High-Voltage Power Supply Design Considerations
From providing large amounts of power efficiently to consistent heating, a high-voltage power supply needs to maintain its fitness for use in the most challenging environments. Everything from X-ray machines to neon signs and some military equipment require high-voltage power to run efficiently.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) define high voltage as above 1000 V for alternating current, and at least 1500 V for direct current.
Steps to Determine High-Voltage Power Supply Requirements
When figuring out a new high-voltage power supply design, it’s important to understand the steps that go into the design:
1) Know Your Needs
You know your equipment and needs best, but do you know exactly the kind of voltage your power supply should be running on? Think about what you are designing for and the voltage you may need. Then, test it out using a voltage designing tool like Texas Instruments’ WEBENCH® High Voltage Power Designer.
With tools like this handy application, you can input your expected voltage and requirements and optimize the design to be customized to meet your AC-DC or DC-DC power supply needs.
2) Understand Your Limitations
There will be limitations, space and otherwise, to how you can design this new power supply set up, especially when it comes to conductor spacing. Important things to consider include creepage (the distance an arc may travel on a surface between two conductive parts) and clearance (the shortest distance the arc may travel through air between two conductors).
These are important to know because there are regional regulations that must be met to ensure compliance.
3) Find Your Tools and Your Team
Once you know what you need, the next step is finding the right tools and partners to design your perfect solution, and that solution is Advanced Conversion Technology (ACT).
We design and manufacture power supply solutions for high-voltage applications, and our engineers are specially trained to understand the challenges (including regulatory and safety issues) and benefits a high-voltage design can create. With engineers possessing the skills to design application-specific AC-DC power supplies for high-voltage military equipment, our team is capable of meeting the most demanding specifications.
By doing some research, understanding what you’re working with and finding the right team, you can ensure you’re taking the right steps to create the best customized power supply solution. Whether for military, medical or high-end industrial applications, your power supply should adapt to you — not the other way around. Contact ACT today.