This is the first article in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/power-management-for-tomorrows-innovations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">8-part series</a>&nbsp;featuring articles on Power Management for Tomorrow&rsquo;s Innovations. The series focuses on power management and optimization techniques for modern electronic systems. This series is sponsored by Mouser Electronics. Through the sponsorship, Mouser Electronics shares its passion for technologies that enable smarter and connected applications.Even with advances in battery technology and electromechanics, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) struggle to meet the mix of expectations related to electric vehicles that include ultra-low emissions, vehicle performance, vehicle range, and consumer affordability. Innovations in isolation, power management, magnetics, sensing, and Battery Management Systems (BMS) can help OEMs meet these expectations.In this article, we look at some design techniques for efficient power management in EVs; with systematic planning and innovative power electronic solutions, manufacturers can build significantly better vehicular electric power systems.<h2 dir="ltr">Technological Innovations Lifting the Last Hurdles to EV Mass Adoption</h2>Two significant disruptions are currently affecting the future of vehicular transport and semiconductor technology.&nbsp;<ol><li dir="ltr">The first is shifting from the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) to the electric motor drive.&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">The second is the emergence of power switches employed in motor drive systems based on wide bandgap (WBG) material. These devices offer figures of merit around 10 times better than the incumbent solution based on silicon.&nbsp;</li></ol>However, with the battery accounting for more than 25% of the final vehicle cost, optimization of energy use is one of the keys to achieving mass EV adoption. Reaching this goal means recognizing that every watt (W) spent is critical and prioritizing subsystem efficiency as a primary selection criterion in automotive system design.Recent advancements in power management for the powertrain including isolated gate drivers, sensing, and BMS allow designers to be creative to improve system efficiency while keeping the system cost under control. Fig. 1 shows the different components of a modern EV powertrain.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2NjExMTc5ODk5LTE2NjY2MTExNzk4OTkucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" id="isPasted" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Fig. 1: An EV powertrain system. Source: Analog Devices<h2 dir="ltr">Power Management Techniques for EV Powertrain</h2>On the road toward the highest performance, every watt of power matters whether the EV is in &ldquo;on,&rdquo; &ldquo;standby,&rdquo; or &ldquo;sleep&rdquo; mode. Cutting-edge power management solutions can further increase vehicle efficiency, which correlates to extra miles while not compromising the best Electromagnetic Compatibility&nbsp;(EMC) performance from low-current/low-voltage to high-current/high-voltage applications.<h3 dir="ltr">Design Challenges in High Voltage Flyback Circuits</h3>In functionally safe systems, continuity of voltage supply is critical. Generating a local low-voltage rail from the high-voltage battery plays a key role. In traditional isolated high voltage flyback converters, tight regulation is achieved using optocouplers to transfer regulation information from the secondary-side reference circuitry to the primary side.&nbsp;The problem with this approach is that optocouplers add significant complexity to isolated designs. Optocouplers introduce propagation delay, aging, and gain variation. All these factors complicate power supply loop compensation and can reduce reliability.Moreover, during start-up, either a bleeder resistor or high voltage start-up circuit is required to power up the Integrated Circuits (IC) initially. Unless an additional high voltage Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET) gets added to the start-up components, the bleeder resistor is a source of unwelcome power loss.<h3 dir="ltr">Avoiding the use of Optocoupler</h3>By sampling the isolated output voltage from the third winding (of the transformer), no optocoupler needs to be employed for regulation. The output voltage gets programmed with two external resistors and a third optional temperature compensation resistor.&nbsp;Boundary mode operation helps to achieve excellent load regulation. Because the output voltage gets sensed when the secondary current is almost zero, no external load compensating resistors and capacitors are needed. As a result, the solution has a low component count, greatly simplifying the design of an isolated flyback converter.<h3 dir="ltr">Start-Up Optimization</h3>There is no need for an external bleeder resistor or other start-up components with an internal depletion-mode MOSFET (which has a negative threshold voltage and usually is on). Once a local 12V capacitor gets charged, the depletion-mode MOSFET turns off to reduce power loss.<h3 dir="ltr">Ultra Low Quiescent Current</h3>Designers should implement mechanisms to achieve ultra low quiescent current. The switching frequency should be reduced at light load while keeping the minimum current limit to reduce current while properly sampling the output voltage.&nbsp;For example, in standby mode, in implementing a sixteen times (16x) reduction of its switching frequency (3.5kHz&ndash;220kHz) and keeping the preload current at less than 0.1% of total output power, the&nbsp;LT8316 by Analog Devices&nbsp;has demonstrated a quiescent current lower than 100&micro;A.<h2 dir="ltr">Sensors and Power Converters by Analog Devices Address Design Challenges in EV powertrain</h2>Analog Devices&rsquo; products address EV design challenges by offering superior battery sensing, the highest level of automotive safety, the broadest portfolio of EV BMS devices, and the most innovative, and versatile system-level solutions.<h3 dir="ltr">Analog Devices LT8316 Micropower Isolated Flyback Converters</h3>The <a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/analog-devices/adi-lt8316-flyback-converters/" target="_blank">LT8316 converters</a> sample output voltage from isolated flyback waveforms that appear on third-winding transformers. The component is rated to operate up to 600VIN. This range can be extended by placing a Zener diode in series with the VIN pin to improve the solution scalability. The voltage drop across the Zener diode reduces the voltage applied to the chip, allowing the supply voltage to exceed 600V.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2NjExMTQ2NjAyLTE2NjY2MTExNDY2MDIucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Fig. 2: Analog Devices Inc. LT8316 Micropower Isolated Flyback Converters. Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/analog-devices/adi-lt8316-flyback-converters/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a>With the 220 V Zener diode placed in series with the VIN pin, the minimum supply voltage for the start-up is 260V, give or take, considering the voltage tolerance of the Zener diode. After start-up, the LT8316 operates normally with a supply voltage below 260V. This part achieves high peak efficiencies as shown in fig. 3(a). Even with no optocoupler, load regulation at different input voltages remains tight as in fig. 3(b).<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2NjExMTQ3ODg4LTE2NjY2MTExNDc4ODcucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Fig. 3(a)(left): The efficiency of the LT8316 flyback converter for different load currents at different input voltages. Fig 3(b)(right): Load and line regulation of the LT8316 flyback converter. Source: Analog Devices<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2>There are multiple opportunities available for power and cost savings in an EV powertrain as the power flows from the charging station to the battery and from the battery to the motor. Eliminating redundant components in driver circuits, optimizing the switching schemes, and carefully selecting modules are just some examples of ways to save power we discussed in this article. By implementing such strategic improvements to the design, EVs are all set to become mainstream.This article is based on an <a href="https://www.mouser.com/ebooks/Power-Management-for-all-of-Tomorrows-Innovations" target="_blank">e-book</a> by Mouser and Analog Devices. It has been substantially edited by the Wevolver team and Electrical Engineer <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/ravi.rao" target="_blank">Ravi Y Rao</a>. It&#39;s the first article from the Power Management for Tomorrow&rsquo;s Innovations Series. Future articles will introduce readers to some more power management and optimization techniques for modern electronic systems.<hr>The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/power-management-for-tomorrows-innovations" target="_blank">introductory article</a>&nbsp;covered the fundamentals of power electronics, the technology behind highly-efficient power conversion in different electrical/electronic systems.&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/finding-the-sweet-spot-for-flyback-converters-in-electric-vehicles/" target="_blank">first article</a> shares some design techniques for efficient power management in EVs. It covers how manufacturers can build significantly better vehicular electric power systems with systematic planning and innovative power electronic solutions.The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/ultralow-noise-switching-power-supplies-for-reduced-electromagnetic-interference/" target="_blank">second article</a>&nbsp;introduced readers to silent switching and how it prevents EMI at the source, rather than adding shields and filters to the product later.The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/current-sensing-with-digital-power-systems-managers" target="_blank">third article</a>&nbsp;describes current measurement techniques using LTC297x series components by Analog Devices. It presents some application circuits and compares different approaches for current sensing in power electronic converters.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/selecting-the-best-power-solution-for-radio-frequency-signal-chain-phase-noise-performance" target="_blank">fourth article</a>&nbsp;discussed the problems associated with phase noise and experimentally showcased how power supply designs can be optimized to deal with them.&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/extending-the-battery-life-of-hearables-and-wearables-with-single-inductor-multiple-output-switching-architecture" target="_blank">fifth article</a>&nbsp;featured Single-Inductor Multiple-Output architecture that integrates different power supply functionalities to drastically reduce the overall size and costs for wearables.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/building-power-and-protection-circuits-for-vehicle-asset-tracking-devices" target="_blank">sixth article</a>&nbsp;describes how vehicular asset-tracking devices are powered with small, efficient power solutions and protected from electrical stresses.The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/power-supply-subsystems-for-remote-patient-vital-sign-monitoring" target="_blank">seventh article</a>&nbsp;explains how designers can implement and validate proven power supply circuits for enabling the reliable operation of healthcare devices.The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/nano-power-converters-for-extending-the-battery-life-of-small-iot-products" id="isPasted" target="_blank">final article</a>&nbsp;dealt with a specific IoT power management solution for small, and portable gadgets. It showcases a nano-Power boost converter that &lsquo;operates on fumes&rsquo; to make the most out of all the available energy.<hr><h2 dir="ltr">About the sponsor: Mouser Electronics</h2>Mouser Electronics is a worldwide leading authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components for over 1,100 manufacturer brands. They specialize in the rapid introduction of new products and technologies for design engineers and buyers. Their extensive product offering includes semiconductors, interconnects, passives, and electromechanical components.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2NjExMTQ1MDg3LTE2NjY2MTExNDUwODcucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><h2 dir="ltr">References</h2>[1] Timothe Rossignol, Brian O&rsquo;Mara, Kate O&rsquo;Riordan, Guilhem Azzano, Maurizio Granato, Sarven Ipek, and Wei Gu, &lsquo;Find the Cost and Performance Sweet Spot for Battery Management and Traction Inverter Systems Design&rsquo;, Analog Devices - Mouser, [Online], Available from: <a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://www.mouser.com/pdfDocs/sweet-spot-for-bms-and-traction-inverter-systems.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.mouser.com/pdfDocs/sweet-spot-for-bms-and-traction-inverter-systems.pdf</a>, <a href="https://www.analog.com/en/technical-articles/sweet-spot-for-bms-and-traction-inverter-systems.html" target="_blank">https://www.analog.com/en/technical-articles/sweet-spot-for-bms-and-traction-inverter-systems.html</a>[2] Analog Devices Inc. LT8316 Micropower Isolated Flyback Converters, Mouser Electronics, [Online], Available from: <a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/analog-devices/adi-lt8316-flyback-converters/" target="_blank">https://www.mouser.com/new/analog-devices/adi-lt8316-flyback-converters/</a>

