August 2019, Monthly | ` 50
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RENEWABLE & ELECTRONICS THE DERIVED O2 New PV Cells Benefit Energy Harvesting
In-Conversation
HONGFA Becoming More and More Popular Due its Product Quality and Reliability
Chandrayaan-2 A Mission Possible
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Renewable T
he Indian renewable energy sector is the fourth most attractive renewable energy market in the world. As of October 2018, India ranked 5th in installed renewable energy capacity. According to 2018 Climatescope report India ranked second among the emerging economies to lead to transition to clean energy. Installed renewable power generation capacity has increased at a fast pace over the past few years, posting a CAGR of 19.78 per cent between FY14–18. The focus of Government of India has shifted to clean energy after it ratified the Paris Agreement. With the increased support of government and improved economics, the sector has become attractive from investors perspective. As India looks to meet its energy demand on its own, which is expected to reach 15,820 TWh by 2040, renewable energy is set to play an important role. Investments/ Developments According to data released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), FDI inflows in the Indian non-conventional energy sector between April 2000 and March 2019 stood at US$ 7.83 billion. More than US$ 42 billion has been invested in India’s renewable energy sector since 2014. New investments in clean energy in the country reached US$ 11.1 billion in 2018. Some major investments and developments in the Indian renewable energy sector are as follows: v
Inter-state distribution of wind power was started in August 2018.
v
In the first half of 2018, India installed 1 MW of solar capacity every hour.
v
With 28 deals, clean energy made up 27 per cent of US$ 4.4 billion merger and acquisition (M&A) deals which took place in India’s power sector in 2017.
v
In March 2018, ReNew Power finalised a deal estimated at US$ 1.55 billion to acquire Ostro Energy and make it the largest renewable energy company in India.
v
World’s largest solar park named ‘Shakti Sthala’ was launched in Karnataka in March 2018 with an investment of Rs 16,500 crore (US$ 2.55 billion).
@JitendraSagar15
v
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has decided to provide custom and excise duty benefits to the solar rooftop sector, which in turn will lower the cost of setting up as well as generate power, thus boosting growth.
v
The Indian Railways is taking increased efforts through sustained energy efficient measures and maximum use of clean fuel to cut down emission level by 33 per cent by 2030.
Achievements in the sector Solar capacity has increased by eight times between FY14-18. India added record 11,788 MW of renewable energy capacity in 2017-18. A total of 47 solar parks with generation capacity of 26,694 MW have been approved in India up to November 2018, out of capacity of 4,195 MW has been commissioned. Inter-state distribution of wind power was started in August 2018. Power generation from renewable energy sources (excluding large hydro) in India reached record 101.84 billion units in FY18 and has reached 107.22 billion units between April 2018January 2019. Road Ahead The Government of India is committed to increased use of clean energy sources and is already undertaking various largescale sustainable power projects and promoting green energy heavily. In addition, renewable energy has the potential to create many employment opportunities at all levels, especially in rural areas. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set an ambitious target to set up renewable energy capacities to the tune of 175 GW by 2022 of which about 100 GW is planned for solar, 60 for wind and other for hydro, bio among other. As of June 2018, Government of India is aiming to achieve 225 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022, much ahead of its target of 175 GW as per the Paris Agreement. India’s renewable energy sector is expected to attract investments of up to US$ 80 billion in the next four years.
Government initiatives
It is expected that by the year 2040, around 49 per cent of the total electricity will be generated by the renewable energy, as more efficient batteries will be used to store electricity which will further cut the solar energy cost by 66 per cent as compared to the current cost.* Use of renewables in place of coal will save India Rs 54,000 crore (US$ 8.43 billion) annually.
Some initiatives by the Government of India to boost the Indian renewable energy sector are as follows:
We sincerely hope you enjoy reading the August issue of TimesTech.
v
Solar sector in India received investments of US$ 9.8 billion in CY2018.
v
A new Hydropower policy for 2018-28 has been drafted for the growth of hydro projects in the country.
v
The Government of India has announced plans to implement a US$ 238 million National Mission on advanced ultra-supercritical technologies for cleaner coal utilisation.
04 August 2019
Jitendra K Sagar Editor jitendra@timestech.in
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COVER STORY
tech journalism with tech mind
August 2019
RENEWABLE & ELECTRONICS
Editor Jitendra K Sagar Director Marketing Ashok Kumar Manager Corporate Communication Arun Gautam GM Marketing & Branding Saarika Manjalkar
THE DERIVED O2
Sub Editor Palak Kalra Silpi Sarkar
12
Sales & Marketing Imran Saifi Design & Print Production Shailender Kumar Web Development Kashish Kalra
INSIDE PAGE
Legal Advisor Mukesh Kumar
08 Tech News Corporate office: #117, 2nd Floor, Mehar Chand Complex Waziarabad, Sector-52, Gurugram - 122003 Haryana (India)
10 A&D CHANDRAYAAN-2: A Mission Possible
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16 Company Watch Augmenting The Generation of Clean Fuel
Sunil Bhatnagar Microlyte Energy Ltd
18 Renewable Energy New PV Cells Benefit Energy Harvesting
Events/Media Partnership Ashok Kumar E: ashok@timestech.in
24 In-Conversation HONGFA Becoming More and More Popular Due its Product Quality and Reliability Dr. R A Gotur Director | Indian Operations Hongfa Group-India
28 Post Show ST is an ecosystem enabler: Addresses Smart City Market with Automotive, Industrial and AI solutions
31 Networking 5G to Augment Live Sports Streaming & Viewing Experience
32 Automotive Autonomous Technologies: An uncertain and evolving risk landscape
34 Test & Measurement 36 New Products
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Contributing Authors Sunil Bhatnagar | Microlyte Energy Steven Keeping | Mouser Mukadder Erdoenmez | AXA XL John Giere | Openwave Mobility
Editor, Publisher, Printer and Owner make every effort to ensure high quality and accuracy of the content published. However he cannot accept any responsibility for any effects from errors or omissions. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Editor and publisher. The information in the content and advertisement published in the Magazine are just for reference of the readers. However, readers are cautioned to make inquiries and take their decision on purchase or investment after consulting experts on the subject. TimesTech Print Media holds no responsibility for any decision taken by readers on the basis of the information provided herein. Any unauthorised reproduction of TimesTech Magazine content is strictly forbidden. Copyright Š 2019..... All right reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited. Subject to Hapur Jurisdiction.
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Tech News
Indian Govt Targeting upto 7 Million Sales of Hybrid and EV By 2020 The Indian government has a target to achieve six to seven million sales of hybrid and electric vehicles by 2020 under the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP), the Parliament was informed. The NEMMP 2020 is a national mission document providing the vision and a roadmap for faster adoption of electric vehicles and their manufacturing in the country. The plan has been designed to enhance national fuel security, to provide affordable and environment-friendly transportation and to enable the Indian automotive industry to achieve a global manufacturing leadership. Under the NEMMP 2020, there is an ambitious target to achieve six to seven million sales of hybrid and electric vehicles by the year 2020, said Union Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Arvind Sawant, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. Based on the experience from Phase-I of FAME India Scheme, it has been observed that sufficient charging infrastructure is required to achieve the expected outcome of the plan, which is being addressed presently in Phase-II of FAME Scheme, he added. The government has also approved Rs 10,000 crore for Faster Adoption and Manufacture of Electric Vehicles (FAME) II scheme on April 1.
Recently, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman encouraged electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing and adoption in India, during her maiden Budget speech. This includes a reduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) from 12 percent to five percent, exemption of customs duty as well as additional income tax deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh on the interest paid on loan for purchasing EVs. Last month, officials of government think tank Niti Aayog, ministries of road transport, power, renewable energy, and steel, as well as the department of heavy industries and trade suggested that cab aggregators like OLA and Uber switch to electric cabs. In March, the government said it is planning to set up a National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage to bring clean and connected technologies that can usher in an era of shared and sustainable EV infrastructure in the country.
Qualcomm and Meity Startup Hub Mouser IOT Roadshow 2019 Concludes sign agreement to support Startups With a Housefull Bangalore Event Qualcomm India has signed a technical bilateral cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Startup Hub (MSH) to bring its Qualcomm Design in India Challenge (QDIC) program to MSH-supported startups. Qualcomm Design in India Challenge, begun in 2016, supports early-stage start-ups in inventing useful hardware product designs. The program offers prize money, access to software and hardware design tools and labs, technical support, among others. The bilateral cooperation will also provide startups access to peers working on similar societal challenges across the world. Ajay Sawhney, Secretary, MeitY told Hindu Business Line that the resources offered by Qualcomm India will extend this benefit to a larger ecosystem of Indian startups. He further said that Qualcomm’s expertise in the area, ability to provide access to various stakeholders relevant to startups and a dedicated lab with state-of-the-art equipment to startups selected to be part of Qualcomm Design in India Challenge make them an ideal partner of choice for this collaboration.
08 August 2019
Mouser Electronics concluded its 6-city roadshow with a grand event at Taj, MG Road, Bangalore. The Mouser IoT Technical Roadshow has been a popular annual event that travels through top cities in India to spread the word on new IoT products, technologies, components and thought leadership. Today’s event kept up that momentum with over 270+ people in attendance. With the widespread deployment of sensors and evolving fleet of smart machines, there is an increasing need of handling big manufacturing data characterized by high volume, high accuracy for boosting performance. Attending delegates participated in learning how these connected machines could improve processes, streamline your operations while making your manufacturing unit a safe place to work. From smart cities to energy infrastructure, they also discovered the trends that affect the smart technology and solutions impacting the planning for tomorrow’s requirements in a connected city.
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Growatt Looks to Expand Business in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Growatt held a product launch ceremony in Telangana of India on July 5 with support from 3S Solutions. A large crowd of installers, EPCs and system integrators from across the region joined the event. Mr. Neelam Janaiah, managing director from TSREDCO (Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation Ltd.) attended the event and gave a keynote speech, in which Mr. Neelam Janaiah showed high recognition of Growatt’s products and outstanding achievements in India. Growatt entered the Indian solar market back in 2011, and its focus on product quality and technological innovation has driven its strong sales growth in Indian rooftop sector over the past eight years. Addressing the audience, Growatt regional director Rucas Wang said, “Growatt is a global leading brand in solar inverter industry, and we’ve shipped over 1.33 million inverters worldwide. According to IHS Markit, Growatt has become the TOP 3 world single-phase PV inverter supplier by 2018.” In a step to strengthen its market position, Growatt launched its new residential inverter MIN 2500-6000 TL-X in India. “Our new inverter MIN has got very impressive features. At first glance a lot of customers like its compact design and elegant looking. It comes with OLED display and touch button, which has a longer lifespan and can last over three million clicks! MIN uses ‘aerospace grade’ flame-retardant
lightweight materials, making it easy to carry and install. Overall, customers will have a better user experience,” Wang stated at the product launch ceremony. By far, Growatt has built a strong local service network. “Customer service is at the center of our collaboration with clients. We’ve established service center and warehouse in Hyderabad, where we have sufficient inventory of inverter service parts and replacements. A toll-free service hotline has also been set up to provide fast response for customers. Usually our service team can provide solutions for clients within 48 hours when an issue of inverter occurs. And for systems in some remote areas, we can solve the issues within 72 hours.
