Omron Electronic Components Europe has added two new models to its extensive portfolio of DC power relays. The G9EK-1-UTU and G9EK-1-E are compact but provide switching for large currents and high voltages of 500 VDC or higher without the use of gas. The power consumption and size of these relays are the lowest on the market, making them ideal for applications such as DC electric vehicle fast chargers, batteries and photovoltaic inverters.
Excellent short-circuit response is essential in applications such as batteries that handle high currents. Contactors are often used, but they are typically larger and take up valuable space in the application design. The G9EK-1-UTU DC power relay is rated at 120A at 500V DC, while the G9EK-1-E is rated at 200A at 500V DC, and both are capable of withstanding currents up to 5000A under abnormal conditions. These relays have the same dimensions of 64,2mm (H) x 86mm (W) x 47,7mm (L). The design of these devices requires no arc flash clearance, ensuring safe operation and allowing for smaller application designs. Each relay can operate bi-directionally and has a maximum interrupting current of 500A for the G9KE-1-UTU and 1000A for the G9EK-E for emergency shutdown of applications. Two devices in series can safely interrupt a total of 1000VDC, providing much greater resistance to short-circuit currents and improving application performance.
The relays are optimized for mobility applications due to their high resistance to vibration and shock; they can withstand up to 100 G of impact and still operate. The products have been tested to achieve a minimum of 200.000 switching operations. A proprietary gas-free design eliminates arcing without the need for special parts or materials in the manufacturing process, helping to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the devices when compared to equivalent products from competitors, as well as eliminating the possibility of gas leaks.