Article #1 of Power Management for Tomorrow’s Innovations Series: Optimizing the power converter and battery management system designs can solve the challenges associated with present-gen electric vehicles like short traveling ranges and high costs.

Finding the Sweet Spot for Flyback Converters in Electric Vehicles

This is the introductory article of the 8-part series featuring articles on Power Management for Tomorrow&rsquo;s Innovations. The series focuses on power management and optimization techniques for modern electronic systems. This series is sponsored by Mouser Electronics. Through the sponsorship, Mouser Electronics shares its passion for technologies that enable smarter and connected applications.<h2 dir="ltr">A Focus on Power Management</h2>Everything needs power to work or run, whether connected to a power source or powered wirelessly. Engineers are constantly seeking more efficient and less power-consuming ways to design products, a field of research and design known as power management.&nbsp;The new series, Power Management for Tomorrow&rsquo;s Innovations showcases technologies that help build highly efficient power supplies. The series features products by Analog Devices and demonstrates ways for engineers to build power management solutions for different applications.In this first article, we introduce our readers to the basics of power electronics and the technology behind power conversions in different electrical/electronic devices. We look at the advantages, classification, applications, and developments in power electronic converters.<h2 dir="ltr">Introduction to Power Electronics</h2>Power Electronics is a branch of electrical engineering that deals with the control and conversion of electrical power. It is the circuitry that sits between the source of energy and the load consuming it. Power Electronic converters make use of solid-state switches to change the voltage, current, and frequency of electricity so that the energy can be converted into a form suitable for consumption by the load. Fig. 1 shows a simplified block diagram of a typical power electronic converter.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2MjYxNDU0NDcyLVNvdXJjZSBvZiBFbGVjdHJpYyBQb3dlci5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Fig.1 Simplified block diagram of a typical power electronic converterDuring the operation, electrical and mechanical feedback is collected from the load with the help of sensors and signal conditioners. Based on the feedback, the controller adjusts the operation of the power converter.The primary advantages of using power converters are:<ol><li dir="ltr">High efficiency: Power electronic converters contain no moving parts due to which their efficiency is high.</li><li dir="ltr">Small size: Advancements in the power handling capacity of semiconductors have enabled even tiny switches to handle large power.</li><li dir="ltr">Quick response: Solid-state devices can be rapidly switched on and off to control the power as required by the application.</li></ol>There are some limitations of the technology too:<ol><li dir="ltr">Harmonics: Fast switching of electronic components degrades the voltage-current waveform. As the waveform is distorted, a number of issues (such as heating and vibrations) start showing up in the system. With careful design and operation of converters, this can be mitigated.</li><li dir="ltr">Costs: The cost of building power electronic converters is high. But in the long run, the converters end up saving a lot more.</li></ol>The advantages of using power electronic converters outweigh the limitations making clear why most modern electronic devices come with power electronic converters.Based on the type of power conversion carried out, power electronic converters are classified as:<ol><li dir="ltr">AC-DC converters:&nbsp;Often called rectifiers, these converters are used to convert power from an AC source to DC.</li><li dir="ltr">DC-DC converters:&nbsp;These converters operate from a DC input voltage and are used to either increase the voltage levels, decrease the voltage levels or perform both operations. The converters that increase the voltage levels at the output are called boost converters, the ones that reduce the voltage levels are called buck converters, and the ones that do both are called buck-boost converters. DC-DC converters are also called choppers.</li><li dir="ltr">DC-AC converters:&nbsp;The function of these converters is to draw power from a DC power source and supply AC power with varying voltage, current, and frequency. DC-AC conversion circuits are also called inverters.</li><li dir="ltr">AC-AC converters:&nbsp;These converters are used to change the voltage, current, or frequency of an AC source. Also known as cycloconverters, these circuits are not used frequently.</li></ol>Here is a video explaining the concept of widely used DC-DC converters:<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8HG2ep33wb4?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-9="true" id="779306950" title="What is a DC/DC Converter? | Mouser Electronics" data-gtm-yt-inspected-7="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-11="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-8="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-10="true"></iframe> 70% of the world&#39;s electricity is processed by power electronics in some form or other.[1]&nbsp;The applications of power electronics span almost all domestic, commercial and industrial spaces. Here are a few selected ones:<ul><li dir="ltr">Electric Vehicles (EVs): EVs make extensive use of power electronics in their powertrain. Power electronics applications can be found wherever energy is being converted into electric vehicles.</li><li dir="ltr">Chargers:&nbsp;Rectifiers along with choppers are very commonly used in laptop/smartphone chargers.</li><li dir="ltr">Renewable energy:&nbsp;Since the energy generated by solar cells, windmills, and many other renewable energy sources is never at a constant rate, it needs to be converted (and sometimes stored) into a suitable form before use. Different power electronic converters and switches are used for this purpose.</li><li dir="ltr">High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission:&nbsp;In power systems, HVDC transmission is a method of transmitting electricity in the form of DC current. The converter circuits present at the feeder and the receiver are built with power electronics.</li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">Developments in Power Electronics</h2>Power electronics is among the hottest topics of research in electrical engineering. There is a continuous effort for improving the performance and efficiency of power electronic converters. Here are some key fronts where the research is currently focused on:<ul><li dir="ltr">Wide-bandgap (WBG) devices: Materials such as SiliconCarbide (SiC) and GalliumAresnide (GaAs) are known to have a bandgap of over 2 electronVolt (eV) as opposed to 0.6-1.5 eV for conventional semiconductors. This unique property unlocks possibilities of using them for handing a huge amount of power.</li><li dir="ltr">Connectivity, digital control, and modulation techniques:&nbsp;Improvements in communication and processing capabilities result in more intelligent and connected control schemes that ultimately improve the performance and efficiency of power electronic converters.</li><li dir="ltr">Electric mobility:&nbsp;EVs are considered the future of transport. Battery management systems, the charging infrastructure, motor control unit, and other integral parts of the EV powertrain are all applications of power electronics.</li></ul>We&#39;ll discuss some of these applications and power electronic modules throughout the series.<h2 dir="ltr">Power Management Solutions by Analog Devices for Tomorrow&rsquo;s Innovations</h2>Analog Devices&rsquo; high-performance power management solutions meet stringent power requirements with leading-edge design and packaging technologies, including high power densities, ultra-low noise, and superior reliability. These features ensure systems operate at their optimal efficiency, speed, and power levels while increasing feature density and reducing the cost of ownership.&nbsp;Supported by a start-to-finish power design tool suite and highly configurable power interconnect solutions, Analog Devices&rsquo; low complexity power management solutions help customers accelerate time-to-market while delivering best-in-class performance.&nbsp;Learn about what is happening in the domain of power management and power electronics as this series takes you through some articles, case studies, and application guides focused on building better power solutions for different applications.&nbsp;Check out the <a href="https://www.mouser.com/manufacturer/analog-devices/" target="_blank">Analog Devices</a> manufacturer page on Mouser Electronics.<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2>Power management is a critical aspect of product design. With advanced power electronic devices and application circuits, engineers can build products that offer superior performance and have long battery life.This is an introductory article to Power Management for Tomorrow&rsquo;s Innovations, a series based on an <a href="https://www.mouser.com/ebooks/Power-Management-for-all-of-Tomorrows-Innovations" id="isPasted" target="_blank">e-book</a> by Analog Devices and Mouser Electronics. It has been substantially edited by the Wevolver team and Electrical Engineer <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/ravi.rao" target="_blank">Ravi Y Rao</a>. It&#39;s the first article from the Power Management for Tomorrow&rsquo;s Innovations Series. Future articles will introduce readers to some power management and optimization techniques for modern electronic systems.<hr>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/power-management-for-tomorrows-innovations" target="_blank">introductory article</a>&nbsp;covered the fundamentals of power electronics, the technology behind highly-efficient power conversion in different electrical/electronic systems.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/finding-the-sweet-spot-for-flyback-converters-in-electric-vehicles/" target="_blank">first article</a> shares some design techniques for efficient power management in EVs. It covers how manufacturers can build significantly better vehicular electric power systems with systematic planning and innovative power electronic solutions.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/ultralow-noise-switching-power-supplies-for-reduced-electromagnetic-interference/" target="_blank">second article</a>&nbsp;introduced readers to silent switching and how it prevents EMI at the source, rather than adding shields and filters to the product later.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/current-sensing-with-digital-power-systems-managers" target="_blank">third article</a>&nbsp;describes current measurement techniques using LTC297x series components by Analog Devices. It presents some application circuits and compares different approaches for current sensing in power electronic converters.&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/selecting-the-best-power-solution-for-radio-frequency-signal-chain-phase-noise-performance" target="_blank">fourth article</a>&nbsp;discussed the problems associated with phase noise and experimentally showcased how power supply designs can be optimized to deal with them.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/extending-the-battery-life-of-hearables-and-wearables-with-single-inductor-multiple-output-switching-architecture" target="_blank">fifth article</a>&nbsp;featured Single-Inductor Multiple-Output architecture that integrates different power supply functionalities to drastically reduce the overall size and costs for wearables.&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/building-power-and-protection-circuits-for-vehicle-asset-tracking-devices" target="_blank">sixth article</a>&nbsp;describes how vehicular asset-tracking devices are powered with small, efficient power solutions and protected from electrical stresses.The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/power-supply-subsystems-for-remote-patient-vital-sign-monitoring" target="_blank">seventh article</a>&nbsp;explains how designers can implement and validate proven power supply circuits for enabling the reliable operation of healthcare devices.The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/nano-power-converters-for-extending-the-battery-life-of-small-iot-products" id="isPasted" target="_blank">final article</a>&nbsp;dealt with a specific IoT power management solution for small, and portable gadgets. It showcases a nano-Power boost converter that &lsquo;operates on fumes&rsquo; to make the most out of all the available energy.<hr><h2 dir="ltr">About the sponsor: Mouser Electronics</h2>Mouser Electronics is a worldwide leading authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components for over 1,100 manufacturer brands. They specialize in the rapid introduction of new products and technologies for design engineers and buyers. Their extensive product offering includes semiconductors, interconnects, passives, and electromechanical components.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2MjU5MTM4MjYyLTE2NjYyNTkxMzgyNjIucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><h2 dir="ltr">References</h2>[1] Power electronics: revolutionizing the world&rsquo;s future energy systems, Hitachi Energy, [Online], Available from: <a href="https://www.hitachienergy.com/news/perspectives/2021/08/power-electronics-revolutionizing-the-world-s-future-energy-systems" target="_blank">https://www.hitachienergy.com/news/perspectives/2021/08/power-electronics-revolutionizing-the-world-s-future-energy-systems</a>

