Power

Taking the microcontroller to an extreme, Microchip has created an 8bit MCU that is more analogue power supply than processor. Called MCP19124 and MCP19125, “this unique product family combines the performance of a high-speed analogue solution, including high-efficiency and fast transient response, with the configurability and communication interface of a digital solution”, said Microchip. And as a battery charger it ...

Imperial College is proposing air-to-air refuelling amongst electric drones using resonant inductive charging. In a proof-of-concept, a small drone carrying a receiving coil, with its battery removed, was hovered 10cm above a static transmit coil etched into PCB using transferred power. “There are a number of scenarios where wirelessly transferring power could improve drone technology. One option could see a ...

Lithium-ion batteries will dominate the automotive scene over the coming ten, and possibly 15, years, but some odd-ball technologies could push their way through, according to market research firm IDTechEx. “During that time we shall see peak Pb-acid battery, the biggest nail in its coffin being when electric vehicles more widely abandon them and even those conventional vehicles modified to ...

Aiming at silicon carbide power converters in avionics, Beta Transformer Technology (BTTC) has combined both gate power and gate signal transformers in a single package. Isolation in excess of 2.5kVdc is claimed, as is low parasitic capacitances in order to support the fast transients typical of SiC converters – up to 50kV/µs. Developed with Belgian high-rel chip firm Cissoid, the ...

TDK introduces its QM series of AC-DC power supplies, the first 1200W to 1500W rated modular series to have full MoPPs isolation.

Murata has created an energy storage component specifically for wireless sensor nodes powered by energy harvesting.

Trident Energy has developed multi-kW linear electromagnetic generators for wave power. Electronics Weekly spoke to Trident CEO Steve Packard to find out how these monsters of the sea work, and what they can do. In principle, they are simple: the movement of a long cylindrical multi-pole magnet through a wound armature generates power every time one moves with respect to ...

Linear Tech has introduced a dual input power prioritiser for 1.8V to 18V systems which preserves rails during brown-outs and prompts graceful shut-down on power loss. Designed to work in battery, capacitor and adaptor-powered circuits, LTC4420 is monolithic and included two 500mA 2Ω rail-switching p-channel mosfets. Crucially, there is no requirement for the back-up supply voltage to be lower than the main supply voltage. ...

Heliatek has installed the second phased of organic photovoltaic solar cells on its Singapore pilot project. The opaque organic solar film was installed on the west façade of a building called Cleantech I on steel panels with 56 2m-long films and 45 films of 3.25m-long laminated into 15 glass sheets. Prior to this, 87 soar films were mounted on glass ...

An MIT spin-out is preparing to commercialise a novel re-chargable lithium metal battery that it claims will double capacity.