Board-Mountable Power Supplies for EV Charging, Industrial Applications
New board-mountable AC-DC and DC-DC power supplies offer performance and reliability for industrial, instrumentation, and EV charging applications while reducing design times and board space.
Traco Power, Flex Power Modules, and Daburn Electronics have released fully enclosed, board-mountable (through hole) AC-DC and DC-DC power supplies for various industrial and instrumentation applications, including electric vehicle supply equipment.
Public EV charging stations. Image used courtesy of the City of Milwaukee
The power supplies convert nominal AC line power or DC to a well-regulated, low-voltage DC output at power levels ranging from 20 to 240 W. Internal transformers offer full isolation between the high-voltage input (AC or DC) and low-voltage output, providing point-of-load (POL) power for processing, control and other auxiliary loads.
The PKJ8200 series from Flex Power is a 200 W, transformer-isolated, industrial DC-DC converter in an industry-standard half-brick (2.4 x 2.28 x 0.5 in) form factor with a wide 8:1 input range.
Traco Power’s TCI 240 is a 240 W, conduction-cooled AC-DC supply that can deliver full power up to 50°C without fan cooling.
Designed to power internal loads within Level 1 and Level 2 EV chargers, the PFEV series from the Polytron Division of Daburn Electronics is an AC-DC power module that converts AC line voltages as high as 305 VAC to a DC output. Available models within the series are rated from 20 to 150 W of output power.
Level 1 and Level 2 EV Charging
In the U.S., Level 1 and Level 2 chargers deliver single-phase 120 VAC and 240 VAC line power to an EV to replenish the vehicle’s battery pack through the onboard charger. Level 1 chargers are easy to install for home use and can typically be plugged into a standard 120 VAC wall socket.
Charging an EV with a public-use, Level 2 charger. Image used courtesy of FLO Services
Level 2 chargers are usually located in public areas like parking lots for office buildings or apartment complexes. Since they operate at a higher voltage (240 VAC), they can deliver more power than Level 1 chargers and charge a vehicle faster.
It’s possible to install Level 2 chargers in residences, but it requires professional installation of an electrical outlet capable of delivering 240 VAC.
EV charging levels. Image used courtesy of EVOCHARGE
Powering Internal Loads in an EV Charger
For Level 1 or 2 EV chargers, Daburn’s PFEV power modules can be used to convert 120 or 240 V AC line power at the charger input to a regulated DC output that can be used to power the charger’s internal loads, such as processing, control and auxiliary functions.
PFEV40-12S AC-DC power module. Image used courtesy of Daburn Electronics
Depending on the requirements of the application, PFEV models are available with output power levels ranging from 20 W to 150 W and with DC outputs ranging from 5 to 48 VDC. The modules can drive loads directly or supply the non-isolated POL converts that generate the lower-voltage rails needed for digital (MCU or FPGA) or auxiliary system loads.
Powering internal DC loads for an EV charger. Image used courtesy of Texas Instruments
Industrial DC-DC Converter
In an industry standard, board-mountable, half-brick form factor, the PKJ8200 DC-DC converter series from Flex Power has an ultra-wide 8:1 input range that extends from 9 to 75 VDC. The series comprises four models that support output voltages of 12, 24, 48, and 54 VDC, each capable of delivering 200 W of DC power to industrial loads.
PKJ8200, 200 W, half-brick, DC-DC converter. Image used courtesy of Flex Power Modules
The transformer-isolated supply converts power at up to 91% efficiency and incorporates numerous protective and control functions, including under and overvoltage protection, overcurrent protection, overtemperature protection, and remote on/off control.
PKJ8200 DC-DC converter functional schematic. Image used courtesy of Flex Power Modules
AC-DC Supply with Conduction Cooling
The TCI 240 from Traco Power is a 240 W AC-DC supply packaged in a boardmountable enclosure of 2.46 x 4.09 x 1.54 inches. Three models support single output voltages of 12, 24, and 48 VDC generated from an AC input of 90 to 264 VAC, with up to 94% conversion efficiency. The supply provides 4250 V of reinforced isolation between the main input and DC output.
TCI 240 AC-DC supply with conduction cooling. Image used courtesy of Traco Power
The TCI 240 is designed for conduction cooling and, when combined with a metal chassis or baseplate, can deliver its full rated power up to 50°C without the need for forced-air cooling.
