Articles - Supply - 2

The concept of using supercapacitors (also known as ultracapacitors, supercaps, etc.), and replacing the batteries in portable micropower applications ( Ref. 1 ) is gaining momentum. In fact, it has become one of the more noticeable technical ...

With the addition of a few inexpensive miniature components, the hard-wired, voltage-controlled current source of yesterday becomes a software-programmable voltage-controlled current source (Figure 1). A digital potentiometer, IC 1 in conjunction ...

Designers charged with creating precision analog front ends and signal chains know that the performance of the voltage reference whether a discrete standalone device or one that’s embedded in a component such as the analog-to-digital ...

Sometimes it’s necessary to drive a resistive load such as an incandescent bulb or heating element from a DC voltage that’s higher than the nominal load voltage. An example would be driving a 6.3-V, Type 47 bulb from an 18-V DC power ...

In switch-mode power converters, peak current control is very popular because of its inherent current limitation and ease of control. However, if the duty cycle is higher than 50%, there is an instability problem. Some background: The up-slope of ...

Electronic designers must be aware of the ideal charging method, as it increases the battery’s lifetime and enhances its performance. Nowadays Lithium-ion/Lithium-polymer are used extensively in portable electronic devices that are frequently ...

The high-efficiency switching power supply has become a staple ingredient in many of today’s electronic systems. What is its origins and how has it evolved over the decades? Switched-mode power supplies are found in electronics all around us. ...

A generally accepted fact about relays and solenoids is that after they’re driven into the actuated state, only half as much coil voltage and therefore only one fourth as much coil power, are required to reliably sustain it. Consequently, any ...

Abstract This article details a method of generating dual-output voltage rails that provide both the positive and negative rails for a device power supply (DPS) while requiring only one bidirectional power supply. The traditional method of powering ...

Figure 1 shows the architecture of a conventional isolated flyback converter. These converters can be found frequently in power classes of up to about 60 W. A supply voltage is converted to an output voltage with the help of a primary-side switch ...