Electrical Industry News for February 2024

Residents and businesses in seven southwestern Illinois counties are benefiting from more reliable energy thanks to the upgrade of a 140-mile 345-kV transmission line from Cahokia to Joppa. The recently completed, multiyear Southern Illinois Reliability Project is improving system reliability while also opening pathways for clean energy to be distributed to the region and increasing transmission capacity to meet the area’s growth needs. Southern Illinois Reliability Project This project...

Fluence Energy, Inc., a global provider of energy storage products, services, and optimization software for renewables and storage, announces that the company has been selected by Origin Energy Limited (Origin) to deliver a 300 MW / 650 MWh battery at the Mortlake Power Station in southwest Victoria. The project will use Fluence’s Gridstack™ energy storage product with a 15-year service agreement contributing to Origin’s strategy to accelerate renewable energy and energy stora...

DNV, the independent energy expert and assurance provider, is pleased to share that MYTILINEOS S.A. has successfully closed financing with a group of lenders, including BNP Paribas, Intesa San Paolo, SMBC, Rabobank, and Santander Chile. DNV  served as a market advisor in this financing deal for a portfolio of solar farms including the Willka, Doña Antonia, Tocopilla, and Tamarico projects in Chile, totaling 588 MWp. Chilean Solar market Chile, known for its solar potential and c...

RECOM strengthened its distribution network in Japan with the addition of Midoriya Electric, specializing in AC/DC, DC/DC converters, switching regulators, and LED drivers. Yosuke Sato, Director & General Manager, 1st International Division, Midoriya Electric, expressed, “RECOM's product portfolio has very good synergy with our other line cards. We are very excited about expanding sales of RECOM products.” ideal distribution partner According to Jordi Torrebadell, Director of...

RECOM has continued to add to their ‘K’ series of DC/DC converters featuring advanced circuit design techniques and manufacturing technology with the REC5K-AW, a 5W, wide input DC/DC in a plastic package, just 1” x 1” footprint, 0.4” profile (25.4 x 25.4 x 10mm). The cost-effective part operates over a wide 4:1 (9–36 VDC) input range and provides a regulated 5 V output rated at 1 A with 18-36 VDC input. Operation is from −40°C to 110°C ambient w...

One year after the closing of World Expo 2020 Dubai, a study by EY finds that the economic impact of the Expo is expected to contribute a total of AED 154.9 billion of gross value added (GVA) to the economy of the UAE in the period from 2013 to 2042. The report estimates that from the earliest stages of the preparations through to the operation of the event itself, Expo 2020 Dubai provided widespread economic value to Dubai and the UAE. It furthermore notes that the legacy phase&ndash...

RECOM's R-78E series of three-terminal switching regulators has been a very popular high-efficiency replacement for three-terminal, TO-220 style linear regulators, saving energy, board space, and cost, by eliminating heatsinks and their assembly overheads. For 2023, they are announcing an upgrade to the series, denoted R-78Kxx, with improved specifications. Features of the R-78K series  Versions rated at 0.5A, 1A, and 2A are available, with fixed outputs now including 1.2V, 1.5V, 1.8V, 2...

Popular RACM series has been extended with the addition of the RACM30-K/277 range of parts rated at 30W (36W peak), setting a new benchmark of 9.2W/inch³ thermally effective power density at 60°C still air in a case size of 1.6” x 2” x 1” (40 x 52.5 x 25.5 mm). Limited power source These silicone-free encapsulated AC/DCs have an ultra-wide input range of 85-305VAC (120V to 430VDC) and are available with outputs of 5V, 12V, 15V, 24V, ±12V or ±15V, fully...

Users can now take advantage of surface mount technology with the new R5M, R3M, R2M, and R1M regulated DC/DC converters, rated at 5W, 3W, 2W, and 1W, respectively. The family shares a common case size of 13.2mm x 9.1mm footprint, 10.2mm high, with the R2M additionally available in a through-hole DIP8 package. The DC/DCs operate over a 4:1 input range, 9-36VDC or 18-75VDC, while the R3M, R2M, and R1M range additionally include 4.5-18V input. Outputs available are fully regulated: single 3.3V, 5V...

Building on the success of the 5W board-mount RAC05-K/480 AC/DC, RECOM now offers 15W and 25W versions with the same ultra-wide input range of 85-528VAC, for line-to-line and line-to-neutral connections in global single- and three-phase AC supplies. Outputs available are 5V, 12V, 15V, and 24V, fully protected against short circuits, over-current and over-voltage. The two new series are certified to IEC/EN/UL 62368-1 and IEC/EN 61010 and are classed as Limited Power Source (LPS). The parts...

