E-Report

June 2008

New Alkaline Batteries Launched with up to 34 Percent Higher Capacity

With significantly improved performance and an updated look, the new range of Panasonic Alkaline batteries has been presented to the industrial market. Panasonic engineers were able to significantly increase capacities compared to previous models. The performance index, which is usually used for such measurements, for type LR03, depending on the intended use, is thus on average 34 percent higher than the comparable value. For type LR6 the increase is 27 percent.

The complete range comprises the types 6LR61, LR20, LR14, LR6 and LR03. All types are produced in the Panasonic factory in Belgium, which is certified to the quality standard ISO 9001 as well as the environmental standard ISO 14001. With their reliability and long-life, the new Panasonic alkaline batteries are particularly suitable for safety-relevant applications, e.g. for marine applications in life buoys, in the medical field (blood pressure meters) or in smoke detectors.

New Battery Charger IC from AnalogicTech Protects Against Faulty Input Voltages       

Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc., a developer of power management semiconductors for mobile consumer electronic devices, has announced the AAT3783, a 1 A linear Li-ion/polymer battery charger IC with an integrated over-voltage protection (OVP) switch. Designed to charge 4.2-V Li-ion /polymer battery cells from either AC or USB inputs, the new charger IC also features a digital thermal management system that maximizes charging efficiency and shortens battery recharge time.  

The AAT3783 integrates a charging device, a reverse blocking diode and current sensing circuitry in the same die. It operates off a 4.0 V to 7.5 V input range and supplies a programmable current from 100 mA to 1A.

To maximize charging current under all operating conditions, the AAT3783 features a special digital thermal management system that measures the internal die temperature and reduces the fast charge current when the device exceeds a preset threshold. This thermal loop control constantly re-evaluates the circuit die temperature and adjusts the fast charge current up or down in small steps until an equilibrium current is reached. Since the thermal loop controls the system charge level, it maximizes charging efficiency by ensuring the charger will use the highest level of constant current in fast charge mode possible for any given ambient temperature condition.    

The AA3783 also features over-voltage, over-current, short-circuit and over-temperature circuits that automatically protect the charging device, control system and battery-under-charge by shutting down the system when a fault occurs. A status monitor output pin is provided which can be used to indicate battery charge status by directly driving an external LED.  

Qualified across the -40°C to 85°C temperature range, the AAT3783 is available in a Pb-free, 16-pin TDFN package. The device sells for $0.95 in 1,000 quantities.

New Power Management System Designed for 12 Volt Sealed Lead Acid Batteries in Mobile Medical Carts

Hoffman Engineered Systems (HES), a manufacturer of power control systems, has introduced a new product certified for use in the medical industry to manage power in mobile applications. The HES series 301 Power System is designed to manage 12 volt sealed lead acid batteries most commonly found in mobile medical carts and workstations. It provides comprehensive battery management that allows optimum battery charge and optimum battery life while automatically detecting and avoiding safety issues such as overheating, out gassing and faulty batteries; very important criteria in medical environments. The user's burden is also reduced by using a simple display, either dedicated or through a GUI interface to the system PC, to display key information including time remaining to charge/discharge, rather than traditional green/yellow/red indicators. 

The 301 Power System is designed specifically for mobile applications requiring full charge/discharge cycles.  The power scheme is significantly different than those used by UPS based (AC) systems that remain fully charged awaiting a power loss event. UPS based systems are designed for ensuring the survival of the equipment for a short period of time and to provide a graceful shut down.  Fully mobile products require a different design as they must operate as long as possible and provide a graceful shut down when required.  The charge time in a mobile product charging system is therefore optimized to provide a complete battery charge in the shortest available time without danger or reduction in life of the battery.

The Series 301 provides reconditioning of over discharged batteries; a substantial cost saving feature.  If a battery is discharged below a threshold voltage, it typically cannot be recharged with a standard charging system.  The Series 301 recognizes this state and enters a reconditioning stage to recover capable batteries.

Texas Instruments Acquires Commergy Technologies for Energy-Saving Power Supply Innovation

Texas Instruments, Inc.(TI) has acquired Ireland-based Commergy Technologies, Ltd., a power supply reference design provider that specializes in energy efficient and compact architectures. The acquisition allows TI to broaden its focus on improving energy efficiency in today’s end-equipment designs, especially in the areas of AC adapters and high-power-density computing and server systems.

