It pays to know how different capacitor technologies behave when shortages force a search for good substitutes. Randall Scasny | element14 The demand for MLCCs (multilayer ceramic capacitors) has outstripped supplies since 2017. Industry observers expect the shortage will dissipate by 2020, but product manufacturers remain concerned. In a quest to find suitable alternatives, an […]
Fluxgate compasses, Part 2 – Issues and enhancements
Part 1 of this FAQ examined the underlying context of fluxgate compasses and navigation, as well as the basic principles of the fluxgate design. This part looks at additional fluxgate-compass issues and advances in their implementation. The fluxgate compass is fairly simple in principle. However, as with all things related to magnetism in general and […]
Boosting performance in 48-V power distribution
New ways of routing power around circuit boards bring more efficiency and fewer thermal problems. Phil Davies | Vicor Corp. Power distribution networks (PDNs) are the backbone of any power system. As system power demands rise, traditional PDNs are under tremendous pressure to deliver enough performance. There are two main ways to improve PDN impact […]
How to make dc/dc converters rugged
Design standards for rail transportation equipment are so severe that they are used as qualifications for products targeting other areas where ruggedness comes in handy. Here’s a quick overview of what these standards entail. Martin Tenhumberg | Traco Power In transportation, there is an emphasis on electronic systems in rail because of expanding safety, telemetry […]
Fluxgate Compasses, Part 1 – Context and principles
Despite the availability of GPS and inertial measurement units, the compass in an electronic fluxgate implementation is still a viable and needed navigational tool. The classic magnetic-needle compass is not getting much respect or attention these days. Between the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) system, the compass – whether it […]
Checking power line quality with test instruments
The average homeowner probably doesn’t think about the quality of the electrical power coming out of household wall sockets. But that’s not the case for large industrial facilities where capacitive, inductive, and non-linear electrical loads can be large enough to distort the ac waveform. In those cases, electrical power quality becomes an important measurement. Electric […]
Error analysis in temperature sensing with NTC and silicon-based PTC thermistors: Comparing the Ratiometric and Absolute methods
by Hadi Ebrahimi-Darkhaneh, Texas Instruments A thermistor is a resistive device specifically designed to vary resistance with thermal change, and therefore follows Ohm’s law. According to Ohm’s law, a current passing through a resistive component will produce a voltage drop across that component. This voltage is proportional to the magnitude of the component resistance and […]
The Hubble Space Telescope: Part 4
Part 1 looked at the difficult, costly, and lengthy journey from concept to a successful launch. Part 2 looked at the severe problems of the HST discovered after launch, and Part 3 looked at what has been learned from the Hubble “experience.” The final installment of this story looks at the plans for a post-Hubble […]
The Hubble Space Telescope: Part 3
Part 1 looked at the difficult, costly, and lengthy journey from concept to a successful launch. Part 2 looked at the severe problems of the HST discovered after launch. Part 3 of this story looks at what has been learned from the Hubble “experience.” There are many lessons from this expensive disaster turned into spectacular […]
Understanding instrumentation for measuring total harmonic distortion
When discussing total harmonic distortion (THD), the fundamental of the wave in question is known as the first harmonic. Quantifying THD, therefore, begins with the second harmonic. Theoretically, the number of harmonics is limited only by some maximum frequency based on minimum quantum wavelength. In reality, however, we are interested in a relatively small number […]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- …
- 53
- Next Page »
@eeworldonline
EE World Online
YouTube
Instagram