Introducing the Power Management for Tomorrow’s Innovations Series: A new series featuring articles, case studies, and application guides explaining how product designers can build efficient power supplies for various applications.

Power Management for Tomorrows Innovations

A student article explaining how quasioptical framework is advantageous for developing radiative wireless power transfer systems with high efficiency.

Quasioptics for Increasing the Beam Efficiency of Wireless Power Transfer Systems

Precise Variable Voltage (V) and Current (I) Power Supply used in Prototyping

This article delves into the core concepts of linear vs switching power supply, exploring their efficiency, noise levels, and other key factors, that help make the right choice for your projects!

Linear vs Switching Power Supply: Understanding the Differences

Wireless energy transmission, the dream of visionaries including Nikola Tesla with his Wardenclyffe Tower experiments, is today a reality. From completely-sealed electric toothbrushes to smartphones capable of charging when just thrown down onto a mat at the end of the day, there are plenty of examples of commercially-viable wireless power systems in everyday life &mdash; and still more on the horizon, including proposals for energising electric vehicles while they travel or robots as they roam.The majority of these, however, rely on electromagnetic transmission &mdash; an approach which works perfectly well over the air, but begins to encounter difficulties when faced with transmission through other media such as living tissue or water. What could be an ideal way to charge implanted electronics or undersea sensor networks becomes significantly more challenging &mdash; which is why a team of researchers from a number of Korean institutions have turned to acoustic energy transfer instead, switching from electromagnetic radiation to ultrasound as the energy source.<h1>The sound of power</h1>The team, led by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), isn&rsquo;t the first to look at &mdash; or even succeed at &mdash; wireless energy transmission via ultrasound. Previous approaches, however, have been extremely limited in either the distance over which the energy can be transmitted or the amount of energy usable at the receiver &mdash; or, typically, both.The prototype developed by the researchers, by contrast, offers a considerable improvement over the state-of-the-art in both respects. Built using a five-layer design &mdash; a flexible electrode upper, a fixed area, a triboelectric layer, a novel ferroelectric layer, and a bottom electrode &mdash; the receiver sheets generate energy through movement induced by a 40kHz ultrasound signal, but represent only part of the gain in performance reported in the work.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUyODEzNjUzNzY0LWVzczQuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A diagram of a prototype Acoustic Energy Transmission (AET) receiver, showing the five layers: Flexible electronics, fixed part, triboelectric layer, ferroelectric layer, and bottom electrode. A photograph of actual prototypes are seen to the right, marked with an outer fixed area frame and an inner active area.">The prototype AETs developed by the KIST-led team are made up of five layers, and produce energy from movement as triboelectric generators. The remainder, the team explains, comes from a switch from a sinusoidal acoustic wave to a square wave &mdash; an approach which, combined with the addition of piezoelectric PNM-PT crystals to the receiver as the ferroelectric layer, considerably boosts the output voltage available to connected electronics. Interestingly, the researchers conclude that the boosted voltage comes not from the piezoelectric effect directly but from a boost to the triboelectric effect.&ldquo;It can be seen that our device is mode-free,&rdquo; the team explains, &ldquo;and frequency independent. This is vital for its practical use, because unlike piezoelectric type receivers, our device does not necessitate a precisely matched ultrasound transducer.&rdquo;<h1>Switched on by sound</h1>To prove not only the core concept but also its applicability in simulations of various real-world use cases, the team built receiver prototypes and placed them in a range of materials: A lump of pork, used as a stand-in for human tissue in the case of recharging or directly powering implanted electronic devices; metal, acrylic, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and plywood, to show its ability to transmit energy through a range of housing materials including those which would block electromagnetic radiation; and a tank of water, to showcase the system&rsquo;s potential for powering sub-aquatic drones or sensor networks ill-suited to other wireless energy transfer approaches.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUyODEzNjY3MDY4LWVzczIuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Photographs of three prototypes: A trapezoidal 3D-printed prototype with five receiver faces connected to an electronic circuit and a CC2650 development board; the same receiver connected to two 200-LED matrices, with an ultrasonic transducer postioned 6cm away above a water tank; and the same receiver with wireless sensors fitted transmitting to a tablet PC over Bluetooth with the transducer 6cm away above the same water tank.">The team built several prototypes to prove the device&#39;s capabilities for useful energy transfer, including Bluetooth-connected sensor networks located under 6cm of water.The results are undeniably impressive. The body-implanted version proved capable of delivering sufficient power to drive implantable electronic devices without damage to the surrounding tissue and with the ultrasound emissions kept well within FDA-approved limits for use on patients; the system successfully transmitted though all the housing materials, representing the bulk of materials used in commercial and industrial electronic systems; and energy transmission worked perfectly through water.The latter experiments are worth further analysis. The team created a 3D-printed trapezoidal structure with prototype energy receiving sheets making up five of its faces, then fitted a range of wireless sensors designed for water quality monitoring &mdash; measuring metrics including temperature, carbon dioxide levels, pressure, and humidity. These were then powered using a transmitter 6cm (around 2.4&quot;) away &mdash; &ldquo;an order longer,&rdquo; the team notes, &ldquo;than the previous report.&rdquo;In further testing the team directly drove two matrices of 200 LEDs each at a brightness high enough to be observed under laboratory lighting, before concluding with a &ldquo;conclusive demonstration&rdquo; as to the approach&#39;s suitability for practical use: The replacement of the battery in a commercial Texas Instruments CC2650 Bluetooth Sensor Tag with an acoustic energy receiver which was capable of triggering Bluetooth transmission of sensor readings to a nearby tablet computer within a second of the ultrasound transmitter being energized.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUyODEzNjc2Mzc0LWVzczMuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A line graph showing the voltage produced by the AET system with four design changes: Only PTFE and sinusoidal wave; PTFE, <111> PMN-PT (up) and sinusoidal wave; only PTFE and square wave; and PTFE, <111> PMN-PT (up) and square wave. With each change, the voltage can be seen increasing in turn.">The team&#39;s approach makes two key changes to the previous state-of-the-art, the use of square wave signals and the addition of a ferroelectric layer, with excellent results.&ldquo;This study demonstrated that electronic devices can be driven by wireless power charging via ultrasonic waves,&rdquo; says Hyun-Cheol Song, PhD, who led the project. &ldquo;If the stability and efficiency of the device are further improved in the future, this technology can be applied to supply power wirelessly to implantable sensors or deep-sea sensors, in which replacing batteries is cumbersome.&rdquo;The team&rsquo;s work has been published under closed-access terms in the journal <cite><a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2022/EE/D1EE02623B" target="_blank">Energy &amp; Environmental Science</a></cite>.<h1>Reference</h1>Hyun Soo Kim, &nbsp;Sunghoon Hur, Dong-Gyu Lee, Joonchul Shin, Huimin Qiao, Seunguk Mun, Hoontaek Lee, Wonkyu Moon, Yunseok Kim, Jeong Min Baik, Chong-Yun Kang, Jong Hoon Jung, and Hyun-Cheol Song: <cite>Ferroelectrically augmented contact electrification enables efficient acoustic energy transfer through liquid and solid media, Energy &amp; Environmental Science, Iss. 3 2022</cite>. DOI <a href="https://doi.org/10.1039/D1EE02623B" target="_blank">10.1039/D1EE02623B</a>.

An artist's impression of the proposed AET system being used to drive both underwater sensor networks and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), using nothing but ultrasound signals from a passing boat on the surface.

A team of researchers in Korea has been working on functional acoustic energy transmission (AET) systems, and their latest paper details a major breakthrough: Prototypes capable of powering LEDs, sensors, and Bluetooth transmitters at range and through materials include metal, tissue, and water.

A move to ultrasonic acoustics for wireless energy transmission could power implants, underwater sensors, and more

With the ever-increasing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs), companies must compete in price, range, and cargo space to capture more of the market.&nbsp;Tremendous activity is happening in the EV energy storage space to optimize range, size and longevity. Many companies are working to implement solid-state batteries among other innovations, many of which are still years away from mass market adoption.&nbsp; So how are companies optimizing energy storage systems in EVs?One way electric vehicle companies, like Tesla, are improving their energy storage systems is by building batteries into every part of the vehicle possible. Tesla&rsquo;s new battery pack for the Model Y is being built into structural parts of the vehicle, rather than limiting batteries to placement inside the space dedicated for the energy storage system.&nbsp;This adoption of structural energy storage reduces the number of parts required, greatly simplifying the assembly process and decreasing the total mass of the vehicle. As a result, improvements in efficiency and range, and a decrease in price, can be expected. Where else can a battery be placed?&nbsp;Battery cells come in rigid form factors. This limits where and how they can be implemented without forcing major design tradeoffs. For example, if an EV company wants to increase the size of its energy storage system, they may have to sacrifice cargo space that could have otherwise been an attractive feature to consumers.But what if energy storage technologies were not limited by the shapes and sizes they traditionally come in.&nbsp;Now, it&rsquo;s no longer a question of &quot;if.&rdquo; A Flexible FutureCapacitech provides a high-power storage option that can be integrated into complex geometries such as the parts of the vehicle a traditional battery does not fit into. It&rsquo;s called the <a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/cable-based-capacitor" target="_blank">Cable-Based Capacitor</a>, or CBC.&nbsp;The CBC is a flexible, wire-shaped supercapacitor optimized to populate unconventional space that would otherwise be left unused. The CBC helps designers expand the energy storage system to new places to complement batteries and improve performance. Unlike traditional supercapacitors, CBCs can be routed throughout an EV&rsquo;s wiring infrastructure, adding energy storage to pre-existing systems without sacrificing space that could be used to add more batteries or cargo space.Integrating CBCs into energy storage systems would allow engineers to take advantage of their system&rsquo;s structure better than ever. As a result, these systems would improve performance, enable new features and streamline design. Learn More Check out <a href="//www.capacitechenergy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.capacitechenergy.com</a> or reach out to us at <a data-fr-linked="true" href="mailto:hello@capacitechenergy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hello@capacitechenergy.com</a>.&nbsp;

Battery cells come in rigid form factors that limit where and how they can be implemented in electric vehicles without forcing major design tradeoffs.  Capacitech’s flexible energy storage products complements batteries, improves performance, enable features, and streamlines design. 

