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Power Integrations Introduces Industry-First Integrated Switcher IC Family

Power Integrations (NASDAQ:POWI) has introduced PeakSwitch(TM), a new family of ICs for power supplies with peak-to-continuous power ratios of up to 3:1. The industry’s first monolithic power-conversion IC with peak-mode operation, PeakSwitch enables highly integrated, energy-efficient power supplies for applications such as printers, personal video recorders (PVRs), audio amplifiers, broadband modems and DC motor drives. “Until now, power supplies had to be over-engineered to accommodate high levels of peak power use,” said Balu Balakrishnan, president and CEO of Power Integrations. “With PeakSwitch, designs only need to accommodate a power supply’s continuous power requirements. As a result, designers can use smaller transformers and other components, resulting in a lower-cost power supply.” Printers — an ideal application for PeakSwitch — require steep, momentary spikes in power delivery when a print job is initiated. For example, an inkjet printer that operates at a continuous level of 30 W during printing might require a burst of up to 80 W in order to activate the paper-advance motor. PeakSwitch supplies this burst by automatically increasing the switching frequency of the IC’s integrated MOSFET for several milliseconds before returning to continuous-mode operation. This approach allows the use of transformers, capacitors and other components sized for the […]

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Martek DHA Now Available in Powder Form

Martek Biosciences (Nasdaq: MATK) has announced the availability of a new powder form of Martek DHA(TM) for use in food and beverage products requiring dry mixing. According to the company, Martek DHA powder has much higher concentrations of DHA than fish oil powders currently on the market, leading to easier food formulations because less powder is needed to achieve desired DHA levels. The powder form is available in two DHA concentrations (10% DHA for medium oil load; 17% DHA for high oil load). “Martek’s new high DHA powder provides food and beverage manufacturers dry mix options for formulation that they have never had before. Martek’s new DHA powder has great stability and sensory characteristics while providing a vegetarian DHA,” stated Martek CEO Henry “Pete” Linsert. Martek DHA is a vegetarian DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), the key omega-3 fatty acid for brain and eye development and function. Numerous scientific studies demonstrate that people of all ages, from infants to adults, may benefit from an adequate supply of DHA in the diet. Yet, despite its importance, natural food sources of DHA are limited primarily to fatty fish, making it difficult for many people to get enough DHA in their diets. Made from algae […]

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New England's Largest Solar Array To Be Built

Brockton, Massachusetts, Mayor James E. Harrington has signed a contract with Global Solar Energy, Inc. to build New England’s largest solar array at a remediated brownfield site on Grove Street in Brockton. “Brockton is very fortunate to be able to redevelop an idle brownfield into a solar ‘Brightfield’ that generates emission-free solar energy. The Global Solar team gave Brockton a compelling and cost-effective proposal, and we are eager to work with them to move the project forward.”, said Mayor Harrington. Using electricity generated by Brockton’s Brightfield will avoid the emission of about 595,300 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. That is the equivalent of taking 45 cars off the road, or the amount of carbon dioxide that would be absorbed by planting 89 acres of trees. Brockton’s project also avoids emissions of other greenhouse gases – about 1,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide and 370 pounds of nitrogen oxide per year. Global Solar Energy and its partners will design, install, operate and maintain a 425 kWDCSTC photovoltaic system. The system will use 1,395 ASE300 (310kW) modules from Schott Solar, Inc that could generate over 535MWh of electricity the first year. This is enough to power City Hall and a fraction of […]

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