GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCTS

VRLA Battery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:41:00 -0800

A valve regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery is a starved electrolyte AGM (absorbent glass mat) type battery and has a safety valve which prevents excessive build up of gas pressure inside the battery. Valve-regulated lead acid batteries rely upon internal gas recombination to minimize electrolyte loss over the life of the battery, thereby eliminating the need for re-watering. A lead-acid battery has lead positive plates, lead oxide negative plates, and an electrolyte which is a solution of sulfuric acid and distilled water. The plates and the plate separator material between them are arranged in plate packs in plate compartments. A valve regulated lead acid battery comprises separators and plates stacked within a sealed container, in which an electrolyte in a cell is retained in the pores of the separators and both of positive and negative electrode plates so as not to flow. VRLA recombination batteries offer a number of advantages compared to flooded cell batteries. The starved acid design of the battery facilitates the oxygen recombination reaction. The recombination reactions are facilitated by the starved acid or electrolyte condition where the electrolyte is immobilized in glass separators disposed between the plates of the battery. VRLA batteries are particularly suited for remote back-up power applications because they do not require the same type of periodic maintenance required by flooded cells. These differing maintenance requirements provide cost savings when VRLA batteries are used. For further details Click here

Voltage Regulator

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:41:00 -0800

A voltage regulator is a switching power supply that supplies a steady, typically low, voltage to a load. Power management control systems including voltage regulators are incorporated within electronic devices to generate a stable output voltage from a varying input voltage supply. A voltage regulator regulates the external power supplied to the internal circuitry such that the current usage or quiescent power is efficient. Typical voltage regulator circuits regulate an output voltage responsive to an input reference voltage. The voltage regulator circuit feeds back the regulated output voltage to a comparator through a resistor circuit. The resistor circuit varies its resistance such that a voltage regulator circuit provides various required voltage levels for operating a semiconductor memory device. Linear voltage regulators are widely used to supply power to electronic devices, such as to a load on a motherboard of a computer. Such linear voltage regulators are available in a wide variety of configurations for many different applications. A typical linear voltage regulator includes a resistive voltage divider, a three-terminal adjustable shunt regulator, and a regulating transistor. The resistive voltage divider receives an output voltage, and provides a voltage reference to the three-terminal adjustable shunt regulator. The three-terminal adjustable shunt regulator receives the voltage reference, and provides a controlling voltage to the regulating transistor. The regulating transistor receives a system voltage, and provides the output voltage to a load. Line voltage regulators are used to control the voltage applied to a load. A phase angle control technique can be used to adjust the effective voltage applied across the load by phase shifting the gate pulses of switching devices used in the voltage adjusting circuit. Low dropout voltage regulators may be utilized in a variety of electronic devices including laptop computers, portable phones, personal digital assistants, and the like, to provide a regulated output voltage to a load. LDO voltage regulators enable power management systems to efficiently supply additional voltage levels that are smaller than the main supply voltage. Low dropout voltage regulators are widely used building blocks in almost any electronic application. They adapt an external power supply to the needs of the supplied circuit. In portable applications as in mobile phones a main requirement for the voltage regulator is a low dropout voltage and a good stability over a large range of capacitive loads. For further details Click here

Voltage Converter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:40:00 -0800

Voltage converters receive an input voltage and generate an output DC voltage therefrom. Voltage converters include chopper type switching system, fly-back converter, forward converter, charge pump type converter and the like, and they are used properly according to applications. Many semiconductor devices are designed to operate at various supply voltages and signal voltages. To accommodate the use of different supply voltages, the semiconductor device is typically designed to operate at the lower supply voltage which is often generated by including a voltage converter that steps-down the voltage of a higher external voltage level to a lower internal voltage level. Buck converters are used to convert a higher voltage to a lower voltage suitable for use with, for example, a microprocessor. A buck converter typically operates using a clock, whereby an inductor is charged during a first portion of a clock cycle and operates as a current source during the second portion of the clock cycle. DC-DC voltage converters generate an output voltage that is greater than the input voltage. Such converters utilize input and output capacitors, an inductor, one or more diodes, a switching transistor, and a pulse width modulator, generally implemented by an integrated circuit. DC to DC voltage converters are essential to providing accurate power delivery to sensitive electronic devices. Virtually all mobile devices such as cellular phones and laptop computers require a regulated power supply, which is usually generated from a battery source. A DC to DC buck converter is used to convert an input voltage from a high-voltage power supply to a lower voltage supplied to the circuit or apparatus connected to the output node of the converter. For further details Click here

