Harnessing Hardened Switchmode Technology for Power Resilience | SENS

High-frequency switchmode power conversion technology has been in use in nearly every segment of the economy, including demanding aerospace and military power systems that must function despite the harshest physical and electromagnetic environments any technology must endure.
 
Yet many power utilities and industrial applications have been slow to switch from 1950s-era SCR technology to the only slightly newer switchmode technology. This is despite the overwhelming advantages of switchmode technology in size, weight, performance cost, efficiency, and even standards compliance (energy efficiency regulations mean that SCR chargers have been illegal for sale in California and Oregon since 2017).

Bill Kaewert, CEO & CTO of SENS,  explored switchmode vs SCR, including:

• Reasons that power utilities might have viewed switchmode technology with skepticism
• How switchmode power conversion technology can be hardened for utility/industrial application
• Trends of factory costs for both SCR and switchmode platforms from 2019 through 2023
• A rare comparison of SCR versus switchmode field failure results by a company manufacturing both technologies in similar volume

Watch the recording:

Meet our host and panelist for this episode