Embedded Safety and Security Summit 2019, an appropriate place for global embedded technology community A gathering of over 600 Embedded Safety & Security technology professionals came together on 23rd July 2019 at Bengaluru, to be a part of the fifth Edition of ESSS, themed ‘Enabling a Safe and Secure Tomorrow’. The bustling crowd was filled with embedded systems designers, developers, testers, technology partners, regulators, armed forces and industry experts from Aerospace & Defence, Automotive and Industrial sectors. ESSS 2019 is also scheduled on 25th July at Pune, where over 400 professionals are expected to come together. The event was organised by LDRA, with support from partners and industry bodies and featured over 20 speakers from five countries, who presented technical papers in two dedicated tracks. Key speakers included Andrew Banks – Chairman MISRA C & BSI Software Testing Working Group, Technical Specialist LDRA UK, David A. Johnson – Senior Safety/Security Engineer, exida LLC USA, Dr. Eckhardt Holz – Senior Advisor Functional Safety, ANSYS Medini, Germany and Joachim Hampp – Product Architect, Tasking, Germany. “It was a pleasure to host the fifth edition of ESSS in Bengaluru. Learning and networking have been an integral element of the whole summit. It was the prime focus this year too,” said Shinto Joseph, Director – South East Asia Operations, LDRA India. “It gave us an opportunity to
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interact and build relationships with the vibrant tech community in these two cities. With close to 1000 senior level technology professional coming together, this year ESSS has become one of the largest technology conferences in our industry, globally.” ESSS 2019 primary partners were Green Hills Software, WindRiver, ETAS, exida, Tasking, ANSYS, FTD, etc. The industry and professional bodies who supported ESSS included IESA, CLiK, SIATI, ARAI, AeSI, IEEE, ISA, etc.; media partners included Auto Tech Review, Aeromag Asia, Industrial Automation, EFY Group, Technology for you, eletimes and academic partner RV College of Engineering, made a huge difference in making this edition of ESSS a grand success.
August 2019
09
A&D
CHANDRAYAAN-2
A Mission Possible MAHESH VERMA Environmentalist & Science Communicator
TimesTech
O
ne of India's most ambitious space-based mission, Chandrayaan-2, India's second lunar exploration mission after a decade of Chandrayaan-1, was launched from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre on 22 July 2019 at 2.43 PM IST to the Moon by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III), which is capable of carrying 4-tonne class of satellites to the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The brainchild of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Chandrayaan-2, a Rs 978-crore project, is on course to place the country in a niche league of nations populated by the US, Russia and China that have successfully conducted a soft-landing on moon. Beyond that, the lander
10 August 2019
will touch in the region of the south polar region of the moon, an unexplored territory by any country. The 3850 kg heavy spacecraft of Chandrayaan-2 comprises three segments - the Orbiter (weighing 2,379 kg, eight payloads), the lander 'Vikram' (1,471 kg, four payloads) and rover 'Pragyan' (27 kg, two payloads). The lander and the rover will land near the lunar south pole region in a high plain between two craters, Manzinus C and Simpelius N, at a latitude of about 70° south on 7 September, 2019. The wheeled Pragyan rover will move on the lunar surface and will perform on-site chemical analysis for a period of 14 days or a lunar day. It can relay data to Earth through the orbiter and lander. The orbiter will perform its mission for one year
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A&D
in a circularized lunar polar orbit. The mission will help us to understand our natural satellite better, through complex topographical studies, and comprehensive mineralogical analysis, elemental abundance, the lunar exosphere. As the South Polar Region has craters that are extremely cold and everything here is frozen thus the fossil of these craters can reveal information about the early Solar System.
explore lunar terrain with indigenous technology. 9.
The lander Vikram was named after the father of the Indian Space Programme, Vikram Sarabhai. Vikram means valour in Hindi.
10. The total cost of the mission is approximately â‚š 978 crore.
Made in India
ISRO said in a statement, "While there, we will also explore discoveries made by Chandrayaan-1, such as the presence of water molecules on the Moon and new rock types with unique chemical composition. Through this mission, we aim to expand India's footprint in space, surpass international aspirations and inspire a future generation of scientists, engineers and explorers". The payload will include terrain mapping cameras to prepare a 3D map of the intended area, while a collimated large array soft x-ray spectrometer will map the majority of major rockforming elements. An orbiter HD camera will capture highresolution images of the landing site and an imaging infrared spectrometer will identify minerals along with water molecules in Polar Regions. It will also help to determine its elemental composition and seismic activity.
10 facts about Chandrayaan-2 1.
The Chandrayaan-2 is an Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) lunar mission comprising an orbiter and lander (Vikram) carrying a rover (Pragyan).
2.
The GSLV Mk-III, which carries Chandrayaan 2 to its designated orbit, is India's most powerful launcher till date, named Bahubali. The total weight of the Chandrayaan-2 is 3,850 kg (8,490 lb).
3.
The Vikram lander will detach from the orbiter and descend to a lunar orbit of 30 km using its 800 N liquid main engines.
4.
Chandrayaan-2 has 14 Indian payloads or scientific devices to study topography, seismography, mineral identification and distribution, and surface chemical composition.
5.
After its launch, it will take 53 to 54 days to travel the 3.84 lakh km of distance from the earth to the moon's surface.
6.
The moon is the closest cosmic body at which space discovery can be attempted and documented. But its south polar region has never been explored by any country before.
7.
The mission life of the Orbiter is one year and the metre-long Rover has an expected life of 14 Earth days i.e. one lunar day.
8.
The mission is the first Indian space expedition to attempt a soft landing on the lunar surface and
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India's Central Tool Room and Training Centre (CTTC) has manufactured 22 types of valves for fuel injection and other parts for the cryogenic engine of the GSLV Mark III rocket. The Bhubaneswar-based institution had started manufacturing the parts for this lunar mission since March 2017. Elaborating on the seven assemblies, manufactured by the CTTC for navigation and inertial momentum of the orbiter, M.D. Sibasis Maity said that these were solar array drive assemblies (SADA) to help the solar panels of the orbiter and lander, momentum wheel assembly (MWA), reaction wheel assembly (RWA), dynamically tuned gyroscope (DTG), ISRO laser gyroscope (ILG), mini advanced inertial navigation system (AINS) and rate gyro electronic package device (RGPD).
Ingenuity of Indian Scientists ISRO had to test the rover, Pragyan, on lunar soil-like substance so that the experiments on Moon go smoothly. The moon's surface is covered with craters, rocks and dust and its soil is of different texture. The IANS report explained that importing lunar soil like substance from the US was a costly affair. ISRO looked for a local solution as its need was about 60-70 tonnes of soil. Many geologists had told ISRO that near Salem in Tamil Nadu, there were "anorthosite" rocks that would be similar to features of moon soil or regolith. ISRO finally decided to take the "anorthosite" rocks from Sithampoondi and Kunnamalai villages in Tamil Nadu for moon soil. The rocks were crushed to the required size and moved to Bengaluru where its Lunar Terrain Test Facility was located and the test bed created.
August 2019
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Cover Story
RENEWABLE & ELECTRONICS THE DERIVED O2 Palak Kalra | TimesTech
T
he world's power generating capacities will be more than double by 2040 of the new additional power generation to come online, 60 percent will come in the form of renewables. In this scenario, India's renewable energy cost is the lowest in the Asia Pacific, consultancy Wood Mackenzie noted. India's levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) using solar photovoltaic has fallen to $38 per megawatt hour (MWh) this year, 14% cheaper than coal-fired power that has traditionally been the cheapest source of power generation, WoodMac said. LCOE comprises the cost of generating a
12 August 2019
megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity, the upfront capital and development cost and the cost of equity and debt finance and operating and maintenance fees. Renewable energy sources have a combined installed capacity of 77+ GW, pegged at around 22% of the country's total energy capacity. Wind power accounted for the highest at 46% (around 36 GW), followed by solar with a share of 36% (28 GW). The remaining market was captured by biomass at 12% (9 GW) and small hydro projects catering to 6% (5 GW). TIMESTech.in
Cover Story
In today’s power grids a greater degree of sophistication is required to ensure that stable, reliable power is delivered on demand despite the intermittent nature of the renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, wave and tidal power. To facilitate the new demands placed on the power grid, power semiconductor technologies are used. Total renewable energy capacity addition in 2019 will be 15,860 MW, 50% higher than what was in 2018 Recent report estimates that 2019 will, for the first time, cross the 10,000MW of generation capacity in utility scale solar, that is, large solar farms. More than 75% of new capacity is expected to come up in Rajasthan (over 2,000MW), Andhra Pradesh (1,950MW), Tamil Nadu (1,872MW) and Karnataka (1,555 MW). More than 30 developers are expected to commission utility scale solar projects in 2019, with Azure Power and ACME Solar leading the pack, while Ayana Renewable Power Pvt. Ltd, Raasi Green Earth Energy Pvt. Ltd, Asian Fab Tec Ltd, Think Energy Partners (TEP) and Technique Solar Ltd are expected to commission their first ever projects in India.
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The energy boost Utility scale solar, that is, large solar farms will cross the 10,000MW of generation capacity for the first time in 2019, the report says (figures in MW) Utility scale solar power addition
2015 2016 2017 2018* 2019*
Wind power capacity addition
1,519
1,486 4,274
2,747 8,489 6,833 10,902
4,690 1,948 2,300
Total RE capcity addition on in 2019
69%
Utility scale solar *Estimated
15%
Rooftop solar
Wind Power
14%
2%
Off-grid
Source: Bridge to India research
Graphic: Mint
August 2019
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Cover Story
Floating solar is expected to make major strides as well in 2019. Recent tender results indicate a sharp dip in tariff premium over ground-mounted plants, while the falling cost and constraints in land and transmission capacity will force policymakers to prioritise floating solar.
Nanotechnology - A Macro Electronics Opportunity
photovoltaic inverter which is one of the main components in solar energy conversion system, its performance depends on the design of the power electronics. The main aim is to maximize the power from the solar panels by minimizing the power loss in the energy conversion system, by reducing the number of power electronic components and by proper selection of the semiconductor devices. These can be achieved by using SiC which is a high power and hightemperature semiconductor material. SiC is not only used in solar power generation but it is also utilized in different market segments like IT and electronics, buildings, renewable and grid, transportation and many more. By 2020, the demand for the power electronics will be around $2.4billion. About 87% of the demand is for the consumer electronic devices like phones, tablets, etc.
