvoltage, short-circuit and thermal protection features. It is also worth noting here that it is one of the basic Mean Well product series, and the majority of products described here demonstrate similar advantages.
| Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Power: | 75.6–156 W |
| Output voltage: | 12 V, 24 V, 48 V |
| Output current: | 1.6–10 A |
| External dimensions: | 32 x 125.2 x 102 mm or 40 x 125.2 x 113.5 mm |
| Number of outputs: | 1 |
| Operating temperature: | -20–60°C |
| Efficiency: | up to 88.5% |
HDR series
The HDR models ensure very low power consumption in no-load condition (below 0.3 W). They are housed in standard modular enclosures whose width ranges from 1SU to 4SU, so they can be installed with overcurrent or residual current circuit breakers in switchgears fitted with a cover. This feature facilitates their operation in such fields as home automation systems, power supply sources for office equipment, alarm systems, etc. Their output voltage is adjustable within a range of approximately ±20%, which applies to the majority of the product series presented below.
| Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Power: | 12–153.6 W |
| Output voltage: | 5 V, 12 V, 15 V, 24 V and 48 V |
| Output current: | from 320 mA to 11.3 A |
| External dimensions: | from 17.5 x 90 x 54 mm to 105 x 90 x 54.5 mm |
| Number of outputs: | 1 |
| Operating temperature: | -30–70°C |
| Efficiency: | up to 91% |
NDR series
The NDR series is related to the EDR products, however, this group includes higher power rating models, i.e. 240 W and 480 W. They come with the active PFC ( Power Factor Correction) feature. It minimises the apparent power and interference introduced into the mains, and eliminates significant voltage drops that occur during the start-up of large consumers. The NDR devices also demonstrate higher (in comparison to EDR) efficiency, reaching even 92.5%.
| Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Power: | 75.6–480 W |
| Output voltage: | 12 V, 24 V, 48 V |
| Output current: | 1.6–20 A |
| External dimensions: | from 40 x 125.2 x 113.5 mm to 125.2 x 102 x 35 mm |
| Number of outputs: | 1 |
| Operating temperature: | -20–70°C |
| Efficiency: | up to 92.5% |
SDR series
The SDR series includes power supply modules with the power rating reaching 960 W. Moreover, the SDR-480P and SDR-960 models can be combined to share loads, in order to create a DC power supply source with a power rating even up to 3.8 kW. In addition to the standard protection measures (listed in the EDR series description), they come with a DC OK relay output, which facilitates remote monitoring of correct output voltage values. The SDR power supply modules are designed for the fault-free handling of momentary (start-up) loads reaching 130 to 150% of the rated power.
| Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Power: | 75.6–960 W |
| Output voltage: | 12 V, 24 V, 48 V |
| Output current: | 1.6–40 A |
| External dimensions: | from 32×125.2×102 mm to 110×125.2×150 mm |
| Number of outputs: | 1 |
| Operating temperature: | -25–70°C or -30–70°C |
| Efficiency: | up to 94% |
WDR series
The WDR power supply modules come with several distinguishing features. First of all, they are the only units described here that can supply 5 V DC (selected models). They can be supplied with 1-phase or 2-phase AC voltage (up to 550 V). The 240 W and 480 W models come with the active power factor correction feature. Note that this group includes devices with a relatively low power rating (50 W), ideal for supplying power to small home automation systems, single-board computers, etc.
| Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Power: | 50–480 W |
| Output voltage: | 5 V, 12 V, 24 V, 48 V |
| Output current: | 1.25–20 A |
| External dimensions: | from 32×125.2×102 mm to 85.5×125.2×128.5 mm |
| Number of outputs: | 1 |
| Operating temperature: | from -25–70°C to -30–85°C |
| Efficiency: | up to 93% |
TDR series
The TDR converters combine advantages of all the above-mentioned solutions and are designed for 2- or 3-phase current supply. All products included in this group come with the power factor correction feature (passive for 240 W, active for higher rating models). The output voltage is adjustable and monitored by an OVP circuit (overvoltage protection) The power rating of TDR power supply modules reaches 960 W, but similarly to the SDR series, these converters can be combined to ensure an enhanced power rating, even up to 3840 W. Despite such high performance, the power supply modules do not require any active cooling (forced air circulation) and can operate in temperatures ranging from 30°C to 70°C.
| Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Power: | 240–960 W |
| Output voltage: | 24 V, 48 V |
| Output current: | 5–40 A |
| External dimensions: | from 63×125.2×113.5 mm to 110×125.2×150 mm |
| Number of outputs: | 1 |
| Operating temperature: | -30–70°C |
| Efficiency: | up to 94.5% |
Text prepared by Transfer Multisort Elektronik Sp. z o.o.
