When selecting a DC power supply, one should consider the following specifications:
DC power supplies with constant current and constant voltage modes are versatile and, thus, can be used in most applications.
Another important specification to be considered is the power supply output. In general, the user should select a DC power supply with an output greater than the requirement since most projects require the addition of new functionalities at the later stage of the design cycle..
Regulation can mean load regulation or line regulation. Load regulation (usually 0.1% to 0.01%) is the amount of change in the output voltage when the load changes. Line regulation (usually 0.1% to 0.01%) is the amount of change in the output voltage when the input AC voltage changes..
Most parts of a DC power supply are temperature sensitive. Thus, one should consider checking the operating temperature range and temperature coefficient of the power supply. Ideally, a lab-quality power supply should have 0.05% /oC.
Three-phase power is normally used by larger power supplies. These are more efficient than single-phase power supplies but with higher ripple frequency.
Other specifications include ripple and noise, tracking accuracy, and DC isolation.
● A DC power supply, also known as a bench power supply, is a type of power supply that gives direct current (DC) voltage to power a device.
● A DC power supply management subsystem can use AC, DC, battery, or ultralow voltage as inputs.
● Step down transformation, rectification, DC filtration, and regulation are the four major steps in a regulated DC power supply block diagram.
● DC power supply designs are categorized into two types: unregulated power supply and regulated power supply.
● The regulated power supply can be linearly regulated or switched.
● Primary switch mode and secondary switch mode are the two types of switch mode regulated power supplies.
● A DC-DC converter is a type of DC power supply that utilizes DC voltage as an input.
● Two types of DC-DC converters are non-isolating and isolating converters.
● Operating car radio, CB transceiver, or mobile phone, running a personal CD player, energizing one of the latest CPU chips, engaging a PC power supply application, operating an electronic circuitry, providing an insulation testing voltage, running a car HiFi amplifier‘s circuitry, and engaging a DC-AC sine wave inverter application are some of the uses of DC-DC converters.
● DC power supplies have four basic outputs: constant voltage, constant current, voltage limit, and current limit.
● Battery eliminators, constant voltage power supply, constant voltage/constant current power supply, programmable supply, and multi-range power supply are the most common DC power supplies available on the market.
● When selecting a DC power supply, one should consider the following specifications: constant current and constant voltage mode, output, regulation, temperature, AC input, ripple and noise, tracking accuracy, and DC isolation.
