Use the new Questions & Discussions buttons to access CR4 — the Engineer's discussion page.
Also, the Learn More and Search by Supplier/Spec buttons are your links to in-depth technology information.

Utilities worldwide have initiated more than 3,800 air pollution control projects slated for completion within the next eight years. Particulate removal accounts for the largest number of projects. In the McIlvaine Company online database Utility Environmental Upgrade Tracking System and the companion World Power Generation Projects, Bob McIlvaine identifies these projects at nearly 3,900 existing coal-fired plants and almost 800 plants under construction or being planned.

Nine hundred and fifty boiler units already have scrubbers and another 950 are planned. More than 830 selective catalytic reduction systems (SCR) are already in operation. In the next eight years, more will be added and many of the newest projects will use fabric filters.

What do other engineers think of this? See for yourself at  CR4 — GlobalSpec's Engineering community.

Surge and circuit protection products to meet most needs are: MOVs, NTC Inrush limiters, PTC Over-Current protectors, PPTC Resettable Fuses and TVS Diodes. These are all offered by RFE International.

For these products, as well as Power Resistors, Capacitors and Diodes, visit our Web site at www.rfeinc.com.

Get the July 2006 Elgar Electronics catalog featuring over 360 Sorensen, Elgar, and PowerTen brand programmable DC, AC and electronic load power products — now in one handy resource!

Check it out — 40 Sorensen products now available with LXI compliant Ethernet control!

Sabritec's new matched impedance connectors combine High Speed Twinax/Quadrax and Hypertac Hyperboloid® technology.

Sabri-Speed Quadrax (SSQ) and Twinax (SST) contacts feature Hyperboloid® shaped basket of individual spring wires that provide up to 10,000 mating cycles, nearly half the resistance of conventional contacts, immunity to shock, vibration, extremely low insertion/extraction forces.

Binder-USA's 709 and 719 series connectors are ideal for disposable medical applications requiring high reliability connections in a compact, user-friendly package. Field attachable and molded plugs have up to five gold-plated contacts. Receptacles have PCB or Solder cup contacts and come in several mounting styles.

For information, visit Binder-USA's profile or our online catalog.

Aging power plants and the need for low emissions, high efficiency, and low capital costs have increased the popularity of natural gas-fired combined-cycle plants in German power generation.

Siemens Power Generation's (SPG) factory in Berlin recently delivered its 500th gas turbine, and boasts having built a cumulative capacity of 98 gigawatts.

The leading cause of equipment failure may be a current-inrush surge that occurs at the end of frequent voltage-sag events. Major equipment manufacturers in industrial automation, medical electronics, and consumer electronics see 30% to 50% of field failures resulting from a single cause.

This article analyzes the issues related to premature equipment failure and proposes a new current-inrush voltage surge suppressor (CVSS) to provide complete protection for susceptible equipment.

Older protection systems were designed to provide only single-phase protection using electromechanical relays. With increased pressure on productivity, more complex processes, and improved production asset management, facilities cannot afford unscheduled downtime or costly equipment damage.

Some upgrades added new features as they became available, resulting in a combination of electromechanical relays, metering instruments, control/monitoring, and communication devices. Read the Electricity Today article.

Ball grid array (BGA) connectors on circuit boards are gaining popularity because they: transmit high bandwidth digital signals, self-center, and integrate into reflow soldering.

Assembly Magazine presents process engineering specialist George Riccitelli's review of backplane and mezzanine connectors and a BGA socket connector for field programmable gate arrays (FPGA).

Read the entire result here.

Lapp has made product selection easier. Our Web site contains our catalog, which can be searched in a variety of ways. Product searches include product selection by entering your requirements. The Tray Installation Calculator estimates the money that Lapp products save in installations. Visit www.lappusa.com to find the products for your application.

MTE is a U.S. owned manufacturer of custom cables in China. We own the factory in China, but our sales, engineering, and administration is done in the U.S. This gives our customers the advantages both the U.S. and China bring.

We do everything from extrusion to overmolding in-house.

Hasco products are produced in our ISO certified factory, which are RoHos compliant. With over 600 styles and voltages, Hasco offers high quality relays and electromechanical relays. Our Reed Relays can also sit idle for years and not have any contact resistance build-up.

TRACOPOWER launches with the TMT Series a new generation of ultra-compact AC/DC power supply modules with a range of 15 and 30 W models with single- and dual output voltage configurations from 5 to 24 VDC. The fully encapsulated modules are available for PCB-mounting with solder pins or for chassis mounting with screw terminal block.