Space Matters

This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1653397467316000&usg=AOvVaw0G5jQejXk2Tg3OFbKHdPIJ" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/d40f7b1d-3887-4e14-9029-8d1afa604b8b?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-gtm-yt-inspected-11="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe>The full article will continue below.<hr>This article is a part of our <a href="http://www.wevolver.com/student-program" target="_blank">University Technology Exposure Program</a>. The program aims to recognize and reward innovation from engineering students and researchers across the globe.Community voting is now live. Vote for your favorite submission by visiting: <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/utep-community-vote/" target="_blank">University Technology Exposure Program Community Vote</a>.<h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">What&rsquo;s the problem?&nbsp;</h2>Wind energy has been exploding in recent years with turbines getting larger, cheaper, and further offshore than ever before. So you may be asking yourself, &ldquo;What&rsquo;s the problem?!&rdquo;.This trend of increasing the size of turbines has been an effective strategy for reducing cost, &nbsp;largely because it reduces the number of installations required for a given wind farm power. &nbsp;But, there&rsquo;s an economic and technical limit - and we&rsquo;re beginning to reach it.&nbsp;Moreover, the logistical difficulties of moving these huge components are getting ever more complex and indeed some onshore sites simply can&rsquo;t be reached with modern large turbines. In the world of offshore wind, the development of vessels large enough to install these behemoths is struggling to keep pace too, with newer larger vessels being designed almost continuously. &nbsp;We&rsquo;re even seeing larger cranes being installed at ports simply to be big enough to install the massive cranes on these new vessels!&nbsp;<img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61e1aac5ced5d7733dd8e7e2/1644853181470-6ZIJE4K1UZ7Q3S35QM0I/unsplash-image-swT8zHagNBU.jpg?format=1000w" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="transporting-a-wind-mill">With such huge components, it&rsquo;s no surprise then, that there are only limited facilities in the world that can manufacture them. This fact, combined with the global drivers for a huge expansion in installed wind capacity, creates bottlenecks in the supply chain and results in huge wind turbine jackets (offshore subsea supports) being shipped halfway around the world.&nbsp;Maintaining the turbines is an expensive business too at this scale. For large offshore wind turbines, jack-up vessels (very large ships with legs that they can use to raise themselves out of the water) are required, and can cost upwards of &pound;500k/day to rent!Finally, the component materials have also been changing over the last few decades. For example, blades that used to be steel in the early days of wind energy, are now glass-reinforced fibre composites and not very easy (if not impossible) to recycle. To put this in perspective, at the end of a single wind farm&#39;s life, there could be hundreds of 80-100m long blades that can&rsquo;t be recycled and end up in landfills.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Our solution&nbsp;</h2>Our solution to the above problems is the multi-rotor wind turbine (MRWT). Essentially, a MRWT is an array of many smaller rotors on a single support structure, rather than one large rotor like the conventional wind turbines we see today.&nbsp;This approach takes advantage of fundamental scaling laws (the square-cube law) and allows us to circumvent some of the problems of larger single-rotor turbines while actually increasing performance and (we think) looking pretty cool at the same time.&nbsp;To understand the scaling law, we find the best example is to consider something like a Rubik&rsquo;s cube. If you want to scale up a small cube to three times the width, you might end up with something looking like the left-hand side of the below image.&nbsp;Component cost is linked to the volume of the cube, so the larger one now costs 33 = 27 times as much as the small cube. Energy capture is linked to the front-face area (the rotor area), which is now 32 = 9 times greater. However, if you simply stack lots of smaller cubes together, you can get the same increase in energy capture, but for only ⅓ of the cost increase. Clearly, there&rsquo;s more to it than that, &nbsp;but you get the idea.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNTgxMTE5MDI2LTE2NTE1ODExMTkwMjYucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii" alt="rubiks-cube">In addition to the reduced capital cost, there are several other benefits to this approach. Firstly, operations and maintenance (O&amp;M) costs are greatly reduced due to inherent redundancy, built-in lifting equipment (to avoid big heavy-lift vessels), and much quicker time-to-repair (or a simple replacement of a module).&nbsp;Secondly, the MRWT can achieve increased energy capture relative to a conventional turbine. This is the result of three well known aerodynamic effects:&nbsp;<ol><li dir="ltr">The blockage effect</li><li dir="ltr">Reduced spatial averaging</li><li dir="ltr">Reduced temporal averaging</li></ol>Thirdly, the myriad of rotors offers exciting opportunities in the world of wind turbine control, including innovative yawing strategies and wake manipulation. &nbsp;Finally, at the wind turbines&rsquo; end of life, because our blades are significantly smaller than conventional wind, we can use recyclable materials such as thermoplastics, helping to build a green and circular economy.&nbsp;The MRWT has been subject to many academic studies over the last 40 years or so, but we believe the next steps in technology development must take place in the wider industry.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Meet the team&nbsp;</h2>We are a team of three PhD students, currently writing up our theses in complementary areas of wind energy technology (pictured, right, on our a recent trip to the Myers Hill test site near Glasgow, &nbsp;UK). To take MRWTs to the next level, we joined the &nbsp;Conception X start-up accelerator programme in &nbsp;2021 and learned exactly what it takes to move from academia into commercialising deep-tech ideas. We registered our start-up company, Myriad Wind &nbsp;Energy Systems, in August 2021 and went on to win the Conception X DemoDay Prize in November out of a cohort of around 70 start-ups.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUyOTY2NDY2NTA0LUxvZ28ucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="myriad-wind-energy-systems" style="width: 612px;"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNTgxMzg3MjE4LTE2NTE1ODEzODcyMTgucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 550px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="myriad-wind-energy-systems-team">&nbsp;We&rsquo;re still early on in our start-up journey, but have come a long way from our first cardboard models (video below)! We&rsquo;re currently looking to raise an initial round of funding through government grants and private investment and hope to have a working demonstrator project in the next couple of years.&nbsp;<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/48gS_2F9Vu0?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-11="true" id="651515067"></iframe> We believe the time could not be better for MRWTs and we&rsquo;re passionate about reducing the price, impact, and complexities of wind energy in this crucial couple of decades for renewables.<h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">About the University Technology Exposure Program 2022</h2>Wevolver, in partnership with <a href="https://mouser.com/" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a> and <a href="https://www.ansys.com/" target="_blank">Ansys</a>, is excited to announce the launch of the University Technology Exposure Program 2022. The program aims to recognize and reward innovation from engineering students and researchers across the globe. Learn more about the program <a href="http://www.wevolver.com/student-program" target="_blank">here</a>.<img alt="university-technology-exposure-program-mouser-ansys" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNjY5MjU2MjgyLTE2NTE2NjkyNTYyODIucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><hr>

Rethinking the wind turbine: Students from Scotland are developing next-generation, intelligent, modular wind turbines. 

