DC/DC converters stay on track all over the world
DC/DC converters by Flex Power Modules have a wide input range for railway rolling stock and can be used anywhere in the world, says the company.
The PKM7500W and PKM7100W are quarter-brick modules for powering railway rolling stock equipment. The 50W PKM7500W offers an input voltage range of 12 to 160V and the 100W PKM7100W has an input range of 14 to 160V.
According to Flex, this wide input voltage range means that equipment designers can use just one DC/DC converter for products intended for use anywhere in the world, which makes installation, qualification and after-market support easier.
Equipment for use in railway rolling stock must meet a wide range of standard input voltages, which varies from country to country. Now manufacturers do not have to create a variant designed for lower voltages such as 24V, 36V and 48V and another for higher voltages, such as 72V, 96V, and 110V.
These nominal voltages are defined in the EN50155 standard, which also sets requirements for handling voltage dips and spikes. This means the lowest voltage a 24V-based system must deal with is in fact 14.4V, and the highest voltage for a 110V-based system is 154V.
The modules are suited to use in harsh environments, being fully encapsulated to stop dust, moisture and corrosion, as well as being resistant to vibration. They incorporate input under-voltage protection, output over-current protection, output over-voltage protection, and over-temperature protection.
The PKM7100W provides up to 100W output power, at 5.0, 12, 13.8, 15, 24, 48 and 54V output voltages. The PKM7500W provides up to 50W at the same output voltages, as well as 3.3V.
Flex Power Modules will showcase the PKM7500W and PKM7100W modules at the Modern Railways 2019 exhibition at the China National Convention Center, in Beijing, China (20 to 22 November) on stand number 2040.
