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What is a Bipolar Power Supply?

It is a four-quadrant bipolar power supply to source and sink the power. The power supply is available with two modes of constant voltage (CV) and constant current (CC). By taking advantage of built-in function generators, it is also possible for certain series of bipolar power supplies to generate basic input waveforms, including a sine wave and a square wave.

Moreover, arbitrary waves are available as well.
For more information, please see the "Technical Knowledge" page on our site.

INDEX

Automobiles and vehicles

Development and evaluation of bidirectional inverters and converters

In recent years, vehicle-mounted power supplies have been shifting from 12-volt outputs to 48-volt. To keep abreast of this trend to higher voltages, including those in quasi-hybridized vehicles, the design of various automotive components has had to be reviewed. In order to cope with the demand to save more energy, we are required to develop such bidirectional devices as DC/DC devices to promote the storage efficiency of regenerated electric power. Furthermore, as the computerization of automobiles advances, there is a rapidly increasing need for noise tests including cranking waveforms of vehicle-mounted electrical components. Bipolar power supplies are the most suitable candidates for evaluating the noise, heat and response of these devices and components. In addition, the use of high voltages is also essential for the evaluation of EVs and HEVs. Matsusada Precision offers a wide range of bipolar power supplies to meet the needs of each user.

Performance required in this application: High power High speed High voltage

Development and evaluation of bidirectional inverters and converters

PointHere is why Matsusada Precision bipolar power supplies are selected

Matsusada Precision offers 147 models of bipolar power supplies, including high-voltage and high-power models, which cannot be matched by our competitors. This makes it possible for customers to select the right power supply that is best suited to their individual applications. We have a power supply which can deliver up to 2000 W from one unit and that makes it possible to use a compact configuration when high power is needed. Competitors' power supplies can only deliver about 400 W maximum from one unit.

Development and evaluation of magnetic materials for motors

Bipolar power supplies are also used to evaluate the hysteresis characteristics of magnetic materials. Hysteresis is a characteristic which has a large effect on the efficiency of EV motors. It is necessary to use a high-speed bipolar power supply to measure hysteresis characteristics smoothly and accurately.

Performance required in this application: High speedHigh voltage

Development and evaluation of magnetic materials for motors 1
Development and evaluation of magnetic materials for motors 2

Evaluation of ignition coils

Evaluation of the cranking waveform during the rotation of the starter motor using a simulator is an essential method for testing ignition coils. A high-speed bipolar power supply that is capable of providing a variety of waveforms is required to test modern automobiles in which various electronic devices are incorporated in a complicated way. Some of Matsusada Precision's bipolar power supplies are equipped with a memory function so that the necessary waveforms can be pre-stored in memory and recalled when needed for testing.

Performance required in this application: High speed

Evaluation of ignition coils 1
Evaluation of ignition coils 2

Evaluation of the loss of copper and iron in the reactor of a large transformer

Bipolar power supplies are often used to evaluate the large transformers mounted on special vehicles. These transformers have copper windings. When a high-frequency voltage is used, copper loss occurs due to the so-called skin effect. In small transformers, the amount of copper lost is negligible. But it is possible for larger transformers to save energy by reducing that loss. Bipolar power supplies are used for selecting the type of wires for reactors to reduce the loss of copper and iron.

Performance required in this application: High power

Evaluation of the loss of copper and iron in the reactor of a large transformer

Development of current sensors and shunt resistors

As the popularity of HEV and EV automobiles, including special vehicles, increases the technology for monitoring electric current is becoming more important. Reduction of electric current waste is becoming a necessity, in order to extend the travel distance and travel time of automobiles. To achieve this, it is essential to improve the performance of the electric current sensors, which monitor the current flow from the batteries to various electrical and electronic devices in automobiles. Bipolar power supplies are well suited for evaluating the accuracy, response speed, and temperature of electric current sensors.

Performance required in this application: High power High speed High voltage

Development of current sensors and shunt resistors

Development and evaluation of motors and peripheral equipment

In evaluating motors using a general purpose variable power supply, the power supply might be damaged or fail due to a counter electromotive force when evaluating some items. Therefore, the development and evaluation of motors has been performed using a combination of electronic loads and a variable power supply. Since a bipolar power supply can output in all four quadrants, it is not necessary to combine electronic loads. However, until now high-power bipolar power supply has not been available, so only motors with small power rating could be evaluated. Matsusada Precision has developed a compact, high-power bipolar power supply, thus making it possible to also evaluate large motors.

Performance required in this application: High power High speed High voltage

Development and evaluation of motors and peripheral equipment 1
Development and evaluation of motors and peripheral equipment 2

Evaluation of electromagnetic valves

The operating speed of electromagnetic valves affects the fuel consumption of automobiles. Our bipolar power supply is capable of delivering a high-speed response to test the operation of electromagnetic valves.

Performance required in this application: High speed

Evaluation of electromagnetic valves

Development and evaluation of connectors

Electronically-controlled automobiles contain a large number of cables and connectors arranged in a complicated fashion. Failure to evaluate noise and heat can lead to a serious accident. Bipolar power supplies are used to simulate various noise sources.