The future of wind energy is modular

This is the third article in a <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/connectivity-and-sensing-technologies-proven-in-the-harshest-environments" target="_blank">6-part series</a> featuring topics on Connectivity and Sensing in Harsh Environments. The series will showcase how highly engineered connectivity, and sensing solutions enable advancements in manufacturing, transportation, construction, healthcare, energy generation, and consumer products. This series is sponsored by Mouser Electronics. Through the sponsorship, Mouser Electronics shares its passion for technologies that enable smarter and connected applications.The marine industry has moved from the &lsquo;Sail Age&rsquo; through the &lsquo;Steam Age&rsquo; to the &lsquo;Electricity Age&rsquo; now. With the rapid developments in the shipbuilding and offshore industry, we can now reflect on some key trends that have emerged in power systems. [1]<ol><li dir="ltr">Rapid electrification has resulted in electricity becoming the main source of power for the industry.</li><li dir="ltr">High-voltage and high-power systems are becoming a necessity for operations.</li><li dir="ltr">The scale at which projects are implemented is getting bigger.</li></ol>This article presents three case studies wherein highly engineered electrical connectors, and terminations by TE, a company specializing in connectivity technologies, enabled the construction and operations of offshore installations in harsh environments.<h2 dir="ltr">Case 1: Robust and Reliable Switchgear Connectors For Offshore Wind Farms</h2>Over 10% of global electricity is generated by wind energy. [2] Windmills are harnessing an enormous amount of energy already. &nbsp;But in reality, this is just a tiny fraction of their true potential. Wind, as we know it, is a phenomenon that sweeps the entire earth, including all the landmasses and oceans. Constructing wind farms in the oceans can help us tap into the true potential of wind energy. Such projects are referred to as offshore wind farms and have emerged as interesting alternatives to the onshore wind farms. But being positioned in the middle of an ocean, the development of such projects becomes an engineering challenge.Three leading renewable energy companies initiated the construction of one of the world&acute;s largest offshore wind farms. With an area of approximately 100 km&sup2;, the wind farm would supply power for nearly half a million homes a year and significantly decrease the CO₂ emissions in the region.&nbsp;[3]<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ2MjA2OTA1Njc1LWltYWdlNC5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Fig. 1: Offshore wind farms have to endure harsh climatic conditions present in the ocean&nbsp;For this project, the engineers in charge of the energy supply structure requested screened separable connectors that would enable them to connect large cross-section cables in their unique and very compact switchgear. Because of the challenging environmental conditions of the offshore wind farm, they required connectors that could withstand extreme temperatures in an environment characterized by its high humidity and salinity.<h2 dir="ltr">Case 2: Improving Power Density and Efficiency in Offshore Manufacturing Industry&nbsp;</h2>As a leader in the construction of marine and offshore equipment, South Korea is home to some of the world&#39;s largest manufacturers of bulk carriers, tankers, rigs, and platforms. The country&#39;s marine designers and engineers face tough operating environments. Depleting oil reserves makes it necessary to drill even deeper and wider. [4]This has led to a dramatic increase in demand for power. &nbsp;To cater to this surge in power requirements, higher-density installations with an ability to operate in tough operating environments are required.&nbsp;The solution was to introduce a low-profile, short, and high-performance Medium Voltage (MV) termination to ensure ease and simplicity of installation and resistance to humid environments.To deliver increased power density, new designs of cable accessories that facilitate simpler, faster, and more reliable installations were required. An example of this is the low-profile MV termination that allows several cables to be successfully terminated into a small space.To ensure an even smaller, more compact, and robust solution that outperforms the competition, design engineers had to incorporate a radically new stress control system. and a total seal to the cable insulation, sheath, and lug barrel.<h2 dir="ltr">Case 3: Harsh Environmental Resistant Connectors and Cable Joints for Shipbuilding</h2>The North Sea presents some of the harshest operating conditions for marine installations and products. The average temperature in the North Sea, Atlantic Ocean during the summer months is 17 &deg;C while in winter, a season of frequent gales and storms, the normal temperature is 6 &deg;C while salinity averages 34 g to 35 g of salt per liter of water. The North Sea is also prone to storm surges, an offshore rise of water associated with a low-pressure weather system caused primarily by high winds pushing the ocean&rsquo;s surface. [5]<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ2MzMzOTIzMjAyLXdpbGxpYW0td2lsbGlhbS1ObmRLdDJrRjFMNC11bnNwbGFzaC5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Fig. 2: Connectors used in shipyards should be resilient to several environmental hazards including fire.The early days of exploration and recovery of North Sea offshore oil in the 1970s called for exceptionally enduring products that would meet the exacting requirements of the companies operating in this harsh environment. A British oil and gas company was looking for high-performance Low Voltage (LV) and MV joints and terminations for their innovatively constructed platforms.The challenge was to design, test, and manufacture several fire-resistant cable joints in a limited time that could be quickly and easily installed.<h2 dir="ltr">Engineering components of marine power systems for reliability&nbsp;</h2>The increased complexity of offshore landscapes has led to an increase in power demands and a range of other technological challenges for the marine industry. Reliability is critical in the supply and distribution of power in offshore environments.&nbsp;Faults in electrical systems have a direct effect on the operation, control, monitoring, efficiency, and safety of the entire unit. This is why uttermost care is required when picking the components for the development of the project. The power system components need to be resilient to salinity, humidity, and a wide range of temperatures that the marine environment offers.&nbsp;Power connections and components must also have effective moisture sealing, electrical insulation, and electrical/mechanical protection. This calls for high-performance products and materials that are proven to withstand the harshest operating environments.<h2 dir="ltr">TE&rsquo;s switchgear connectors, terminations, and other connectivity solutions for harsh offshore environments</h2>TE offers complete switchgear solutions to empower offshore establishments like wind farms, manufacturing facilities, shipbuilding units, and more. &nbsp;TE&rsquo;s broad-screened separable connectors portfolio makes the projects less challenging.<h3 dir="ltr">LV and MV Terminations</h3>Sealing of all interfaces is considered essential for the marine/offshore environment. MV terminations are widely used for connecting cables to equipment such as motors, generators, switchgear, and transformers together. <img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ2MjA3MjExNTIyLTYuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii" alt="MV-terminations-te-mouser">Fig. 3: MV terminations by TE. Source: TE ConnectivityFig. 3: MV terminations by TE. Source: TE ConnectivityThe terminations by TE have multiple advantages including:&nbsp;<ul><li dir="ltr">Short length</li><li dir="ltr">Small profile (sheds not required on wire cores)</li><li dir="ltr">Easily installed in confined spaces, and even on cables that are not straight</li><li dir="ltr">Total sealing of termination to cable and lug substrate</li><li dir="ltr">Heat-shrink installation technology that ensures no moisture is captured or retained under the termination, even when installed in very wet or present in humid environments</li><li dir="ltr">High robustness and toughness of materials used</li><li dir="ltr">Precise electrical performance</li><li dir="ltr">No shelf life limitations</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr">Screened Separable Connectors</h3>TE&rsquo;s Screened Separable Connectors feature a compact design to fit in tight installation spaces, are fully shielded, submersible, and available with optional test points. Over 6 million separable connectors are in use worldwide.