IGCT & IGBT
In addition to renewable sources of energy, solar energy holds great potential. Solar light is available only during part of the day and so is not stable, and it is geographically uneven. Some countries get more light than others due to their proximity of equator. The second biggest problem is its storage and efficient transportation. A photovoltaic (PV) device is a device that converts solar energy into electricity. The efficiency of a PV device depends on the type of semiconductor, and on its ability to absorb the amount of UV radiations. Nanotechnology supports these devices to absorb a large portion of the solar spectrum and produce cells with the possibility of introducing alternative materials and construction methods. The cell is a standard silicon cell.In one such example, the cell is based on nanocrystals like silicon-based tandem solar cells.
SiC – The Future of Renewable
Renewable energy sources as windturbines and photovoltaic cells have reached power levels of several MWs which have resulted in the need for high power semiconductor devices for optimized generation and network connection. The stateof-the-art devices of choice for these power levels are the IGBTs and IGCTs. Due to the power quality requirements, the earlier used solutions with thyristors in the wind turbines are rarely seen today. During the last 15 years, high power semiconductors have gone through a remarkable development. Several new generations of IGBT-dies have lead to a reduction in VCEsat of almost 40 % since the early 1990s, and still a potential for further improvement is available. The Bipolar devices have also seen large improvements where the introduction of the IGCT have had a
IGCT Features Ÿ Available as asymmetric and reverse conducting (with Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ
Ÿ
integrated diode). Voltage ratings 4500 up to 6500 V with current ratings of 210 up to 5500 A of peak turn-off current. Integrated gate unit is included; critical to device performance. Low on-state losses. Press-pack design for double sided cooling with device assembled between heat sinks on potential, enabling very high power density. Press-pack design without soldering and bonding for high load cycling capability.
IGBT Features Ÿ Devices available in various configurations, as single
As silicon carbide has better properties than silicon, it is being used as power devices in power electronics technology. These SiC power devices are being utilized for solar power generation, to make it cost effective. The
14 August 2019
switch, dual switch and dual diode, - - Voltage ratings 1700 - 6500 V and current ratings 400 - 2400 A. Ÿ Module package with insulated base plate enables simple bus bar assembly and mounting on a grounded heat sink. Ÿ Voltage control enables simple, low power gate drive. Ÿ High controllability through the gate for optimized switching behavior also enabling control at short circuit conditions.
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Cover Story
large impact on the MV-Drive design and higher ratings for them have recently been introduced or are in development. The thyristors have also not been standing still but have moved from 6500 V, 2600 A to 8500 V, 4000 A devices based on 150mm silicon now in production. The power semiconductors are used for two main tasks in the chain of renewable energy sources such as conversion of the power in the plant, as in wind-turbines, and transmission of the power to the grid. The best solution to determine what semiconductors to use for these tasks is to move top-down by following the path system requirements defining equipment requirements which in turn are defining the power semiconductor requirements. Through this chain the requirements on the devices are determined regarding items as required voltage and current ratings, needed degree of controllability, and operating frequency. Power semiconductors for inverters The possibilities to achieve the above requirements will be looked at with focus at power ratings above 0.5 MW. For inverter applications, the IGBTs and IGCTs represent the two main candidates due to the main features listed in Table 1. As can be seen, both devices have a distinct set of features making the question which one is the best technology obsolete. What it comes down to is to select the device based on application requirements and own capability to utilize the device to its best. Certain comparisons are though helpful to see what is possible to achieve with the two technologies.
Trends To Watch Out! Energy Storage
Microgrids and AI
Microgrids are local energy grids that can operate either autonomously or while connected to a larger traditional grid. They provide energy independence, efficiency and protection during emergencies. Using the machine learning capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with microgrid controllers allows for continuous adaptation and improvement of operation.
Energy Blockchain and IoT Originally developed to record cryptocurrency transactions, blockchain technology is being adapted for use in the energy market. Blockchain is an incorruptible digital ledger that conducts and records transactions through a peer-to-peer network. The lack of centralization in blockchain leaves it as ideal for eliminating the middlemen of electricity suppliers. It reduces energy inequality and inefficiency and empowers consumers to buy and sell energy from other consumers directly. Pairing the distributed ledger technology of blockchain with the everyday devices that we use to receive and convey information, now commonly referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT), stands to have a profound impact on energy systems. With the correct applications, devices can autonomously buy and sell energy at the optimal times, optimize energy system settings in a real-time context and monitor and analyze performance of energy-consuming devices.
Batteries are the most common storage devices used in renewable energy systems and their use is increasing on both the residential and grid-wide scale. Energy storage technologies are expected to continue to improve, making their use more viable and affordable. It is projected that storage will represent a core component of all new energy technologies moving into the future, as both utility-scale and domestic energy storage solutions become more price competitive, eroding the advantages of traditional energy sources.
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Renewable energy at large will be the conventional form of energy mass available and generally opted. To hinder this market only will be the understanding and cognizance of fossil fuels and right technology methods to keep it upgrading with time. To happen that, electronic companies especially semiconductor players need to be the juggernaut in advancing technologies and materials to make renewables more efficient, user-friendly and scalable. Will the gamechanger be SiC or GaN or maybe both whatever the reasons maybe renewables is set to ply the present-future of the world.
August 2019
15
Company Watch
Augmenting The Generation of Sunil Bhatnagar (Ex Pilot Indian Air Force)
Country Head of Energy Div. at Microlyte Energy Ltd. with 25 years’ experience in battery domain.
W
e are seeing quick evolution of storage devices and with passage of time the energy density of battery packs have gone up drastically. Earlier we used to see bulky flat plate lead acid batteries with 350 cycles then came tubular batteries, still bulky but number of cycles improved. Maintenance was a big issue in remote areas as water used to evaporate fast out of electrolyte while discharging under hot conditions. The issue was bigger at solar sites which were in remote rural areas. In lead acid batteries, gravity of electrolyte play a very vital role and most of the staff maintaining these batteries either used home water with high chloride content thereby damaging basic properties of sulphuric acid or they were overfilling the battery cells thereby reducing the gravity of particular cell. All this would lead to early failure of cell or battery or would give issues with back up of battery. Cell balancing was another big issue in lead acid batteries. As time passed valve regulated lead acid VRLA batteries came in to address the issues of topping up and were known as SMF sealed maintenance free batteries in common parlance. Last few years saw better technologies of NiMh, Carbon, Graphene, NaS, Vanadium Flow, Fuel cells, Super Capacitors, Lithium and many more. Individual cell voltage, energy density and cycle life played a vital role in evolution of all these batteries. Scientists are working tirelessly to develop economically better version of battery with long life and light weight. This is very important for electric vehicle segment as a light weight battery can help in reducing overall weight of vehicle which in turn would add to more mileage and higher efficiencies. Carbon & Graphene batteries worked well in Europe as StopStart battery but it was used to improve overall efficiency of vehicle in mild hybrid vehicles. World is busy working on
16 August 2019
efficient electric vehicles with high mileage and fast charging features. Here we see Lithium with NCM technology has highest energy density and most players are working on different combinations of NCM like 1:1:1, 8:1:1 etc. Still the safest technology is LiFePO4 which pass safety test of AIS 048 but NCM it depends more on combination of three metals. The cell size of 18650 or 26650 is same for the cell but LFP cell with 3.2v would have less energy density as compared to 3.7v of NCM in same space. At the same time safety is compromised to some extent with high energy density. Another issue with NCM is low life cycle compared to LFP as most NCM cells comes from 500 cycles to 1200 cycles whereas LFP comes from 2000 cycles to 4000 cycles. LTO another technology of lithium family could not do much in EV space but is good for MW level ESS. In case of LTO life cycle is 7000 to 10000 but cell voltage is only 2.4v so the energy density ratio is poor. We see fuel cell is also picking up well now and Japan has already established this technology well in its eco system. China a late starter on fuel cells has also started aggressive program to promote Hydrogen based fuel cell and is focusing to develop large number of hydrogen based vehicles. Here the biggest advantage is lowest charging time as one need to just replace the hydrogen capsules in the vehicle which is not more than 45 seconds exercise. Its electrochemical device which generates electric power to drive, byproduct is water so no pollution at any level. So we have many battery technologies on radar as of now and a big revolution is seen in EV space. Countries wish to control high level of emission levels created by use of petroleum products and concerned organizations are working aggressively to promote clean and green energy. Let's resolve to save the planet by using clean fuels.
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New PV Cells Benefit Energy Harvesting — Steven Keeping | Mouser Electronics
Today, some 85 percent of installed photovoltaic (PV) cells are manufactured from silicon, as it’s both particularly suited to turning light into electricity and plentiful. Too, PV cells can be produced in volume by adopting wafer manufacturing techniques pioneered by the Integrated Circuit (IC) industry. However, silicon has some downsides, including a maximum efficiency of around 33 percent, energy-intensive high temperature processing, and fragility.
Alternative PV technologies using new materials, architectures, and assembly techniques have been developed to address silicon’s drawbacks. New materials include the compound semiconductors gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium phosphide (GaP), as well as the mineral perovskite (CaTiO). The new energy-focusing
18 August 2019
Concentrated PV (CPV) architecture and assembly techniques use multijunction, thin-film, and large crystals for high energy efficiency and durability. While silicon PV cells are likely to dominate large-scale electricity generation due to mass production and falling prices, alternative technologies
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will find use in niche applications. One such application is wireless IoT sensors where efficient, compact, durable, and inexpensive PV technology could harvest solar energy to charge device batteries. Such technology would be a boon for the Internet of Things (IoT) roll-out because it would enable wireless sensors to operate reliably with little or no maintenance. This article explores how PV cells work, the role of silicon, and the advantages and disadvantages of silicon as the underlying semiconductor, as well as the potential of new semiconductors, architectures, and assembly techniques.
Photovoltaic Process Although a deep understanding of the photovoltaic (also called photoelectric) process requires familiarity with quantum mechanics, the basic principles of PV cell operation are relatively straightforward: PV cells take advantage of semiconductor p-n junctions. In the n-type material, electrons act as current carriers, with electron vacancies or “holes” doing the same job on the p side of the junction. When a photon within a narrow band of wavelengths enters the semiconductor crystal matrix, there is some probability that it will be absorbed by an electron bound to an atom in the n-type material, endowing the particle with sufficient energy to escape from its parent atom. The excess electrons on the n-type side of the junction then diffuse across the junction to recombine with holes on the p-type side, creating a potential difference across the joint. The incorporation of a conducting return path between the two sides of the joint allows a Direct Current (DC) to flow (Figure 1).
