Technical Features

Although power consumption is the product of operating voltage (Vcc) multiplied by the current consumption (Icc), current consumption is usually the only parameter considered when describing the power

Many applications in power management are based on buck topology. The purpose of this application note is to describe a technique to overcome the current limitation of these solutions. The

Recent studies have indicated that standby power consumption can range as high as 10 percent of all domestic electricity usage. Over the last few years, multiple programs – including

Wouldn’t it be nice to save 25% to 30%, or even more, in circuit board power dissipation in your next design? While for some designs such a savings would just be nice to have, for others

The megatrends in consumer drive systems are unbroken: The numbers of units are growing and so are the number of comfort features and quality requirements for the drive. With Infineon’s

As a designer and manufacturer of critical power systems used in airborne, shipboard and ground-based applications in the defense and commercial markets, Excelitas Technologies recognizes the need

Compared to traditional analog PWM controllers, Digital power controllers provide an extremely high level of flexibility and programmability over the serial interface bus. The designer

Properly implemented, galvanic isolation is an effective defense against disturbances in the ground plane often referred to as ground loops, which occur as a result of varying electrical potentials. Physical

A 4.5 kV IGCT (Integrated Gate Commutated Thyristor) with extraordinary high Safe Operating Area (SOA) at 140°C is presented. The improvements for the IGCT were achieved by optimizing the corrugated

A new solar carport transforms the parking space into a provider of green power that should delight designers and owners of electric cars alike. Fitted with innovative lightweight solar modules

Increasing demand for clean electrical power has led to a focus on renewable energy sources such as solar power. Solar power systems are independent power generation systems meant to power

Photovoltaic cell technology over the last few years has reached levels of cost and efficiency that enable its use in new markets. Due to the varying sunlight conditions, energy storage in

Low-loss and high saturation flux density core materials in reactors and transformers are a key determining factor for the efficiency of inverters. The new TDK PE90 ferrite is a cutting-edge

NEL is a world-class provider of technical consultancy, research, testing, flow measurement and programme management services to the energy, oil & gas manufacturing industries and government. The

The influence of clouds, trees, dirt, on the solar cell panel and the rotation of the sun causes problematic fluctuations in the amount power generation. The typical output current and output

DC tolerant current transformers have long been used to sense ac currents in smart energy meters, but they have drawbacks and can be expensive. For some applications, resistive shunts make better

Ceramic technologies are complementing semiconductor advances in enabling ever-more sophisticated and smaller wireless electronic systems. Improvements in ceramic materials technology have led

The mounting option for power modules has always been somewhat limited, meaning that the designer is constrained to a standard configuration. These new modules overcome this problem. Most power

With 7 billion human beings living on this planet, and at the same time, the energy consumed by human beings is shifting more and more from oil to electricity Improving power density and

Real-Time Auto-Compensation Technique Enables More Versatile and More Efficient Power Systems while Reducing Design Overhead Experienced power supply design engineers know that specific power requirement

All households and businesses are under pressure to fulfil the twin ideals of reduced energy consumption and reduced costs. There have been many advances in building technology such as double

Power over Ethernet, or PoE, is an increasingly popular way to deliver both power and data over existing Ethernet cable, thus freeing applications from the constraint of AC-power proximity. As

Digitally controlled power converters that embody power management subsystems and PMBus communications in telecoms applications makes it easy to assemble sophisticated hardware that suits a variety

Choosing a UPS of the right capacity for a commercial or industrial application may appear as a simple task. In reality however, making the correct choice depends on knowledge and understanding

Applications for portable wireless data communications have been booming in the last few years. For designers, these applications pose the challenge of designing multiple high-efficiency, low-noise

Energy management techniques have emerged as competitive and differentiating features of electronic equipment. Traditional DC-DC Integrated Circuit (IC) point solutions have focused on optimizing single

Telecom Central Office Datacenters have seen rapid evolution in terms of the architecture of their power supply arrangements; a number of different approaches have been used in relatively quick succession

The influence of clouds, trees, dirt, on the solar cell panel and the rotation of the sun causes problematic fluctuations in the amount power generation. Consistent with the movement towards

In the world of medical devices, smaller is more beautiful. The market has seen a plethora of product announcements that herald a new era in size and portability. While research teams continue

