» Fuel cells are ready for prime time if our top-ranked product is any indication. But PWM ICs and devices for driving LEDs, LCDs and other illumination products also make the list. Reviewers are enthusiastic.

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MGE UPS SYSTEMS
On-line hydrogen-backup UPS tests the waters
eeProductCenter's Vincent Biancomano says: "MGE UPS Systems says its Pulsar EX RT series is the first fuel-cell powered on-line uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with extended run-time. Now in field trials, the 3200 VA second-generation series model (the first was their line-interactive Pulsar Evolution UPS with Ballard Power System's hydrogen fuel cells) is a 19-inch rack mount double-conversion UPS for high-density IT systems and servers and mission-critical applications. It can accommodate up to three 1-kW hydrogen fuel cell power modules and has an option for extended runtime. Thus, the UPS can provide backup times of 4 to 24 hours. Also suited to the 19-inch rack, the fuel cell power modules include N+1 redundancy capability and a host of safety features. The power modules (85 pounds each and 5U high; hydrogen sources are external to the rack) can be operated in parallel for power levels up to 50 kW. "
Readers say: » "Hopefully a beginning of more renewable-resource power suppplies" » "Great Idea ..Military needs this sort of thing" » "A signicant step toward commercial small size UPS systems based on fuel cells." » "I hope MGE is very successful with it.(I'd like a bigger one for my home.)" » "Interesting for critical apps." » "The use of hydrogen cells is going to really take off over the next decade. Whether this product will be successful or not is another matter. The significance is that they have managed to bring to market a fuel-cell device, which will drive further developments." » "Would be nice to know what "hydrogen sources are external to the rack" means. Connection for piping? Replaceable/refillable hydrogen bottle? Contained in fuel cell, which then needs to be replaced as power is used?" » "Looking good, but at what price tag?" » "While our systems do not require extended backup support, fuel cell technology is interesting if the shelf life of the UPS is longer. Unfortunately, requiring a battery for short term outages still limits this shelf life." » "I believe this product indicates what the future will be." » "How does this system address fuel storage issues?" » "The advantages of dual-feed and automatic bypass features may not be quite enough to warrant a move to this technology as yet. Also, the review would have been more helpful with some details as to the management of the hydrogen sources 'external to the rack.'"
USABILITY RANK: 2

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TEXAS INSTRUMENTS
PWM chip simplifies multiple-supply designs
eeProductCenter's Vincent Biancomano says: "Texas Instruments bills its UCC2540 synchronous PWM controller with dual rectifier outputs as the first chip suited to secondary-side, post regulation for multiple-output supplies as well as two-stage, cascaded topologies, where it can serve as the local secondary-side controller in isolated DC/DC converter systems. Appropriate to its multi-supply application, the chip includes a tracking function to allow sequencing of two or more outputs. Multiple UCC2540 controllers can be sequenced to another in simultaneous, ratiometric or sequential modes. The chip's proprietary Predictive Gate Drive technology, which eliminates body diode conduction and minimizes reverse recovery losses in synchronous rectifiers, will improve a system's overall power efficiency by up to four percent, according to TI. "
Readers say: » "The article seems to indicate a very good performance-to-price ratio." » "Sure wish it could take up to 50 volts input." » "i think it is too expensive." » "I like the integration it offers. It will help decrease the parts count on some designs but I still would do a good portion of my work with less integrated designs to work out the buggs. Too much integration in a first iteration design can cause other issues."
USABILITY RANK: 1

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ADVANCED ANALOGIC TECHNOLOGIES
Charge-pumps brighten display picture
eeProductCenter's Vincent Biancomano says: "Three new generations of charge-pump from Advanced Analogic Technologies bring a new level of functional, high-efficiency, and cost- and space-saving performance to LED- and LCD-based display applications. These chips maximize brightness in white LEDs (AAT3140/41) in single-cell portable applications, improve camera flash performance (AAT3112), and provide the positive and negative voltages (AAT3190) for thin-film transistor liquid-crystal displays (TFT-LCDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and charge-coupled devices (CCDs). The company's AAT3140 and AAT3141, which combine a loadswitch with a tri-mode (1, 1.5 and 2x) DC/DC converter in a 1 MHz topology that requires few external parts, is one of the first to make provision for the rather wide variations in a typical white LED's forward voltage drop. "
Readers say: » "For visual displays, or for critical uniform illumination, charge pumps become a necessity." » "These will be on a design of ours within the next 4 months." » "It would be nice to know the MTBF,etc." » "Seems useful with its wide voltage output ranges." » "These new charge-pumps hopefully will solve the previous problems of expending unnecessary power in LED applications."
USABILITY RANK: 3

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INTERNATIONAL RECTIFIER
Adaptive ICs add life to lamps
eeProductCenter's Vincent Biancomano says: "International Rectifier is particularly high on two controller ICs for halogen and fluorescent lamps that the company bills as a significant breakthrough for OEM designers. The IR2161, for low-voltage halogens suited to window and gallery lighting, and the IR2520D, for general-purpose compact fluorescents, share common threads to maximize reliability in rather harsh environments: high-voltage junction-isolation technology, which allows the company to integrate high and low-voltage building blocks on an IC; and a high level of functionality and adaptive circuitry to deal with, or serve as an alternative to, the circuitry in these resonance-based lighting systems. "
Readers say: » "Needs more packaging styles" » "We would purchase lamps utilizing these products." » "Should have a great impact."
USABILITY RANK: 6

