Vishay Releases High-Voltage Isolation Optocouplers for Solar and Wind Turbine Installations
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. broadened its optoelectronics portfolio with the introduction of what it says is the industry’s first CAT IV, high-voltage isolation optocouplers available in surface-mount packages. Certified by the international safety regulatory agency VDE, the CNY64ST and CNY65ST series products offer long creepage distances and a high isolation test voltage to protect workers and equipment used in high-voltage environments such as solar power and wind turbine grid connections. Now customers wanting the manufacturing flexibility of using all surface-mount components in their products can use the CNY64ST and CNY65ST, which complement the CNY6x series of through-hole devices already available.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has defined protection standards for four different installation categories, CAT I through IV. Category IV has the most stringent protection requirements because it typically involves electrical connections to the utility grid. The CNY6x series of CAT IV optocouplers protects equipment and people from being damaged or injured by a high-voltage spike or transient of up to 12,000V and a recurring peak voltage of 1,450 VPEAK while allowing data to pass from the high-voltage side to low-voltage monitoring equipment.
In addition to meeting the IEC requirements for overvoltage transients and recurring peak voltage, the CNY6x series of optocouplers features creepage distances – the shortest distance along any path on the outside surface of the package from input to output pin – of up to 17 mm and is certified to be used in CAT IV installations with working voltages up to 1,000V.
For the surface-mount devices released, the CNY64ST series offers a creepage distance of 9.5 mm while the CNY65ST series provides a creepage distance of 14 mm with CAT IV working voltages up to 600V. Both feature an insulation distance – the internal distance between the infrared emitting diode and phototransistor through the insulation – greater than 3 mm.
The CAT IV optocouplers provide a broad range of CTR values from 50 to 300% at 5mA, operate over a temperature range of - 55 to + 85°C, and offer a forward current of 75mA. The devices are eco-friendly "Green," compliant to RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC, and in accordance with WEEE 2002/96/EC.
Samples and production quantities of the CNY64ST and CNY65ST series products are available now, with lead times of six to eight weeks for larger orders. Pricing for U.S. delivery only in 1,000-piece-quantities is $1.70 per piece for the CNY64ST and $1.90 per piece for the CNY65ST series.
More news and information regarding the latest developments in Smart Grid electronics can be found at Darnell’s SmartGridElectronics.Net.
