Intelligent Power Supply

Designers of state-of-the-art buildings rely on intelligent power supply to maintain backup power for evacuation systems that guide and aid occupants and responders during an emergency. These supply a wide range of systems, from illuminated evacuation route floor signs to fire alarm repeaters.

Power supplies that are truly intelligent can convey a wealth of digital information about their operating conditions, including internal temperature, fan operation and logged power-on hours. This information can be relayed to a supervisory control system for monitoring and diagnostic purposes.

Control

Power supplies must be capable of sensing, logging and communicating their operations to the device they power. Using MCU features for control, sensing and monitoring is one way that intelligent power supplies can achieve this functionality.

For example, intelligent power supply modules are able to sense conditions in their own internal circuitry that might indicate that a MOSFET or IGBT switch is not operating properly. This can be due to high temperatures, a clogged fan filter or another condition that would normally cause non-intelligent power supplies to shut down. The MCU can quickly detect these issues, send a warning and reset the power supply to get it back up and running.

Optimized high-power switching is also a common requirement for intelligent power supplies. This often involves gate-drive logic that applies the proper voltage to the external high-side and low-side IGBTs to prevent them from conducting simultaneously. This feature is sometimes called shoot-through protection or cross-conduction prevention.

In addition, intelligent power supplies must be capable of performing multiple functions such as a power supply, battery charger and DC UPS. For example, an all-in-one intelligent security power supply combines a power supply, battery charger and backup battery into a single DIN rail-mounted module to Microwave sensor manufacturers simplify system design and improve system reliability. The DRS-240/480 intelligent power supply is an ideal solution for this type of application.

Monitoring

When power devices are connected to a network, they can be monitored remotely to make sure they are functioning properly. Power supply manufacturers are paying close attention to the needs of their customers and implementing power monitoring features in their products.

For example, MEAN WELL’s all-in-one multifunction security power supplies integrate a power supply, DC UPS and battery charger into one compact DIN rail module to simplify system design. They’re also fully protected against voltage, current and temperature overloads and come with built-in status reporting for easy monitoring. These intelligent power supplies are ideal for a wide variety of security and fire systems for smart buildings.

Rack PDUs (Power Distribution Units) with intelligence are able to provide more granular power monitoring. This allows you to see the total power consumption of the whole PDU, a specific circuit breaker or even down to individual outlets. This level of granularity gives you a clear picture of your white space power usage, so you can take steps to reduce it.

Another way to monitor power equipment is to use a tool like PRTG. With a wide range of sensors and templates, PRTG can monitor various aspects of your power equipment, including standard values like battery capacity, output protection or temperature. The ability to receive power related notifications via email, SMS or Slack means you can be proactive in preventing unplanned outages and maintaining 100% uptime.

Adaptation

Power systems must adapt to their environments to provide optimal performance. An intelligent power supply can adjust the output voltage or current based on the requirements of the load. For example, a battery charger can change its operation from constant current (CC) to constant voltage (CV) as the battery nears full charge.

Intelligent power supplies are a key element of state-of-the-art building and industrial workspaces, providing backup for critical systems such as evacuation route floor lights and signs, alarm systems, emergency responder communication repeaters, and access control systems. These systems need to continue operating and communicating status even when the power is interrupted.

Digital power allows system designers to reduce the time spent on power supply design and concentrate on other key features and functions for their system products, resulting in shorter product development cycles. This enables designers to meet the needs of their customers and win new business.

Power supply manufacturers offer intelligent solutions for many applications, including motor control, battery charging, uninterruptible power supplies, and renewable energy systems. Intelligent power supplies can also perform auxiliary functions such as power conditioning, preventing electronic noise and voltage surges on the input from reaching the load, and power factor correction. Moreover, intelligent power supplies are highly flexible and feature a wide range of communications protocols to accommodate the most diverse needs of today’s sophisticated electronics.

Safety

Powering intelligent devices, including microcontrollers and digital signal controllers, requires a power supply that offers safe and stable operation. For example, an IPS must be able to detect internal temperatures that have become too high and warn users before a potential problem occurs. The IPS must also be able to identify when the input voltage is about to drop too low, and it must shut down to protect itself from damage.

The IPS must be able to reset itself after an input fault to continue delivering regulated output. In addition, it must be able to operate in harsh environments that require special Intelligent power supply protection features, such as reverse polarity protection, overtemperature protection, and low-voltage protection.

Smart security power systems deliver backup power to a wide range of emergency systems in buildings. For example, they provide backup power to systems that illuminate evacuation routes and evacuated areas during a fire alarm event. They may also power smoke detectors, occupants’ warning systems and fire suppression equipment (Figure 1).

Power Solutions’ intelligent power modules monitor output current to ensure it stays within set limits. They feature an integrated microcontroller and a host of other safety features, including a robust, reliable output protection circuit that can shut down during overload or short circuit. They are designed for use with iSTAR door control panels and include wire harnesses and connectors for panel power, fault and tamper switches and pre-installed battery connectors that reduce installation time and save space.