When medical device manufacturers think about protections associated with power supplies, it’s easy to think about what happens when demands are too great or the environmental situations are too extreme, but what happens if there’s not enough power? This is where undervoltage protection comes in.
What is Undervoltage Protection (UVP)?
Undervoltage protection (UVP) is a safety feature for medical device power supplies that safeguards equipment from damage that can be caused by abnormally low voltage levels. In situations where voltage drops below a predetermined threshold, UVP circuits can shut down or disconnect the impacted equipment immediately. This mechanism can prevent expensive repairs and other potential hazards.
Why is Undervoltage Protection Important?
UVP is important for several reasons:
- Patient safety: Much like overvoltage, undervoltage can lead equipment to malfunction. This can impede patient care and even cause harm. UVP helps to prevent what may otherwise be a critical failure.
- Data integrity: Patient data needs to be protected from generation to storage. Undervoltage can lead to data loss or corruption. This could compromise the safety of the data or the accuracy of the data, leading to leaked information, inaccurate diagnoses, or incorrect treatment plans.
- Equipment protection: Low voltage can cause some of the same problems as high voltage, including permanent damage and overheating. Low voltage can make machines operate inefficiently.
Medical electrical equipment is used in numerous hospital settings to complete critical tasks, including life support systems, patient monitoring, and diagnostic procedures. UVP is one of the keys to ensuring these systems are safe and reliable.
Healthcare facilities are also subject to stringent regulations. To ensure compliance and make it to market, medical device manufacturers need to make sure they meet UVP standards.
How Does Undervoltage Protection Work?
UVP circuits generally include voltage sensing mechanisms that can monitor the voltage coming into the power supply. If the voltage happens to fall below a certain threshold, the monitor activates a relay or switch that disconnects the protected equipment. There are different types of UVP circuits, including ones that detect undervoltage conditions with resistors, capacitors, and comparators, as well as once that use microcontrollers for more precise voltage monitoring. What gets used can depend on regulatory requirements, the purpose of the device, and the potential environmental settings where the medical device will be utilized. Medical-grade power supplies need to have these scenarios in mind when designing PSUs that can work well for medical devices in hospital settings.
Applications of Undervoltage Protection in Healthcare
Stable power is required to operate most medical equipment correctly. UVP protects critical medical devices from voltage fluctuations that can affect their efficacy or even patient safety. X-ray machines, CT scanners, and MRI scanners need stable power to generate reliable images. Life support systems, such as defibrillators and ventilators, critically need access to uninterrupted power. Laboratory equipment, such as centrifuges and analyzers, need precise voltage levels to generate accurate results from the materials being examined. While backup generators can provide power during outage, UVP is also necessary to protect medical equipment during outages and other critical situations.
What should you look for in power supply protections for UVP?
Medical device manufacturers shouldn’t just be thinking about undervoltage protection in their power supplies, but also these six other protection measures:
- Overcurrent protection (OCP)
- Overpower protection (OPP)
- Overvoltage protection (OVP)
- Short-Circuit Protection (SCP)
- Over-Temperature Protection (OTP)
- Surge and Inrush Protection (SIP)
Because our PC-based power supplies are medical-grade at the core, RAM Technologies provides all 7 forms of protection, meaning we can help you bring a compliant device to market faster. If you’re looking for more information on our compliance or specifications of our PSUs, you can visit our product pages. You can also reach out to us with questions about protections or customizations we can offer medical device manufacturers.
RAM Technologies’ power supplies are 60601-1 3.2 certified. When you’re designing your medical device and need help with a PSU, contact us for details.
More Resources:
What the FDA Moving to IEC 60601-1 3.2 Means for Manufacturers
7 Protections to Look For in a Power Supply
Overpower Protection and Medical Power Supplies
