AC-DC Power Supplies Offer High Density in Compact Form

The compact footprint makes the EIRE300 power series suitable for a wide range of applications.

New Products Nov 10, 2024 by Jake Hertz

Medical technology and industrial equipment have found an increasing demand for solutions with high power density. In medical applications, balancing power output and form factor can come at odds with patient safety and equipment reliability. Still, most patient-connected medical devices demand this unique combination.

How does the EIRE300 power series work? Watch this demonstration. Video used courtesy of Vox Power

Vox Power has released its EIRE300 power series to address these power needs. This latest series addresses challenges in achieving high power density in a compact form.

The open-frame EIRE300. Image used courtesy of Vox Power

Power Supply Challenges

In modern electronics, manufacturers have found challenges in achieving a compact footprint without compromising power and safety. For this reason, power density—or the amount of power generated per unit volume—has become a fundamental metric in many applications. A high power density means smaller power supplies can deliver equivalent or greater output than larger units.

However, achieving this compactness presents several technical challenges. Smaller form factors can lead to significant heat buildup, as the increased power in a confined space lacks paths for dissipation. High temperatures can degrade components faster, leading to reliability issues and potentially hazardous conditions, which is unacceptable in applications like sensitive medical equipment.

Miniaturizing power supplies also complicates isolation and leakage management. In medical applications, meeting the 2xMOPP (means of patient protection) isolation standard is challenging in a compact design, as it requires enhanced insulation to prevent electrical shocks, especially when devices come into direct contact with patients. Maintaining this isolation level in a small footprint without increasing leakage current requires added effort.

These combined challenges of thermal management and isolation in high-power, small-sized designs are driving the need for innovative approaches to create safe, reliable, and efficient power solutions in compact spaces.

Vox Power EIRE300 Series

Vox Power’s EIRE300 series is a compact, high-density AC-DC power supply designed to deliver up to 300 W continuously.

With a peak output of 375 W in a remarkably small 4”x2” footprint and a low 1” profile, the series claims a best-in-class power density of over 37.5W/in³. This is achieved, in part, through the device’s high efficiency of 95%, which effectively minimizes power losses and heat generation. The system still includes active cooling via fan-cooled (300 W) and convection-cooled (200 W at 115 VAC) operations.

Output voltage and power for convection vs fan cooling. Image courtesy of Vox Power

The design incorporates robust 2 x MOPP isolation for medical-grade safety and low leakage currents (less than 100 µA), both necessary for patient-connected devices. The EIRE300 series’ protection mechanisms include safeguards against overvoltage, overcurrent, and over-temperature. Additionally, the EIRE300 incorporates dual-line fusing, a safety feature in which both the live and neutral lines are fused to ensure that if either line experiences a fault or overcurrent, the fuse will blow, disconnecting the circuit and preventing potential hazards. With all these features, the series is certified to the latest international standards (60601-1, 62368-1).