APPLICATION NOTE:

ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES OF SPECIFYING

AND MAKING POWER RACKS
SPECIFYING AND MAKING
POWER RACKS

Programmable DC power supplies are key components for both This includes specifications for devices for switching off,
production testing and product development in everything from protection against electrical shock, protection of equipment,
photovoltaic technology to battery and fuel cell testing. The control functions to operator interface, location, mounting,
complexities that go into specifying, designing, and building these enclosures, wiring practices, and warning signs in the designated
power racks are growing with ever-evolving applications that area. The block diagram for a typical machine is shown in Figure 1
demand higher power and faster response times with the ability where the appropriate protective circuitry and disconnect
to simulate complex operating scenarios. As these test systems switches are listed.
grow in complexity, so do their respective layout, air/water cooling
systems, and wiring. The national fire protection association (NFPA) 79 standard
features very similar specifications for industrial machinery as
EA Elektro-Automatik offers solutions that address these the EN 60204-1 standard; however, the NFPA 79 standard is more
challenges head-on with robust power supply units and turnkey detailed with a comprehensive description of the equipment,
power racks that are certified to EN 60204-1, UL 508, and NFPA installation and mounting, as well as the connection to the
79. This article explores the common challenges faced by electrical supply with schematics instead of more basic block
engineers when employing power racks and how EA Elektro- diagrams. The NFPA 79 standard elaborates on the machine’s
Automatik’s turnkey solutions provide a safe, user-friendly operating environment, operator interface, warning signs,
alternative to custom designs. documentation, and testing. This means that a power rack that
is compliant with the EN 60204-1 standard may not necessarily
THE CHALLENGE OF DESIGNING FOR meet the requirements of the NFPA 79 standard. The very same
SAFETY COMPLIANCE principles can be applied to the North American UL 508 standard,
where both the EN and NFPA standards do not precisely line
The build out of a power rack, by its very nature, involves up despite the many similarities between them. For instance,
compliance with safety standards to ensure the user can properly the European and North American standards both use different
operate high powered equipment without damage to the rack or methodologies for determining a system’s short-circuit current
the user - but understanding the scope of application standards, rating (SCCR).
certification, and local requirements is a task in and of itself.
There are quite a few compliance standards for power equipment,
and different regions will have different standards. Ensuring that
the power rack meets the customers needs and can be deployed
according to the proper standard can be a laborious duty.

Several international safety standards can be used for

compliance. For example, the European Norm (EN) 60204-1
standard provides both requirements and recommendations
related to electrical equipment to promote:

The safety of persons and property

The consistency of control response
The ease of operation and maintenance

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TURNKEY EA-POWER RACK SOLUTIONS
This is where EA Elektro-Automatik’s turnkey power rack solutions potential electrical danger, the doors are keyed for safety, and all
offer a significant advantage to customers. All of their power racks are interfaces are galvanically isolated for user safety. Moreover, the racks
built in accordance with European (EN 60204-1) and North American have a convenient bus bar that allows users to connect all the DC
(UL 508 and NFPA 79) standards, so they can be used in these regions terminals together in parallel for higher current and higher power, and
and still be within compliance: operators are protected from any bus bar covers are provided to protect operators that might
inadvertently touch the bus bar.

Figure 1
Block diagram of a
typical machine
Image Credit: EN 60204-1

3
SAFETY
As shown in Figure 2, a 24V safety circuit is wired to a front
panel emergency stop switch that kills power when required. It
also has a door interlock that shuts off power in the event that a
user inadvertently opens the doors. Both of these safety circuits
ensure the power racks are benign and safe to touch.

Emergency
stop system
with redundant
openers

Power monitoring modul

(optional NA protection
for regenerative systems)

Circuit breakers
accessible from the front

Figure 2

4
INCORPORATING USER-FRIENDLY
DESIGN ELEMENTS
SIMPLICITY IN HEAT DISSIPATION DESIGN MOVABILITY
DC power racks will inevitably generate large amounts of heat Racks are bulky items that are extremely difficult to move, espe-
that could potentially have an adverse effect on performance, cially when the power supplies have already been installed. Some
reliability, and the operational lifetime of the equipment. This is racks are created with fork lift bases to lift these steel cabinets;
especially true within an enclosure where hot spots can and will however, this requires large machinery to move around in an open
build up during operation. Between wiring, cooling, and space -- an option that isn’t necessarily available for all users.
installation, power racks that are meant to be user-friendly can EA Elektro-Automatik’s DC power racks come with eye bolts to
easily grow in complexity. top lift the rack as well as adjustable feet to easily roll the rack
around and set it at a particular height. These feet also allow
users to add a brake to prevent the rack from moving once it has
EA Elektro-Automatik’s 15U and 24U height DC racks have a
been moved to a suitable location within a facility.
power range from 30 kilowatts (kW) up to 120 kW while the large
42U DC racks have up to 240 kW in 19” cabinets -- providing up to
nearly 2 MW of power in a 0.6 m2 floor space. The racks provide
EASY-TO-USE WIRING
The AC input wiring is prewired to make it easy to install the
voltage ratings up to 2,000 volts and current ratings up to 8,000
power supplies, and the separate breakers per unit allow the user
amps per cabinet and can be paralleled for up to 1.92 megawatts
to easily shut off individual supplies without impacting the entire
(MW) of total power output. The DC power racks have an optional
rack. The shelves are prebuilt to readily fit power supply units. All
built-in water distribution system for each of the eight internal
the proper hardware is supplied to secure these units to the front
units (Figure 3) that are designed in accordance with NFPA 79
of the rack and to install the bus bar. Panels are also provided to
where the tubing is “not located in enclosures or compartments
block off shelves that do not have a unit installed. A color TFT
containing electrical equipment.”
touch panel display allows for intuitive operation with multiple
language options available (refer to Figure 2). As shown in
This greatly simplifies design where liquid convective cooling is
Figure 4, communication between units is simple to establish
far more effective than the conventional forced air cooling found
during installation. The power racks come with the appropriate
in most power racks. Even in the event that air cooling is used,
ethernet cable for the master, slave connection between units.
the installed doors have a mesh that can allow for sufficient
BNC cables are also provided to go in between each chassis for
air circulation (again simplifying how users interface with the
paralleling. The master-auxiliary bus system allow data such as
system).
total power and total current to be collected and shown in the
master device.