An important consideration when designing medical products is satisfying the IEC 60601-1 safety standard and the isolation ratings for products that come into contact with patients. One of

As medical instrumentation acquires increased processing power, the amount of information that is gathered from a patient is growing exponentially. Whenever large amounts of data are presented

The vital selection process required for choosing the most suitable supplier for a medical power supply and to achieve requirements for EN60601 specifications Power supplies are a critical part

The internationally accepted IEC 60601-1 standard has been continuously developed to help alleviate safety issues relating to all manner of medical equipment. Engineers need to be aware that

In recent years, innovative soft magnetic materials have moved to the forefront of electrical engineering and electronics and led to the development of many advanced components. Today, VACUUMSCHMELZE

In a two-year study involving customer projects around the world, POWERVAR, a power management systems company, examined how power quality technology can significantly reduce the service burden rate,

Using modelling software in this current economic market speeds up delivery time by increased accuracy at an early stage in the design process. The majority of engineering designers today across

A new generation of low power, self-configuring network devices capable of remote management via a web connected smartphone or tablet PC are set to deliver the next healthcare revolution. The

For industrial applications, power supplies with galvanic isolation in the range of 10 to 20W are often required. In general, a flyback converter is a good choice for this application. But when

Over 20% of the energy consumed in the US is in lighting; in fact, next to heating and air conditioning systems, lighting systems account for the greatest energy. Today, adequate daylight is

A Brief History I have been working with frequency response analyzers for over 30 years. My first introduction was when working on switching power supplies during my undergraduate degree at Boston

The growth of the mobile Internet has been more dramatic than any pundit could have imagined. Fueled by the iPhone and other smartphones, enthusiastic mobile Internet users have turned to email, video,

Transformers serve as a hub for collection and distribution of energy changing the voltage level at different locations of the Grid. They are a key component of the Smart Grid. These components

Supercapacitors, or Electrochemical Double Layer Capacitors (EDLCs), were invented in the 1960’s and introduced for use in back-up applications by NEC in 1979 for clocks in VCRs, radios and microwave

PV is becoming pervasive, but there are vital safety considerations that need to be adhered to - and tested thoroughly Introduction to islanding Islanding of photovoltaic systems is

We have often seen reported the potential for data theft, either on an individual basis, or on a larger scale. The question is how to lessen the risk of the worst happening in smart grid metering. The

Today, as never before, the subject of energy efficiency is on everyone’s agenda, at personal, corporate and national levels. It is no surprise, therefore, that there is scope in many manufacturing

The Smart Grid will bring massive changes to the way energy is delivered to homes. If the intent is to make everyone aware of and responsible for their personal energy usage, the Smart Grid is only

There are many applications today where the prevailing brushed DC motors continue to represent high demand on the power grid. In most cases, these durable motors, based on proven technology,

Street lighting in its many forms - roadway lighting, tunnel lighting, car park lighting and urban lighting - is a major consumer of grid electricity. All outdoor lighting is, in fact, estimated

Legislation mandating adoption of energy-saving lighting, such as the EU Lighting Directive, can help governments meet CO2 reduction obligations while also helping reduce end users’ utility bills. As

Future energy challenges are due to the depletion of fossil fuel reserves and urgent climate concerns. The new Power Grid will rely heavily on PV installations and their safety The photovoltaic

The modern power grid will feature photovoltaic (PV) power systems that offer a sustainable alternative to fossil-fueled power plants. PV power systems consist of multiple components such as

Choosing an op amp for high end sensor input projects can be especially challenging if the sensors or their design environments require ultra low-power, low-noise, zero-drift, rail-to-rail input and

In the competitive world of notebook computers, the key performance attributes are battery life, weight, and size (particularly height) for a given level of performance. Recent advances in

Switch mode power supplies convert one voltage to another. Such supplies are generally very efficient and thus replace linear regulators in many applications. Switching frequency versus

Even before the heightened awareness brought on by threats of terrorism, many public and private institutions had already began to incorporate video security into critical infrastructure. Video

Energy efficiency with advanced magnetic alloys – the quality of smart grids starts with the quality of their materials The famous English social reformer John Ruskin (1849 - 1900) was already