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ENPIRION INC.
Integrated magnetics shrinks dc-to-dc converter
eeProductCenter's Vincent Biancomano says: "Leveraging its ability to integrate a microelectromechanical systems-like inductor on the same IC with a switching regulator controller, Enpirion is offering a complete dc-to-dc converter on a chip in what could prove to be the smallest form factor yet. In its initial incarnation, the iPOWER device family targets workstations and servers with a single-output step-down device that transforms 5 or 3.3 volts to a lower voltage for on-board components. The miPOWER family, targeted at mobile electronics, will be formally introduced in the third quarter. The first member of the iPOWER family, the EN5330, incorporates two technological tricks to deliver high current from a tiny TSSOP package (12.5 x 8 mm)"
Readers say: » "Looks like a very nice evolutionary step in the 'hybridization' of power passives to the IC substrate." » "I am very interested in this converter." » "Significant size reduction" » "This very small, easy to use power converter will find many uses." » "Higher input voltages would be useful." » "Price/performance of related products could make it viable for mobile devices but unlikely for desktops except in exceptional cases."
USABILITY RANK: 5

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NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR
Flexible PWM controller fits IBA bill
eeProductCenter's Vincent Biancomano says: "National Semiconductor positions its LM5033 as the first fully-featured 100-volt DC/DC pulse width modulation (PWM) controller for meeting the needs of modern intermediate bus architectures (IBAs). The LM5033 can be used as a stand-alone device in a push-pull bus converter or paired with one or two of the company's LM5100 drivers in a half- or full-bridge converter design. This flexibility allows designers to produce a family of bus converters suited to a wide range of low-voltage telecom, automotive, and industrial applications. "
Readers say: » "Very nice packaging" » "Fantastic, I never knew about it until now. Its high voltage input(up to 100V)will help engineers in the automotive industry, especially those that are switching to 42VDC." » "If I had an application for it I would use it!" » "Good pricing"
USABILITY RANK: 4

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SILICONIX
MOSFETs combine the best of two processes
eeProductCenter's Vincent Biancomano says: "Siliconix' Si4368DY and Si7668DP are the first two power MOSFETs to combine the company's WFET and TrenchFET Gen II technologies. Thus they offer the low gate-charge afforded by WFET technology and the low on-resistance of TrenchFET Gen II. The 30-volt n-channel MOSFETs are suited to low-side operation in synchronous buck (both single- and multi-phase) DC/DC converters in notebook PCs, servers, and VRM modules, as well as in synchronous rectification in fixed telecom systems (the Si4390DY and Si7390DP, announced previously, typically serve on the high side). "
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USABILITY RANK: 8

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ULTRALIFE BATTERIES
Two-section Li-ion serves rugged 15/30V apps
eeProductCenter's Vincent Biancomano says: "Ultralife Batteries' new UBI-2590 is a lithium-ion rechargeable with two independent 15-volt sections, each having separate protection electronics and capacity gauges. The UBI-2590 is a readily available design solution that offers product developers a convenient power solution for their rechargeable applications. The battery delivers a nominal 14.4 volts (capacity of 12 A-h at 1 amp at 23° C) or 28.8 volts (6 A-h at 500 mA). It's rated for operation over -20 to +60&degC. "
Readers say: » "Nice lightweight packaging" » "I will look forward to seeing if these are an improvement over the NiMH rechargables currently available." » "Nice ,but heavy and pricey"
USABILITY RANK: 7

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TYCO ELECTRONICS
Eighth-brick bus converter extends to 200 watts
eeProductCenter's Vincent Biancomano says: "The EUE200 eighth-brick bus converter from Tyco Electronics Power Systems delivers up to 200 watts, a substantial increase in the capacity of traditional eighth-bricks, for intermediate-bus and distributed-power applications used in servers and storage applications and access, optical network, wireless and enterprise equipment. The 2.28-by-0.9-by-0.41 inch single-output converter, working from a 42- to 55-volt input and with a 4:1 step-down unregulated output, incorporates synchronous rectification technology and advanced packaging techniques to achieve very high efficiency (reaching 95 percent at 12 volts at full load). "
Readers say: » "Still too pricey" » "Celestica EUS bus converters can support 240W " » "Looks very useful" » "Tyco Power is listening to what the industry is asking for."
USABILITY RANK: 9

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PULSE
Planar transformers deliver 293 winding options
eeProductCenter's Vincent Biancomano says: "Bringing custom planar transformers a step closer to off-the-shelf commodity status, Pulse's PA08XX 140-watt and PA09XX 250-watt series allow DC/DC converter designers to specify 293 different winding configurations, which are derived from 45 standard catalog parts. Users adding a primary auxiliary winding or a small gap to these stand alone transformers expand the number of possible configurations to over 1000. "
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USABILITY RANK: 10