Figure 3 Figure 4
Close-up of the water distribution of the 240 kW cabinet with eight Close-up view of the share bus connected via BNC cables and master-
units and water cooling. slave bus connected with ethernet cables.

5
THOROUGH DOCUMENTATION TO
MEET SAFETY STANDARDS
All of the standards require appropriate technical documentation Easy access to this information is paramount. Outside of the
that includes the installation diagram, circuit diagram, parts list, basic installation and safety of the power rack, the right software
programming, sequence of operation, adjustment, maintenance, and documentation are also necessary to more easily enable
and more. This is one of the most basic but important communications between power supply units. EA Elektro-
requirements of a rack-mount system in order to supply the user Automatik’s turnkey power racks have full documentation so
with the information necessary to safely use and maintain the users can assemble, operate, and disassemble power racks safely
equipment. Figure 5 shows the wiring scheme for the 24U DC and with ease. Each rack comes with a QR code that links to all
power racks found in the installation guide. documents, manuals, and software for the power rack.

Figure 5
Wiring scheme for the 24U power rack
in the installation guide.

6
POTENTIAL USE CASES FOR
EA ELEKTRO-AUTOMATIK’S TURNKEY
POWER RACKS
The 19” rack can be designed as pure DC sources using The cabinet system can also be designed as a pure sink with
EA Elektro-Automatik’s PS, PSI, and PSB programmable power electronic loads using the ELR series of power supplies. The
supplies. All of EA Elektro-Automatik’s power supplies are true ELR series are regenerative electronic loads that save power
autoranging supplies that automatically adjust current higher and cost by sink/absorb current and recover up to 96% of that
at lower voltages, and vice versa, to maintain full power across current, putting it back to the local power grid (Figure 6). The
a wide range of testing requirements. This diverges from the regenerative loads also offer an alternative to the traditional
more conventional square power profile of many power supplies method of conducting burn-in test using inexpensive resistive
where the device under test (DUT) would have to stay within the load banks which convert the power output to heat that typically
maximum current or voltage rating of the power supply. With an requires fan/water cooling which causes large energy costs. The
autoranging supply, users can test either multiple devices with energy recovery efficiency can reduce heat, noise, and HVAC
various voltage and current ratings or, a singular device under costs due to significantly cooler operation. Furthermore, if a user
test (DUT) that might operate under a wide input voltage range wants a mix of source and sink capability, EA Elektro-Automatik
by drawing constant power under different input (current and power supplies can be both conventional (PS and PSI series) or
voltage) conditions (e.g. DC motor drive). This greatly expands bidirectional (PSB series) with loads are both conventional or
testing flexibility and power supply versatility. regenerative (ELR series).

Figure 6
EA Elektro-Automatik’s power racks
can function as a pure sink with
regenerative power supplies
taking in AC from the grid and recon-
verting it at up to 96% efficiency.

7
CONCLUSION
EA Elektro-Automatik’s turnkey DC power rack solutions make
paralleling DC power supplies for more power a much safer
operation that is in compliance with both European and North To get more information on the PSB
American standards. The full documentation, ease-of-use, and series or to determine your ROI on the
support granted by EA Elektro-Automatik allow users to more PSB series, please visit:
optimally take advantage of their power rack systems. Using
these racks in tandem with EA Elektro-Automatik’s power www.elektroautomatik.com
supplies allows users to leverage the power supplies with
autoranging and regenerative loads to serve their testing and
operational needs.

8
 GERMANY
SPAIN
USA CHINA

SERVICE FOR YOU WORLDWIDE.

At the headquarter in Germany in the industrial centre of North Rhine
Westphalia more than 200 qualified associates, in a facility of 18000 m²,
research, develop and manufacture high-tech equipment for laboratory
power supply, high power mains adaptors and electronic loads with or
without power feedback. The sales network includes branches in China and
USA, sales office in Spain and an extensive partner network.

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