UPS Power Supply

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:40:00 -0800

Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems are used in a variety of different environments in which an interruption of power due to the variations or loss of the primary power source is unacceptable. Uninterruptible power supplies are required for many computer installations such as network file servers, telecommunications equipment or other applications where a sudden loss of power would create an unacceptable and costly occurrence. Commercial AC power waveforms are subject to many variations due to the demands of other users on the power line and other factors. Typical undesirable variations are over-voltage, under-voltage, voltage outages and signal transients. Undesirable variations also occur due to load conditions, as well as line conditions. Such occurrences include the loss of data during a data transfer or the shutdown of an entire business as a result of the loss of a computer. An uninterruptible power supply system comprising a battery connects between an electric power and electric equipment, and when the electric power is normal, the UPS charges the battery and provides a stable voltage to the electric equipment. When the electric power is abnormal, the UPS transforms the power of the battery into an alternating current power for providing the electric equipment with an uninterruptible electric power. According to different system designs, the UPS are classified as on-line, off-line, or and a line interactive. An on-line UPS system will keep certain electronics circuitry in a powered condition for the purpose of more quickly detecting the presence of a power outage and apply backup power to the protected system. An off-line UPS supplies power to a minimum of electronics circuitry, and in the event of utility power outage other electronic circuitry must be powered up so that the process of transferring to backup power can be implemented. The line interactive UPS is a hybrid of the online and standby units. Like the standby, it does not constantly draw from the battery, but it switches to battery faster when required. The line interactive unit does not use the battery when low voltage is encountered. It uses extra power from the AC source to make up the difference in voltage. In general, a UPS typically comprises a rectifier, inverter, and battery charger. The UPS uses the commercially supplied AC power to charge a DC battery. For further details Click here

Switching Power Supply

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:40:00 -0800

The switching power supply device is one type of stabilized direct current power supply which is configured to output a direct current at a constant voltage by converting a direct current obtained from a power supply into a pulse voltage having a frequency higher than the audio frequency by a high-speed switching function of semiconductor devices such as transistors, and controlling the pulse width and the pulse interval of the pulse voltage. The switching power supply device itself converts an AC voltage to a DC voltage by rectifying the AC voltage through a rectifying circuit thereof and by smoothing a resultant undulating voltage through a smoothing circuit thereof. The DC voltage thus obtained is switched on and off by a switching element and fed to an output rectifying smoothing circuit for rectifying and smoothing processes to obtain any given predetermined DC voltage. Switching power supplies typically rectify an alternating current power source where the resultant direct current voltage is fed to a group of high-frequency high-power switching transistors. These switching transistors chop the DC voltage into a high frequency AC signal. The high frequency AC signal is then fed to a high frequency transformer that is wound to produce the correct output voltage. Switching power supply circuits have a transformer and other devices miniaturized by raising the switching frequency, and are used as a power supply for various electronic devices, such as a high-power DC-to-DC converter. Switching power supplies are used to provide power in numerous products such as cell phones, camera, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), calculators, portable computers and similar types of electronic equipment. Switching power supply units include a circuit having an overcurrent protection function for preventing load circuit components from being broken, emitting smoke, or being ignited due to output overcurrent during short-circuiting of a load. The switching power supply circuits for performing overcurrent protection are provided with a device for detecting over current. The performance measures of switching power supply apparatuses include a harmonic characteristic and a power factor characteristic. The harmonic characteristic is a function for suppressing a harmonic current flowing from a switching power supply apparatus to an input power supply line thereof, and the upper limit of the harmonic current is defined so as not to affect other components. The power factor characteristic is the power factor viewed at the input from the switching power supply apparatus. For further details Click here

Solar Battery Module

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:39:00 -0800

The photovoltaic power generating system is considered a promising clean energy technique which can protect the global environment from environmental contamination due to combustion of fossil fuels. Solar batteries are utilized in various electronic equipment as a power supply substitute for dry batteries. Low power consumption electronic equipment such as electronic desktop calculators, watches, cameras, cellular phones and commercial radar detector, can be fully driven by the electromotive force of solar batteries, so that the equipment can operate semi-permanently without a need for battery replacement. A solar battery comprises a glass substrate as a front-side transparent protective member, a back-side protective member, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) resin filmsvas sealing layers arranged between the glass substrate and the back-side protective member, and solar cells such as silicon photovoltaic elements sealed by the EVA resin films. A photovoltaic module for directly converting solar energy to electrical energy has a layered body, in which a transparent electrode layer, a photovoltaic semiconductor layer and a rear surface electrode layer are laminated in this order on an insulating substrate, such as a glass substrate. Thin film solar batteries have the advantage of needing less amount of semiconductor material as compared with solar batteries using crystal wafers. A thin film solar battery is produced using a glass substrate or a flexible plastic or stainless steel film. The thin film solar battery is so constituted that a photoreflective electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer and a transparent electrode are laminated on a primary surface of the substrate. Solar cell panels are widely used in view of their energy efficiency and non-maintenance. The solar electric power generation system applied to housing includes a plurality of solar battery modules each composed of a plurality of solar cells. The system is constructed for example by arranging the solar battery modules on a roof of a building or the like and connecting the modules in series or parallel. For further details Click here

Sealed Lead Acid Battery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:39:00 -0800

