- What requirements do power supplies for medical equipment have to meet?
- New MPM series power supplies
Some of the most restrictive regulations faced by designers and manufacturers of electronic devices relate to medicine. The reason is obvious: not only the health but also the lives of patients may depend on the correct functioning of such equipment. Therefore, over the years a number of standards have been developed to ensure the highest quality of components used in the equipment of hospitals, doctor’s offices, etc.
TME offers a wide range of products certified for use in medical devices for healthcare facilities. One of such product groups includes the MPM series power supplies by Mean Well. Models with the output power ranging from 5W from 90W are available. These solutions meet the requirements of numerous standards and at the same time satisfy customers who are seeking small power sources with outstanding performance. Recently, the TME range of products has been expanded to include the latest MPM power supplies with increased power and a number of parameters that are of key importance to the medical industry. However, before we describe these products, let us take note of the rules with which manufacturers of electrical medical devices in Europe and North America must comply.
WHAT REQUIREMENTS DO POWER SUPPLIES FOR MEDICAL EQUIPMENT MEET?
The main applicable standard for medical devices is IEC 60601-1. Currently its third version is in force, which – depending on the world region – is known as: ANSI/AAMI ES 60601-1:2005 (USA), CSA-C22.2 No. 60601-1:08 (Canada), EN60601-1:2005 (European Union). The third version of the document introduced a distinction between Means of Patient Protection (MOPP) and Means of Operator Protection (MOOP). If it is possible for a patient to come into contact with a piece of equipment, it must meet the MOPP requirements regarding the I/O isolation, the physical distance between the I/O circuit and the degree of isolation of the active surfaces of the equipment. Two circuits can be distinguished: the input circuit (primary winding of the transformer) and the output circuit (secondary winding).
The following requirements have been determined for the abovementioned circuits:
- 1xMOPP – Single isolation between input and output circuits must be at least 1500VAC, the distance between circuits must not be less than 4mm for isolated circuits and 2.5mm for circuits isolated by air.
- 2xMOPP – Double isolation between input and output circuits must be at least 4000VAC, the distance between circuits must not be less than 8mm for circuits separated by an isolator and 5mm for circuits isolated by the air between them.
The IEC 60601-1 standard also makes a distinction between 3 types of medical device components. The CF type includes conductive surfaces that come into contact with the patient’s heart (e.g. ECG electrodes). The BF type comprises conductive parts that come into contact with the patient’s body temporarily or for long periods of time. Type B medical equipment includes devices with non-conductive and earthed parts.
NEW MPM SERIES POWER SUPPLIES
An example of a 109x52x33.5mm MPM-45 power supply
The new MPM series power supplies available at TME offer power ratings of 45W, 65W and 90W and achieve efficiency of up to 93%. At no load, their power consumption does not exceed 0.1W. These components, depending on the model, deliver a stabilised voltage of 5V, 12V, 15V, 24V or 48V DC. They feature built-in protection against overloads, short-circuits and output voltage spikes. One of their characteristic features is high thermal resistance – they can be used in an environment whose ambient temperature ranges from -30°C to +80°C. The manufacturer also states that they operate reliably at altitudes of up to 4,000m above sea level, which is important, for example, in the case of medical devices for alpine rescue.
These products meet the requirements described above, including 2xMOPP isolation level, and the standards prescribed for devices that come into contact with the patient’s body (type BF). They also hold numerous certifications for use in medical devices according to UL, CUL, TUV, CB, EAC and CE standards.
When browsing through the range of MPM power supplies, it is worth remembering the simple rules of labelling applied by the manufacturer. The product symbol has the following form: MPM-[AA]-[BB][CC], where: [AA] is the nominal power of the power supply; [BB] states its output voltage in V DC; and the final part [CC] may become “ST” (versions equipped with screw terminals) or may be absent (which indicates a PCB-mounted model).
Don’t hesitate – see our catalogue and learn more about the full offer of MPM series power supplies by Mean Well – which are available directly from our warehouses.