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ2MjA3MjMzNjg1LTcuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii" alt="Screened-Separable-Power-Connectors-TE-Mouser">Screened Separable Power Connectors by TE. Source: TE ConnectivityTE&acute;s Screened Separable Connectors adapt easily to a variety of different cable types and sizes. Their compact design and the flexibility of silicone components facilitate the installation of the connectors, saving time and reducing errors.TE&rsquo;s power connectors undergo rigorous performance testing to meet stringent safety standards. The brand pioneered terminations and connectivity solutions in the 1940s. TE connectivity solutions from the 1970s are still in operation more than 40 years after they were installed.<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2>Marine and offshore environments are among the toughest testing grounds for cable accessories, because of the harsh conditions they offer. In any marine or offshore operating environment, the reliability of the products is crucial. In addition to selecting the cable accessory with the correct voltage, size, and construction, it is also vital to choose products that are proven to perform and deliver the expected full-service life.This article was initially published by Mouser and Amphenol in an <a href="https://www.mouser.com/news/te-proven-in-the-harshest-environments-ebook/te-proven-in-the-harshest-environments-ebook.html" target="_blank">e-magazine</a>. It has been substantially edited by the Wevolver team and Electrical Engineer <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/ravi.rao" target="_blank">Ravi Y Rao</a>. It&#39;s the third article of a 6-part series examining connectivity and sensing technologies for harsh environments. Future articles will introduce readers to some more interesting applications of the technologies in various industries.<ul id="isPasted"><li dir="ltr" id="isPasted">The introductory article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/connectivity-and-sensing-technologies-proven-in-the-harshest-environments" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">provided an overview of the different harsh environments that electronic circuits and systems are put through.</a></li><li dir="ltr">The first article showcased&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/enabling-the-next-generation-of-connected-applications-in-harsh-environments" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">how improvements in connectors, terminals, splices, relays, and heat shrink tubing enable connected applications</a></li><li dir="ltr">The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/emerging-trends-and-design-considerations-for-automotive-connectivity-systems-in-harsh-environments" target="_blank">second article</a> was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/emerging-trends-and-design-considerations-for-automotive-connectivity-systems-in-harsh-environments" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">focused on some key trends and design considerations for automotive connectivity systems.</a></li><li dir="ltr">The third article presented t<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/switchgear-connectors-and-terminals-for-harsh-offshore-installations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hree case studies on how connectors and terminals enable massive power handling in offshore installations.&nbsp;</a></li><li dir="ltr">The fourth article shifted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/rugged-connectors-meet-the-connectivity-demands-of-transportation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the focus back to the transport industry to explain the necessity of reliable connectors that withstand harsh environments.</a></li><li dir="ltr">The fifth article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/modeling-sensing-technologies-for-harsh-environments" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">was about the theory of sensor design for harsh environments.</a></li><li>The final article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/heat-shrink-cable-accessories-for-harsh-environments-principles-design-manufacturing-and-applications" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">examined the principles, design, manufacturing, and applications of heat shrink cable accessories in depth.</a></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">About the sponsor: Mouser Electronics</h2><a href="https://eu.mouser.com/" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a> is a worldwide leading authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components for over 1,100 manufacturer brands. They specialize in the rapid introduction of new products and technologies for design engineers and buyers. Their extensive product offering includes semiconductors, interconnects, passives, and electromechanical components.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ2MjA3MTg5NDc4LUJyb3VnaHQgdG8geW91IGJ5ICgyKS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" class="fr-fic fr-dii" alt="Mouser-logo"><h2 dir="ltr">References</h2>[1] R. Zheng, John Duhig, &lsquo;TE&rsquo;s connectivity solution for MV power connections in harsh offshore environments, TE Connectivity, [Online], Available from: <a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://www.te.com/content/dam/te-com/documents/energy/global/productdocuments/Shipbuilding/energy-shipbuilding-wp-MV-en.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.te.com/content/dam/te-com/documents/energy/global/productdocuments/Shipbuilding/energy-shipbuilding-wp-MV-en.pdf</a>[2] Wind Market Reports: 2021 Edition, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, US Dept. of Energy, [Online], Available from:&nbsp;https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/wind-market-reports-2021-edition[3] A case study on Switchgear connectors in harsh environments, TE Connectivity, [Online], Available from: <a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://www.te.com/content/dam/te-com/documents/energy/global/productdocuments/RSTI/energy-RSTI-case_study.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.te.com/content/dam/te-com/documents/energy/global/productdocuments/RSTI/energy-RSTI-case_study.pdf</a>[4] A case study on Improving Power Density and Efficiency in South Korea, TE Connectivity, [Online], Available from: <a href="https://www.te.com/usa-en/industries/oil-gas-marine/insights/shipbuilding-and-offshore-case-study-korea.html" target="_blank">https://www.te.com/usa-en/industries/oil-gas-marine/insights/shipbuilding-and-offshore-case-study-korea.html</a>[5] A case study on Harsh Environmental Resistant Cable Joints for Shipbuilding and Offshore, TE Connectivity, [Online], Available from: <a href="https://www.te.com/usa-en/industries/oil-gas-marine/insights/shipbuilding-and-offshore-case-study-britain.html" target="_blank">https://www.te.com/usa-en/industries/oil-gas-marine/insights/shipbuilding-and-offshore-case-study-britain.html</a>[6] Advanced Separable Connector Technology, TE Connectivity, [Online], Available from: <a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://www.te.com/content/dam/te-com/documents/private/Energy/energy-cable%20accessories-ssht-epp%202922-separable%20connectors-en.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.te.com/content/dam/te-com/documents/private/Energy/energy-cable%20accessories-ssht-epp%202922-separable%20connectors-en.pdf</a>[7] Raychem screened separable connectors for switchgear and transformers in medium voltage distribution networks, TE Connectivity, [Online], Available from: <a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://www.te.com/content/dam/te-com/documents/energy/global/productdocuments/RSTI/energy-switchgear-br-epp2566-en.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.te.com/content/dam/te-com/documents/energy/global/productdocuments/RSTI/energy-switchgear-br-epp2566-en.pdf</a>

Article #3 of Connectivity and Sensing in Harsh Environments Series: Rugged switchgear connectors and terminations enable the handling of electrical energy safely and efficiently in the harsh environments of marine applications. 

