Product advice on improving system health with a dc-to-ac power inverter

Power inverter works with battery banks, solar array, mobile power and other 24 Vdc power sources, according to a company with a Control Engineering Engineers’ Choice Award product.

By Ken Allwine February 18, 2022
Courtesy: Phoenix Contact USA

 

Learning Objectives

  • Understand power inverter applications for battery banks, solar array, mobile power, other 24 Vdc power needs.
  • Learn about inverter use for applications where ac power is unavailable, or when diagnostic capabilities are needed.

A power inverter transforms direct current (dc) into alternating current (ac) and extends the product range for power supplies.

It enables two devices to be connected in parallel. On the one hand, this increases the operational safety of systems in the event of power supply failure (redundancy), or it provides the option to increase performance. The output power can be doubled by using two dc/ac inverters. Communication between the two devices synchronizes the phase relation in both operating modes.

Power inverter for battery banks, solar array, mobile power, other 24 Vdc power

A 600 VA (480 W) dc-to-ac inverter can produce a pure sine-wave feed from a 24 Vdc source. The source voltage might be a large-capacity battery bank, a solar array, mobile power, or any other source of constant 24 Vdc power.

The inverter makes it possible to connect three devices in parallel to implement a three-phase 400 Vac network. The three devices communicate with each other in real time, thereby synchronizing the 120-degree phase shift. This means ac drives also can be operated.

The output ac voltage RMS (root-mean-square) value can be configured via software from a total of nine values in two ranges. The range will be selected via the signal terminal during device startup. A selectable output voltage ensures the inverter can be used worldwide.

The Quint Power 600VA (480 W) dc-to-ac inverter from Phoenix Contact produces a pure sine-wave feed from a 24 Vdc source in an industrial, DIN rail-mount package. Courtesy: Phoenix Contact USA

The Quint Power 600VA (480 W) dc-to-ac inverter from Phoenix Contact produces a pure sine-wave feed from a 24 Vdc source in an industrial, DIN rail-mount package. Courtesy: Phoenix Contact USA

Inverter for applications where AC power is unavailable, provides diagnostics

Applications range from onboard vehicle applications, remote systems without a mains feed, onboard maritime vessels, or any other location that does not have an ac feed available. This inverter also provides extensive (and optionally configurable) diagnostic outputs to monitor the most critical aspects of the device, giving the end user ultimate visibility of system health.

Ken Allwine is associate product marketing manager, Phoenix Contact USA. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

KEYWORDS: Inverter application advice, Engineers’ Choice Awards

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

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How are you using inverters to improve operations?


Author Bio: Ken Allwine is associate product marketing manager, Phoenix Contact USA