Introduction

Highlights of this issue include new product releases from Linear Technology, Micrel, CUI Europe and Maxim Integrated Products; design features on economical microprocessors and solar photovoltaic systems; power-related design ideas; schedule of ISPSD Annual Conference 2009 and Power Electronics 2009; and
research studies on the thin film lithium-ion batteries market.

 

February 17th 2009

High efficiency synchronous buck regulator
Linear Technology has introduced the LTC3609, a synchronous buck regulator that can deliver up to 6A of continuous output current at voltages as low as 0.6V. It operates from an input voltage range of 4 to 32V,
making it suitable for applications with multi-cell Li-ion, lead acid batteries or fixed input voltage rails up to 32V. With a switching frequency of up to 1MHz, the device can utilise small, low cost ceramic capacitors and low profile inductors.


Dual non-synchronous PWM buck regulators
Micrel has unleashed a family of dual non-synchronous PWM buck regulators. Operating at 2 and 4MHz, with a maximum load current of 2A per channel, the MIC4742 (2MHz) and MIC4744 (4MHz) are the new additions to the
low-voltage family of small footprint, non-synchronous buck regulators. The ICs address the designer’s need for a dual regulator solution for 5 and 3.3V buses, as well as the need for smaller footprint and substantial cost savings.


DC/DC converters offer 4:1 input in a chassis mount package
CUI Europe, a division of CUI, has introduced a line of rugged DC/DC converters that feature a wide 4:1 input and provide 50~200W of output power. These chassis-mount units are enclosed in an aluminium case measuring 4.25x4.00x1.50inches and include a built-in heat sink for improved thermal performance. The VHK series is suitable for various communications and industrial applications where rugged design is required.


DC/DC step-down controller IC for high-power systems
MAX15034 is a dual-output, synchronous step-down controller capable of driving external MOSFETs to deliver two 25A outputs or a single 50A output. You can use it in designs over multiple projects to reduce inventory and cost. It operates from a 4.5V to 28V input range, allowing it to be used in both 5V- and 12V-bus applications. Maxim intend it for applications requiring a high output current such as computing, telecom,
networking, storage, and server equipment.

The Price of Falling Prices: Evaluating Value-oriented X86 CPUs
Economical microprocessors may enable you to easily hit your next design’s bill-of-materials cost target, but will they also allow you to accomplish your performance and power-consumption objectives?


Toshiba enters solar photovoltaic systems
Toshiba has announced its full-scale entry into the solar photovoltaic systems business. The corporation has established a Photovoltaic Systems Division, to pursue opportunities for large solar power generation systems. Part of the scenario is the company’s expertise in high-efficiency power conditioning systems and the SCiB—the Super Charge ion Battery—Toshiba's breakthrough rechargeable battery that offers excellent safety, long life and rapid charging.
 

Solar-array controller needs no multiplier to maximize power
Solar-photovoltaic arrays are among the most efficient, cost-effective, and scalable “green” alternatives to fossil fuels and researchers are almost daily announcing new advances in photovoltaic technology. But successful application of photovoltaics still depends on strict attention to power-conversion efficiency. A photovoltaic array’s delivery of useful power to the load is a sensitive function of load-line voltage, which in turn depends on insolation—that is, sunlight intensity—and array temperature.

Test & Measurement World: Measure power-supply-loop transfer
Power supplies use control-loop circuits to produce constant voltage or current. The transfer function—gain and phase as a function of frequency—provides valuable information about a control loop’s speed and stability. Knowing a control loop’s transfer function, as well as the poles and zeros of the transfer circuit, can help you select the right compensation and power-stage components.

 

21st Annual Conference, 14-17 June 2009 in Barcelona, Spain
ISPSD is the premier forum for technical discussion in all areas of power semiconductor devices, power integrated circuits, their hybrid technologies, and applications.


Power electronics 2009: connecting to future energy
Date and venue: 28 April 2009 at The IET, Austin Court, Birmingham, UK
Power electronics are a key component in the development of technology for all aspects of energy flow, from the generation of power through to the user. Power electronics 2009: connecting to future energy aims to address the issues facing those involved in the implementation of electronics in the energy industry, connecting renewable energy to the grid, ensuring power quality and reliability, and providing an overview
of the UK funding environment.

 

Worldwide Nanotechnology Thin Film Lithium-Ion Battery Market Shares Strategies, and Forecasts, 2009-2015
Worldwide nanotechnology thin film lithium-ion batteries are poised to achieve significant growth as units become more able to achieve deliver of power to electric vehicles efficiently. Less expensive lithium-ion batteries allow leveraging economies of scale and proliferation of devices into a wide range of applications. According to this report economies of scale leverage the lithium-ion battery nanotechnology advances needed to make lithium-ion batteries competitive.

 

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