Intelligent Power Supply

An intelligent power supply is a switch mode power supply with additional elements that control the power output. This includes functions like power conditioning to protect the load from electronic noise, voltage surges and harmonic distortion and battery charging to provide backup power.

These additional elements also allow the power supply to report information to a system. These can be in the form of discrete I/O on the power supply itself, or industrial network interfaces such as IO-Link.

Control

Power supplies regulate current to prevent errant voltages or surges on the power line from damaging a load, provide power conditioning to reduce electronic noise on the input, and supply an uninterruptible source of power in the event of a loss of main power. An intelligent power supply adds more control and intelligence, communicating with the load and the system to ensure optimal performance and safety.

Power supply logic circuitry detects conditions such as internal temperature or a clogged fan filter that might cause the unit to overheat. This allows the IPS to take action before a shutdown occurs. The IPS can send an alarm that indicates the problem and the type of solution required. The IPS can also determine whether the input power is adequate or need to be increased.

The intelligent power supply also monitors core temperature and the battery backup charging circuit. It continuously reports status to the IPS, and it communicates with a variety of other devices in the system via an RJ-45 communications port that supports Modbus or CAN bus protocols.

An intelligent security power supply is ideal for use in emergency backup systems that illuminate evacuation route floor lights and signs, alert occupants to danger and aid responders as they evacuate a building or structure. For example, the UL listed MEAN WELL Microwave sensor manufacturers DRS-240-12 intelligent power module delivers 6A of notification power expander output circuit power, and it includes built-in synchronization for appliances from System Sensor, Gentex and AMSECO. It provides a continuous source of emergency power and has its own AC power connection, battery charging circuit, and auxiliary power for constant, resettable or door holder circuits.

Monitoring

In addition to their basic function of converting electrical energy into a usable form for the load, intelligent power supplies can provide monitoring and control capabilities. They may include diagnostics to alert users of problems like overheating, overvoltage or short circuiting. They may also have a built-in energy meter, allowing users to track power usage over time.

Intelligent power supplies with integrated current monitoring systems can help improve machine performance in a variety of applications. Murrelektronik offers an online configurator that lets users customize their intelligent current monitor to best meet the requirements of their application. The intelligent current monitoring system can also alert the operator to impending wear of motor valves by indicating when 90% of the selected current load is reached.

Many intelligent power supplies are directed primarily at the high voltage market, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be used in other types of circuits. For example, an intelligent power supply from ifm can be combined with the company’s Eclipse and Meridian NEMA 23 and 34 integrated servos. It monitors the servo bus and can detect fault conditions such as overvoltage and short circuits.

An intelligent security power supply from MEAN WELL combines an AC-DC power supply, battery charger and DC UPS in a DIN rail-mounted module to simplify system design. It also supports IO-Link communication, which lets users remotely monitor and configure the power supply.

Communication

For many applications, a power supply must be smart enough to communicate with other components in the system and control their function. The intelligent power supply does this by incorporating microcontroller or digital signal controller (DSC) functionality for a fully programmable and flexible solution.

For example, a battery charger must be able to monitor the current state of a battery and change operating modes based on this information. A programmable intelligent power supply can achieve this by supplying constant voltage (CV) to the battery at first and then switching to constant current (CC) as the battery approaches full charge.

Other intelligent power supplies offer built-in IO-Link communication technology. Using this protocol, the power supply can send digital data that describes its operating parameters including input and output voltages, internal temperature, fan operation, logged power-on hours and more. This can be used to help diagnose problems with the power supply, leading to a more efficient and reliable system.

The ability to communicate with the smart power supply enables designers to save valuable board space. Intelligent power supply It can also reduce the amount of internal wiring that can interfere with airflow and cooling, eliminate complex external circuitry that may require more space and improve noise reduction by bringing power supply fan speed under motherboard control. Moreover, an intelligent power supply that can communicate with other devices in the system can help reduce costs, complexity and time to market.

Intelligence

Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity and problem-solving. In a more narrow sense, an intelligent power supply is one that incorporates all of these characteristics to provide improved performance and simplified development for high-power switching applications.

The ideal intelligent power supply should also provide a means to communicate with the system to which it is attached. It should permit direct, digital communication via all standard protocols (I2C, RS232, RS485, CAN and TCP/IP) eliminating the need for complex system software development. It should also be programmable, allowing the user to adjust output voltage and current as well as enable/disable the power supply itself. It should also be able to monitor all operating conditions including input voltage, internal temperature, fan operation, logged power-on hours and myriad other attributes.

Pioneer Magnetics has created a technology called ICON that accomplishes all of this. This technology is incorporated across their entire product line from a 1 kW rectifier up to a megawatt power system. ICON is available through all of their intelligent power modules and provides the ultimate solution for high-performance, low-cost, reliable power systems.