A lead acid battery is a battery which has a stable characteristic at a lower cost as a secondary battery and which is used widely as an electric power source of a movable type for use in a portable electronic apparatus, a starter for automobile or a golf cart and a stationary type for use in a back up electric source for computer. A lead-acid battery can be sealed by utilizing a so-called "oxygen cycle" wherein the oxygen gas generated from the positive plates at the end of charge is recombined by the negative plates. A sealed lead acid battery has a structure in which separators and plates are arranged in stack in sealed cells, and an electrolyte in the battery is retained without flowing in the pores the separators and both. Sealed lead-acid batteries in which oxygen gas generated at the positive electrode during charging of the battery is absorbed by the negative electrode are available in two types, a retainer type and a gel type. The advantages that are provided by sealed lead-acid cells and batteries in comparison to conventional, flooded lead-acid batteries are substantial and varied. The sealed lead acid battery has an advantageous feature of excellent liquid leakage proofness, requiring no water supplement and causing less self-discharge. The advantages that are provided by sealed lead-acid cells in comparison to conventional, flooded lead-acid batteries are substantial and varied. Sealed lead-acid technology thus offers substantial benefits by eliminating maintenance, expense, environmental and safety concerns. The sealed lead-acid stationary batteries used for industrial applications are comprised of from several to a large number of individual sealed lead-acid cells connected to one another to form a battery with the desired capacity and power requirements. Sealed lead-acid batteries are typically used in uninterruptible power supplies. The uninterruptible power source allows for the orderly shut-down of computers when there is a sudden interruption in the primary cycle source, such as during a power outage, and provides back-up power for communications networks. For further details Click here

Regulated Power Supply

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:38:00 -0800

Efficient power supplies are necessary for providing power to many types of electronic circuits. Power supplies are used in electronic devices to provide power to portions of the device's circuit at specific voltage levels. Regulated power supplies are required where the voltage levels must be tightly controlled for proper operation of the circuit. Power supplies are commonly used to provide DC power for electronic devices from either AC power or DC power at a different voltage. DC power supplies that receive DC power at a different voltage are sometimes known as power converters. Regulation of the DC output voltage refers to limiting changes or swings in the output voltage level. This is particularly important in many applications where small deviations from the design voltage level can affect the operation of the equipment being supported by such power supply. A common type of regulated power supply is a switching power supply, in which regulation is performed by a square wave signal having a duty cycle that changes depending on the voltage to be output. A direct-current regulated power supply is used for driving electronic devices such as a personal computer and a hand phone or electronic circuits with a high degree of precision and in accordance with specifications. A switching DC regulated power supply also referred to as a switching regulator is known as one of direct-current regulated power supplies. Power converters generally apply the DC input power to a switch circuit which is controlled to maintain the output voltage or current at a predetermined value. One of the advantages of using switches to convert the DC input voltage to a DC output voltage is that switches dissipate relatively little power because they are either closed or open. Many power converters also use a transformer having a primary winding connected in series with a switch. For further details Click here

Rechargeable Battery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:38:00 -0800

Batteries and battery systems are becoming increasingly important for primary and secondary energy supply. A battery typically comprises a pair of electrodes, namely, an anode and a cathode, a battery separator, and an electrolyte. When a load is applied to the battery, electrons are generated through oxidation at the anode. The electrons thus generated pass through the load, then return to the battery at the cathode, where the cathode is reduced. Generally, batteries are divided into two groups: general batteries, which are non-recoverable once used and rechargeable batteries, which are recoverable. The non-rechargeable type is intended for one-time use and is discarded after the battery power. Rechargeable batteries are chemical cells capable of charging and discharging and are widely used as small-scale batteries for small-scale devices such as cell phones and notebook computers as well as large-scale batteries such as industrial power storage batteries and batteries for use in electric motor cars. Currently used rechargeable batteries include lead acid batteries, nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries, nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, and lithium-ion batteries. Rechargeable lead-acid batteries are a useful power source for starter motors for internal combustion engines. Rechargeable alkaline batteries are used in numerous consumer devices such as digital cameras, laptop computers, camcorders, and cellular phones. They are often configured into a sealed battery pack that is designed as an integral part of a specific device. Rechargeable alkaline batteries can also be configured as larger batteries that can be used, for example, in industrial, aerospace, and electric vehicle applications. Alkaline rechargeable batteries are batteries using alkaline electrolyte mainly composed of potassium hydroxide (KOH), and in almost all battery systems, the nickel positive electrode excellent in charge and discharge cycle performance is used. In the negative electrode, iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd) and others are used as active material. The lithium-type rechargeable batteries have the benefits of having a larger capacity, being light weight, having an extended life, providing high output power, and having a fast recharge cycle. Rechargeable batteries using lithium metal and lithium alloy as negative electrodes show superior energy density compared with lithium-ion rechargeable battery using a graphite negative electrode. For further details Click here

