EE&T News: August 10, 2010

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August 10, 2011 Issue:

• God bless air conditioners

• Inside a smart grid system

• A video tour of a super-efficient Smart Home

• Flywheels get bigger role in backup power

• Energy shorts

• Back to the future with a 21st-century lamp

• 6-W open-frame power supply

• Power-circuit busbars for EVs

God bless air conditioners

I was in Austin, Tex. for National Instruments' NIWeek event during the recent heat wave that sent temperatures there regularly past 100 F. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas was in an emergency much of that week, which serves as a reminder of how impactful super-efficient A/C projects now being funded by the DoE ARPA-E program could be. And if you've got a super-efficient technology, let us know about it at [email protected]. -- Leland Teschler, Editor

Inside a smart grid system

At the recent NI Week event hosted by LabView software creator National Instruments, there were a couple of interesting demonstrations of what's going on in smart grid infrastructure. I teamed up with EngineeringTV.com to do two short videos on the subject with NI's Brian MacCreery. The first is an explanation of a smart switch devised by Siemens Energy which takes the place of an electromechanical switching device called a recloser, but with enough smarts to do some diagnostics. READ MORE

Rugged Speed and Temperature Sensor

Electro-Sensor's TT420 Temperature Transmitters and ST420 Shaft Tachometers are pre-calibrated, proven solutions that install fast and perform anywhere, providing rugged and reliable monitoring solutions for your toughest machine environments. The TT420 combines a temperature sensor, signal conditioning, and 2-wire loop-powered 4-20mA transmitter into one compact package. The ST420 detects magnetic pulses from a rotating shaft-mounted magnetic pulser target (disc or wrap) and outputs a smooth, continuous 4-20mA analog signal in direct proportion to the pulse frequency (rotating shaft speed).www.electro-sensors.com

A video tour of a super-efficient Smart Home

It's built in sometimes-frigid Cleveland, Ohio but it has no furnace. The walls in the SmartHome Project are super-insulated and the full-sized, three-bedroom home designed and built with energy conservation in mind has numerous other innovations that keep inhabitants toasty warm. Watch the video.

WE-CBF Series Chip Bead Ferrite Offering, Now at Digi-Key

Würth Electronics, as a globally leading manufacturer for magnetics, is offering a complete portfolio in chip bead ferrites. A chip bead ferrite placed correctly during the circuit board design is still the most effective prevention of EMI. In order to offer the optimum size, current requirement and EMI suppression, Würth Electronics is offering its WE-CBF series in the sizes of 0402 up to 1812 and are rated for industrial temperature requirements (-55°C up to 125°C).

Flywheels get bigger role in backup power

Flywheels look to be increasingly interesting as sources of short-term power. The kinetic energy stored by virtue of their spinning can make for a "green" way of providing energy for short durations.That's one reason the Dept. of Energy's ARPA-E program for promising energy technology is funding at least one flywheel project. READ MORE

Energy shorts

Cheaper illumination through the ages
Who'se harvesting energy?
Distributor Mouser will handle Cree LEDs
Solar cells tap both visible, infrared range in one structure
Keeping inverters safe
CAD to the rescue for fluorescent dimmer design
LED connectors boast sleek profiles

LED LIGHTING

Back to the future with a 21st-century lamp

A prototype LED light bulb from Cree Inc. delivers more than 1,300 lumens at 152 lumens/watt (LPW). This is somewhat of a milestone because it exceeds the performance goals set by the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) for the 21st Century Lamp, the third category in its L Prize SM competition. READ MORE

Boker's Free 2011 Washer Catalog

Boker's complimentary 2011 Washer Catalog offers a selection of more than 25,000 non-standard flat washer sizes available with no tooling charges. With outside diameters ranging from 0.080" to 5.140", a wide variety of inside diameters and thicknesses and over 2,000 material options available, Boker's provides endless washer and spacer possibilities. Materials include low-carbon sheet steel, various spring steels, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, nickel silver and non-metallics. ISO 9001:2008 Registeredwww.bokers.com/eete

NEW PRODUCTS

6-W open-frame power supply

A 6-W version is the latest addition to the VOF Series of low-cost open-frame ac-dc power supplies. The VOF-6 provides continuous output power, 85 to 264 Vac, comes in 3.3, 5, 12, 15, and 24-Vdc output voltages; and offers leakage currents below 0.3 mA. The unit measures 2.2 × 1.4 × 0.65 in. and offer overvoltage and overcurrent protection.CUI Inc.

Power-circuit busbars for EVs

RO-LINX PowerCircuit busbars handle power-distribution needs in electric vehicle (EV) drives, hybrid electric-vehicle (HEV) drives, and related charging systems, as well as solar-power inverters, uninterruptable power supplies, and industrial motor drives. The busbars offer the features of power PCBs and laminated busbars. They can be made in three dimensions to reduce weight and footprint and to conform to specific engineering designs. The busbars handle applications at current levels from 100 to 500 A and can be combined with industrial mounting of functional components such as capacitors, sensors, and IGBTs. The devices feature a closed-mold design, using materials engineered for high-performance reliability in applications subjected to high vibration and temperature cycling. 3D designs are well suited for medium to high-volume assembly and most soldering processes.Rogers Corp., Power Distribution Systems Div.

FEATURED LINKS

Thomas Division
Thomas provides OEM pump and compressor innovations for environmental applications with oil-less technology offerings including WOB-L® and articulated piston, diaphragm, rotary, linear, and liquid pumps.
www.gd-thomas.com

Today's Energy Efficiency News update brought to you by:
International Rectifier


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