Performance required in this application: High power High speed

Development and evaluation of connectors

Simulation of cranking waveforms in special vehicles

It is necessary to simulate the cranking waveforms of different automobiles, including special vehicles. It is possible to simulate the cranking waveforms of various types of special vehicles using high power or high-speed bipolar power supply.

Performance required in this application: High power High speed

Simulation of cranking waveforms in special vehicles
Simulation of cranking waveforms in special vehicles

General electronic/electrical products

Development and evaluation of inverters and converters

Inverters and converters are widely used in a variety of industries, including home electric appliances, industrial equipment, and automobiles. Bipolar power supplies are used in the evaluation of such products, for example, when testing variations in the input and making measurements of efficiency.

Performance required in this application: High power High voltage

Development and evaluation of inverters and converters

Development and evaluation of motors

If a motor is evaluated using a general purpose variable power supply, it could be damaged or fail due to the counter electromotive force. Bipolar power supplies can absorb any counter electromotive force which might occur while evaluating motors.

Performance required in this application: High power

Development and evaluation of motors

Magnetic field generation

Bipolar power supplies are also used in evaluating magnetic sensors like hall devices to measure the magnetic characteristics of semiconductors with next-generation memory Magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) and to test the operation of electromagnetic valves.

Performance required in this application: High power High speed

Magnetic field generation

Development and evaluation of LEDs, power LEDs and Laser diodes

Bipolar power supplies are used to turn LED or LD devices on and off at high speed and perform long-term life tests while suppressing heat buildup.

Performance required in this application: High speed

Development and evaluation of LEDs, power LEDs and Laser diodes

PointHere is why Matsusada Precision bipolar power supplies are selected

The power supplied to optical semiconductors is relatively small. Our benchtop bipolar power supply, available only from Matsusada Precision, can be used for this application. There is no need for large power supply equipment. Our benchtop bipolar power supply makes it possible to perform simple tests that require 60 W or less.

Development and evaluation of connectors

There is a growing number of cases where the thermal efficiency of connectors can be improved to save energy. Bipolar power supplies respond at high speed, allowing thermal evaluations before and immediately after the application of a voltage.

Performance required in this application: High power High speed

Development and evaluation of connectors

Development and evaluation of batteries and chargers

Bipolar power supplies that are capable of outputting in four quadrants are widely used to evaluate the performance of batteries, to simulate battery behavior and to evaluate battery chargers.

Performance required in this application: High power High speed

Development and evaluation of batteries and chargers

Simulation of output waveforms

Peripheral equipment such as home electric appliances and other electrical devices generally require specific waveforms. It is necessary to check whether or not home electric appliances and other electrical devices will fail to operate normally if waveforms from external sources are distorted. Bipolar power supplies are highly suitable for such testing. By simulating and outputting waveforms which can cause malfunctions, it is possible to check the robustness of home electric appliances and other electrical devices.

Performance required in this application: High speed

Simulation of output waveforms

Plating industry

Periodic reverse (PR) electroplating and anodizing

PR electroplating is a highly accurate plating method. After the first plating, a negative voltage is applied to remove any protrusions or dirt from the plated surface. This procedure is repeated to remove any edges from the plated surface, making it possible to plate the surface of the object accurately. Since bipolar power supplies are capable of outputting in four quadrants, only one power supply is required instead of using two units. The cycle time for PR electroplating can be improved by using Matsusada Precision's high-power, high-speed bipolar power supplies. In anodizing, if a low voltage at a particular frequency is applied to an object to be plated, the speed of the chemical reaction can be increased. When there are a variety of objects to be plated, and since different objects each have their own frequency at which the chemical reaction can be increased, using the appropriate frequency increases the anodizing efficiency.

Performance required in this application: High powerHigh speed

Periodic reverse (PR) electroplating and anodizing

PointHere is why Matsusada Precision bipolar power supplies are selected

The best frequency to apply depends on the size and the surface area of the objects to be plated. Matsusada Precision offers a wide variety models of bipolar power supplies to meet nearly all frequency needs.

Ripple testing of capacitors

Broadband bipolar power supplies are available for ripple testing by responding to higher frequencies. They are fully equipped with safety functions including sinking current. Aside from that, the bipolar power supplies which can add AC to DC are suitable for evaluation tests and aging.

function generator
graph

I-V characteristic evaluation of photovoltaic panels

The bipolar power supplies are used for I-V characteristic measurement by sinking current, which is like electronic loads, to monitor the voltage/current at the time. They are also suitable for field tests using solar power.

photovoltaic panels
graph

Waveform amplification of digital function generators

As the four-quadrant bipolar power supplies provide the output of the amplified waveform created by the function generator with no change, they can be applied to processing such as pulse plating and surface treatment.

function generator
graph

Bipolar power supplies

For more information about our product models as of high voltage, please refer to High Voltage Amplifier page.