Power Rectifier

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:38:00 -0800

An electrical power converter is a power processing circuit that may have an input-output isolation transformer and generally operates to convert an input voltage waveform with a DC component into an output DC voltage waveform. Power converters commonly referred to as "rectifiers" transform AC to DC, for example, to supply power from an AC source to a DC load. Rectifiers are electrical devices that are particularly adapted to rectifying current that is converting alternating current to direct current. Power supply circuits typically include a rectifier circuit which converts an input alternating current (AC) input waveform to a direct current (DC) waveform. These rectifiers often pull harmonic currents from the source along with the desired fundamental signal. The harmonics impede the efficiency of power conversion and induce noise in load circuits. Power rectifiers have a variety of applications. For example, an important application of such rectifiers is in DC to DC voltage converters and power supplies for personal computers and other electronic devices and systems. Switched mode power supplies are clocked power supply units which chop a rectified, filtered mains voltage. Such switched mode power supplies are nowadays preferred to conventional power packs with power transformers for many cases of use since they have a better efficiency and require in particular less space. DC to DC power converters are power processing circuits which convert an unregulated input DC voltage to a regulated DC output voltage. Switch-mode DC-to-DC power converters typically include an inverter, a transformer having a primary winding coupled to the inverter, and a rectifying circuit coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer. The rectifying circuit rectifies the alternating voltage on the secondary winding to generate a desired DC output voltage. The most common rectifiers are semiconductor diodes, i.e., diodes which employ a PN semiconductor diode junction for rectification. For further details Click here

Power Inverter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:34:00 -0800

An electrical power converter is a device used for processing electrical power from one form into another form that meets the requirements of an electrical system. Electrical power converters commonly are used to change alternating-current (AC) power to direct current (DC) power or vice versa, or to change one DC voltage level to another. A power converter that changes DC power to AC power is commonly referred to as a "power inverter." A power inverter converts DC to AC by passing a succession of variable amplitude DC pulses through a filter circuit. These DC pulses transport energy stored in a large capacitor, or other DC source, to a filter circuit. Power inverters are necessary in modem power systems for the new energy generating devices such as photovoltaic devices, micro-turbines, fuel cells, superconducting storage, etc., that generate AC or DC electricity that needs to be converted to a conditioned AC for feeding into the power grid or for direct connection to loads. Power inverters are used in a wide variety of mobile and fixed locations, including boats, recreational vehicles, trucks, automobiles, construction sites, factories, remote homes and cabins. Commonly, such inverters provide single phase AC power (120VAC or 230VAC) from a 12V or 24V battery commonly found in vehicles and boats. Three-phase, DC to AC power inverters are used in electric power distribution systems. These devices have a set of switches that are used to convert a dc voltage signal into discreetly displaced square waveforms. The waveforms are subsequently combined to produce a high quality sinusoidal output signal. For further details Click here

Power Distribution Unit (PDU)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:34:00 -0800

Use of electrical energy is ubiquitous in almost every aspect of life. Power distribution systems or grids provide electrical energy to households, businesses, manufacturing facilities, hospitals, etc. Industrial power distribution systems commonly divide incoming power into a number of branch circuits. The branch circuits supply power to various equipment in the industrial facility. Circuit breakers are typically provided in each branch circuit to facilitate protecting equipment within the branch circuit. In the distribution of electric power, distribution blocks are often employed. These assemblies have widely been used for distributing incoming electrical power to a number of distinct circuits. Typically the block includes a connection for a larger conductor cable or bus and a plurality of tap connections for smaller conductors. The bare ends of the conductors are inserted in socket ports or holes and held in place typically by a clamp or binding screw threaded in a hole perpendicular to the socket receiving the conductor. Many types of power distribution units (PDUs) are available for distributing power to components in environments such as, for example, data centers, computer rooms, and communication centers. A power distribution unit comprises at least one distribution point for the power supply, and at least one female outlet on its side designed to receive a male connector of a cable of an electrical device, at least one circuit breaker comprising a respective push button for resetting it. Circuit breakers are designed to open and close a circuit by non-automatic means and to open the circuit automatically on a predetermined over-current without damage to itself when properly applied within its rating. The distribution point is electrically connected by means of a respective electrical cable to a manually resettable circuit breaker. A circuit breaker is connected by means of an electrical cable to at least one female outlet. Often an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) is utilized for the central power supply so that continuous, uninterrupted power can be supplied to the power distribution system and ultimately to electronic components. As can be appreciated, the disruption of power to the electronic components, such as rack mounted computer systems, can often be disastrous. For further details Click here

Power Converter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:32:00 -0800

Power converters are devices that typically transform and/or condition power from one or more power sources to supply power to one or more loads. Electrical power is typically supplied in one of two forms: direct current (DC) power and alternating current (AC) power. There are often times when it is desirable to convert from one form of power to the other form. This is accomplished by using a power converter. Typically, a power converter is used for converting a power into a necessary or desirable power output tailored for a specific application. A power converter can convert power from AC to DC, DC to AC, AC to AC, or DC to DC. In this way, a power converter allows a device that uses one form or level of power to connect to a power source that supplies a different form or level of power. Power converters are widely used in electrical and electronic devices. Certain devices, such as notebook computer, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular telephones, and other portable consumer products, require power converters that provide low standby power consumption in light or no load conditions. In one form of power conversion, an alternating current (AC) input voltage is converted to a direct current (DC) output voltage. Such conversions are necessary to power DC devices from conventional AC power sources such as standard wall outlets and the like. DC to AC power converters are commonly used to produce AC power from a DC source, such as a battery. Such DC-to-AC power converters are typically found on boats or utility trucks, where they can be used to power tools, microwave ovens, computers or any other device that requires AC power to operate. A DC-DC converter switches a semiconductor switch device to convert a DC voltage, and conducts feedback control to maintain an output voltage supplied to a load at a certain value. A switched-mode power converter is an electronic power processing circuit that converts an input voltage waveform into an output voltage waveform. Switched-mode power converters are key components in many commercial and military systems for the conversion, control and conditioning of electrical power, and often govern performance and size of the end system. DC to DC switching power converters are commonly used to convert one available DC voltage to one or more other DC voltages. With some conventional DC to DC power converters, the different voltage outputs may be coupled off of a single transformer. For further details Click here

