Next-Generation, Miniature High Voltage Power Modules From EMCO

The next-generation of high voltage power modules features more watts per cubic inch, reduced power consumption with the addition of smart features for control and safety. As the number of applications requiring high voltage grows, reliable operation with size and weight limits present tough challenges. This white paper describes EMCO’s solution to these challenges.



The Low Voltage Revolution



The wide availability of miniature low voltage power modules inspired a sea change in the architecture of power distribution. Small, lightweight modules could be mounted right at the devices they were energizing. No longer was it necessary to build a main power supply outputting the different voltages and power levels required by the wide variety of subsystems and circuits. This required long runs of power wire sized for the total needs of the system, one set for each voltage. The modularized approach enabled using a single isolated DC bus with a standard supply feeding each circuit.



High Voltage Faces the Same Challenge



High voltage quickly moved to modular localized solutions also, but high voltage has to be treated very differently. A high voltage power supply designer faces the same problems as low voltage designers, plus the additional constraints of physics, chemistry, and topology. In the past, this task was left to specialists who usually had to create a new design for each application — there was very little standardization. High voltage supplies tended to be oversized for their power rating in order to allow for extra spacing of the internal wiring and components. Then there was the problem of safely routing the high voltage output to its load. As the number of applications requiring high voltage grew, there was pressure to change this early design strategy.