Reaching for the stars: Power supplies for the most accurate telescopes in the world
The Cherenkov Telescope Array Project (CTA) is currently one of the most ambitious projects in astrophysics. The result will be the largest and most accurate gamma ray observatory in the world. DIN rail power supplies from PULS play a decisive role in this project.
The CTA observatory consists of more than 100 telescopes of various sizes – with 4, 12, and 23 m mirror diameters – installed in both the northern and southern hemispheres.
These highly sensitive telescopes enable scientists to detect high-energy gamma rays from across the universe. They are about ten times more accurate than existing instruments. As a result, researchers expect groundbreaking new insights into intergalactic and extragalactic objects.
A completely reliable and low-maintenance operation of the telescopes, in various climate zones, is crucial for the success of this project. And here, the right power supply makes all the difference.
PULS DIN rail power supplies are known for their high efficiency, compact design, long service life, and robustness in harsh environments. These features are key requirements for the CTA project, as the power supplies are expected to ensure a constant energy supply for the telescopes for many years to come.
Looking for answers using nearly 1800 pixels
The goal of the CTA project is to answer some of the unresolved questions in astrophysics.
For example, the observatory will help scientists to better understand the effects of high-energy particles on the evolution of cosmic systems, and to search for new very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray sources in the future.
Prof. Ulrich Straumann and his team from the Physics Institute of the University of Zurich are also involved in this ambitious project. Together with other international teams, they are working on the development of a camera for the 12 m telescope.
The telescope has a 12 m mirror diameter and a 16 m focal length.
The camera, installed directly in the focal point of the telescope, weighs almost two tons and consists of 147 modules with 12 light-sensitive detectors each. Additionally, the camera contains built-in amplifiers and digitizing electronics, allowing for decentralized data storage.
Altogether, the camera contains nearly 1800 individual pixels. Its field of view is approximately 7°, resulting in a hexagonal sensitive surface with a diameter of 2 m.
Power supplies with high efficiency, compact size and long lifetime are crucial
For a project of this size and scientific scope, selecting the most efficient power supplies is particularly important.
After intensive research, the developers at the University of Zurich decided on the DIN rail power supplies from PULS.
The AC/DC converters CPS20.241 (24V / 20A) and QT40.241 (24V / 40A), as well as the MOSFET redundancy modules YR40.242 and YR80.241, are used in the control cabinet of the camera.
As a precaution, the power supplies are installed in a redundant system. This ensures the availability of the camera at all times – despite the harsh environmental conditions.
The Swiss scientists particularly praised the high efficiency (QT40.241: 95.3%, CPS20.241: 94%), small width (QT40.241: 110 mm, CPS20.241: 65 mm) and long minimum service life (QT40.241: >7.5 years, CPS20.241: >10 years, both at full load and +40 °C ambient temperature) of the PULS DIN rail power supplies.
“With the PULS power supplies, we can easily achieve the required output power of 4.5 kW within the available space,”
explains Dr. Achim Vollhardt, who is involved in the camera project as an Electronics Engineer.
His colleague, Senior Scientist Dr. Arno Gadola adds: “The documentation of the power supplies is very detailed and contains extensive information about their lifetime expectancy. This way we can easily estimate the lifetime of the power supplies under our operating conditions.”
The CTA project is an application that demands everything from power supplies: challenging technical and climatic conditions, the highest demands on efficiency, and a global application with the lowest possible maintenance effort. But it is precisely in this environment that PULS power supplies show their full potential.
For the Swiss PULS Electronic GmbH, the close cooperation with the University of Zurich in conjunction with the CTA gamma-ray observatory is a particularly exciting project.
“If our power supplies can contribute to our understanding of the universe and our existence, then this is not only a technical and economic success, but also a great personal pleasure and satisfaction for me and our company,”
says Heinz Setz, Managing Director of PULS in Switzerland.
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