CEO, Digital Power Systems
KIT Spinoff Develops Ultra-Long-Lived Industrial Power Supplies
In households, offices, and industry: switching power supplies are omnipresent in our daily lives. They convert alternating current from the mains into direct current needed by smartphones, laptops, EV charging stations, and entire logistics or computing centres. Until now, these had to be replaced after approximately nine years of continuous operation. Digital Power Systems (DPS), a spinoff of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), has now demonstrated power supplies with a 50-year lifetime in tests.
Today's switching power supplies are light and compact, but susceptible to failure due to the electrolytic capacitors they contain. Film capacitors are far more durable. However, they have required up to ten times more space - until now.
"We have developed a digital control process that allows us to use film capacitors in a space-saving manner." - Michael Heidinger, CEO of DPS
Lifetime Five Times Higher Than Conventional Power Supplies
Joint tests with KIT's Light Technology Institute proved a lifetime of 50 years at an ambient temperature of 40 °C. No power supply has failed yet, and tests are being continued.
"This is about five times that of established power supplies. We have not yet reached the limit."
Compared to conventional switching power supplies, maintenance expenditure is significantly lower. "This technology is a game changer wherever reliability is important - whether in computing centres, logistics hubs, or aviation safety lamps."
Digital Control Saves Space
The novel digital control process allows the use of film capacitors with only a slightly increased space requirement. A microprocessor integrated in the power supply detects disturbing ambient impacts and compensates for the large voltage fluctuations of the film capacitor. As a result, storage capacitors of smaller capacity are sufficient.
Deployed in Aviation Safety
The power supply is already used for aviation safety lighting on obstacles such as industrial chimneys, wind turbines, and radio masts. Replacing damaged power supplies in these locations is often tedious and costly, as industrial climbers are needed.
Original source: KIT Press Release