Switchgear Connectors and Terminals for Harsh Offshore Installations

Electric cars, drones, and autonomous robots all share something in common with a smartphone: They have a tendency to run out of charge at the most annoying of times. Plugging them in isn’t always convenient, which is why there’s so much interest in wireless charging technologies — but when you’ve got a device, like a robot, roaming around a large area, things get tricky.A trio of researchers from Aalto University’s School of Electrical Engineering have come up with a potential solution, creating a prototype large-area free-positioning wireless power transfer system targeting moving receivers — and, potentially, one day even scaling up to allowing electric cars to receive a charge as they drive along a road.<h1>“Counter-intuitive”</h1>In their paper, first author Shamsul Arefeen Al Mahmud and colleagues detail what they describe as “an alternative, counter-intuitive” approach to the problem tackled by their contemporaries in the field — creating a system where the two power transmission coils nearest the receiver are fed out-of-phase, forming a loop whereby the magnetic flux created goes from one coil to the other.“The out-of-phase configuration of currents in each coil pair strongly enhances the flux flow through the receiver,” the team explains, “since the two transmitters and the receiver form an effective loop conductor for magnetic flux.”<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1645814884315-wireless4.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A diagram showing a set of six wireless charging coils, where pairs are run out-of-phase; above it are waveform diagrams.">By running its coils out-of-phase, this wireless charging system provides high efficiency and a robust connection. Transmitting the power with high efficiency is fantastic for devices which don’t move around, but the team’s proposed system goes a step further by implementing a scalable and relatively simple system for tracking the movement of a receiver to activate and deactivate coils as required — meaning an entire room, or road, could be fitted with transmitting coils which only activate when and where required.The tracking system works using only measurements taken on the transmission side, requiring no modification to or additional hardware on the receiving device. Measurements are taken from the compensation inductors on inactive coils, allowing the system to determine if a receiver is in the area — and without, its creators claim, any risk of false activation from metal objects or other foreign matter.<h1>Active, listening, and alert</h1>The proposed system splits coils into three modes: Active, which are sending power to the receiving device; listening, which are inactive in terms of power transfer but monitoring for a receiver; and alert, which expect a receiver to come into transmission range in the immediate future.Initially, all coils start up in listening mode. The control system then begins checking for a receiver by activating a subset of coils in a predetermined pattern while leaving the others off. If a receiver is detected, by measured inductance being higher than a configured turn-on threshold, the closest coils activate.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1645814901013-wireless3.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A flow chart showing the decisions the wireless power transfer system makes when switching coils between listening, active, and alert modes.">Coils are switched between the three modes — active, listening, and alert — using readings purely from the transmitting side. To handle moving receivers, the team’s control system places the coils adjacent to the active area into the third mode, alert. These coils continuously compare their inactive input current with the active coil’s input current, waiting for a threshold to be exceeded before taking over transmission — allowing receiving devices to travel from coil to coil without loss of power.<h1>Experimental success</h1>Tested in the lab with a prototype designed to mimic a charging system for a mobile robot, the team’s approach showcased its potential: Efficiency between DC power source and DC load resistance was measured at 91 per cent with only a one percent variation for receiver position, dropping to just 90 per cent — with a noted slight drop of received power — as the receiver rotated.While moving the receiving device along deliberately-asymmetrical paths, the charging system maintained its performance: The researchers recorded an efficiency of over 90 per cent and output power between 60W and 85W for the first two of three test paths, with efficiency dropping to around 87 per cent with a 40W output power only in what is described as "an extreme misalignment situation” involving travel at the very edge of the charging area.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1645814910675-wireless2.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Schematic diagrams for inactive, positive, and negative transmitting coils, plus a single receiving coil.">Proven in prototype, the system could potentially scale all the way up to actively-charging road surfaces for electric vehicles. The lowest measured efficiency, meanwhile, was found when using a low load resistance, where efficiency dipped to 85 per cent — attributed by the team to losses in the receiver coil and rectifier and to a slight de-tuning of the receive coil.“It is clear that the proposed WPT system demonstrate[s] fairly high-efficiency at [a] full range of different misalignment conditions,” the team concludes — while noting that commercialization of the approach, although equally suited to both high- and low-power applications, would require the design and application of a shielding system, not included in the experiments, “similar to any other WPT system.”The team’s work has been accepted for publication in the journal IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, and is available as an early access article <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9693346" target="_blank">on IEEE Xplore</a> under open-access terms.<h1>Reference</h1>Shamsul Arefeen Al Mahmud, Ishtiaque Panhwar, and Prasad Jayathurathnage: <cite>Large-Area Free-Positioning Wireless Power Transfer to Movable Receivers, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics</cite>. DOI <a href="https://doi.org/10.1109/TIE.2022.3144591" target="_blank">10.1109/TIE.2022.3144591</a>.

Seen here in prototype form, this wireless power system can track where a receiver to activate and deactivate particular coils.

Demonstrated at a small scale in the lab, this free-positioning wireless power transfer system offers a highly robust connection to moving receivers over a wide area using a "counter-intuitive" approach.

Movement-tracking wireless power transfer system could let electric vehicles charge as they drive