AC devices usually contain either a fuse or a circuit breaker to handle over-current situations caused by unstable power supplies, faulty equipment, and/or electrical storms. Fuses are again finding popularity, especially in power distribution equipment such as PDUs and CDUs commonly found in data centers.

Both types of products have their advantages and disadvantages. Read the article in Processor.

Intelligent power modules (IPMs) can reduce time requirements for the design, assembly, and delivery of power-conversion and drive systems. IPMs allow designers to use a building-block approach when designing power systems with software and wiring defining the function of each identical block.

Semikron engineers, Hudson, NH, describe the new approach.

Engineers at Pulse (San Diego, CA) have found that coupled inductor designs can be optimized for best performance in multi-phase power converters. They determined how to design and optimize a part that has the required magnetizing and leakage inductances, appropriate saturation and thermal characteristics in a package size that is suitable to the application. Read the Power Electronics Technology article.

Because hurricanes and other natural disasters can destroy electrical distribution equipment, a number of electric utilities are working to install new equipment with added long-term environmental benefits. In particular, utilities are turning to vegetable and soy oil filled distribution and power transformers where environmental, fire safety, chemical, and electrical properties are paramount. Electric Light & Power magazine has the details (simple registration is required).

You want new solutions in new connectors — you need technological innovation — we supply it! This new series of hoods is specifically designed for use with 2w2 or 2w2 coded type Combo D-Sub connectors. Straight exit with inserts that provide strain relief. Individual wire can be used, wire sizes from AWG 8 to AWG 20 can be accommodated. Read more.

FCL flexible split-core current transformer is designed for easy installation on large bus or wire conductors in order to make electrical load surveys or for continuous monitoring of current. To be used with any 5 amp indicating or recording ammeter or amp or watt transducer. Learn more about Flex-Core.

Leviton's Wetguard plugs, connectors, and receptacle systems provide safe and reliable watertight connections for wet/dusty locations. They meet NEMA 4X and IP66/67 for high pressure washdown and temporary immersion. Available in high visibility yellow or black, Wetguard's EPTR housing extends over a wide temperature range 60°C to135°C (-76°F to 275°F).

Active Power is dedicated to providing the latest in innovative, battery-free power quality solutions. Our CleanSource™ flywheel-based and CoolAir™ thermal and compressed air systems provide highly reliable, low maintenance solutions for any need.

Get certified in Engineering Management. Take the exam and earn a globally recognized credential for current and future employment. Self-study, and online or live classroom instruction available. Learn more.

DiceEngineering.com offers thousands of quality engineering jobs at top technology and engineering companies. Find jobs in your area of expertise.
Search now.

EPRI seeks an industry expert in Charlotte, NC, to help craft and execute EPRI's Power Transformers Research projects. With 10 years experience as a project manager, the position demands that the incumbent work closely with substation equipment experts to draw together the knowledge of equipment experts and leading edge concepts associated with equipment maintenance into a coherent plan.

Respond to resumes@epri.com and reference Senior Project Manger #5149.

Arnold-Hanafin Corp needs an electrical engineer to design electrical/electronic systems used in fuel cell stack and power plant test facilities. Responsibilities include hardware selection, wiring design, conceptual control logic, and software/hardware interfaces. Requires a BSEE and two to five years experience in automatic/dynamic controls, electromechanical components, and PC data acquisition and real time control systems.
Apply to apply_net7gt6929707@applyat.net-temps.com, Reference 3429.

With hurricane season officially started, attention at Gartner's recent Storage Summit turned to disaster recovery and business continuity. Donna Scott, Gartner analyst and VP, said in her presentation "Disaster Recovery and Data Replication Architectures" that organizations are a lot more serious about disaster recovery. Of those attending, 44% are developing a disaster-recovery plan. Thirty percent said they have plans in place and do regular testing.

Do you know how relays work? Relays use a small amount of power from a circuit to switch a much larger amount of power. Relays are common in home appliances and are also common in cars where the 12 V supply voltage means that just about everything needs a large amount of current.

How Stuff Works explains all about relays.

Written for OEM design engineers, Connector Specifier focuses exclusively on electronic circuitry and interconnection products: what they are, where to get them, and how to use them in breakthrough applications.

Get your complimentary subscription here.

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