GaN is the chemical symbol for gallium nitride, which is an III-V semiconductor material commonly referred to as a 'wide bandgap' (WBG) material, because it has a relatively high energy requirement (compared to silicon or Si) to knock an atom’s electron from a valence band (e.g. – insulator) to a conduction band (e.g. – conductor). semiconducting devices When it comes to an electronically-controlled switch, users want a material that has a high breakdown electric field (e.g....

Data is at the heart of modern railway infrastructure. Both freight and passenger trains require robust communications to transfer location data between rolling stock systems, between trains, and between trains and control centers. Furthermore, modern passenger trains are equipped with convenience and entertainment functions such as internet access, information display screens, charging sockets, and vending machines. Wireless standards Due to the variety of these use cases, railway networks u...

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a buzzword associated with everything nowadays, from condition-monitoring systems for preventive maintenance to smart, self-powered labels for tracking assets including all commercial and industrial widgets. This piece of content is a concerted effort to separate the wheat from the chaff by identifying terminology and application opportunities to focus on the power perspective of IoT and help understand how a power-centric mindset can be applied at various levels...

RECOM's low-cost, high-efficiency, RPY-1.5Q AEC-Q100 automotive-qualified LED driver is now available in a thermally-enhanced QFN package with an integrated shielded inductor and optional ‘wettable flanks’. This feature allows Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) of solder joints, as demanded by automotive customers, avoiding the need for costly and slow X-ray inspection. AEC-Q100 qualification The product is just 3 x 5 x 1.6 mm but can provide a precision programmable constant curr...

RECOM's new RPX-0.5Q and RPX-1.5Q are qualified to AEC-Q100 Grade 1 requirements, opening up more options for automotive applications, as well as providing an extra level of confidence for use of the products in other high-reliability areas, such as industrial, medical, and IT infrastructure. Designated RPX-0.5Q and RPX-1.5Q, the DC/DCs respectively supply 0.5 A and 1.5 A from an input up to 36 V with a trimmable output from 0.8 V to 30 V. RECOM’s 3D-Power Packaging The products now inc...

EV chargers are becoming ubiquitous so much so that now legislation requires new domestic and industrial buildings to include charging points. While the main power conversion technology is an area of intense innovation, there is also a need for low-power auxiliary AC/DC and DC/DC converters. This article looks at the specifications these low-power auxiliary converters need to meet. The uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in all of their forms has really taken off. As many as 6.75 millio...

There are numerous informative articles on the operational temperature range of electronic components and sub-assemblies, but relatively few on storage temperatures. The datasheets of most manufacturers either show the same storage temperature range as the maximum possible operating temperatures (e.g. 0°C to +85°C) or use the “standard industrial” values of -40°C to +100°C, non-operating and without further explanation. risks and factors However, to correctly store...

A smart city implements the Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology to interconnect buildings, resources, and data, to create an efficient, adaptive, and more environment-friendly ecosystem for its citizens. Many interlocking technologies make a smart city, but the main sectors are as follows: Smart Buildings Smart Energy Smart Mobility Smart Data As a power supply manufacturer of efficient, compact power supplies, RECOM is well-positioned to support the smart technologies that go into the...

OVC III, power-dense AC/DC modules feature a wide input range and high isolation. RECOM has added a 20W part to its ‘E-K’ range of encapsulated, PCB-mount AC/DC modules, the RAC20E-K/277. Even though it is economically designed, the series is dimensionally of the same size as the existing 20W at just 52.7 mm x 27.6 mm footprint, but with a different pinning that is compatible with further industry standards. It also features full load operation over a very wide input range of 85&nda...

RECOM has announced the launch of their RAC10E-K/277 series of board-mount AC/DC encapsulated modules, rated at 10W in a compact 1.8 x 1 inch (45.7 x 25.4mm) footprint. Part of the RECOM ‘Economy’ series, the modules are available with single 3.3, 5, 12, 15, and 24V fully regulated outputs and with a wide input range that includes nominal 100, 115, 240, and 277VAC (120 – 430VDC).  Applications and Compliance The parts are particularly suitable for harsh electrical envir...

RECOM offers fully custom, semi-custom, and modified-standard AC/DC and DC/DC converters from low power up to kilowatts. RECOM is known globally for its cost-effective AC/DC and DC/DC converters, with a wide range of standard products from 0.25W up to tens of kW. It may be less well-known that it also manufactures full-custom, semi-custom, and modified-standard products. semi-custom designs RECOM's engineering teams in China, Taiwan, Austria, and Italy have extensive experience in product dev...