Figure 2: PV cells are combined into modules then into panels to form end products. (Source: Wikipedia)
First Generation PV Cells: Single-Junction Silicon First-generation PV panels are largely fabricated from a crystalline form of silicon (“c-Si”). The key drivers for silicon’s large uptake is its PV performance and convenience of supply. The bulk material is plentiful (making up 28 percent of the Earth’s crust), and the techniques and facilities for manufacture have been borrowed from the chip industry. However, processing the large-scale silicon wafers for PV panels is energy intensive, complex, and expensive. Cost has been mitigated in part due to excess global manufacturing capacity; the price of silicon PV panels has declined by around 30 percent in the last year alone. Government subsidies designed to encourage the uptake of silicon PV panels to reduce reliance on fossil fuels for electricity generation have also played their part in encouraging adoption. Nonetheless, the technology remains too costly for many niche applications. Silicon Advantages: Efficiency And Band Gap
Figure 1: Single-junction PV cell operation: Photons of appropriate energy liberate electrons, which cross the semiconductor junction and generate a potential difference. (Source: Cyferz at English Wikipedia)
As a PV cell is made up of thousands of these p-n junctions, the generated current is multiplied. In the commercial products, these cells are combined to form modules and ultimately create panels. The DC voltage can be turned into AC by an inverter to do useful work or send power directly to the distribution grid (Figure 2).
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Silicon offers several advantages for PV technology. First, its PV efficiency is good. (Efficiency, in this case, refers to the ratio of sunlight received by a PV cell to the energy it generates. Averaged out over the surface of the planet, the Sun delivers around 1100W/m2 when directly overhead. A PV panel measuring 1m2 exposed to this level of sunlight and exhibiting 10 percent efficiency, for example, will output around 110W. The key characteristic that limits a semiconductor’s maximum efficiency is its band gap. The band gap is the amount of energy required to liberate an electron from an atom into the “conduction band” and is measured in electron volts (eV); 1eV is approximately equal to 1.602×10−19J. The energy of photons is determined by their wavelength, with photons of a shorter wavelength (higher frequency)
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being more energetic. Many sunlight photons entering a c-Si lattice will carry insufficient energy to liberate an electron and will therefore do little more than heat up the material. Photons with greater energy than that required to bridge the band gap might liberate a single electron, but their excess energy will again just contribute to heating up the crystal rather than doing anything useful. In 1961, William Shockley and Hans-Joachim Queisser calculated the theoretical maximum PV efficiency for singlejunction (cells made of just one semiconductor) PV cells across a range of band gaps (Figure 3). The calculation revealed that the optimum band gap for a single-junction PV cell was 1.13eV, which yielded a maximum efficiency of around 33 percent. It turns out that silicon’s band gap of 1.10eV is close to the optimum figure.
Ÿ Inherently expensive, which could introduce challenges if
supply becomes restricted and/or subsidies are withdrawn.
New Developments In PV Technology In the last several years, second-generation PV products have been commercialized, and third-generation technology has entered the R&D labs. Second- and third-generation technologies look to build on the success of mature silicon technology, particularly the established support infrastructure—such as isolators, meters, controllers, and inverters that are largely independent of the PV technology type—while addressing some of silicon’s drawbacks.
Second-Generation PV Technology Second-generation PV panels focus on nanometer to micrometer thick layers of PV material mounted on a glass, plastic, or metal substrate. These “thin-film” PV (TFPV) cells (also called “multi-junction” products because of the additional active layers) are cheaper and less energy intensive to manufacture, use less expensive material, are low in weight, and are suited to applications such as semitransparent, PV glazing material that can be laminated onto windows (Figure 4).
Figure 3: Shockley and Queisser's calculation of maximum efficiency against band gap for single-junction PV cell semiconductors. Silicon has a band gap of 1.1eV. (Source: Wikipedia)
Silicon Drawbacks: Crystal Size, Energy, Efficiency, And Fragility Silicon as a material is not perfect for PV cells, however. For example, band gap is not the only determinant of efficiency; crystal size also has a major effect. If a material is made up of small crystals, electron mobility is reduced by the large number of crystal interfaces. Reduced mobility restricts current flow and, in turn, efficiency. Additionally, these drawbacks further hinder silicon as an ideal semiconductor for PV cells: Ÿ Maximum theoretical efficiency is just 33 percent. The
best commercial c-Si PV panels achieve around 24 percent efficiency in practice wasting over three-quarters of the sun’s energy. Ÿ Fragility, requiring mechanical support from heavy glass
panels, adding weight and cost. Ÿ Energy-intensive, high-temperature, and complex
processing.
Figure 4: Multi-junction TFPV cell internal structure. (Source: NREL)
The downside of TFPV panels is that the manufacturing, energy, cost, and weight advantages are traded-off against efficiency. Some of the potential efficiency gains of bulk material multi-junction PV panels is lost because the thin films comprise tiny crystals that affect electron mobility. Instead of c-Si, for example, which comprises comparatively huge crystals, commercial TFPV panels use either polycrystalline silicon (very small crystals) or amorphous silicon (no crystals). TFPV panels promise efficiencies of 20 percent although today’s commercial products typically operate at 10 percent efficiency. A second disadvantage of TFPV panels is relatively rapid
20 August 2019
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degradation of the thin films reducing the panel lifetime. Second-generation PV cells are unlikely to challenge silicon’s dominance for large-scale electricity generation but offer promise in applications where lower cost, weight, and durability can be traded-off against efficiency.
Third-Generation PV Technologies PV technology is continually being developed to enhance first- and second-generation technologies. And research into new areas is uncovering technology that will form the foundation of a third generation of PV product. These developments and research generally fall into four sectors: Ÿ Materials: Complementing silicon with semiconductors of
different band gaps so that photons of lower energy can liberate electrons and so that those of a higher energy convert more of that energy to electricity. Ÿ Structure: Introducing techniques that lower the energy
intensity and complexity of first-generation PV panel production. Ÿ Processing: Improving semiconductor processing
techniques to enhance the quality and size of crystals such that electron mobility is raised. Ÿ Mechanical: Amplifying the number of photons that fall on
a unit area of substrate by focusing incident light with mirrors or lenses.
Material Developments Converting more of the incident photon energy into electricity is possible by introducing materials with lower and higher band gaps than silicon. Silicon’s band gap of 1.1eV is the best of any single semiconductor for harvesting energy from visible light. However, much of the energy from the sun is carried by photons with energy below this band gap. For example, while a blue-light photon can carry three times as much energy as a red one, two-thirds of that energy is wasted even if the photon is absorbed by a silicon electron. Semiconductors with band gaps lower than silicon enable photons that would otherwise be useless to contribute to the PV effect. Indium arsenide (InAs), for example, has a band gap of 0.36eV and has been used successfully to complement silicon. Semiconductors with higher band gaps than silicon allow more of the energy of shorter wavelength photons to contribute to electricity generation. Materials such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), which has a band gap of 1.43eV, and gallium phosphide (GaP), which has a band gap of 2.25eV, have also been used with success. Several lines of research have resulted in further compounding of these materials—for example, indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) and indium gallium phosphide (InGaP)—to further optimize the PV effect.
Structural Developments Alternative band gap semiconductors have a lower maximum
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efficiency than silicon alone, so there is no benefit in employing them singly. Instead, one or more semiconductors are used together in a multilayer structure. Materials with the largest band gap—requiring short wavelength (high energy) photons to dislodge electrons—are positioned at the top, allowing low energy photons to pass through without interaction to then be absorbed by lower band gap materials in the following layers. Transparent conductors are required at each layer to carry the generated current yet let photons pass through to the lower layers. This technology has been deployed with success in TFPV panels and remains the focus a key area of research. Silicon has a maximum efficiency of 33 percent, but this figure can theoretically be bettered by multilayer PV panels. A two-layer cell, for example, with one layer featuring a band gap of 1.64 and the other 0.94eV, could reach a maximum efficiency of 44 percent. Similarly, a three-layer PV cell with band gaps of 1.83, 1.16, and 0.71eV, would have a maximum theoretical efficiency of 48 percent. Commercial multilayer products comprise two, three, or four layers.
Processing Developments Researchers are investigating new groups of materials for third-generation PV panels that combine the high efficiencies of the first generation with the simpler and cheaper manufacturing of the second. One group of materials that has caused much excitement is derived from the mineral perovskite (CaTiO). The group of materials has band gaps ranging from 1.4 to 2.5eV. The theoretical maximum efficiency of the perovskite group can’t match silicon, but recent rapid efficiency gains from around 4 to 20 percent have raised hope that commercial products will eventually be more efficient than TFPV panels. The key advantage of the perovskite group over silicon is the comparative ease and low processing temperatures with which millimeter-sized perfect crystals can be grown. This is a huge size for a perfect crystal lattice, and it dramatically increases electron mobility and hence efficiency while slashing manufacturing costs. Current lines of research are aimed at growing even larger perfect crystals; for example, researchers at MIT in the U.S. have recently discovered how to “heal” crystal defects in a perovskite-based PV cell by exposing the cell to intense light. Elsewhere, researchers at University of California, Berkeley have discovered that different facets of the perovskite crystals have markedly different efficiencies. The scientists are now focusing their research on ways of processing the bulk material such that only the most efficient facets interface with the PV cell electrodes as a method of boosting overall efficiency. As with TFPV materials, a key challenge currently limiting the commercial deployment of perovskite-based PV cells is the speed at which the material degrades.
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Mechanical Development
hours (several months) of operation.
Another development objective for third-generation PV panels is Concentrated PV (CPV) technology. CPV is designed to focus sunlight using lenses and mirrors such that a dramatically higher number of photons fall on a unit area of PV panel. The technique typically employs highefficiency, multi-junction PV cells constructed, as shown in Figure 4. Focusing the light increases efficiency, enabling dramatic reductions in panel size, lowering the cost and weight of the product, and increasing the number of locations where it can be installed.
However, extending battery life by replacing a primary battery with a secondary battery and recharging via a PV cell extends self-contained operation to several years.
“Low” CPV focuses the equivalent of two to 100x sunlight onto the panel, while “high” CPV can multiply the light to the equivalent of 1000x sunlight. CPV systems often use solar trackers and sometimes a cooling system to increase efficiency. Table 1 summarizes the efficiency of current PV cell technology.
Table 1: Efficiency of c-Si, TFPV, and CPV technologies (Source: IRENA)
Energy-Harvesting Technology Energy harvesting technology for small-capacity, Li-ion cell charging is a proven technology. For example, Mikroe’s energy-harvesting module is a silicon PV cell capable of producing up to 0.4W at 4V. The voltage and current from a PV cell varies considerably. As such, the voltage/current output must be regulated for Liion battery charging, as Li-ion batteries require careful current/voltage management during the charging cycle.) Purpose-designed, highly-integrated power management chips are available for the job. For example, Maxim’s MAX17710 power management IC can manage poorly-regulated sources such as PV cells with output levels ranging from 1µW to 100mW. The device also includes a boost regulator circuit for charging the battery from a source as low as 0.75V. An internal regulator protects the cell from overcharging. 3.3, 2.3, or 1.8V outputs are supplied to the wireless IoT sensor via a Low-Dropout (LDO) linear regulator. Texas Instruments also offers a power management IC, the bq25504.The device is specifically designed to efficiently acquire and manage power generated from PV cells. The chip integrates a DC-DC boost converter/charger that requires only microwatts of power and a voltage as low 330mV to commence energy harvesting (Figure 5).
