Medical Equipment Power Supplies in Times of Emergency

The outbreak of COVID-19 in January 2020 disrupted the global economy, with many technology companies, particularly in China, temporarily shutting down operations. While many have resumed, supply chains for electronic components have faced disruptions, impacting industries worldwide. Governments and health authorities have taken emergency measures to contain the disease and expand medical infrastructure. In China, new hospitals were constructed in just ten days. However, beyond physical infrastructure, these facilities require diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, including hospital beds with smart monitoring and motorized adjustments. Globally, screening points at transport hubs have required additional portable temperature monitors.

Medical equipment suppliers have been working rapidly to meet increased demand, despite component shortages. Certified medical manufacturers must maintain product quality and safety standards, making it crucial to re-emphasize requirements for one of the most critical components in medical applications—the power supply.

Medical safety standards classify different healthcare environments:

• Type B (Body): No direct patient connection (e.g., lab analysis equipment, operating room lighting)
• Type BF (Body Float): Direct patient connection (e.g., incubators, electronic hospital beds, ultrasound machines)
• Type CF (Cardiac Float): Direct connection to the heart (e.g., defibrillators)

For Type B applications, an AC/DC power supply must be certified for 2 x MOOP (Measures of Operator Protection). For Type BF and CF, certification must meet 2 x MOPP (Measures of Patient Protection), with strict limits on mains leakage current for CF. Certified power supplies meet these requirements by incorporating specific insulation systems, ensuring appropriate creepage and clearance distances, and limiting leakage currents. The latest IEC/EN 60601-1 Edition 4 standards also impose stricter EMC requirements. In some cases, power supplies may require guaranteed isolation, especially when additional connections like communication links are present.

In medical applications, DC/DC converters with low input and output voltages may require safety certification. These converters can be used to enhance isolation and enable a lower-cost 2 x MOOP AC/DC power supply to function in a 2 x MOPP environment if the DC/DC meets the required insulation grade.

DC/DC converters in battery-powered medical equipment also serve as a safety barrier when charging from AC mains or when a communication link connects to a grounded device, such as a laptop. This prevents lethal current flow from faulty equipment through the patient. While some DC/DC modules advertise high test-voltage levels (e.g., 3kVDC), this alone may not indicate sufficient safety isolation. Certified DC/DC converters must meet MOOP/MOPP requirements for the specific application.

Selecting a medical-grade AC/DC or DC/DC power supply requires careful consideration, despite urgent demand. RECOM offers a wide selection of certified medical AC/DC and DC/DC power solutions and provides guidance on compatibility for various applications.

With a global distribution network and extensive inventory, RECOM can accommodate surges in demand. As of March 2020, RECOM maintains full production with stable delivery times and reliable component stocks at its primary manufacturing site in Taiwan.

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