Technical Features

February 2023
Molded Power Inductors

Figure 1a here

Figure 1a: Saturation current (Isat) comparison between a hard saturation ferrite power inductor (orange color) and soft saturation powdered alloy power inductor (blue color) at different ambient temperatures displayed by REDEXPERT. Saturation at an ambient temperature of 20ºC

Higher power requirements and miniaturization expose passives to rising temperatures, increasing the probability of thermal aging. This article explores how to select molded high-current power inductors, which are exposed to high temperatures for an extended time. The constant market demand to increase power density
Date:
09/28/2024
Developing a New Approach to Predicting the Behavior of GaN Devices

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Figure 1: Infineon’s four-step qualification plan for CoolGaN™ devices

­Introduction Silicon semiconductor technology has evolved considerably over the past 50 years, during which time, multiple failure modes affecting device reliability have been discovered, researched, and addressed. This has led to the development of models and equations for failure modes like time-de
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Date:
02/24/2023
Testing the Quality of Low Power Transformers

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Figure 1: Test equipment for partial discharge testing with test chamber, partial discharge tester, and computer with measurement software

­During their extensive service life, low-power transformers are subjected to a wide variety of stress. The electrical insulation, which is essential for fault-free operation, can be damaged as a result. Despite taking the utmost care, small defects, cavities, cracks, inclusions in the dielectric, or inhomogeneities in
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Date:
02/01/2023
Electronic Fuse Protects 48 V Supplies

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Figure 1. A 48 V, 10 A electronic fuse with an LTC4381

­Traditional overcurrent protection (OCP) relies on fuses, but they suffer frombulky size, slow response, wide tolerance, and requiring replacement after one or a few trips. Integrated circuit OCP solutions for DC power supplies, known as electronic circuit breakers or electronic fuses, overcome these fuse di
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Date:
02/01/2023
Multiple Output Power Supplies – Are There Benefits to Having Isolation Between the Output Voltages?

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Figure 1: Multiple outputs using non-isolated DC-DC converters with fixed polarity outputs

­The outputs for multiple output power supplies could be fixed at +5V, +12V and -12V for example, sharing a common 0V terminal with no isolation between the outputs. Other types of power supplies, on the other hand, may have one, two, or all three of the outputs isolated from each other. But are there any benefits of
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Date:
02/01/2023
Decarbonizing Mission-Critical Power

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Figure 1. The use of renewable diesel in existing generators can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90%

­Back-up power plays a central role in the mission-critical systems that support our essential infrastructure such as data centers, smart grids, hospitals, utilities and airports. But we also need to drastically cut carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases as part of the ongoing fight against climate ch
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Date:
02/01/2023
Output Filter Capacitor Characteristics and Performance in Miniature Switched-Mode Power Supplies

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Figure 1: A typical schematic for output filter capacitors

­Switched-mode power supplies can introduce conducted or radiated noise into a system, which is a potentially significant disadvantage. Noise control is increasingly achieved with streamlined designs that use of one or two chipsets, have matched performance, and are designed to provide simple, proven integrati
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Date:
02/01/2023
Preserving Information Security at Data Centres

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Figure 1: Modern Data Centre

Countermeasures are designed to preventing eavesdropping on data radiated as signals via conducting lines such as power, telephone or control line cables. In defence parlance, the countermeasures applied to prevent intelligence interception are known as hardening, and TEMPEST hardening represents one aspec
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Date:
02/01/2023
Wolfspeed – SiC and Energy Efficiency

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Figure 1: The basic electrical implementation of air conditioning units and heat pumps

­With energy prices climbing significantly over the past twelve months, businesses and consumers are starting to feel the pinch. In Europe, gas prices rose by 47% between 2020 and 2021. Countries like Germany rely on gas for a sixth of their electricity generation and, in the US, two-fifths of electricity is ge
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Date:
02/01/2023
Harnessing Electromagnetic Induction to Power the Wireless Charging of Industry 4.0 Mobile Robots

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Figure 1: Wireless charging of mobile robots on a factory floor

­Advances in wireless charging have been critical for keeping these robots running, but solutions must be optimized for the specific cost and safety requirements of Industry 4.0 applications. These challenges can be overcome through the proper combination of component selection, coil design and board layout. Role and Benef
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Date:
02/01/2023
Advanced Electrical Protection Trends for DC Fast Charging

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Figure 1: EV charging systems are rapidly maturing, leveraging DC fast charging with the latest in electrical protection solutions

­Now that the latest Electric Vehicles (EVs) are exhibiting operational ranges that are more acceptable consumers, the attention has shifted to battery charging times. These EVs are using the latest in wide-bandgap semiconductor solutions and power topologies, with system voltages often well over several hundred vo
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Date:
02/01/2023
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