Prototyping Power Supply (is there such a thing?)

[Helepolis]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a power supply unit that is designed for prototyping.
I'll try to explain what I'm looking for, hopefully there is such a thing.

I'm working on a prototype of a biomedical device, at this point the device needs to be upgraded and one of the components is the power supply.
Currently the device is powered by a bench/lab DC supply (something similar to the one in the attached photo).

Obviously it's bulky and cumbersome, so this power supply needs to be replaced with something that can be integrated into the device itself (for portability).

What I'm looking for in the "New" power supply:
[ul]
[li]Compact design (in the order of a PC power supply dimensions)[/li]
[li]Several power outlets[/li]
[li]Adjustable voltage (each outlet individually)[/li]
[li]Modular (again, similar to a PC power supply unit) to reduce amount of cables[/li]
[li]30 VDC max[/li]
[li]10 A max[/li]
[/ul]
I though of utilizing an actual PC power supply with Buck–boost converter (to reduce or increase the voltage as required), but naturally i prefer something that is initially designed for that job.

Hope that this kind of "creature" exists and I'm not wasting time on the search.

Thanks,

DS

 

[MacGyverS2000]

As a biomedical device, you will need to follow a different set of rules than standard power supplies (particularly isolation).

Of course, a Google search for "medical power supply" will turn up many many useful results...

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[Helepolis]

Thanks for the input, but I'm aware of the medical standards.

The devise is still in prototyping phase, and will be for a while (at least a 1.5 years).
My goal is to find a "flexible" module that i can play with the different parameters such as amount of outputs and individually controlling each output voltage, until we settle on the final configuration.
Besides that, we need the system to be portable and with the current power supply its far from that.

I have found some possible products, but not quite what I'm looking for (too few outputs, no voltage adjustment, too large etc.).
But I'm guessing that the reason is that those are already the finished product (plug and play so to speak), while I'm looking for something like a programmable PSU but one that can be installed as part of the whole system.
Again, something like a modular PC power supply unit where i can choose how many outlets i will utilize but on top of that i can adjust the voltage for each output.

DS

 

[IRstuff]

I think that you will have a hard time finding a commercial product that meets your desires for the simple reason that a PC power supply already knows what voltages to output, and they don't change. If one needs programmability of voltage outputs, then one wants to see the voltages on a display that's readily readable, which automatically limits the form factor.

There are power management chips from companies like Maxim with multiple outputs, although your current draw requirements means that any such monolithic chip will require augmentation with external transistors, etc.

Bear in mind that you're asking for 300W PER OUTPUT, which is not going come in a small form factor, given, say 10% efficiency, and 3 outputs, the box has to dissipate a minimum of 90W on its own. You can peruse places like Newark to see if something better is available:

https://www.newark.com/w/c/test-mea...ammable&sort=P_ATT_BASE_VALUE_1013502_EN_US|1

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

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[benta]

Astec Power used to have a modular power supply system with a common power frame where different modules could be plugged in. They seem to have been acquired by Emerson, so I don't know the current status.

 

[itsmoked]

First; I'm a bit shocked that you can't nail down the voltages after 'using up a lab supply'. Seriously? All the voltages are still a mystery? I can see perhaps one freak voltage still being unknown, but all of them?

Who designs (commercially viable) stuff that isn't 3.3V, 5V, +/-12V, +/-15V, or 24V?

Can you not nail down all your voltages but one? If you can (and you should've) then you can easily find off-the-shelf (OTS) medical approved supplies that put out most of the above voltages for little money.

For the odd-ball do you not have some sort of "nominal" voltage expectation yet, if you're confident enough to need to "go portable"? Most U or L frame OTS supplies have adjustability (screw) in a range. If you need to get slightly out of that range you can always hack the supply to reach it. That can reduce its power capability a little based on how and which way you stretch it.

You should be able to get this down to two OTS supplies that are pretty inexpensive and a lot smaller than what you have now.

If you want more help tell us ALL the voltages you need.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com