New designs for switch-mode power supplies are pushing frequencies higher as a way of cramming circuitry into smaller and smaller volumes. An indication of the trend can be seen from the recently developed Dart power supply from Finsix, a start-up with roots in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Finsix device fits in the palm […]
Power Supplies
Power supply makers get ready for tighter energy efficiency regs
Tougher Energy Star standards kick in next year. Some manufacturers may not be able to handle its more stringent mandates. The latest round of energy efficiency standards for external power supplies will go into effect next year. But unlike previous standards, efficiency levels dictated by the new mandates, which power supply makers dub Level 6, […]
Thermal management and cost of ownership in power systems
by Jerry Hovdestad, Director COTS Engineering, Behlman Electronics To an engineer, power management is also thermal management. Excess heat generated by power systems places additional burdens on their cooling technology. Even the most efficient system will have performance and reliability issues if served by an inefficient cooling method. Power and heat are two sides of […]
Selecting power supply connector pins
by David Norton, TDK-Lambda Americas Designers can avoid reliability problems by acquainting themselves with the way connector pin materials stand up to repeated use and corrosion. Examine the input and output connectors on most open-frame power supplies and you’ll likely find parts from a supplier like Molex or JST. These connectors are inexpensive, readily available, […]
Mean Well economical constant current mode LED power supply
Mean Well PLM-12/25 LED power supply series have received outstanding market evaluations since they were released to the market. In order to target and fulfill the customers’ demands from the areas that only 230VAC input is adopted, Mean Well is now releasing PLM-12E/25E series with a much more competitive pricing. PLM-12E/25E modifies the full range […]
500-W certified for medical, industrial uses
Excelsys Technologies announces the XS500 series of high-efficiency, 500W convection-cooled AC/DC power supplies. With typical efficiency of 92%, and operating from 90-264VAC, the XS500 delivers 500W of output power without the need for forced-air cooling. Combining low-energy-loss topologies with high-efficiency design, the component temperatures within the XS500 are kept to a minimum. This results in […]
Cree MOSFET, Schottky diode design kit
Cree, Inc. has introduced a new Cree MOSFET design kit that includes all of the components needed to evaluate Cree® MOSFET and Schottky diode performance in a configurable half bridge circuit. Quick and easy to assemble and use, the new design kit enables comparative testing between IGBTs and Cree MOSFETs, and provides an effective layout […]
Driving High Power LEDs
High power LEDs, particularly “white” ones are becoming increasingly used in commercial products from cars and domestic lighting to street lighting and with efficiencies which can exceed that of compact fluorescent lamps (CFL). That efficiency is likely to improve as the technology develops but you must also pay attention to your drive circuitry, not simply […]
Compact AEC-Q101-Qualified TVS Diode protects against load dumps
Littelfuse, Inc. has introduced the SLD Series TVS Diode for automotive and high reliability applications. This AEC-Q101 qualified TVS Diode is designed specifically to protect sensitive electronic equipment from voltage transients induced by load dump and other transient voltage events. It offers a 5000W (10/1000s) or 2200W (load dump) peak pulse power dissipation rating in […]
Full featured 120 to 480W DIN rail mount power supplies
TDK Corporation announces the introduction of TDK-Lambda’s DRF120-480 series of full featured DIN rail mount power supplies. Designed to support the growing trend for DIN power solutions in industrial, building automation and process control applications, the DRF series combines extremely compact dimensions with industry leading efficiency of up to 94%. No load power consumption is […]