RECOM announces a high-efficiency baseplate-cooled 500W DC/DC for rail applications. RMD500-EW series The latest addition to RECOM’s railway portfolio is the RMD500-EW series. Featuring a 500W rating with a wide 4:1 (43-154VDC) input range (170V peak) and 24V output, the product is suitable for nominal 72V and 110VDC inputs with tolerance and surges according to EN 50155. The RMD500-EW is designed for ‘plug and play’ use with all features required by EN 50155 including rever...

RECOM has extended its range of AC/DC open-frame power supplies with the RACM600-L series. The module can deliver 400/450W (115/230VAC) with convection cooling while 600W is available with continuously forced airflow. The product features a universal 80-275VAC input and a single 24V output, adjustable ±20%, rated at 25A. A standby output at 5V/0.5A is also available. IEC 62368-1 for IT The RACM600-L is designed for reliable and cost-effective operations in high-availability application...

RECOM has added to its range of low-cost, unregulated DC/DC converters with the RA3 series of 3W SMD parts, which are designed to provide the optimum voltages for semiconductor switch gate drivers. Variants are available with outputs of single 8V, 9V, or dual +7/−1V, +15/−3V, and +20/−5V. These values cover the requirements of IGBTs, silicon MOSFETs and the latest silicon carbide MOSFETs and GaN HEMT cells. The parts have 5.2 kV/1 minute functional isolation and hold UL/IEC/EN...

The RSH2 series from RECOM - a series of compact, high efficiency, 2W DC/DC converters in a surface-mount format with wide input ranges. RECOM has added to its DC/DC converter range the RSH2 series - a fully regulated, low noise, isolated 2W DC/DC converter in a surface mount package. Surface mount package The series features nominal inputs of 3.3V (2.8-5.5V), 5V/9V (4.5-13.2V), 12V (9-18V), and 24V (18-36V) The series features nominal inputs of 3.3V (2.8-5.5V), 5V/9V (4.5-13.2V), 12V (9-18...

RECOM is releasing two new 5W, board-mount AC/DC product ranges with a choice of industry-standard sizes and pin-outs, at competitive prices. The RAC05E-K series is compatible with existing 3W part footprints and the RAC05E-KT series is in the ‘EI30’ transformer-pack style. Both series achieve 5W in the same footprint as other 3W parts on the market. The input range for both is 90-264VAC (130-370VDC) and the outputs available are 4, 5, 12, 15, and 24V. Outputs are semi-regulated but...

RECOM now offers through-hole, 1/32nd brick-footprint, non-isolated DC/DCs-the RPMA-4.5 and RPMA-8.0, with 4.5 A and 8 A output ratings respectively. Each part has a wide 9-53 V input and trimmable, fully regulated output from 5-30 V (RPMA-4.5) or 3.3-16.5 V (RPMA-8.0).  The cost-effective parts feature very high efficiency, peaking at 98%, allowing fully-rated load operation to +60°C with convection cooling only and to +85°C with derating/airflow, depending on input/output conditi...

RECOM has introduced two new cost-effective DC/DC products with outputs of 100W and 300W in a DOSA-compatible low-profile, through-hole eighth-brick format (58.4mm x 23mm). The RPA100E-W 100W part has a wide 4:1 input range of 16-72V for nominal 24V, 28V and 48V supplies, and fully regulated 5V and 12V trimmable outputs are available. Full power is available to 50°C ambient in natural convection and to +85°C with forced air. Isolation is 1.5kVDC/1 min, basic grade. Standby loss require...

RECOM has extended its range of DC/DC converters in a SOIC-16 package with new versions that offer even better value. The parts feature 5V (4.5-5.5V) inputs and a semi-regulated 5V output rated at either 0.5W (R05C05TE05S) or 1W (R05CTE05S). Line and load regulation figures are specified across the full temperature range, and there is no minimum load requirement, making the parts ideal for applications that have light-load operation modes. EMI levels EMI levels are also particularly low compa...

Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta and André-Marie Ampère never imagined it, but currently, the highly technical world can no longer function without voltage and electricity. Pretty much everything would collapse without an electrical power supply. From simple consumer devices to LED lighting, computer networks, a medical device that helps people stay healthy, satellites, or the Hubble telescope that we use to explore distant worlds. And then there are the navis and the e...