When it comes to industrial installations, renewable energy systems and railway or transport infrastructure, a direct current transmission line is often the only or the most easily available source of power. In such cases, utilising DC/DC converters is the most optimal solution.
Mean Well is mainly known as one of the leading manufacturers of power supplies. The company offers almost every variant of this component – starting from miniature PCB-mount circuits, to consumer and desktop devices, to industrial equipment. The same applies to DC/DC converters by Mean Well. Read below to learn about a wide range of solutions from this brand’s portfolio, especially products operating at 100 W to 1000 W. This includes components intended for industrial automation systems as well as products compliant with railway standards.
DDR AND DDRH SERIES
DC/DC converters from the DDR and the DDRH series are designed for mounting in distribution boxes, on DIN-rails. The electrical connection is made with screw terminals. Such converters are implemented in DC power supply systems in a number of applications – they make it possible to use standard electrical installation components, meaning that the circuits cost less.
The main difference between the DDR and the DDRH series is the range of allowed input voltage values and, to a lesser extent, thermal tolerance. For instance, the DDR-120B-24 is a 120 W converter with the output voltage of 24 V DC, which accepts the input voltage from 16.8 V to 33.6 V DC. A similar product from the DDRH series boasts a wider voltage range, which varies from 250 V to 1500 V DC. This example also shows that DDR and DDRH converters come in several variants – intended to increase the input voltage, decrease it to a desired level, or to eliminate input value fluctuations above and below the rated output voltage.
Here, we would like to draw your attention to a few other features displayed by the products described here. The offering comprises 100 W to 480 W converters. The devices boast efficiency of up to 93% (depending on the model) and are equipped with built-in undervoltage, overload, overvoltage, short circuit, overtemperature and reverse polarity protections. Apart from this, they exhibit isolation voltage of up to 4 kV. All of the products have a single output with a fixed rated voltage value (12 V, 24 V, 32 V, 48 V DC). It can be adjusted in a range of approx. ±10%. On the front panel of the converter, you can find a potentiometer, with which that value can be adjusted, and a “DC OK” diode indicating correct operation of the device.
Thanks to these features, the DIN-rail mount converters offered by Mean Well respond to the needs of different kinds of applications. These mainly include industrial automation systems. What is more, the products meet the requirements of devices used in railway infrastructure and other electric transit vehicles (underground, tramways) and can also function as power supplies in the telecommunications and ICT systems. On top of that, the DDRH series, owing to its wide range of electrical parameters and surge resistance, meets the standards for components working in renewable energy (solar power in particular) and energy storage systems.
MHB100 AND MHB150 SERIES
Mean Well specialises in power supplies and voltage converters – the company manufactures both stand-alone devices and PCB-mount components. In the case of the MHB100 and the MHB150 series, the products are intended for THT (through-hole) mounting. The components operate at 100 W and 150 W.
The converters have been manufactured in sizes corresponding to the “half-brick” standard, meaning they have a footprint of 2.28 x 2.4 inches. The products offer a choice of 5 V, 12 V or 24 V DC output voltage (adjustable in a range of ±10% via an external resistor connected to the dedicated pin). They also exhibit isolation voltage of up to 1.5 kV DC. A significant feature of the MHB converters is their remote ON/OFF control function and built-in protection systems, thanks to which they can operate as a fully integrated power supply circuit. Furthermore, the metal housing protects the circuit from interferences and improves heat dissipation. In addition, the factory-made threaded holes facilitate radiator mounting.
NID100-24 CONVERTER
The NID-100-24 converter is a 100 watt power supply circuit with a 24 V DC output voltage, operating at input voltages ranging from 20 V to 53 V DC. Thanks to its relatively high power and small size (50.8 x 27.5 x 12 mm) the product can be successfully used in modular components and compact circuits such as IoT (Internet of Things) devices and custom-made projects designed for specific applications. The converters are open-frame and have a metal radiator, thanks to which they can operate in temperatures ranging from -30°C to 85°C. What is more, even in this type of package, Mean Well has equipped the products with basic protection systems (OPP, OVP, SCP). Another significant advantage of the product is its high efficiency which can reach up to 96%.
RQB SERIES
The RQB converters bear much similarity to the MHB converters described above. However, the products from this series are enclosed in an even smaller housing (“quarter-brick”, which is 2.28 x 1.45 inches), and at the same time exhibit a higher isolation voltage (3kV DC). They can be purchased with 12 V, 23 V, 48 V or 56 V DC outputs operating at a wide range of input voltage, from 60 V to 160 V DC. Owing to the fact that their power is 150 W, they are capable of supplying currents of even up to 12.5 A. They are suitable for railway applications (they are compliant with the EN50155 standard), providing power to wireless network circuits and telecommunication systems. The converters boast high mechanical resistance – the manufacturer points out that they can be used in vibrating machines, dusty environments and a wide range of temperatures (from -40°C to 90°C). Similarly to the products from the MHB series, a radiator can be mounted on the top panel of the device.
SD SERIES
The SD series is a popular product range offered by Mean Well, which comprises a wide selection of DC/DC converters with power ranging from 100 W to 1000 W. These power supplies are available in metal housings, which can be fully enclosed, equipped with cooling holes, perforated or even combined with a built-in fan for active cooling of the circuit.
The products from the SD series come with 5 V, 12 V, 24 V and 48 V DC outputs, requiring input voltage of 9.5…18 V up to 72…144 V. These converter modules can be mounted inside electrical/electronic machines and devices. They can be connected with screw terminals, which ensure easy installation, replacement and maintenance work. Apart from low cost and high reliability as well as a large number of integrated protection circuits, their advantages include a built-in EMI filter and low interference levels (for instance: in the SD-150B-12 variant, the fluctuation amplitude does not exceed 120 mV for a 12 V output).
RSD AND RSDH SERIES
The RSD and the RSDH series are an extension of the product range described in the previous section of this article. The main difference between these two product groups lies in compliance with two international standards: EN50155 and EN45545. The first standard defines requirements regarding electronic devices intended for use in trains and other railway vehicles, referring to their certain features such as thermal resistance, capability to work in humid environments and resistance to shocks and vibration. The latter standard describes the requirements for materials utilised in the railway industry, which must be non-flammable and low smoke, with a low level of toxicity of substances produced as a result of contact with fire.
The RSD and the RSDH series include enclosed converters meeting the requirements of railway standards. The products from the latter group, similarly to the DDRH series, boast a wider range of input voltage even from 250 V up to 1500 V DC. When it comes to the RSD series, this varies from 16.8…31.2 V to 67.2…154 V.
The showcased power supplies provide outputs of 5 V, 12 V, 24 V and 48 V DC. Their power amounts to 100 W to 500 W (with the maximum current from 4.2 A to 42 A) and they display an efficiency of 93%. Thanks to extensive testing and implementation of high-quality capacitors with a wide thermal tolerance, Mean Well has achieved extraordinarily long service life of their products. According to the manufacturer, their MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) can reach even up to 130,000 h (which translates into around 14 years of continuous operation). Of course, these converters are also equipped with protection systems which shield the components (and other devices connected to them) from damage.