Case Study: Energy-Harvesting Wireless IoT Sensors The key application for PV technology is for renewableenergy generating capacity to feed the electricity grid. But third-generation technologies—which promise less expensive, more durable, and smaller PV panels—promise to introduce energy-harvesting niche applications. Wireless IoT Sensors Designers of IoT wireless sensors have long been keen to take advantage of energy harvesting. It is envisaged that the IoT will comprise billions of sensors with many positioned remotely and therefore isolated from main power and difficult to access for maintenance such as battery changes. Many of the products will employ low-power wireless technologies such as Bluetooth low energy and zigbee, which have been designed from the ground up to run from modest power resources. Many applications are powered from compact primary cells with capacities around 220mAh. In low-duty cycle operation, the average current draw from a low-power wireless System-on-Chip (SoC) is in the microampere range, extending battery life to thousands of
22 August 2019
Figure 5: Application circuit for energy-harvested battery charging using TI power management IC. (Source: Texas Instruments)
Third-Generation PV Technology Applied While current PV cell energy-harvesting solutions work satisfactorily, they do have some downsides. For example, Mikroe’s energy-harvesting module measures 7 x 6.5 x 0.3cm (a surface area of 45.5cm2), is relatively heavy and fragile. However, silicon PV cells like this product are currently the only practical choice because of their efficiency compared with alternatives.
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Third-generation cells incorporate technology to boost efficiency beyond the current 10 percent enjoyed by commercial products. Technologies currently in the lab are projected to double efficiency in the next several years; that would introduce silicon PV cell-type performance to TFPV cells combined with advantages of lower cost, light weight, and greater robustness. A third-generation TFPV cell measuring just 4cm2 in direct sunlight, for example, would receive around 0.22W incident power. At 20 percent efficiency, the TFPV cell would output around 44mW. While charging at an average of 3.5V (voltage varies during a Li-ion battery charging cycle), the current supplied from the power management chip would be around 12mA, sufficient to fully recharge a 300mAh Li-ion battery in around 25 hours. While such a charging regime would take several days of full sunshine, note that the Li-ion battery will only discharge at a rate of a perhaps a few mAh per day under typical low power wireless sensor operation, requiring the PV cell to only top-up the battery (rather that fully charge) ensuring it can easily cope with the energy demand even on days without full sunshine. Compact third-generation PV cells are yet to be commercialized. And when mass production does commence, prices are likely to initially be too high for wireless IoT sensor applications. However, as the technology matures and demand increases, TFPV cells will become much cheaper and a practical proposition for this niche application. Simultaneously, the efficiency of TFPV PV cells will continue to increase, bringing greater advantages to energyharvesting wireless sensor designs including: Ÿ Energy harvesting from artificial light for indoor sensors. Ÿ Reduction in panel size for given power output for highly
space-constrained designs. Ÿ More power available to run complex software algorithms
on advanced wireless SoCs. Ÿ Increased wireless sensor range and throughput. Ÿ Multiple sensors powered from a single PV panel.
Conclusion An estimated 85 percent photovoltaic (PV) cells currently installed are manufactured from silicon, as it’s both plentiful and suited to turning light into electricity. Second- and thirdgeneration PV technologies are addressing silicon’s downsides that include a maximum efficiency of only about 33 percent, energy-intensive high temperature processing, and fragility. Second-generation PV panels focus “thin-film” PV cells that are mounted on a glass, plastic, or metal substrate. These are cheaper and less energy intensive to manufacture, use less expensive material, are low in weight, and are suited to
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applications such as semi-transparent, PV glazing material that can be laminated onto windows. These are unlikely to challenge silicon’s dominance for large-scale electricity generation but offer promise in applications where lower cost, weight, and durability can be traded-off against efficiency. Third-generation PV cells promise even more by matching the efficiency of silicon while building on the advantages of second-generation products. This will make the cells a good option for remote, low-maintenance IoT sensor applications using rechargeable Li-ion batteries continually replenished by the sun’s energy. These PV technologies use new materials, structure, processing, and mechanical techniques to address silicon’s drawbacks. New materials include the compound semiconductors gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium phosphide (GaP), as well as the mineral perovskite (CaTiO); the new energy-focusing Concentrated PV (CPV) architecture and assembly techniques use using multi-junction, thin-film, and large crystals for high energy efficiency and durability. Niche applications like energy-harvesting wireless IoT sensors, which require efficient, compact, durable, and inexpensive PV technology, stand to benefit from thirdgeneration PV cells. Such technology would enable wireless sensors to operate reliably with little or no maintenance. As third-generation PV technologies evolve, we can expect to see additional wireless sensor designs, such as harvesting energy from indoor lighting and other applications that require compact, efficient, powerful, and robust designs. Key Takeaways Silicon is the market-leading material for general-purpose PV panel applications because the raw material is plentiful, manufacturing infrastructure is established, and if offers high efficiency. Silicon PV cells have some notable downsides: They are heavy, fragile, energy intensive to produce, and expensive. This makes silicon impractical for energy harvesting applications for compact wireless IoT sensors. New materials and PV cell construction techniques address silicon’s drawbacks, but lower efficiency limits usefulness for wireless IoT sensors. Third-generation cells' improved efficiency will make the technology suitable for wireless IoT sensors, and promises to increase computational power, wireless range, and throughput at an affordable cost. Steven Keeping is a contributing writer for Mouser Electronics and gained a BEng (Hons.) degree at Brighton University, U.K., before working in the electronics divisions of Eurotherm and BOC for seven years. He then joined Electronic Production magazine and subsequently spent 13 years in senior editorial and publishing roles on electronics manufacturing, test, and design titles including What's New in Electronics and Australian Electronics Engineering for Trinity Mirror, CMP and RBI in the U.K. and Australia. In 2006, Steven became a freelance journalist specializing in electronics. He is based in Sydney.
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In-Conversation
HONGFA Becoming More and More Popular Due its Product Quality and Reliability Dr. R A Gotur Director | Indian Operations Hongfa Group-India
Dr. R A Gotur, Director India Operation, Hongfa Group, is a symbol of marketing and sales for Hongfa in India. TimesTech interacted with Hongfa's business and preparedness in the background of changed electronics policies and monopolization in India. Excerpt
24 August 2019
TimesTech: Kindly elaborate Hongfa as a company? Also, goals, vision and position in the global relays market? Gotur: Hongfa is a leading manufacturer of electromechanical relays, and is ranked No.1 in China and No.1 in Power relays & Latching relays globally. Founded in 1984, Hongfa specialises in developing, manufacturing and promoting relays. With a factory space of around 7,50,000sqm and a 250,000sqm new
plant being set up, Hongfa has an annual production capacity of 1.5 billion relays of 160 series and 40,000 specifications. It has 38 wholly or partially-owned subsidiaries, including Hongfa Europe GmbH and Hongfa America Inc. The company has a state level technical centre for post-doctoral research, an academician research station, and a testing and experimenting centre for relays and related products that is recognised by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), VDE
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and China National Accreditation Service for Conformity (CNAS). It has also been actively involved in formulating multiple national standards. Hongfa relays are currently being exported to over 100 countries. Hongfa's quality control system conforms to ISO/TS16949 standards. It has the biggest product testing centre in China, which is certified to undertake TUV and UL tests, and has VDE approval in China. This centre has signed a contract with VDE for preferred partnership. The company's lab is approved by CNAS and UL America as a Witness Test Data Program (WTDP) lab. It is also approved by VDE Germany as a Test Data Acceptance Program (TDAP)-lab — the only one in China and the sixth one in the world. It has a full set of quality assurance systems including ISO9001, ISO/ TS16949, ISO14001, OHSAS18001, GJB9001A, and IECQ QC 080000. Hongfa has received many awards, including being ranked among the 'Advanced High-tech Enterprises on the National Torch Plan' by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and among the 'National Export Base for Automotive Components' from the Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission. It is the only Chinese relay manufacturing company to be ranked as 'China's Top Brand'. TimesTech: How did you see the current Indian relay market compared to the last Fiscal year? Gotur: The growth of the Indian relay market is growing steadily due to the increased demand from power conversion & automotive sectors & it is a ever green market .Past one decade there is a growth from 16 to 18 % consistently but this year growth rate is negative side by 20% due to parlimentory Elections, Trade war affected badly. TimesTech: What are the growth trajectories and trends you envision in this market? Gotur: The Growth Trajectories & Trends for the relays are Power Electronics , Home appliance & Automotive Electronics, railway and signaling, Telecom power supply & signaling device manufacturers, smart meters and lighting products manufacturers. v Sugar cube relays are highest consumption Globally. v Telecom relays 1 amps 12 volts & 24volts are very fast moving relays v Starter & Flasher relays for Automotive application relays have high potential market for 2, 3, & 4 wheelers v Latching relays : This relay is used in smart/Intelligent meter application & there is potential growth for coming years. We could see a moderately high adoption levels in the traditional automotive and power segments probably due to high sale rise & also due to the addition of more added features to the automotives. However it is gaining momentum
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in the other areas as the technologies also maturing. TimesTech: Primarily, what is driving the relay market in India and at large the complete APAC market? Gotur: Rapidly Growing Demand for Relays Expected in Automotive, Power Electronics, Home appliance, Solar ( Lighting ) and Other Industrial Infrastructure The global demand for relays as a whole is being driven by the implementation of smart grids and multiband wireless tech. This applies on a much higher scale to Asia Pacific, which is expected to hold 44% of the market value for relays by 2021. It will consistently be the region to consume the largest quantity of relays, especially given the dynamic industrial scenario of India, Japan, and China. The contribution of these countries to the demand for relays from APAC is primarily the result of the rapid rate of industrialization and the introduction of modern power distribution and networking practices. TimesTech: What are business models to build your brand in India? Gotur: Already all most all the customers are well aware of Hongfa products & its wide range & quality. Besides advertising to create brand awareness, we also build credibility for our brand and wide range of products by sharing our knowledge and time. At Hongfa, we strongly believe in nurturing the future pillars of industry. We actively participate in exhibitions and through Print Media (Magazines). TimesTech: Make us aware of the strength of Hongfa as a manufacturer and why the products of Hongfa are the most sought after in the market? Gotur: Hongfa's main strength is stringent quality & wide range of relays series as a manufacturer for all applications.( Power, Home appliance, Automotive, Telecom, Smart meter/Home automation segments ) & we ship the parts JIT ( Just in time ) for crisis management & cost effective with strong technical assistance. The above reasons make Hongfa products the most sought after in the Market. TimesTech: How important is the Indian market for Hongfa? Gotur: India has the second largest GDP among the emerging economies with predicted growth around 8 % in 2019 – 20, and 8.5% to 9% by the next fiscal year 202021.This is potentially attract to companies for all applications such as Hongfa products. Hongfa believes that India will continue to make rapid strides. in the last couple of years, the quality of engineering & technology has improved tremendously. Also lot of Global companies are investing in India and particularly Global R & D centres in all metro's Chennai, HYDERABAD, Bangalore, Pune ,DELHI Etc.Today
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In-Conversation
all the Global organizations have benefited from the huge professional & skilled engineering manpower available in the market.
due course in India going to be our focus areas of our future growth. Hongfa aligned our strategies and resources in these areas to reach target are our plans for future growth.
