Programmable AC+DC Power Sources 3kVA ~ 67kVA (DC+0.01Hz ~ 1kHz)

Customized Waveform Generation for High Power Applications

During research, development, and testing of electronic products, the need to generate supply waveforms to power a product often falls outside the scope of the traditional mains supply. The waveforms required range from pure sinusoids at 120V 60Hz or even harmonically distorted with a specific harmonic making the THD contribution. In these cases, the N4A range of programmable AC power sources offers a flexible, rugged and high-performance power generation solution. N4L provides best value programmable power sources on the market, achieving market-leading fidelity performance of <0.3% THD for sinusoidal waveform generation and unrivaled harmonic synthesis accuracy.

Offering complete flexibility for a wide range of applications including white goods testing, motor drive development, EMC testing to IEC61000, aerospace, automotive, space exploration, robotics and much more.

Our power sources feature the ability to generate complex as well as pure sinusoidal waveforms. If you need to generate customized high power waveforms, N4L will have a solution to meet your requirements.

Industries such as automotive, aerospace, and renewable energy have embraced the N4A due to the fact they offer affordable, highly reliable, rugged, high-performance AC+DC power delivery.

What is an AC(+DC) Programmable Power Source?

An AC(+DC) Programmable Power Source can be summarized as a frequency converter with added functionality such as arbitrary waveform generation, voltage, and frequency modulation capabilities and sequencing functionality. The arbitrary waveform generator is essentially connected to a high fidelity power amplifier able to deliver up to 67kVA (depending upon model).

How an AC(+DC) Power Source works

The N4A AC(+DC) power sources initially convert the AC input mains signal (Usually at 50/60Hz and between 100~250Vrms) into a DC signal, this is performed by a three-phase or single-phase input rectifier which charges a DC bus. The output of the DC bus is connected to a proprietary inverter which utilizes PWM switching techniques along with a carefully designed output filter network to provide a highly stable low distortion output waveform. Thus, if a sinusoidal output is required the distortion (% THD) is typically below 0.1%. The inverter is driven by a highly configurable arbitrary waveform generator, which is able to create complex waveforms that can feature a range of harmonics, inter-harmonics, surges, sags, swells and frequency variations required for both international standards compliance testing as well as customized in house development test procedures.

High Power Arbitrary Waveform Generation

All of our sources feature proprietary dual-channel arbitrary waveform generator technology developed by N4L. This technology utilizes dual channel direct digital synthesis a summing amplifier circuitry to combine the two DDS generators. Thus, providing the user with simultaneous, multiple harmonic generations as well as frequency sweeping and long sequencing capabilities.

The use of two DDS generators provides an optimized resolution of both the main power component and the modulation signal, whereby the modulation signal can be a harmonic or inter-harmonic of the fundamental, for example.

This metrology permits long custom waveform sequences to be produced without a reduction in the resolution of each spectral component. This is especially beneficial when the harmonic is very small in comparison to the fundamental power signal. Traditional single DAQ arbitrary generators suffer from poor resolution when generating low-level harmonics alongside large fundamentals. As a result of this technology, the accuracy of the N4A far exceeds the requirements of IEC61000-4-13 (harmonic and interharmonic susceptibility testing) and its competitors.

The N4A AC Source also features 10-bit vertical resolution and a maximum waveform resolution of 16,384 points to produce a single periodic waveform. There is also an internal storage function for imported custom waveforms featuring user-intuitive library menus that display the waveform graphically on the user interface.

The N4A range of AC+DC Power Sources are available with a variety of output power ratings from 6kVA up to and above 30kVA. They are the perfect solution for general power source applications as well as IEC61000 electromagnetic compatibility standards testing, offering low THD and excellent reliability.

For more information please see the AC+DC Programmable Power Source product page.