When looking into either adding solar installation to your business, or want to know how to get the best deals, there are several factors to consider. Reliability is key; investigate the company

Automotive electronics has emerged as one of the most important applications for integrated circuits. The expanded use of automotive electronics and concomitant semiconductor content per vehicle shows

International regulations regarding electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) affect many aspects of circuit and system design. However, there are numerous techniques that can be applied to reduce both the

Electrification is driving the need for comprehensive multi-domain system simulation in hybrid-electric and electric vehicles. A vehicle’s power electronic components, coupled with the overall

Recent industry trends toward high-performance electric and hybrid vehicle (EHV) drives has created a whole new set of testing requirements. New Drive Technologies, New Safety Requirements New

One of the latest automotive design trends is LED lighting. LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are used for tail lights, interior lights such as ambient lighting, and LED front lights. Front light

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is the general term for satellite tracking systems and covers GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS and Compass constellations. Systems for urban canyon applications

High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps are superior replacements for conventional heated-filament headlamps that require about 25kV applied to the lamp electrodes to ionize the Xenon gas and ‘strike’

The 2011 automotive year started with the Detroit Auto show where the new Chrysler 300 was launched, its headline, a 3.6l V6 engine delivering a whopping 292 hp (218 kW), 41 hp (31 kW) more than the

A main challenge for an automotive power system designer is to deal with the 12V car battery voltage fluctuations. The battery voltage can drop significantly during load crank. This voltage

System-level tests for EMC pulse immunity have been established in order to test the immunity of an electronic device or module against strong electromagnetic fields such as a close AM or FM transmitter

Many automotive manufactures have devised a clever way of saving fuel in automobiles by using a new concept called a “Start/Stop” system. This system automatically switches off the engine when the

Electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are building a viable market of mobile electrical energy consumers. New relationships between electricity providers (the utility

Energy harvesting ICs can convert an appropriate transducer’s output into an electric current for a battery charger device. Recent technology developments have pushed energy harvesting to the point

To succeed in today’s competitive solar market, system designers and OEMs require a system solution which may include energy-efficient analog ICs, tools, evaluation boards, and reference designs. As

In the utilization of solar panels, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is the automatic adjustment of electrical load to achieve the greatest possible power harvest, during dynamic variations of light

Solar industry insiders have declared this “The Year for Power Optimization.” Distributed electronics like maximum power point tracking (MPPT) power optimizers and microinverters are growing in popularity

Cummins uses simulation software from ANSYS to reduce weight, improve fuel economy and reduce environmentally harmful emissions of engines The phrase “environmentally responsible” doesn’t seem

Smart grid strategies have still to be finalized as countries strive to lower their greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency and ensure security of supply. A growing number of initiatives

The need for forced-air cooling should be assessed at an early stage in system electronics enclosure design. The full range of implications needs to be considered in detail for a successful outcome. Typical

The new 3.3kV dual-channel driver core 2SC0535T2A0-33 (2SC0535T in brief) from CONCEPT allows IGBT modules of the voltage class up to 3.3kV to be driven with full design flexibility in a wide range

Even before heightened awareness brought on by threats of terrorism, many public and private institutions had already began incorporating video security into critical infrastructure. Video security

By definition, the off-the-shelf modular instruments (VME, PXI, VXI, CompactPCI, PCI, etc.) used to create automated test and measurement systems are designed to be general purpose, programmable, and

Today’s power grid receives energy from conventional, independent and alternative power source producers and distributes that power to industrial, commercial and residential customers. Providers must

Recognising, defining and dealing with renewable energy risks have never been more of a priority. Projects tend to be complex, innovative and often pioneering, which is why it pays to have insurance

Low drop-out Linear voltage regulators are a vital component in a wide range of applications; perhaps some of the most demanding conditions exist in the portable equipment (media players, digital cameras,

A new technology for the vertical architecture of free wheeling diodes is introduced, which is optimized for applications with high switching frequencies. To minimize the turn off losses of the diode

LEDs are fast replacing Fluorescent light bulbs and incandescent light bulbs in many lighting applications. In the past these sources could be driven directly from the mains voltage, but this is not

Fare collection and ticketing systems are an essential part of any public transport network. Systems combine software and hardware elements such as onboard computers and driver interfaces for automated