Power Controller

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:32:00 -0800

Power controllers provide circuit breaker functions such as protection of the load and wiring from overload conditions and in addition provide on/off control of the conduction of the load circuit. Power controllers may be used to protect an AC wire harness against damage if the power controller experiences a short circuit failure caused by overcurrent or short circuiting at a load. Solid state switching devices which may be variously referred to as solid state power controllers, solid state circuit breakers or solid state switches, offer many performance features which make them preferable to mechanical switching devices in numerous applications. In solid state electronic configurations, power controllers can be devised to provide for on/off control from a location remote from the load and associated with the load circuit by a low power control circuit, such power controllers being referred to as remote power controllers (RPCs). Present remote power controllers are available in two basic configurations respectively for AC and DC load circuits. Power controllers have been utilized in battery backed-up systems to switch in a backup battery in the event that a primary power supply fails. Power controllers are used in industrial applications for example, to supply power to machinery, manufacturing equipment, support systems such as heating and air conditioning, etc. A power controller is used for solenoid driving in the battery power system for vehicles. For further details Click here

Power Conditioner

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:31:00 -0800

Power supplies are available to meet the power demands. AC power, although highly controlled, still produces significant fluctuations, transients and electrical noise. The AC power that is provided by the electric utility for the home or business is often fraught with noise, distortions, and other electronic pollution due to its proximity to industrial equipment, street lights, transformers, elevators, radio stations and home appliances. The advent of sensitive electronic devices in the consumer market has created a need to protect such devices from spurious and potentially damaging electrical spikes. Consumer electronics, such as computers and televisions and their associated peripherals, contain microcircuit electronics which are readily damaged by out-of-specification electrical power. A power conditioner is a circuit that connects between a power supply and the network connecting the process devices and controller to create the impedance needed to allow communication and power to co-exist on the same pair of wires. Power conditioning circuits have long been used to protect sensitive load equipment from transients caused by lightning strikes, noise and other power line disturbances. AC power conditioning is most often provided through a separate power conditioning device, commonly referred to as a surge and spike protector. AC power conditioners protect sensitive circuits from voltage spikes caused by lightning, electrostatic discharge and power surges caused by power grid interruptions and other potentially dangerous live transients. Power conditioning circuits used in two-wire networks are commonly broken down into two categories, passive power conditioners and active power conditioners. Multi-outlet power conditioners provide high purity electrical power to multiple electronic devices powered using a single wall outlet. Such devices often contain surge protection circuits for protecting consumer electronics, such as computers, televisions and other audio/visual equipment, from damage resulting from random power surges and voltage spikes. Power conditioners also typically contain filtering elements for reducing AC power line noise. For further details Click here

Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) Battery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:31:00 -0800

Alkaline rechargeable batteries are batteries using alkaline electrolyte mainly composed of potassium hydroxide (KOH), and in almost all battery systems, the nickel positive electrode excellent in charge and discharge cycle performance is used. In the negative electrode, iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd) and others are used as active material, but because of the long charge and discharge cycle life and high reliability of sealed batteries, the main stream of alkaline batteries was nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries using cadmium negative electrode. Nickel-cadmium batteries (NiCd) provide one of the few sources of rechargeable portable electric power. Nickel-cadmium batteries comprise a plurality of nickel-cadmium voltaic cells connected in series. The cadmium electrode is used as a cathode almost exclusively in nickel-cadmium storage batteries. The nickel oxide electrode serves as positive electrode and an aqueous KOH solution as electrolyte. Although a variety of rechargeable battery technologies have been developed, rechargeable nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries have several advantageous properties. Nickel-cadmium batteries have a relatively high capacity to weight ratio, a relatively flat voltage to percent of discharge curve, good performance at low temperatures, the capability of delivering high amperage currents for engine starting and similar purposes, and a relatively high recharge recycling capacity. NiCd cells may be hermetically sealed which permits operation in any position and in inaccessible locations. They are also fairly inexpensive relative to some other high performance battery technologies. While rechargeable NiCad batteries can be used to supply such clean power, NiCad batteries have a number of problems. In particular, they require periodic recharging in order to provide power.

Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery Alkaline storage batteries having a wide application in various portable appliances include nickel-cadmium (NiCd) storage batteries, nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) storage batteries and the like. Among them, the nickel-metal hydride storage batteries have recently been used widely as small-size sealed storage batteries, because they can be expected to have a higher capacity density. Nickel cadmium cells have long been the standard for high discharge applications such as power tools. However, increasing emphasis is being placed on nickel metal hydride electrochemical cells as replacements for nickel cadmium cells. NiMH cells avoid environmental concerns relating to cadmium and have improved energy density. A nickel-metal hydride storage battery is a secondary battery comprising a positive electrode formed from an active material composed mainly of nickel hydroxide and a negative electrode composed mainly of a hydrogen storage alloy. In general, nickel-metal hydride batteries comprise a negative electrode of hydrogen absorbing alloy, a positive electrode of nickel hydroxide, an alkaline electrolyte, a separator, etc. Nickel metal-hydride storage batteries have positive electrodes including an active material containing nickel hydroxide as a principal component and negative electrodes including a hydrogen-absorbing alloy as a principal material. Therefore, they have rapidly spread as secondary batteries having high energy densities and high reliability. A nickel positive electrode for use in a nickel-metal hydride storage cell can be either a sintered type or a paste type (nonsintered type). NiMH batteries are widely used in laptop computers, cellular phones, electrical vehicles (EV), hybride electric vehicles (HEV) and different tools. For further details Click here

Motorcycle Battery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:30:00 -0800

A motorcycle battery in which recharging is performed by a chemical action so that it can be utilized repetitively as a power source is used as an energy source for a drive motor for a motorcycle or a power source for the starting of an internal combustion engine of a motorcycle or for a light or the like. Motorcycles are typically started by a kick starter or an electric starter. Motor vehicles such as motorcycles typically have a generator powered by the vehicle's engine to supply electricity for powering the lights, horn, etc. A storage battery such as a sealed lead acid battery is typically used to power a starting motor which starts the engine, in addition to powering the lights when running the engine is not desired. Starters for initiating internal combustion engines consist of an electrically powered motor which through gearing mechanisms rotates the crankshaft of an engine from rest up to a speed at which the engine will commence to operate on its own. The power for the starter is supplied by the motorcycle battery. The starter is designed to produce a high power output or torque over a short period of time without exceeding a specified temperature, so that the static inertia and friction inherent in the engine are quickly overcome. The battery is arranged in the central part of the cycle body. The main fuse is connected to the battery at one end and to the respective load circuits at the other end through wire harnesses. A motorcycle is provided with a plurality of switches on and in the vicinity of the handlebar so that operations such as actuating lights and/or horns may be easily done while driving. These switches are connected to respective electrical loads, such as headlights, taillights, flashing lights, turn signals, and ignition coil. In addition, a switch provided on the brake operating lever is connected to a stoplight. All such electrical systems are powered by the motorcycle storage battery. For further details Click here.

Mobile Phone Battery, Cell Phone Battery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 8 Feb 2009 23:08:00 -0800

Rechargeable batteries are utilized extensively in powering a variety of portable electronic devices. One such device is the cell phone where the battery functions to provide power to the various circuitry therein. The use of mobile phones has become more and more popular recently for the provision of fast and convenient communication. The power source of the mobile phone generally comes from a rechargeable battery. The cellular phone requires a battery pack which is easily detachable from the cellular phone for charging when the battery pack's power is exhausted. Typically, such phones employ NiMH batteries, Li-ion batteries, or Li-polymer batteries, as power supplies. When a battery runs out of electricity, the rechargeable battery is often removed from the housing of the mobile phone so that the battery can be recharged or replaced. Lithium ion secondary batteries are small and lightweight, and are hence used widely in laptop computers, cellular phones and many other electronic appliances, and the demand is increasing. This is because the weight energy density of the lithium ion secondary battery is higher than in the nickel-cadmium secondary battery (NiCd) and nickel mercury secondary battery (NiMH). A lithium ion battery is characterized by its anode and cathode active materials made of a substance capable of occluding and releasing lithium ions. a battery charger for a cellular phone charges a battery through a connection terminal at the rear of the battery in a state that the battery is only inserted into the battery charger or the cellular phone having the battery is inserted into the battery charger. Cellular phone battery packs include a memory device in addition to the battery cells to store important information about the battery in which it is embedded. For example, the memory device can include information about the battery such as the battery type used, and specifics concerning the charging regime to be employed. Moreover, it can store "fuel gauge" information to enable the cell phone to determine accurately the state of charge of the battery such as a measurement based on measured battery voltage. In addition, many rechargeable batteries incorporate a thermistor into a rechargeable battery to monitor the temperature of the battery during the charging process. Typical battery housings for cellular phones incorporate a plastic case or enclosure for holding the battery cells and often other electrical circuitry components necessary to build-up the complete battery structure to power the phone when the battery housing is engaged with the cellular telephone.