“Adding Commergy’s products and expertise in power conversion technology gives us a tremendous advantage when solving our customers’ complex energy requirements and critical power design challenges,” said Art George, senior vice president for TI’s High Performance Analog division.  “New acquisitions such as this continue to enhance our portfolio of analog products that allow our customers to quickly adapt to the ever-changing computing and communications markets.”
Commergy, based in Cork, Ireland, provides easy-to-implement standard and customized reference designs for applications in the notebook, PC, server and communications markets. The company develops extremely high-efficiency power supply solutions, such as those for notebook adapters, that meet and exceed the latest Energy Star and Climate Savers Computing Initiative recommendations for PCs. Commergy has expertise in several design areas, such as planar magnetics, power factor correction (PFC), power topology design, thermal management, EMC design and high-power density design.

New Nexergy Structure Created to Gain Market Advantage in Development and Delivery of Battery Packs and Chargers

Nexergy, Inc., a manufacturer of battery packs and chargers, has created the battery industry’s only dedicated facility focused on portable power design innovation. The new facility, located in Denver, Colo., is part of a new organizational structure established to accelerate and streamline the company’s design innovation and production functions.
The company has created two functional units, with one unit dedicated to all aspects of product design and technology improvement and the second unit focused on providing a positive customer experience in the supply of batteries and chargers from initial order to on-time delivery.

“Our focus as a company is to create innovative portable power designs for our OEM customers within their time requirements and then hand those designs off to a manufacturing organization that delivers defect-free products on time, anywhere in the world our customers need them,” explained Nexergy’s president and CEO Phil Glandon.

The decision to create the new structure came after the January 2008 merger of Nexergy, Inc. and ElectriTek AVT. Glandon said his company’s deep engineering base and expanding customer roster provide the resources to support the new structure.

Battery Power 2008 Pre-Conference Activities
Kick-off your Battery Power 2008 experience with some exceptional pre-conference activities.

Texas Instruments will be hosting a half day workshop on Li-Ion Battery Safety, Maintenance, Charging and Fuel Gauging. The workshop will start by covering Li-Ion battery characteristics including self-discharge, useable capacity and battery impedance, Li-Ion battery cell safety and UL testing and Li-Ion battery safety requirements. Basic battery maintenance and transportation will be discussed, as well as Li-Ion battery pack electronics safety and design. Attendees will also learn about front-end safety and power path management charging, which allows charging the battery while powering the system simultaneously.

Microchip Technology, Inc. will be hosting a half day workshop on Developing Flexible Linear and Switching Charger Designs. Designing battery systems for portable applications, topology selection and feature set can make or break the success of new products. This four-hour seminar will explain the development of flexible linear and switching charger designs.  Embedded charger design and the advantages of certain topologies over others will be discussed, in light of how to meet the many new global standards of today.  Attendees will receive the MCP1631 Multi-Chemistry Battery Charger Reference Design, a complete stand-alone, constant-current battery charger for NiMH, NiCd or constant-current/constant-voltage Li-Ion battery packs.

Interested in boosting your karma? Join Battery Power Magazine and the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity to help build a house. No experience necessary! Volunteers with all levels of experience are invited to participate. Battery Power 2008 will arrange transportation from the Astor Crowne Plaza hotel to and from the work site and lunch.
There are a limited number of volunteering spots. Volunteers will be accepted on a first come basis to registered participants of Battery Power 2008 (attendees, speakers, exhibitors and their friends/family). Deadline to submit volunteer information is July 31 or until the volunteer spots are filled, which ever comes first.

Click here for details on the Battery Power 2008 pre-conference activities and to register: http://www.batterypoweronline.com/bp08_index.htm.

July
7-10 - 43rd Power Sources Conference, Philadelphia, Penn.

14-16 - Advanced Capacitors World Summit 2008,
San Diego, Calif.

August
3-8 - APCO, Kansas City, Mo.

September
4-5 - Battery Power 2008, New Orleans, La. Contact Webcom Communications at 720-528-3770 or via email.

12-17 - Electrochemical Society Annual Meeting, Honolulu, HI.

14-18 - Intelec 2008, San Diego, Calif.

23-26 - 11th European Lead Battery Conference, Warsaw, Poland

Don’t Miss BATTERIES 2008!
8th, 9th and 10th October
Nice Acropolis

Batteries is one of the major worldwide exhibition and conferences on power supply, with more than 400 attendees, 40 booths within a 2,000 m2 exhibit area, and 60 international experts. Batteries 2008 is the preferred venue meetings between raw materials suppliers, electronic devices suppliers, battery manufacturers, environment and recycling specialists, and battery users.
Batteries 2008 will provide the answers to your most pressing questions:
“How to bridge the gap between power needs and what the market offers today while still providing safe solutions.”
Join Batteries 2008 to make new contacts, meet them individually and form lasting partnerships!

More information: www.batteries2008.com
Contact: Richard Veyrac
+33 1 41 34 23 92
rveyrac@lepublicsysteme.fr

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