What are the Three different types of power supply?

Power supply is to provide the necessary energy to operate equipment and mechanical equipment, but also an important part of the electrical and electronic systems, for the equipment to choose the right power supply is very important, because the power supply is to a certain extent to ensure that the equipment used to ensure the best performance and service life. In order to allow you to choose the most appropriate power supply, this article briefly describes outlines three different types of power supplies which are linear power supply, Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS) and uninterruptible power supply (UPS).

Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS)  

 Switching power supplies can also be called switching mode power supplies (SMPS), switching power supplies and switching converters, is an electronic device and an electronic power supply that contains a switching regulator so that it can effectively convert power, switching power is usually converted from input alternating current to output direct current. The basic working principle of the switching power supply is to convert the input DC voltage into high frequency pulse voltage by controlling the opening and closing of the switching element, and then through the transformer transformer, rectification and filtering circuit processing, the final output stable DC voltage.

The output voltage of switching power supply through efficient conversion is both stable and efficient, and because of its small size, versatility, strong power loss, wide voltage input range, high reliability, good voltage regulation performance, high power density advantages are widely used, the more common application fields are consumer electronics, communication applications, industrial automation, medical equipment, automotive equipment, aerospace, renewable energy, LED lighting and household appliances and so on.

Linear Power Supply        

The core of a linear power supply is its voltage regulator, which works like a variable resistor by adjusting the resistance value so that the output voltage remains constant. Linear power supply is a kind of power supply device that first passes alternating current through transformer transformer, then passes rectifier circuit rectifier filter to obtain unstable DC voltage, and then adjusts output voltage through voltage feedback, so that the adjustment tube works in linear region to achieve stable DC output. This process ensures a stable and low noise output, which is critical for sensitive analog circuits and audio devices.

The advantages of linear power supplies include mature technology and low noise characteristics, linear power supplies have been widely used for many years and the technology has been fully recognised and mastered as well as if the use of linear technology can not use any switching components, which means that the noise will be reduced to a minimum.

The disadvantage of linear power supply is that its size will be larger than other forms of power supply, heat dissipation is not so good because most of the linear power supply is the use of series to regulate the components will produce a lot of heat and its efficiency than other forms of power supply will be low is usually in about 50% in some special circumstances may be even lower.

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)  

Uninterruptible power supply is a device containing storage power supply, its main role is to ensure the continuity of power supply, is the inverter as the main component of constant voltage constant frequency uninterruptible power supply, is a device that allows the computer to maintain at least a short time when the input power is interrupted has a key role. The working principle is that the UPS converts alternating current to direct current through the rectifier, charges the battery and also provides DC power for the inverter, which is an AC mains voltage regulator; Mains interruption is that the inverter converts direct current to alternating current to ensure that the output voltage and frequency are stable and not affected by mains interruption, but also to maintain the normal work of the load and protect the load software and hardware from damage.

The advantages of uninterruptible power supply are that it can provide uninterrupted power supply, stable voltage and frequency and easy management can protect equipment to a large extent, so it is usually used in environments with high power stability, and its application scenarios include computer servers, data centers, medical equipment in hospitals, key industrial processes, and industrial automation.

In summary, linear power supplies, switching power supplies and uninterruptible power supplies all have unique characteristics and applications. Linear power supplies are ideal for situations that require precise regulation and minimal noise, while switching power supplies offer versatility and higher efficiency, and uninterruptible power supplies are centred on their fast response and high reliability; so different power supplies are suited to different equipment applications, so understand power supply's and choose the right one to meet your power distribution needs.

KELIC was established more than 20 years ago, specializing in the development and production of AC/DC Power Adapter, Battery Charger and Industrial Power Supply.  Our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction has helped us build a  good reputation in the international market.