Here follows an in-depth look into just how synergistic electronics, optical and lighting industries are yielding new and award-winning technologies to revolutionize the world of LED luminaires. LEDs

Most of the new LED lighting fixture applications will be required to run from existing AC offline power sources, generally 90VAC to 265VAC depending on the end application’s geography. The ability

As lighting technologies transition from power-hungry incandescents to cold-cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs), and now to LEDs, it is clear that while end-users are willing to pay more for greener

High brightness LED street lights are now being installed in pilot projects at many sites. In most cases these are replacing high intensity discharge (HID) and high pressure sodium (HPS) street lamps.

Transmission cables have improved, but the challenge is always the same: get more messages down longer cables faster. It may sound simple, but the longer the cable, the greater the losses. These

The Intelligent Power Module, IPM, has been a mainstay in motor speed control designs. And with good reason: Such designs are relatively easy and cheap to implement. With onboard gate drivers, protection,

Power has always been an integral part of consumer electronics, but increasingly we can do more things with a single device. That trend, above all others, has moved power consumption from an afterthought

There is a pressing need within the automotive industry for realizing greater degrees of fuel economy. This is being driven by rising oil prices through ongoing political uncertainty in many oil producing

With their ability to drastically simplify provision of low-power isolated power rails that are commonly required in applications such as process control and industrial communications interfaces, encapsulated

Power module development is striving for higher power densities, not only in new but also in already established packages. Two main challenges for such kinds of upgrades are to meet the increased requirements

Digital power conversion has moved on from being a novelty to widespread acceptance. Ericsson launched its BMR453 quarter-brick intermediate-bus converter in 2008 and followed with an eighth-brick

The rising cost of electricity will increase the consumer demand for home appliances that offer energy savings. However, this is only one consideration that consumers must consider when purchasing

The power supplies, relays and other electronic components found in household and professional-grade appliances can benefit from the application of resettable overcurrent protection. Polymeric

HMI designs in embedded systems are evolving fast as the cost of manufacturing fashionable and more elegant interfaces continues to decrease. Some appliances are already combining touch-sensitive interfaces,

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a compound semiconductor that is superior to silicon (Si) in several respects. These advantages stem from SiC’s ~10x higher critical breakdown field, ~2.8x higher thermal conductivity,

Modern appliances and equipment which utilize microprocessors, FPGAs and other complex ICs require accurate power supply voltages, often more accurate, in fact, than the tolerances provided by commodity

The demands being placed on designers for the next generation of domestic appliances are increasing drastically. Today we see many conflicting demands to use less power, less water and to create less

Many high power systems require the use of a hot-swap device to safely control of the inrush currents at powerup and provide fault protection. These circuits are commonly found in systems such

Power supplies with digital control are gaining in popularity. However the term ‘digital control’ is commonly applied to two quite different meanings. The two main terms are; ‘Digital power

Stability is a critical operational requirement for power supplies. In regulated power supplies, the stability is controlled, by a large part, by the characteristics of the feedback path. Power

An engineer designing with FPGAs or Processors often has to provide some serious amount of power at high efficiency over load. Not only must the rails be regulated correctly and not overheat, but additional

This advanced charging in electric vehicles (EV) requires highly efficient power contacts to provide flexible functionality, with minimal modifications, across a power range from a low of 15 amps/120

The ability of silicon power diodes to withstand a rapid forward current load, described by its i2t-value, is an important criterion that has to be regarded in the selection of the proper devices for

The grounding transformer is an often neglected component of the wind farm – shunted off to a sidebar issue. However, those who neglect to adequately plan for grounding transformers do so at their

Thin-film solar cells are developing into a rapidly growing market segment. If their commercial potential is to be fully exploited, the solar modules must be produced in a roll-to-roll manufacturing

Digital power has been hyped by many companies for several years and some consider digital power to be comprised of digital functions and a communications link with a power supply. Several other

Modern microprocessors, FPGAs and other complex ICs require accurate power supply voltages, often more accurate, in fact, than the tolerances provided by commodity low-dropout regulators (LDOs) and

The push for ever increasing demands on higher performance power supplies in combination with fast time to market pushes designers to the limit. All creativity is needed to get the performance up to