TimesTech: What are your plans to strengthen brand value in India?
TimesTech: The emerging trends in the relay market and how is Hongfa moving alongside these trends?
Gotur: We are growing at a steady pace. HONGFA becoming more and more popular due its product quality and reliability, we are sure that we are going to be the most preferred choice for any designers and quality experts. Moreover we have a clear road map of new product developments for the coming years to cater to the emerging markets and segments with which we are sure that we will achieve a great level in the coming years. TimesTech: How do you rate TimesTech Magazine and what are your suggestions?
Gotur: The following are the current trends in relay space.
Gotur: Times Tech Magazine is a upcoming comprehensive Magazine providing a fine perspective of the electronic industry and covers a wide range of products & services. It reaches the depth of Electronics industry in India and provides the detailed news, features, interviews, Technical & current trend reports both in India and globally. I thank you Times Tech for giving HONGFA a platform to speak to a wider audience through your media & present ourselves in good light. Today Times Tech Magazine is one of the upcomming electronics magazine in India and is been revered for its contribution to industry. I wish them all success on behalf of Hongfa.
v Power & Consumer Electronics Segment v Automotive Electronics v Smart/Intelligent meter v Telecom/Signal segments The key technology in relays in reducing the size of the relays ( Miniature relays – Small size ) and also in SMT relays ( Surface Mount Technology ).These changes are prominent in coming months. Relays which have low contact resistance and low voltage drop across contacts and this enhances long time reliability and also the life. Also the permanent magnet relays & contactors are becoming popular due to their lower power consumptions TimsTech: Lastly, your expert comments on the current Indian ESDM sector? Gotur: Today India is fastest growing market globally & India's booming electronics' market is projected to more than double to $228 billion from $120 billion in a couple of years.
TimesTech: The relay market is quite mature in the Indian market with many players dominating this space? How do you keep yourself in the edge of competitive-success? Gotur: As you know HONGFA carries a wide spectrum of relay products, so the designer has a great choice to select the most optimum component. We support the customers in their every step of activities like product development, Samples, Protocol, manufacturing and after sales. HONGFA understands the market requirements early and will be ready with the new products as the market demands that, which gives us an edge over our competitors. We sincerely taking care of customers demand in crisis management for cost effective prices, delivery on time. TimesTech: You are among the biggest companies of relay games globally. What is your market share in India? Gotur: HONGFA India market share is around 16 to 18% TimesTech: What are your future plans for the development of your business in India? Gotur: We have aggressive plans for future growth in India. We identified few areas where Hongfa will focus for future growth. Power Electronics, Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Light ,Smart meter segment & Add manpower in
26 August 2019
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ST is an ecosystem enabler:
Smart City Market
Addresses with Automotive, Industrial and AI solutions ST during the recent Smart Cities 2019 expo demonstrated top cutting-edge products which included, drill demo; On Board Charger; 1KW/2KW/3KW Fully Digital AC-DC (SMPS) Power Supply evaluation board and HMI Graphics using Touch GFX and NFC elock
Below are the Highlights of ST’s Expertise in automotive, Industrial and AI Market:
Automotive On Board Charger for Electric Vehicle
The panel shows the main ST devices that can be part of an On Board Battery Charger (OBC) system for an electric vehicle from power devices to control devices 1KW SMPS digitally controlled multiphase Interleaved converter using STNRG388A The STNRG388A power conversion dedicated peripherals (SMEDs) offer the flexibility to drive the interleaved power stages while guaranteeing the correct phase realignment during the activation and deactivation of each stage. The architecture is based on a multiphase interleaved DC/DC
28 August 2019
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converter using the half bridge SAB (“Single Active Bridge”) topology supporting more than 1000 W of power.
NFC e-lock
The interleaved topology balances the power through 3 parallel stages. Also, the solution delivers high efficiency during the whole load range by enabling one, two or three stages depending on the load. Applications Ÿ Digital Controller: STNRG388A Ÿ 3 Phase Interleaved DC/DC architecture Ÿ Full Load power: 1000W (Scalable upto 3KW) Ÿ Efficiency more than 94% from 10% to full load Ÿ Peak Efficiency: 96.5% at full load Ÿ Standby Consumption: 425mW Ÿ Input voltage range: 350 – 420VDC Ÿ CC/CV output regulation Ÿ Output Voltage Regulation: 133V Ÿ Output Current Regulation: 7.5A Ÿ OrdMeraaxbimleuCmoOdeut–puStTCEuVrAreLn-tISfoAr
1e7a2cVh2phase: 2.5A Ÿ Modular Control and Power Board
Industrial Drill Demo
Advanced BLDC Motor Controller with embedded STM32 MCU . A Drill shape with work- ing electronic inside. The user can act on the drill button to activate the rotation , change the rotation speed with the proper knob and change the spin direction with a lever. This is based on STEVALSPIN3201 Key Features: Ÿ Voltage from 8 V to 45 VInput Voltage from 8 to 45V Ÿ Output Current up to 15Arms Ÿ Embedded 3.3V Buck Regulator Ÿ Embedded 12V LDO regulator Ÿ 3 Shunt Current Sensing Ÿ Digital Hall Sensors and encoder Input
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A smart lock can be accessed via NFC contactless technology, with a user’s smart phone or the NFC tags. ST25R NFC Reader devices are ideal for the secure NFC lock applications Key Features: Ÿ No mechanical key required. Ÿ Can trace unlocking records Ÿ Higher security. No unwanted interception or hijackings. Ÿ Faster connection speed.
HMI Graphics using Touch GFX
The STM32 family provides a comprehensive offer for Graphical User Interfaces (GUI), which enables developers to easily add a smartphone-like GUI to embedded devices, accelerating the “HMI of things” revolution. STM32 devices with advanced graphics capabilities and the TouchGFX software framework. TouchGFX includes an easyto-use GUI builder, TouchGFX Designer. This drag and drop tool seamlessly integrates into your TouchGFX development, moving you quickly from idea to end-product. Key Features: Ÿ Graphics advanced capabilities showing on STM32H7
demo kits.
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Ÿ ST'sTouchGFX GUI solution ensures great graphics and
smooth animations for STM32 Ÿ Uses minimal resources and power consumption.
Key Features: Ÿ Image classification using the STM32H7 Discovery kit
with STM32F4DIS-CAM camera module
Artificial Intelligence
Ÿ Trained for food recognition (18 classes)
AI powered Character Recognition
Ÿ Fixed Point NN support on STM32Cube.AI coming in
New ultra-low power STM32L5 Discovery board with security and smartwatch-type screen. Human Machine Interaction (HMI) demo using the touchscreen for AI-enabled handwriting character recognition.
2019 AI powered Human Activity Detection Human Activity detection demo on SensorTile. Detection results displayed on Mobile App.
Ÿ STM32L5 extends the performance of STM32L4 family
Data collection and labeling on the SD Card of the SensorTile device.
Ÿ Perfect match for smart-sensing Ultra Low Power IoT
Key Features:
Key Features:
applications AI powered Single Object Classification Example of Fixed Point processing. ST customized, Single Object Classification Neural Network (NN).
Ÿ Full example of Neural Network project using Motion
MEMs input. Includes data pre-processing Ÿ Runs on small form factor, battery-powered SensorTile
Hardware Ÿ Firmware update Over The Air (FOTA) available
Latest Multi-OS Software Tool Simplifies STM32 Programming and Protects Firmware Intellectual Property The new multi-OS software replaces several tools including ST Visual Programmer (STVP), DFuSe USB Device Firmware Upgrade programmer, Windows®-only STM32 Flash loader, and software utilities for use with ST-Link, to deliver maximum flexibility with the benefits of a consistent unified environment. From now on, new STM32 products will be supported only by STM32CubeProgrammer. Built-in features include the STM32 Trusted Package Creator, which protects OEMs’ intellectual property by encrypting firmware using an AES-GCM key and working with the STM32HSM-V1 companion Hardware Security Module (HSM). Making life easier for STM32* microcontroller (MCU) and microprocessor (MPU) users, and further strengthening the STM32Cube ecosystem, the latest version of the STM32CubeProgrammer from STMicroelectronics gathers the capabilities of multiple device programmers into just one universal tool.
The HSM manages authentication and licensing, with counter-limited Secure Firmware Install (SFI) allowing OEMs to restrict the number of devices that can be programmed. The first STM32HSM with maximum programming count of 300 units for prototyping will be available at the end of July 2019.
STM32CubeProgrammer lets users program their devices through any convenient connection, choosing from the MCU’s JTAG or single-wire debug (SWD) pins, a UART, or USB, SPI, I2C, or CAN interfaces.
30 August 2019
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Wireless & Networking
5G to Augment Live Sports Streaming & Viewing Experience John Giere President and CEO Openwave Mobility As commercial 5G networks roll out with the promise of faster mobile networks, higher capacity and lower latency, mobile operators are busy shaping plans for new services and product offerings on their advancing 5G networks. A recent survey by MVIC showed, most operators believe, that cloud gaming could represent 25% to 50% of 5G data traffic by 2022, based on the rapid progression of cloud gaming services in recent months. 5G is making tremendous impact on a number of applications and one such opportunity is game streaming and live-sporting events. Network operators view eSports as a compelling opportunity and they are optimistic about the dramatic impact of 5G on live gaming. eSports account for a massive audience and they continue to grow. It is estimated that approximately 436 million people globally will watch some form of live gaming this year.
The way forward To fully harness the benefits of 5G, operators must develop competencies for optimizing and delivering high quality mobile video, evolve & differentiate, taking advantage of untapped applications and opportunities. As 5G transforms mobile video, a subscription-based service will give consumers access to a high-end gaming experience without requiring additional hardware. On the other side, a majority of operators plan to create new partnerships with OTT service providers to revamp the delivery of sports coverage to consumers, while progressing with steady trial of 5G networks at sporting venues. In this entire arrangement of large and complex mix of data traffic, live sporting events and gaming will ultimately consume three to four times the amount of bandwidth on 5G networks, compared to standard definition video traffic. Needless to say, this will impact mobile operator data strategies.