This is the final article in a <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/how-to-select-the-right-reinforced-transformer-for-high-voltage-energy-storage-applications" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">5-part series</a> exploring power conversion. The series will provide insight into how the rapid electrification of vehicles and the switch to renewable energy is driving the demand for safe and reliable power conversion and electronic components.&nbsp;The articles were originally published in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mouser.com/news/bourns-power-ebook/mobile/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">e-magazine</a>, and have been substantially edited by Wevolver to update them and make them available on the Wevolver platform. This series is sponsored by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/mouser.electronics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/mouser.electronics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a>, an online distributor of electronic components. Through their sponsorship,&nbsp;Mouser Electronics&nbsp;supports engineers in designing sustainable and efficient applications for a greener future.&nbsp;<h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-4-0">Introduction</h2>An electronic device that changes direct current (DC) from one voltage to another is a DC-DC converter. Typical uses range from low-voltage cell phone and laptop batteries to high-voltage circuits and power metering. As voltage increases, though, maintaining safety becomes more challenging in DC-DC converters.<h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-5-0">Isolation</h2>DC-DC converters employ isolation to ensure safety for operators. This approach reduces the risk of electric shock, avoids ground loops due to different potential levels, and prevents voltage transients from input to output. Engineers can achieve isolation through isolation <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/how-to-select-the-right-reinforced-transformer-for-high-voltage-energy-storage-applications" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">transformers</a>, which contain high-resistance insulation between the primary and secondary circuits to withstand the voltage between the windings. There are varying degrees of isolation, selected based on the severity of the application:<ul><li>Functional–isolated output, but no protection from electric shock.</li><li>Basic–contains a physical barrier, offering shock protection if the barrier is intact.</li><li>Supplementary–adds a redundant barrier to basic isolation for added safety.</li><li>Reinforced–highest-safety choice; input and output windings are separated by a large distance or two physical barriers (like supplementary).</li></ul><h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-6-0">Push-Pull</h2>Push-pull is a type of DC converter that uses a transformer-coupled with two transistors to convert DC voltage. Current is applied to the primary transformer circuit as the transistors are alternated between on and off states. This design draws current during both halves of the switching cycle, smoothing the input current supply. As a result, push-pull converters provide a steadier input current, create less noise on the input line, and enjoy higher efficiencies in higher-power applications than alternative styles.<h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-7-0">Market Data</h2>Isolated DC-DC converters are used in high-voltage circuits, power metering, healthcare technology, battery management systems, onboard charging, and CAN receivers. With such a wide span of applications, <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/dc-dc-converter-market-size-usd-17-85-billion-by-2027-at-cagr-of-11-10-valuates-reports-835613198.html" target="_blank">market researchers expect</a> the isolated DC-DC converter market to reach $2.7 billion (USD) by 2024.Given the importance of physical barriers for isolated DC-DC converters, achieving high-isolation performance in a low-profile, compact design offers design engineers an opportunity to develop an innovative solution. This paper provides an overview of the Bourns® HCT Series AEC-Q200 Compliant Power Transformer, a high-clearance and creepage isolation power transformer that incorporates the latest safety features for DC-DC conversion.Product SolutionsThe <a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/bourns/bourns-hct-transformers/" target="_blank">HCT series</a> offers features well-suited for isolated DC-DC conversion applications such as automotive, industrial, communications, and consumer. They have a 6.5mm profile with more than 8mm clearance and creepage, along with reinforced insulation for working voltages up to 800VAC. The transformers are compliant with AEC-Q200, RoHS, and three IEC standards.This transformer solution for isolated DC-DC conversion comes in a fully <a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="http://www.aecouncil.com/Documents/AEC_Q200_Rev_D_Base_Document.pdf" target="_blank">AEC-Q200</a> <a href="#_msocom_1" language="JavaScript" name="_msoanchor_1" target="_blank">[jm1]</a> compliant part, manufactured in an IATF 16949-certified factory. It offers multiple turn ratios (1:1 to 1:2.7), and design engineers can customize the high-voltage isolation performance to specific application requirements, along with additional customization options. HCT transformers are also fully validated and approved by Texas Instruments.The HCT series components run at between -40°C and +125°C operating temperatures, and they provide up to 350mA output. The transformers also accept 3.3V-3.5V inputs and provide 3.3V-15V outputs.Engineers designed the HCT series transformers specifically for Texas Instruments transformer driver chipsets. Below is a summary of TI SN6501 and SN6505, two chipsets that work well with the HCT components.The <a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/sn6501.pdf" target="_blank">SN6501 transformer driver</a> is designed for economical, compact, isolated DC-DC converters that use push-pull topology. The driver is used in applications such as CAN, process control, industrial automation, and low- to medium-risk medical equipment. Used for input and output voltages ranging from 3-5.5V, design engineers recommend implementing a low dropout regulator (LDO) to stabilize the current supply without dependence on load. Including an LDO maximizes efficiency while providing a stable power supply.Like the SN6501, the <a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/sn6505b.pdf" target="_blank">SN6505 transformer driver</a> is a push-pull transformer driver, designed for compact, isolated power supplies. Applications of this driver include process control, radio supplies, medical and precision instruments, low-noise filament supplies, and low-noise isolated USB supplies. The SN6505 is low-noise and low-electromagnetic interference (EMI) in addition to push-pull capable and drives low-profile, center-tapped transformer 2.25-5.5V power supplies. Design engineers recommend LDOs with this driver as well, to maximize efficiency while providing stable source current.Standards ComplianceAs safety is the primary function of an isolation transformer, quality engineers highly value compliance with industry standards. Bourns® HCT series transformers meet the Underwriters Laboratories Inc. /International Electrotechnical Commission (UL/IEC) 62368-1 Hazard-Based Safety Standard. The intent of the standard, which takes effect in December 2020, is to provide design engineers added flexibility to incorporate new technology into their product designs.Complying to UL is a critical gate that establishes credibility with the customer base. UL is often used as the Gold Standard for electronic device compliance and covers a broad scope of highly technical industries, such as computing and networking, consumer electronics, telecommunications, monitors and televisions, and office supplies.An overview description of some of the critical tests of the new UL standard is below:<ul><li>Cap discharge–at 240V, the discharge voltage is measured at 2 seconds after disconnecting between line and neutral, line and ground, and neutral and ground. Pass criteria are ES1 and ES2 for normal conditions</li><li>Touch temperature–measured at room ambient, touch temperature is measured at and outside the specification to determine the robustness of touch temperature performance</li><li>Electrical strength–resistance to test voltage as defined within the standard</li><li>Coin cell battery–for battery replacement, the test ensures the coin battery has appropriate safeguards against reverse charging</li><li>Creepage distance–measures the smallest distance the charge must travel to the transformer</li><li>Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV)–includes maximum continuous AC voltage exposure and needle flame test in addition to the prior standard IEC 61051-1 tests</li><li>Handle securement–applies load to the transport handles at levels determined by the mechanical energy source (MS 1, 2, or 3)</li><li>Thermal cutoff–in addition to meeting requirements in IEC 60730-1, the component withstands several thermal cycles between 30 and 3000, which is governed by equipment type and presence of automatic reset</li></ul>Competitive BenchmarkWhile being measured against an industry standard, the HCT series outperforms two anonymous competitive benchmark components in several categories:<ul><li>High Potential Capability (tested): HCT series transformers withstood up to 7.5kV, while the competitors rated at parity and 6kV</li><li>DC Resistance (DCR): advantage over both competitors, providing a higher degree of isolation to enable increased safety</li><li>Thermal Derating: advantage over both competitors, dissipating more power (without enduring damage) at a given case temperature</li><li>Working Voltage for Reinforced Isolation: the HCT transformers operate at 800VAC, while the competitive products operated between 250-400VAC</li><li>Available Turn Ratios: more than either competitor (11 for HCT, 7 and 9 respectively for competitive parts)</li><li>Creepage Distance: a critical metric for an isolation transformer, the HCT component contains greater than 8mm creepage distance, while the competitive transformers were at parity or 7mm</li></ul>Innovative Creepage Path DesignThe HCT series contains an innovative body design that enables a high minimum creepage path between the terminal and the electronics. The lid contains protrusions that extend into the body, providing an elongated, tortuous path for the current to travel. This design increases creepage while maintaining a compact package footprint by adding internal surface area that increases the distance of the current flow path as shown in the figure below.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjE2NTgxNDUzMDQ1LWNyZWVwLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-8-0">Conclusion</h2>The Bourns® HCT series transformers were designed with reinforced isolation, increasing creepage distance. This series can be used with several of Texas Instruments automotive application chipsets. An innovative body design contains integrated routing paths for the current, creating a compact package that maximizes creepage and overall isolation performance for safe DC-DC conversion. The components have a low-profile form factor, making them ideal for UL/IEC 62368-1 compliance. For push-pull DC-DC converters with reinforced isolation, the Bourns HCT series offers the best-in-class solution for technical performance while maintaining a small packaging size.This article was originally written by Mouser and Bourns in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mouser.com/news/bourns-power-ebook/mobile/index.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">e-magazine&nbsp;</a>and substantially edited by the Wevolver team.&nbsp;It's the final article of a 5-part series exploring power conversion.&nbsp;Article 1 explored <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/how-to-select-the-right-reinforced-transformer-for-high-voltage-energy-storage-applications" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">how designers can make design decisions when working with high-voltage energy storage systems. &nbsp;</a>Article 2 <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/rechargeable-batteries-for-greener-solutions" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">discussed the potential of rechargeable batteries.&nbsp;</a>Article 3 <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/selecting-battery-management-systems-transformers-for-isolated-communications-in-high-voltage-energy-storage" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">examined the method for selecting transformers for Battery Management Systems (BMS).&nbsp;</a>Article 4 <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/accurate-measurements-using-shunt-resistors-and-current-sense-modules-in-high-energy-storage-applications" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">explained the necessity of shunt resistors to deliver accurate Battery Management Systems.&nbsp;</a>Article 5 <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/innovative-transformer-solution-addresses-traditional-challenges" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">provided an overview of innovative transformer solutions for power conversion.</a><hr><h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-9-0">About the sponsor: Mouser</h2><a href="https://eu.mouser.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://eu.mouser.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://eu.mouser.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a> is a worldwide leading authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components for over 800 industry-leading manufacturers. They specialize in the rapid introduction of new products and technologies for design engineers and buyers. Their extensive product offering includes semiconductors, interconnects, passives, and electromechanical components.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjE4NTY0NjU1NjE2LU1vdXNlciBiYW5uZXIgYXJ0aWNsZS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">

Article 5 of the Power Conversion Series. An innovative transformer solution addresses many of the traditional challenges previous products had to solve.

power conversion

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