Power

The European Centre for Power Electronics (ECPE) is a Germany-based industry initiative for research, education and technology transfer in power electronics. The role of the ten-year-old ECPE initiative is to support research on power electronic systems and pass this into the industry via workshops and tutorials. The ECPE was founded in 2003 by eight industrial members and now is comprised of 75 member companies. The initiative has created network ...

The transient performance and frequency stability of hysteretic-based synchronous DC-DC converter ICs can be improved with ramp control and adaptive on-time techniques. The control method used in a line-up of high current synchronous buck DC-DC converter ICs with integrated FETs by Panasonic meets the challenges of high efficiency under low and high load currents, superior load transient performance and simplified ...

Infineon Technologies is to develop a two-terminal semiconductor device that acts as a circuit breaker for hundreds of volts and amps: doubling the performance of its mains-voltage super-junction mosfets along the way. The aim is to replace electromechanical circuit breakers with something faster. “A circuit breaker can take up to 8ms to switch off current. Even 5ms is far too ...

The University of Sheffield is building a 2MW 1MWh smart grid energy store, using novel lithium ion batteries from Toshiba. It will be the UK’s largest grid-connected battery. Funded by the EPSRC, the store will be a research facility for academics and power companies, and the biggest in the UK. Is purpose it two-fold: power companies can study the use ...

Linear Tech has gone two phase to shrink components in a monolithic battery-powered boost converter. Common in high-current buck (step-down) converters, multi-phase operation is uncommon in step-up converters. “Dual-phase operation significantly reduces peak inductor and capacitor ripple currents, minimising component size while delivering lower output ripple versus an equivalent single-phase device,” said the firm. In this case, the firm has ...

Toshiba is providing the UK with a 1MWh lithium-ion battery for research into power storage on a smart grid. It will be part of the Grid Connected Energy Storage Research Demonstrator project, led by the University of Sheffield, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), with support from both industrial and academic partners. The battery is one ...

Raytheon’s battery monitoring system (BMS) will be used in military vehicles to help extend the life of batteries, reduce the number of unnecessary battery replacements. Battery power is used to drive engines during so-called ‘Silent Watch’ periods. The system is designed to revert to a hibernation mode when the platform is not in use to minimise the platform power drain to ...

Resin high-voltage insulators with a composite casing can mitigate explosion, fire and leakage in high power transformers, according to Paolo Cardano, transformer expert at power component maker Alstom. Around a quarter of the insulators, known as ‘bushings’, currently sold by Alstom are of the resin type but Cardano anticipates an increase in their popularity in coming years. “Even though the ...

Vegetable oil-based electrical fluids will increase transformer safety and minimise environmental impact compared with traditional mineral transformer oil, according to oil company Repsol. “We have to accept that petroleum reserves are finite,” said Repsol technologist Ernesto Diestre. “Repsol is seeking a guarantee of a secure supply, with lower emissions and long-term sustainability.” For the past 10 years the Spanish multinational ...

Dialog Semiconductor has introduced a 2A charger IC with an integrated ARM-based fuel gauge, aiming it at smartphones for the China market, tablets and wearables. To power USB phone accessories – LTE data dongles or memory sticks – the converter can operate in reverse to supply 5V at up to 1A to USB OTG ports. Called DA9150, the built-in Cortex ...