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As these immersive experiences start becoming more popular, there are challenges at the operator’s front, primarily to ensure their 5G networks deliver excellent quality of experience (QoE). Aligning capabilities: Responding to network-related challenges and deliver the required levels of capacity and connectivity, telecom operators must understand types of data that needs to be managed. This includes: rapidly changing session data and subscription data to managing real-time data.
Delivering superior QoE Executing sports and live-event experiences the complexity of delivering QoE presents a major challenge. To ensure QoE on 5G mobile networks, it has to be designed with the flexibility and speed required to deliver compelling consumer experiences. 4G remains significant As commercial 5G networks continue turning up throughout 2019 and beyond, it is important to understand that 4G foundation remains fully relevant to the future of their networks & implementation of 5G. Operators must enhance the quality of their 4G networks and employ efficient and cost-effective solutions to tackle RAN congestion and its potential impact on QoE, while being sure to preserve CAPEX for their imminent 5G deployments. 5G networks open a world of opportunities to create and monetize new services like; eSports & game streaming. Operators must steer ahead and therefore, thoughtful consideration must be given towards developing nextgeneration services that will result in new, long-term revenue opportunities.
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31
Automotive
Autonomous Technologies An uncertain and evolving risk landscape
Mukadder Erdoenmez Head International Casualty, Europe, AXA XL
P
ropelled by massive investments and impressive technological advances, autonomous vehicles are quickly becoming more numerous and capable, and appear in a wider variety of settings. Today, mobile autonomy applications include semiautonomous to fully self-driving cars, taxis, buses and trucks operating on public roads; shuttle vans moving people in closed environments such as airports and campus settings; automated forklifts ferrying goods around distribution centres and manufacturing operations; mini pods delivering groceries within defined territories; autonomous farm machines planting and harvesting crops; and the list goes on.
Replicating human abilities Autonomous vehicles are exceptionally complex systems with many advanced components and sub-components. Regardless of where and how they're used, these machines have to be capable of knowing: Where am I? What's around me? What do I do next? They also have to answer those questions instantly, consistently, precisely and, in many cases, in varied and dynamic environments. In other words, mobile autonomy requires replicating human perception, cognition, and our ability to take precise and
32 August 2019
appropriate action. These qualities are being reliably duplicated in self-driving vehicles and robots with: v Hardware including cameras, radar and Lidar sensors that record a vehicle's location and surroundings as well as the prevailing environmental conditions v Software code and algorithms that process the various data stream v Automated controls for steering, acceleration and braking. Installing these human abilities inside a machine thus requires a lot of sophisticated hardware and software working together seamlessly and unfailingly. In fact, automobiles today with limited self-driving capabilities already contain up to one hundred electronic-control units and ten kilometres of cabling, and these vehicles rely on around a million lines of code to operate. Moreover, increasingly popular in-car entertainment systems, while separate from vehicle performance, represent a gateway for product recalls resulting from cyber-security risks.
An evolving risk landscape As this sector continues to develop, accidents are projected to decline markedly. In the U.S., for instance, distracted driving claimed 3,166 lives in 2017. Likewise, a Dutch study
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Automotive
estimated that eliminating mobile phone use while driving would prevent about 600 road deaths annually. Machines, on the other hand, are never drowsy or distracted. Take the steering wheel away from people, and the number of accidents should plummet. While the safety benefits of mobile autonomy are likely to be significant, the risk management issues and implications for companies in this ecosystem, including vehicle manufacturers, fleet owners/operators, component manufacturers and software developers, are still coming into focus. Some observers predict, for instance, that product recalls, a historical challenge for the automotive industry, could take on even greater prominence as autonomous vehicles are deployed for different purposes. According to recent research conducted by a team that included one of my colleagues, “… product recall events are increasing in general, but recall events associated with (complex autonomous vehicle) technology form an increasingly large percentage of these recall events”. In addition to quantifying the increased frequency of product recalls involving autonomous technologies, the researchers also concluded: “At the same time, financial risks resulting from extensive product recall events can severely affect vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers, exposing the automotive supply chain to business continuity, legal and reputational risk”. The researchers also note that the costs of these recalls are escalating. One reason for that is growing consolidation and specialization within various product categories; many manufacturers today rely on the same few suppliers. So when a component or system used by multiple manufacturers is found to be defective, the financial impacts can reverberate widely.
Who is liable? The researchers cited above also noted that the “risk implications (for autonomous technologies) are underappreciated by large segments of the supply chain”. I believe there are a couple of reasons for that. One is the pioneering nature of the technology. Although around 21 million self-driving cars are estimated to be on the road by 2026, mobile autonomy is in many ways still in its infancy. It was less than 15 years ago in 2005, for instance, that a driverless car named Stanley was the first autonomous vehicle to complete a 132-mile course in the Mojave Desert. That means we are only just starting to collect data on how, and how often, different components and sub-components fail and what the implications of these failures are. Hence regulators around the world are insisting that autonomous vehicles undergo rigorous testing in closed environments before they are permitted on public roads. Perhaps most important, many as-yet unanswered questions remain around the topic of apportioning liability when something goes wrong, currently a tangle of unresolved issues. Who will be liable, for instance, when a software error compromises performance? Or a manufacturing defect causes a sensor to malfunction? Or hackers trick an autonomous vehicle into veering toward oncoming traffic?
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(Researchers at a security firm recently demonstrated how such a lane-recognition hack could be accomplished simply by placing a set of small stickers along the roadway.) In these and myriad other plausible scenarios, is it pure product liability or is the owner/operator of the vehicle also at least partially liable? And even if the issue is clearly product liability, who is at fault? The vehicle owner? The vehicle manufacturer? The firm(s) that designed the hardware? The OEM(s) that manufactured it? The software engineers who wrote the code?
A flexible, modular approach AXA XL's view is that the continued evolution of autonomous technologies shouldn't depend on pre-emptively resolving all possible questions and risks. So we've designed a multi-faceted insurance proposition that supports the design, development, testing and implementation of these technologies. The solution is aimed not only at companies that manufacture, own and operate autonomous vehicles but also the component makers and software developers that are part of this ecosystem. A core element of the offering is a risk assessment based on a new benchmarking capability we created. The tool draws on historical data from the automotive and tech industries, enabling us to rank a client's risks relative to the experiences of leading companies in these sectors. The insights derived from this assessment also can drive in-depth discussions about opportunities for minimizing the client's exposures. The proposition applies a modular approach to risk transfer; clients can structure various insurance coverages depending on their particular needs and circumstances. For a start-up running trials in a closed environment, for instance, the programme could include a traditional casualty policy along with some first-party property components. For more advanced companies operating autonomous vehicles in public spaces, the coverages can be scaled up to also include, for example, third-party motor liability, product recalls, malicious product tampering, cyber and on up to crisis management. A final thought: Given the as-yet unanswered questions regarding the apportionment of liability, our view is that the contractual agreements between manufacturers and suppliers should delineate the risks each is prepared to assume, as well as the obligations of other participants in the application. In particular, whether or not a waiver-ofsubrogation clause is included in these agreements will have a material impact on our underwriting and pricing decisions. At AXA XL, we believe a collaborative approach is essential when working with autonomous technology clients and are already partnering with leading autonomous vehicle developers. They are the experts on their products, technologies, algorithms and so on. And we have expertise accumulated across multiple industries that can support them in making it to the next stage. By working together, we aim to help unleash the many benefits mobile autonomy offers while limiting the risks.
August 2019
33
Test & Measurement
Anritsu ME7873NR Achieves GCF Certification for 5G mmWave RF Conformance Tests Industry-First Commercial Support for mmWave 5G Mobile Networks Anritsu Corporation is pleased to announce that its New Radio RF Conformance System ME7873NR has achieved industry-first GCF certification for 5G NR mmWave RF conformance tests. The ME7873NR is registered already with GCF as 5G NR RF/RRM test platform TP250 and has been deployed widely since January 2019 for industry-first GCF-certified Sub-6 GHz RF conformance tests; this new mmWave certification received at the July 2019 CAG meeting will help the ME7873NR take the lead in solving mmWave technical issues using 5G NR mmWave NSA RF conformance tests. Anritsu is continuing its development of conformance test solutions to help improve 5G technologies and develop the 5G ecosystem.
Product Outline The New Radio RF Conformance Test System ME7873NR is an automated system for 3GPP TS38.521/TS38.533-defined 5G NR RF/RRM tests. It supports both planned 5G NR SA and NSA modes, while combination with Anritsu's CATR Anechoic Chamber MA8172A covers all 5G frequency bands, including sub-6 GHz and mmWave. A flexible system configuration allows customers to customize the ME7873NR for specific measurement conditions. An easy 5G upgrade path from the LTE-Advanced RF Conformance Test System ME7873LA is available to create a cost-effective RF test system that meets emerging required test conditions. Contact: Madhukar.Tripathi@anritsu.com
Keysight announced significant platform additions to Ixia’s network, application and security test portfolio IxNetwork, IxLoad and BreakingPoint deliver new web user interface, modern automation for fast, intelligent testing Keysight Technologies, announced significant platform additions to Ixia’s network, application and security test portfolio that includes IxNetwork, Ixload and BreakingPoint. Designed to simplify and accelerate testing for network equipment manufacturers (NEMs), service providers and enterprises, these solutions support testing of emerging technologies such as TLS 1.3 encryption, QUIC video streaming, Microsoft Azure public cloud testing, and IPv6 segment routing, to simplify network infrastructure testing and enable end-to-end network programmability. “The ability to quickly and easily test the performance and security of a network infrastructure and applications from anywhere is critical to an organization’s success,” said Sunil Kalidindi, vice president of product management for Keysight’s Ixia Solutions Group. “The enhancements made to our common test platform, and to our industry-leading test solutions, IxNetwork, IxLoad and BreakingPoint, are the result of the most significant investment in our test portfolio in a decade. These platform improvements and additions, such
34
August 2019
as IPv6 test chassis management, modern automation, web user interface and improved test execution and management, simplify and accelerate testing for all of our customers.” Ÿ Common Platform Improvements Ensure Ease-of-Use Ÿ Network Performance Testing, Anywhere, Anytime Ÿ Testing that Optimizes User Quality of Experience Ÿ TLS 1.3 Support for Cybersecurity Testing
In addition, the recently announced BreakingPoint QuickTest offers the power of BreakingPoint in pre-packaged test suites to rapidly evaluate the performance and effectiveness of security devices and to assess cybersecurity readiness of networks and devices. More information is available at www.keysight.com.
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Test & Measurement
Rohde & Schwarz integrated ATC communications solution accepted by Airways New Zealand Rohde & Schwarz has successfully completed the final Factory Acceptance Test for New Zealand’s nationwide Air Traffic Control voice communications system.
