[Tanley]

These guys are focusing on conversion processes that claim efficiency improvements of up to 50% over existing technology. While their current focus is AC to DC in consumer electronics, I wonder if it could eventually be applied to DC/AC inverters?


A potentially disruptive electronics startup you should know about: Transphorm ? Tech News and Analysis

 

[Jaramaz]

These guys are focusing on conversion processes that claim efficiency improvements of up to 50% over existing technology. While their current focus is AC to DC in consumer electronics, I wonder if it could eventually be applied to DC/AC inverters?


A potentially disruptive electronics startup you should know about: Transphorm ? Tech News and Analysis

Well, these guys do not claim to increase efficiency by 50% over existing technology. Their claim is to decrease the losses by 50% which is something different, as the typical power efficiency of a modern AC/DC converter is about 80-90%.

Anyhow, they will use GaN semiconductors, probably at a rather high switching frequency, which is forecasted to improve efficiency. Same technology can also be used for DC/DC converters (eg 12 -> 5 V), and most likely also improve DC/AC invertors. However, inverting DC -> AC is more difficult, in particular if sine wave (instead of square wave) should be created, losses are inevitable.

/J

 

[Jaramaz]

Mmmm, it's cooking. MIT Technology Review just mentions Finsix new laptop chargers, slightly larger than a usual plug. (see either MIT tech review, or Finsix homepage at FINsix).

Finsix says there are switching on 100 MHz which probably is a sensible choice - no rf difficulties, and still far away from the 50 / 60 HZ in the power network. No info on actual solution, but hints at GaN.

Good, more than one company in this area. Some promise for the future.

/J