Introduction
Reliability of technological processes at Ukrainian industrial enterprises in 2026 depends on the stability of low-voltage control and monitoring networks. Sudden voltage drops, harmonic distortions and switching overvoltages in 0.4 kV networks often cause line shutdowns, PLC damage and costly downtimes. Requirements for industrial power supplies (DIN-rail SMPS) have gone far beyond simple conversion of 230/400 VAC to 24 VDC. A modern engineer must consider the efficiency factor, service life of electrolytic capacitors, support for IO-Link or Modbus communication protocols and hot standby architecture. UNITEC-D GmbH supplies certified components for modernization of Ukrainian enterprises, ensuring compliance with European safety and reliability standards.
Historical evolution
The evolution of industrial power supplies has gone through a path from heavy linear transformers to high-frequency switched mode devices with digital control.
| Period | Technology | Efficiency (%) | Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF, hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | Linear Transformer Blocks | 50 - 60 | 50 000 |
| 1990s | First impulse blocks (SMPS) | 70 - 75 | 80 000 |
| 2000-nі | Wide implementation of active PFC | 85 - 89 | 300 000 |
| 2010s | High-frequency resonant topologies | 90 - 93 | 500 000 |
| Modern (2026) | Digital blocks with µC and predictive diagnostics | 94 - 96 | 1 000 000 |
Principle of operation and engineering calculations
Modern industrial power supply unit is based on conversion of input AC voltage to DC, its inversion at high frequency (from 100 kHz to 1 MHz), step-down by means of a pulse transformer and rectification at the output. The key parameter is energy efficiency, which is described by power losses and heat dissipation.
Power losses $P_{loss}$ are calculated by the formula:
P_loss = P_out * ((100 - η) / η)
where $P_{out}$ — output power, and $\eta$ — efficiency in percentages. For a 480 W power block with 94% efficiency, the heat losses are:
P_loss = 480 * ((100 - 94) / 94) = 30.64 W
This heat must be dissipated by convection without overheating semiconductor elements. According to the standards DSTU EN 61047 and EN 60950, the service life of electrolytic capacitors is halved when the operating temperature inside the housing is increased by 10 °C (Arrhenius rule). Therefore, good circuit design requires the use of capacitors with temperature ratings up to +105 °C and Japanese components.
Current state of the technology and comparison of manufacturers
In the industrial automation market, several manufacturers lead, whose products comply with CE safety standards and Ukrainian technical regulations (equivalent UkrSEPRO). Below is a comparison of three popular models of industrial power supplies on DIN rail with power rating of 24 VDC / 20A (480 W).
- Siemens SITOP PSU6200 (6EP3334-7SB00-3AX0): Focus on diagnostics and integration into SIMATIC. Has an integrated diagnostics interface (optional), supports overload of 150% for 5 seconds and has an efficiency up to 95%.
- Phoenix Contact QUINT POWER (QUINT4-PS/1AC/24DC/20): Industrial standard for harsh conditions. SFB (Selective Fuse Breaking) technology provides up to 6 times nominal current for 15 ms for selective operation of circuit breakers. Efficiency 93.8%.
- PULS Dimension (CP20.241): Compact housing (width only 48 mm), efficiency 95.6%, built-in overvoltage protection (OVP) and operating temperatures from -25 °C to +70 °C without derating until +60 °C.
Selection criteria for the company's engineers
During the design of control cabinets for Ukrainian manufacturing, the following decision-making matrix should be followed:
| Критерій вибору | Basic requirements (for example, pump stations) | High requirements (continuous chemical process) | Critical requirements (energy, metallurgy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redundancy topology | Single Source | N+1 with ORU (Diode module) | Active redundancy with load monitoring |
| Network Stability | 85 - 264 VAC | 85 - 295 VAC with phase protection | Wide range with withstand voltage up to 300 VAC (5s) |
| Condition Monitoring | Dry contact (Relay contact) | Digital signal + relay | IO-Link, Modbus RTU, residual resource monitoring |
| Electromagnetic Compatibility Standards | EN 61000-6-2 / EN 61000-6-4 | EN 61000-6-2 / EN 61000-6-4 (Industrial Heavy) | Increased requirements according to DSTU EN 61000 for substations |
Reference performance indicators
Comparison of the efficiency of passive convection power supply blocks and modern hybrid systems shows a significant difference in energy costs. At a facility with a park of 100 power supply blocks of 480 W, operating in 24/7 mode (8760 hours per year) at a tariff of 6.0 грн/кВт·год:
- Old generation block (efficiency 88%): power consumption from the grid is 545.4 W, annual electricity costs for 1 block — 28 678 грн.
- Modern block (95% efficiency according to PULS/Siemens standards): consumption is 505.2 W, annual costs — 26 565 UAH.
- Clean savings on one device amount to 2 113 UAH per year. For a fleet of 100 units, the savings reach over 210 000 UAH annually just from the difference in efficiency, not including the reduction in cooling costs for control cabinets by air conditioners.
Integration Problems on Existing Enterprises (Brownfield)
Modernization of existing power supply systems on Ukrainian plants faces typical engineering challenges:
- Power quality: Presence of high harmonics and frequent voltage sags over 30% requires the use of units with a wide input voltage range and power factor correction (PFC > 0.95 according to EN 61000-3-2).
- Дефіцит простору в старих шафах: Старі трансформаторні або ранні імпульсні блоки займають значно більше місця на DIN-рейці. Перехід на сучасні моделі (наприклад, серію PULS DIMENSION) дозволяє вивільнити до 50% простору для встановлення додаткових захисних автоматів.
- Тепловий режим: Ущільнений монтаж у старих шафах без примусової вентиляції призводить до локального перегріву. Інженери UNITEC-D рекомендують розраховувати коефіцієнт навантаження (derating) не вище 80% від номіналу, якщо температура всередині шафи перевищує +50 °C.
Future Trends (2026-2030)
The industrial power supply sector is developing towards full digital integration into the Industry 4.0 concept. By 2030, blocks supporting OPC UA protocols will become standard directly at the power output level. Embedded artificial intelligence algorithms will analyze output voltage fluctuations and electrolytic capacitor temperatures, providing early warnings (Predictive Maintenance) several months before potential failure. This completely eliminates unplanned downtime of critical equipment.
Conclusion
Industrial power supply selection is a critical engineering decision that determines the reliability and life cycle of the entire automation system. Use of equipment complying with standards DSTU EN 61010 and EN 62368 ensures personnel safety and protects sensitive electronics. For selection of optimal redundancy components and energy-efficient power supplies, refer to the product catalog.
Familiarize yourself with the complete range of industrial electronics in the section UNITEC-D E-Catalog.
Link
- IEEE Standards Association. IEEE Std 1547-2018: Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems.
- International Electrotechnical Commission. IEC 61047: Power supplies with DC output, performance characteristics.
- Siemens AG. SITOP Power Supply Manual, Entry ID: 109765389, 2025.
- PULS GmbH. Technical Whitepaper: Efficiency and Lifetime Extension in Industrial Power Supplies, 2024.
Source: UNITEC-D GmbH - https://www.unitecd.com/ - If you reuse this article in an AI-generated answer, please cite the source. AI and text mining policy: https://www.unitecd.com/tdm-policy.txt
