Bidirectional DC Supplies
Bidirectional DC Supplies
Bidirectional DC power supplies can both source current to a load and sink current from it within a single instrument. When operating in sink mode, regenerative models feed recovered energy back into the AC supply grid rather than dissipating it as heat, making them fundamentally different from conventional unidirectional power supplies or separate electronic loads. This dual source/sink capability eliminates the need for a separate electronic load during charge/discharge cycle testing, reduces system wiring complexity, and — in high-power applications — substantially lowers energy costs and heat rejection requirements on the facility cooling system.
EA Elektro-Automatik's PSB 10000 series exemplifies modern bidirectional supply design, offering power ratings from 1.5 kW to 30 kW in compact 2–4U rack form factors with full programmability via LAN, USB, and analog interfaces. These instruments are critical for battery pack test, supercapacitor characterization, fuel cell and electrolyzer validation, and emulation of regenerative braking scenarios in electric vehicle powertrain development environments.
Typical Applications
- EV and hybrid vehicle battery pack charge/discharge cycle testing with grid energy recovery
- Fuel cell and electrolyzer characterization across full operating voltage and current ranges
- Supercapacitor and stationary energy storage module validation in power research labs
- Regenerative braking system emulation on automotive powertrain and e-axle test benches
- Grid-tied inverter and bidirectional DC-DC converter functional and efficiency testing
Popular Brands
EA Elektro-Automatik is the leading specialist in regenerative bidirectional DC supplies, with the PSB series covering a broad power range for laboratory and industrial test. Keysight Technologies and Chroma ATE also offer bidirectional source/sink instruments targeting EV powertrain and energy storage test markets. Regatron and Spitzenberger & Spies serve high-power aerospace and utility-scale battery testing segments.
