RC880 - Regeneration Clamp for DC-Input Drives and Integrated Motors

Many motor and drive systems require a clamp circuit to limit increases in bus voltage when the motor is decelerating under load. This is commonly referred to as “regeneration”, and occurs when DC motors are driven by their load (backdriving). During regeneration the DC motor can produce enough voltage to actually exceed the input power supply voltage. Applied Motion drives handle regeneration by directing this increased motor voltage back to the DC connection. However, if the voltage is not clamped to a safe level then the power supply and/or drive can be damaged. This regen clamp provides over-voltage protection for regulated power supplies by continuously monitoring and comparing the power supply voltage to the voltage present at the drive’s DC connection. This design handles any DC voltage level within the specified range, making the RC880 a universal shunt regulation solution.