Rohde & Schwarz’ R&S VCS-4G IP-based voice communications system in the company’s Systems Integration Laboratory at North Ryde, Australia, New Zealand’s future air traffic control (ATC) system was accepted by Airways, the country’s air navigation service provider, and roll-out will now commence. “Representatives from Airways have worked collaboratively with Rohde & Schwarz staff throughout the project to ultimately transition to a modern and flexible voice communications system as part of the major upgrade to air traffic management systems across New Zealand,” Ed Overy, Chief Information Officer from Airways, explained. “Systems will be installed in Auckland and Christchurch providing several layers of redundancy, which will help to ensure maximum system availability, operational flexibility, costeffective use of resources, redundancy and safety for over 150 controller working positions.” The innovative solution was chosen based on its reliability, innovation and flexibility. The system’s IP design facilitates the pooling of ATC resources in a virtual control center. The quad-redundant, distributed architecture facilitates a “one center – two locations approach” and provides Airways with significantly increased resilience and a unique geographic flexibility to manage their operations in a single trusted environment in the future.
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“The project included multiple workshops covering topics, such as human machine interface, voice communications system control and monitoring, system safety and integration with other systems,” Managing Director of Rohde & Schwarz (Australia), Gareth Evans continued. “Airways staff including air traffic controllers, maintainers, technical specialists, and engineers have been closely involved throughout the project design phase. Deployment is scheduled to begin towards the end of 2019, after which we will continue to support Airways in bringing the new system into service.” Customers around the world, including air navigation service providers and more than 200 airports in 80 countries, trust the uncompromising quality of Rohde & Schwarz products and solutions. The R&S VCS-4G innovative IP technology, as provided in the New Zealand project, offers next-generation ATC features. The solution’s IP-based voice communications system is a flexible and cost-effective solution for all ATC voice communications needs, meeting established requirements for availability, reliability and safety in ATC, as well as the growing need for dynamic ATC scenarios with network-based sharing and distribution of operational resources across multiple locations.
July 2019
35
New Products
Infineon introduces 80V DC-DC buck LED driver IC
Infineon Technologies introduces the new LED driver IC ILD8150/E. It features an innovative hybrid dimming mode technology for achieving 0.5 percent of the target current. With its supply voltage range from 8 V DC up to 80 V DC, the driver IC provides a high safety voltage margin for applications operating close to safe extra-low voltage (SELV) limits. The driver IC is ideally suited for general and professional LED lighting applications with high dimming requirements. The ILD8150/E offers a deep dimming performance without flicker and prevents audible noise. A PWM input signal between 250 Hz and 20 kHz controls the LED current in analog dimming output mode from 100 to 12.5 percent and from 12.5 to 0.5 percent in hybrid dimming mode, with a flicker-free modulation frequency of 3.4 kHz. The digital PWM dimming detection with high resolution and the low power shutdown perfectly match the ILD8150/E to microcontrollers. The device also has a dim-to-off function and a pull-down transistor to avoid LED glowing in dim-to-off mode. Infineon’s new ILD8150/E drives up to 1.5 A using a high-side integrated switch. The latter one with a low R DS(on) of 290 mΩ (ILD8150) enables high power designs with an efficiency of more than 95 percent. It incorporates a soft-start function to protect the primary stage from abrupt current requests and a shunt resistor for adjustable maximum output current. Precise output current accuracy of typical 3 percent from one device to another under all load and input voltage conditions makes the IC perfect for e.g., tunable white and flat panel designs where current must be identical. Additionally, under voltage lockout (UVLO) for the bootstrap voltage and over temperature protection functions provide an ideal fit for professional LED lighting solutions. www.infineon.com
36 August 2019
Mouser stocking STM32MP1 MPUs from STMicroelectronics with Linux Distribution, Speeds Development of IoT Applications
Mouser Electronics, is now stocking the STM32MP1 microprocessor series from STMicroelectronics (ST). Boasting high feature integration and impressive graphics support, the STM32MP1 devices are based on a heterogeneous multicore Arm Cortex architecture. The powerful microprocessor units (MPUs) support both open-source OpenSTLinux distribution and STM32Cube toolset to facilitate the rapid development of Internet of Things (IoT), industrial, consumer, and health and wellness applications. ST’s STM32MP1 microprocessor series, available from Mouser Electronics, delivers rapid processing based on one or two Arm Cortex-A7 cores plus an Arm Cortex-M4 core for real-time and lowpower tasks. Designers can allocate the device’s peripherals to either the CortexA7 core for ST’s OpenSTLinux distribution or the Cortex-M4 core for real-time tasks using ST’s STM32Cube tools. The STM32MP1 devices offer 708 Kbytes of system RAM, 64 Kbytes of retention RAM, and 384 Kbytes of system RAM, plus support for a broad range of external flash and DDR SRAM memories. The MPUs also integrate a LCD-TFT touch controller, with optional MIPI-DSI controller and 3D graphics processor unit to support human machine interface displays. More information: www.mouser.in Power UP Your Project with UP Core Plus Modular Boards
AAEON, announces the 2nd Generation of UP modular boards, the UP Core Plus
maker board along with the Net Plus and Vision Plus X docking boards. Together these board kits provide developers and easy way to build a system designed for the needs of their project, whether it’s a compact networking device, or a powerful AI Edge system. The UP Core Plus is the 2nd Generation of the UP modular maker board from AAEON. Featuring Intel Apollo Lake processors, the UP Core Plus offers a great leap in performance over the previous generation. The board can be configured with up to 8 GB of onboard memory, and up to 128 GB onboard eMMC storage. The UP Core Plus also features USB 3.0, DP, and USB OTG connections, as well as support for wireless and Bluetooth connectivity. The UP Core Plus also supports up to four PCI express lanes thanks to the Apollo Lake processors. While the UP Core Plus has fewer I/O ports than the UP Squared, it offers unmatched flexibility thanks to its two 100-pin connectors. With these connectors, users can add-on docking boards that help tailor the board to their applications. AAEON currently offers two boards as part of the UP Core Plus family, the Net Plus and UP Vision Plus X. For more information : www.aaeon.com World’s First CAN FD Class 3compatible Common Mode Choke Coil from Murata
Murata has introduced the wire-wound common mode choke coil (CMCC) DLW32SH101XF2, which is the world’s first CMCC to support DCMR Class 3, fulfilling the IEC62228-3 requirement for use in CAN FD next-generation automotive networks. In the automotive industry, technologies that control basic automobile behavior are advancing rapidly with the aim of providing safer and more comfortable driving. In keeping with this market demand, faster automotive networks are required for connecting ECUs, sensors, and motors, with the result that conventional CAN, which transmits data
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New Products
at a rate of up to 1Mbps (megabits per second) is being replaced with the faster CAN FD. The new product draws on Murata’s CMCC design and manufacturing expertise to deliver the high performance and reliability required for CMCCs used in CAN FD networks while realizing a small size thanks to the company’s unique wirewound structure. For more information: www.murata.com
InnoSwitch3-Pro incorporates a sophisticated digital interface for software control of CV and CC setpoints, exception handing and safety-mode options. For more information: www.power.com ASDM-S-KBU: Bring the Edge to Smart Display Solutions
Gallium Nitride-Based InnoSwitch3 AC-DC Converter ICs from Power Integrations
Power Integrations announced new members of its InnoSwitch3 families of offline CV/CC flyback switcher ICs. The new ICs feature up to 95% efficiency across the full load range and up to 100 W in enclosed adapter implementations without requiring a heatsink. This groundbreaking increase in performance is achieved using an internally developed high-voltage GaN switch technology. Quasi-resonant InnoSwitch3-CP, InnoSwitch3-EP and InnoSwitch3-Pro ICs combine primary, secondary and feedback circuits in a single surfacemounted package. In the newly released family members, GaN switches replace the traditional silicon high-voltage transistors on the primary side of the IC, reducing conduction losses when current is flowing, and considerably reducing switching losses during operation. This results in substantially less wasted energy and therefore increased efficiency and power delivery from the space-saving InSOP-24D package. Targeting high-efficiency flyback designs, such as USB-PD and high-current chargers/adapters for mobile devices, set-top boxes, displays, appliances, networking and gaming products, the new ICs provide accurate CV/CC/CP independent of external components, and easily interface to fast-charging protocol ICs. The InnoSwitch3-CP and -EP variants are hardware-configurable, while the
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Tenda launches new 8-Port PoE Switch for IP Surveillance Projects
AAEON, announces the ASDM-S-KBU the only Intel SDM Small (SDM-S) module featuring 7th Generation Intel Core processors (formerly Kaby Lake). The ASDM-S-KBU offers unparalleled computing power for its compact size, capable of powering AI Edge applications. The ASDM-S-KBU brings the high performance of Intel Core processors to the compact Intel SDM-S form factor. As small as a credit card, the ASDM-S-KBU combines the 7th Generation Intel Core series and Celeron 3965U processors with up to 8GB of DDR memory, providing scalability for smart displays that are slimmer and more compact. The ASDMS-KBU can power embedded computing applications such as interactive kiosks and smart vending machines. The ASDM-S-KBU features the performance to push smart displays to the Edge. Tested compatible with OpenVINO, the ASDM-S-KBU can power AI Edge applications for smart displays. Applications include context sensing in virtual dressing rooms, which can determine a person’s age, gender and body shape. It can also be used to power Smart Retail and Smart Vending solutions, or even deployed as part of the Smart City ecosystem. The ASDM-S-KBU is backed by the same industry leading support offered with all AAEON products. From technical service that promises a response within 72 hours, to our manufacture services and OEM/ODM support, AAEON is the reliable partner for developers and system integrators. AAEON offers end-to-end support for the ASDM-S-KBU, including carrier boards and system chassis to help you build your project. For more information: www.aaeon.com.
Tenda, launched TEF1109TP-8-102W, an 8FE+1GE Desktop Switch With 8-Port PoE. The TEF1109TP-8-102W is equipped with features specific to the surveillance market. It has been designed to ease the deployment and management of IP camera networks ranging from a few cameras to large, high-density environments. What’s Special for TEF1109TP-8-102W: Gigabit Uplink Port To Guarantee the Transmission Smooth and Stable It provides 8 10/100M RJ45 ports and 1 Gigabit port, Ports. By using CAT5e twisted pairs, it can provide power and data transmission to APs, IP cameras, IP phones, and so on, fully loaded. Outstanding PoE Power Supply Ports 1-8 support IEEE 802.3at and IEEE 802.3af PoE standard. It provides 30W maximum PoE output a single port and 92W the whole device. Transmission Distance up to 250m Equipped with the extension technology, data can be transmitted through 250 meters cable which would be a costeffective replacement for extenders and optical fibers. Excellent Lightning Protection The switch supports 6kV lightning protection for uplink port and 4kV for power supply protection, protecting the switch from thunderstorms and making it more stable. Simple Port VLAN Setup With VLAN Mode on, ports 1 to 8 is isolated from each other, enabling the switch to isolate broadcast storm, improving LAN security and data transmission.
August 2019
37
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38 August 2019
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