Active Redundancy Modules and Diodes for the Process Industry

Two new active Quint Oring redundancy modules and Quint diodes with Ex certification have been added in the Phoenix Contact product range. These redundant switches, which are standard in the process industry, significantly increase system availability. If the power supply units are decoupled with the new modules, a short circuit at the output of one of the units or in the feeder cable from the line supply to the diode no longer has any influence on the load.

Quint diodes are used for high currents up to 40 A and 24 or 48 V DC. These are compliant with DIN EN 60079-15 and can therefore be used in hazardous zones where 3G Category equipment is used. If redundant wiring is installed by the system operator, then a completely redundant solution all the way to the load is achieved.

Quint Oring modules with 2x10 A (1x20 A) and 2x20 A (1x40 A) are suitable for voltages from 18 to 30 V DC. They increase the operational reliability by monitoring the redundant power supply solution from the output voltages of the power supplies through the power supply wiring up to the load, as well as the decoupling section up to the load current. They furthermore identify and provide advance warning about critical operating states. For instance, these devices signal incorrect wiring or defective cables, something that was not possible up until now.

The newly developed ACB (Auto Current Balancing) technology of the modules doubles the service life of the redundant power supplies, ensuring that both units work under the same load. The load current is automatically and symmetrically distributed. Permanently monitoring the load current offers an important advantage: If additional loads are connected to a redundant power supply when expanding the plant or system, this can result in a loss of redundancy. The system operator can immediately identify if redundancy no longer exists, as the module signals the overload condition.