The RACM Series Brings Flexibility and Industry-Leading Performance to Multiple Applications

Low-wattage AC/DC power supplies power a wide variety of applications including the internet of things (IoT) and Industrial IoT (IIoT), medical equipment, industrial automation, information technology equipment (ITE), smart homes, consumer appliances, and many others. The design of such AC/DC supplies must meet challenging performance requirements including wide input voltage ranges, peak power delivery, and high-power densities. Depending on the application, the AC/DC power supply must also meet corresponding performance levels for safety, efficiency, standby power, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).

RECOM’s RACM series is designed for these and similar applications and includes over 180 products with power outputs from 6W. The RACM family has recently been extended with the addition of the RACM30-K/277 range of parts rated at 30W (36W peak), setting a new benchmark of 9.2W/inch³ thermally effective power density at 60°C still air in a case size of 40mm x 52.5mm x 25.5mm (1.6” x 2” x 1”).

The silicone-free encapsulated AC/DCs in the RACM30-K/227 family have an ultra-wide input range of 85VAC–305VAC (120V to 430VDC) and are available with outputs of 5V, 12V, 15V, 24V +/−12V or +/−15V. They’re fully protected against over-voltage, over-current, and short circuits and are rated as a limited power source (LPS) as specified in the IEC 62368-1 standard. The full load operating temperature range is −40°C to +60°C in free air and to +90°C with derating and the parts are rated for operation in OVC III and PD 3 environments up to 5000m altitude.

Safety certifications include audio/video, IT, test equipment, industrial, household, and MOPP medical, with 4kVAC/1 min rated isolation and the parts meet EMC “class B” levels with a large margin without external components, even with grounded outputs.

The RACM30-K/277 series is available as PCB-mount with an industry-standard pin-out, compatible with the RAC20 series for power upgrades, and can also be supplied with flying leads fitting into 60mm flush mount wall installation. A convertible panel mount version with push-in spring terminals can accept both hard and litz wires and can be adapted for DIN-rail mounting via an optional mounting clip.

The comprehensive specifications of the RACM30-K/277 series make the parts an easy and versatile choice for worldwide applications such as electric vehicles (EV) charger housekeeping supplies, industrial automation, lighting, IoT, medical, and smart energy systems.

Let’s take a look at how the RACM fits the bill in some of these applications.

EV charger housekeeping supplies

A charger for EV has two parallel paths for power flow. The high-power side handles the power transfer between the EV charging connector and the electric grid and requires a two-phase or three-phase AC/DC converter capable of multi-kW operation. There’s also a separate low-power path that generates isolated DC power for the housekeeping functions. These include the host controllers, the wireless interface, the human-machine interface (HMI), security features, and more. This is an ideal application for the RACM family.

Industrial automation

There are many industrial automation applications for the RACM. Examples include process control systems, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), industrial PCs, and sensor network power supplies. IIoT systems also require compact, reliable, and efficient power supplies. The wide choice of output voltages available from the RACM allows it to provide power for a wide variety of digital and analog designs: +/−12V and =/−15V are needed for many analog data acquisition front ends, whereas +5V is suitable for system power for digital devices such as microcontrollers (MCUs). Many industrial automation applications must be installed in confined spaces without cooling. The RACM30 can operate at up to 90°C under reduced load conditions. Power efficiency is assuming increasing importance in industrial applications, and power supplies can play a key role. The efficiency of the RACM30 is between 80% and 90% down to light load conditions.

Light-emitting diodes

LEDs are considered the future in lighting due to their high efficiency and high reliability, plus other characteristics such as a wide selection of colors and resistance to shock and vibration. As an LED power source, the RACM30 with 12V or 24V DC output is suitable for many LED lighting applications such as cabinet lighting, linear lighting, strip lighting, and sign lighting.

The field of residential smart energy includes numerous applications for the RACM family such as smart metering, smart thermostats, and microgrids. The control devices in these applications all need a stable source of DC power derived from the household AC supply.

An AC/DC converter in a medical application needs high-grade protection against electric shock as a failure can result in a potentially lethal connection from high-voltage AC to a conductor in contact with a patient. Medical safety standards define levels of isolation or measures of protection (MOPs) necessary for both the operators (MOOPs) and the patients (MOPPs).

Conclusion

Various industries have high-tech, complex, and sensitive devices that depend on AC/DC converters with high efficiency, flexible input and output voltage choices, high power density, and the appropriate safety certifications. RECOM’s RACM30 fits the bill and is the clear choice for many medical and industrial applications.