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DIN rail supplies are ‘narrowest and most efficient’

27 September, 2013

The power supply manufacturer TDK-Lambda has invested more than $5m to develop a new generation of DIN-rail-mounting power supplies that, it says, includes the narrowest and most efficient models on the market. It believes that that the new supplies will help it to more than triple its current 3% share of the $400m European market for DIN rail supplies by 2017. By then, the market is expected to be worth $465m, and TDK-Lambda hopes to have 10% of the business.

The new supplies, whose development was driven from the UK, are up to 50% narrower than competitor products at all power levels. They are also claimed to offer “best in class” efficiencies at all loads (not just at full load).

They have been designed to tackle a weakness in TDK-Lambda’s portfolio. Although the company dominates the $2.36bn global market for industrial power supplies with a 17.2% market share – almost twice as large as its nearest rival – it has been weak in the DIN rail market. About half of this market is in Europe, with Germany accounting for about a quarter of the global market.

Although the ErP (energy-related products) Directive does not apply specifically to DIN-rail-mounting industrial power supplies, TDK-Lambda has designed to the new supplies to ErP guidelines.

The new supplies are split into two families: the “keenly priced” DRB series for low-power applications requiring basic functions; and the “premium” DRF series for medium-power applications that require advanced control functions, while remaining compact and efficient.

The plastic-housed DRB series (shown above) offers “industry leading” efficiencies of up to 91%. No-load power consumption is between

“There’s strong customer demand for compact, convection-cooled DIN-rail power supplies that deliver their rated power without compromising long-term reliability,” says Martin Southam, TDK-Lambda’s director of marketing for the EMEA region. “We believe that these are the smallest products of their kind on the market.”

The supplies operate from 85–264V AC and comply with EN61000-3-2, allowing worldwide use. Typical ripple and noise is below 40mV and the supplies offer over-current and over-voltage protection, and a hold-up time of up to 20ms at 100V AC input voltage, full load.

The premium DRF supplies (above), aimed at medium-power applications, operate from 85–265V AC (47–63Hz) inputs, with active power factor correction to ensure EN61000-3-2 compliance. There are three 24V DC models (5A, 10A and 20A), with peak efficiencies of up to 94%, a 150% peak power capability for 4 seconds, and a steady constant current characteristic.

According to Southam, these supplies combine “careful thermal design and excellent efficiency”. With an average active efficiency above 87% and low standby power consumption (less than 0.5–0.75W, depending on the model), “this series is perfect for customers working to Eco-Design guidelines and seeking compact, high-efficiency products,” he adds.

The DRF supplies will operate in temperatures from –25 to +70°C, with full-load operation between –25 and +60°C, derating to 75% load at up to +70°C. Control functions include over-voltage, over-current and over-temperature protection, and remote on/off. The supplies can be used in series or in parallel.

According to Southam, both new families of DIN rail power supplies offer “very competitive” pricing.




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