Medical Battery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 8 Feb 2009 23:08:00 -0800

Modern medical treatment facilities utilize a variety of relatively sophisticated electronic instruments in the course of patient diagnosis and treatment. Depending upon the medical condition, medical devices can be surgically implanted or connected externally to the patient receiving treatment. Physicians use medical devices alone or in combination with drug therapies to treat patient medical conditions. Implantable medical devices, such as implantable cardiac devices (ICDs) (e.g., pacemakers, cardioverters, and defibrillators), implantable neurostimulator devices, blood glucose monitoring/delivery devices, etc., are typically battery powered. The state of battery depletion can be monitored or estimated in order to determine the elective replacement (ER) and end-of-life (EOL) points, which enable a physician to schedule appropriate device replacement. Typically, a battery is placed in a case having an opening that exposes the battery terminal. The battery case is then connected to a medical device via the exposed battery terminal. The integrity of the connection between battery case and medical device is critical for proper function and safety. Very often, batteries are needed of a specific shape to make the best use of the space available in each device. For many of these devices, the batteries themselves should be small, flat, and lightweight. For further details Click here

Marine Battery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 8 Feb 2009 23:08:00 -0800

In many applications a battery is employed for powering electrical devices and this battery is charged by a generator driven by an internal combustion engine. A wide variety of vehicles including marine vessels incorporate such systems. Many different types of marine vessels rely on electric storage batteries as the power source for an auxiliary marine propulsion device. For example, trolling motors that are usually powered by a pair or more of marine batteries coupled to the motor either in series or in parallel depending on the requirements of the motor. These batteries are not normally connected to an alternator driven by the boat's main engine, and so nesed to be recharged after use from an outside power source. In marine vessel electrical systems, it is very important to protect the electrical storage battery from inadvertent and unexpected depletion. Unlike ground-based vehicles, such as automobiles, tractors, trucks, and motorcycles, a marine vessel with a depleted battery and an inability to start the engine of the marine vessel can be very inconvenient. For further details Click here

Lithium Ion Polymer Battery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 8 Feb 2009 23:07:00 -0800

As portable electronic devices, such as camcorders, mobile phones, notebook computers, and digital cameras, become smaller and more lightweight while at the same time becoming functionally more powerful, considerable research is being conducted into rechargeable lithium secondary batteries which have three times greater energy densities per unit weight and higher charging rates relative to conventional lead batteries, nickel-cadmium (Ni--Cd) batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and the like. A lithium secondary battery is generally configured to include an anode, a cathode, and a separator is interposed there between so as to prevent a short-circuit there between. An electrolyte is further included so as to provide a pathway for lithium ions between the electrodes. A lithium secondary battery generates electricity by lithium ions reciprocating between a cathode and an anode. The lithium secondary batteries are classified into lithium ion batteries and lithium polymer batteries according to the types of electrolytes. In the lithium ion battery, electricity is generated such that lithium ions move between a cathode and an anode. The lithium ion battery generally utilizes a cylindrical case or a rectangular case as a case for hermetically sealing the electrode assembly. Lithium ion polymer batteries are generally preferred over lithium ion batteries because of no risk of liquid electrolyte leakage and the capability of shaping it into any form, e.g., an ultra-thin battery. The lithium ion polymer batteries fabricated with a solid polymer electrolyte having a high ionic conductivity have advantages to solve the problems of the exudation of electrolyte solution and explosion, which have occurred in the lithium ion cell using liquid electrolyte. Lithium ion polymer batteries which utilize polymer electrolyte instead of the liquid electrolyte are free from problems of leakage, have an improved stability and have a reduced volume because the electrolyte is impregnated into a polymer matrix. In general, a lithium ion polymer battery includes an anode, a polymer electrolyte and a cathode. The components are selected to satisfy various conditions of the secondary battery such as lifetime, capacity, temperature characteristic, stability, etc. For further details Click here

Lithium Ion Battery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 8 Feb 2009 23:07:00 -0800

To meet the growing and diversifying needs of markets for portable electronic products such as mobile phones, camcorders and laptop computers, the demand for a rechargeable battery as a portable power supply is also increasing. Rechargeable batteries based upon lithium ion cells are attractive because they have inherently high capacities, high energies, and are operable over a useful temperature range. Lithium ion battery technology is becoming the standard for rechargeable energy storage systems. Lithium ion batteries are able to store up to three to four times as much electric energy as currently used rechargeable batteries. Lithium ion batteries are rechargeable and do not exhibit memory effect which is common in other rechargeable batteries. Memory effect is a condition that occurs in some rechargeable batteries when the battery is not fully discharged before recharging. The batteries are currently replacing many other traditional power sources such as lead acid batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, and nickel metal hydride batteries. A lithium ion rechargeable battery mainly comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an ion conducting layer interposed between the electrodes. An electrolyte containing ions of the metal is placed in contact with the anode and the cathode. During discharge of the cell, metal ions leave the anode, enter the electrolyte and are taken up in the active material of the cathode, resulting in the release of electrical energy. Lithium ion batteries can be sensitive to certain types of abuse, particularly overcharge abuse wherein the normal operating voltage is exceeded during recharge. To prevent over charging and over discharging, the battery control circuit must measure the charging current, the charging voltage, the discharging current, and the discharging voltage. For further details Click here

Lithium Battery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 8 Feb 2009 23:07:00 -0800

