Power
Origami inspires bacteria-powered paper battery
Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, can be used to create beautiful birds, frogs and other small sculptures. Now a Binghamton University engineer says the technique can be applied to building batteries too. Seokheun “Sean” Choi developed an inexpensive, bacteria-powered battery made from paper, he writes in the July edition of the journal Nano Energy.
PFC ICs offer 95% efficiency & use 60mW at no-load
Power Integrations has announced its HiperPFS-3 family of PFC ICs, which offer high power factor and high efficiency across the entire load range. Targeting applications with continuous power demands up to 405W for universal input and 900W for high-line, the ICs feature efficiency levels of better than 95% from 10% load to full load and consume less than 60mW under no-load conditions. A power factor of above 0.92 is easily achievable at 20% ...
'Luftstrom' project to streamline EV battery charging
The “Luftstrom” research project investigates how batteries in EVs can be charged more efficiently. Luftstrom (English: Airstream) will help accelerate the conversion to climate-friendly mobility. Twelve partners in the German automotive sector, its supply industry and the sciences are collaborating on this project for the next three years. The use of new power semiconductors is expected to reduce losses during charging and, ultimatel...
Brushed DC motor driver exhibits 0.34Ω RDS(on)
Toshiba has launched a small motor driver IC for DC brushed motors. While primarily targeted at vehicle engine applications, such as electronic throttle and valve control, the TB9051FTG is also suitable for control of on-board systems operating at up to 5A, such as control of wing mirrors and locks for car boots. The TB9051FTG is a single channel H-Bridge that supports two power supplies (VBAT and VCC).
1100W front end AC/DC power supply offers 1,55W/cm³
CUI has announced the introduction of a 1100W front-end AC/DC power supply for mission critical (N+1) redundant applications. The PSA-1100-12 delivers a power density of 1,55W/cm3 and achieves efficiencies approaching 94% in a compact slim line 1U package measuring just 40x54.5x321.3mm. The narrow profile allows designers to minimise application space compared to larger solutions on the market.
Robust, reliable HVICs suit solar & UPS applications
Infineon Technologies has announced the introduction of a family of rugged, reliable 700V High-Voltage ICs (HVICs) optimised for solar, power supply, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), welding and industrial drive applications. The 700V offering enables designers of high-voltage power stages to simplify their design while making them more robust.
Switch mode power supplies offer an efficiency of up to 92%
A series of ultra-compact, high efficiency 500W switch mode power supplies with active PFC has been released by Stadium Power. These single output power supplies offer a high power density of up to 26W per cubic inch in a 127x76.2mm footprint. Typical applications for the AQF500 series include telecomms, data networking, industrial machinery, monitoring equipment, lighting and broadcast equipment.
IGBT & freewheeling diode function on a single chip
A 6.5kV power module that features IGBT and freewheeling diode functionality integrated into a single chip has been introduced by Infineon Technologies. This RCDC chip is suitable for modern high-speed trains and high-performance locomotives as well as for future HVDC electric power transmission systems and medium voltage drives used for example in oil, gas and mining industries.
Linear voltage regulators can deliver over 0.5A output power
A recent line of linear voltage regulators that can deliver over 0.5 amps of output power, the LVR-7815 series, has been announced by DATEL. The series is housed in a hermetically sealed ceramic package that makes it impervious to humidity and a suitable choice to be used in applications where humidity is a concern.
20V MOSFET saves space & power in mobile applications
Designed to save space, decrease power consumption and extend battery life, a TrenchFET 20V n-channel MOSFET unveiled by Vishay is available in the chipscale MICRO FOOT 0.8x0.8x0.357mm package. The Si8824EDB is claimed to provide the industry's lowest on-resistance for any 20V device with a 1mm2 or less than 0.7mm2 outline. It targets smartphones, tablets, wearable devices, solid-state drives and portable medical devices such as hearing aids.