Benchtop Power Supplies with Peak Power Surge Capabilities
TestEquity is an approved distributor for Keysight.
Content Source: https://blogs.keysight.com/blogs/tech/bench.entry.html/2022/11/27/benchtop_power_supplieswithpeakpowersurgecapa-qbVe.html
Introduction
Peak power is the maximum a power supply can sustain for a short burst of load spikes from a device under test (DUT). A power supply with a peak power feature can handle load spikes and prevent those spikes from damaging the power supply.
Many test applications involving electromechanical components and devices, such as motors, actuators, and pumps, require a much higher start-up current to boot. This start-up current may be two or three times higher than the operating current, but only for a short period. It is critical to select a DC benchtop power supply that provides the right amount of power to meet your application needs.
This blog post explains the advantages of using the Keysight E36150 Series autoranging DC benchtop power supply with peak power-handling capability when testing and powering up your electromechanical DUTs. The benefits include the following:
• sufficient peak power with sharp rise speed
• peak power duration, interval, and stability
Benchtop DC Power Supply Selection
When selecting a DC power supply, choosing a power output rating that matches your requirements is vital. Ignoring or failing to consider the start-up peak power requirement can harm your power supply. When the load draws far more power than the power supply can regularly accommodate, this can heavily stress the internal hardware. For this reason, your DUT may be damaged or may not operate optimally.
However, you do not need the highest or peak power output most of the time. Investing in a more expensive, higher-power-rated supply for just that tiny fraction of time is not ideal.
The E36150 Series provides peak power-handling capability to accommodate a short burst of load spikes from your DUT for up to three times its 800 W rated output. It delivers 2,400 W for at least 7 ms when powering electromechanical devices during testing, whether for research and development, design verification, or manufacturing.
Advantages of the E36150 Peak Power-Handling Feature
The E36150 Series power supply delivers stable peak power. The maximum peak power output duration typically lasts 7 ms. It can be prolonged and scaled depending on the total power drawn from the connected load.
Figure 2 shows typical peak power durations from the E36154A model at two data points of 7 ms for 2,400 W and 21 ms for 1,600 W, respectively. When the peak power storage banks are empty, the constant power loop will kick in to transition the voltage output downward and clamp the total power back to 800 W, with the current output remaining at 80 A. This is the peak power auto-clamping mechanism implementation, which is critical to preventing extended stress on the power supply’s internal hardware and ensuring that no forced shutdown occurs during your test setup. In terms of speed, the typical rise time is less than 0.15 ms for the peak current to reach 80 A.
The typical interval duration for the peak power storage banks to recharge is around 250 ms, after which the system is ready for the next peak power discharge with great stability and reliability. Figure 3 shows an example of the typical interval durations between peak power outputs from the E36154A model. The innovative design and extensive fine-tuning have equipped the power supply with this peak power capability.
Conclusion
The E36150 Series benchtop DC power supply with peak power-handling capability can accommodate a short burst of load spikes from your DUT for up to three times the maximum power rating at 2,400 W. It is well-suited for testing and powering up electromechanical or high-capacitance devices that require a quick surge of power. You don’t have to invest in a more expensive, higher-power-rated supply that you do not necessarily need.