The demand for rechargeable lithium batteries' having a high energy density is increasing as the use of portable electronic instruments such as portable phones, camcorders, and notebook computers is increasing. Rechargeable lithium batteries use a material from or into which lithium ions are intercalated or deintercalated as positive and negative active materials. Lithium batteries, or batteries that contain metallic lithium, a lithium alloy, or a lithium ion, have relatively high energy and are used in many electrical devices. A lithium battery includes a cathode, an anode and an electrolytic solution providing a movement path of lithium ions between the cathode and the anode, and generates electric energy by oxidation and reduction when the lithium ions are intercalated into/deintercalated from the cathode and anode. Rechargeable lithium batteries can be classified into two categories, namely a lithium ion battery or a lithium ion polymer battery. The lithium secondary batteries are further classified as cylindrical type, prismatic type, and coin type batteries according to their shape. Lithium-ion electrochemical cells useful for electrical storage usually consist of a lithium anode and a cathode formed from an electrochemically active material that can take up ions of the metal. The lithium ion polymer battery uses a solid electrolyte such as a polymer, unlike the lithium ion battery that uses a liquid electrolyte. The lithium ion polymer battery therefore is lighter and has a smaller volume than the lithium ion battery. Furthermore, the lithium ion polymer battery is capable of being fabricated into various shapes. Lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries, however, cannot be overcharged without damaging the active materials. Therefore, careful monitoring and controls must be implemented to avoid any single cell from experiencing an over voltage due to excessive charging. For further details Click here

Lead-acid Battery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 8 Feb 2009 23:06:00 -0800

Rechargeable batteries are of great importance to many industrial sectors such as the electrical power industry and automotive industry. One class of such batteries is lead acid based batteries. The lead acid storage battery is generally a storage battery using lead dioxide in the positive electrode and lead in the negative electrode as active materials, and dilute sulfuric acid as an electrolyte. Lead-acid secondary batteries have been employed for some time for a variety of applications requiring general purpose electrochemical storage. The lead-acid battery in its various configurations is a time-honoured power source for diverse applications such as starting lighting ignition (SLI), uninterrupted power supply (UPS) and motive power. The advantages of lead-acid batteries include: low cost of manufacture, simplicity of design, reliability and relative safety when compared to other electrochemical systems. Lead-acid batteries are multi-cell structures with each cell containing a positive plate or electrode, a negative plate or electrode, and an electrolyte. Each plate consists of a grid of expanded metal having a layer of electrochemically active material formed thereon. Typically, a bank of batteries will be interconnected in a system configuration to provide the desired voltage and power for short term emergency situations, until the AC supply line is re-established or until a generator can provide the necessary power requirements. One type of recombinant battery, a valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery, typically includes an absorptive glass mat (AGM) separator composed of microglass fibers. Valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries rely upon internal gas recombination to minimize electrolyte loss over the life of the battery, thereby eliminating the need for re-watering. VRLA recombination batteries offer a number of advantages compared to flooded cell batteries. Valve regulated lead acid batteries have been increasingly deployed in outdoor telecommunications applications as a source of energy when a primary source of power is interrupted. For further details Click here.

Laptop Battery, Notebook Computer Battery Pack

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 8 Feb 2009 23:06:00 -0800

Laptop or notebook computers are characterized in that the entire computing functionality is incorporated into a single package. A notebook computer includes an integral CPU, keyboard, mouse, hard drive, CD-ROM or DVD drive, rechargeable battery, and video output device (such as a LCD display), such components are powered by either an internal battery or a single AC power connection. As a power source for a notebook computer, a battery is an important element. Generally, in a laptop computer, a battery pack which includes a number of cylindrical lithium-ion secondary batteries within a plastic outer case having flat and rectangular shaped top and bottom is employed as a power source. The battery is installed in inside space of the laptop computer by a battery connecting apparatus. The battery connecting apparatus commonly includes battery housing, a base and a battery connector. The battery housing is used for receiving the battery therein. The battery connector is assembled with the base for electrically connecting the battery to a power supply circuit of the notebook computer. To reduce the size and weight of the electronic apparatus, increase in the capacity of the battery and reduction in the volume of the same have been required. Commonly used laptop rechargeable battery packs include lithium-ion battery (Li-ion), nickel-cadmium battery (NiCd) and nickel mercury secondary battery (NiMH). Lithium batteries, which are lightweight and have high energy density, are taking the initiative in the market as an energy source of typical portable information devices, such as notebook personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phone terminals. This lithium secondary battery is advantageous in that it has high operating voltage and high energy density and can discharge a large current. The lithium ion secondary battery is based on a cell reaction by which lithium ion is intercalated between layers of a carbonaceous material, such as graphite, constituting the anode. Laptop battery packs are provided with a variety of protective functions for preventing damage to the battery caused by abnormal use such as overcharging, over discharging, short-circuiting between the positive and negative electrodes. A lithium ion rechargeable battery is normally provided with a battery protection circuit to prevent overcharging, over discharging, and so forth. Such battery protection circuit is generally unitized with the battery as part of battery pack configuration. For further details Click here.