Why You Should Crush Your Beer Fridge and Other Appliances

EE Times Current · 2 Dec 2022 · 26m

What this episode covers

Doug Bailey, VP of Marketing and Applications Engineering at Power Integrations, explains why old refrigerators are energy parasites and how modern power electronics can drastically reduce their consumption. He details the inefficiencies of AC motors in older units versus variable-speed inverter-driven brushless DC motors in new models, highlighting the role of GaN devices in minimizing switching losses. Bailey also discusses Power Integrations' ecoSmart mode and BridgeSwitch technology, which improve efficiency in both motor drives and power supplies, arguing that higher upfront component costs are offset by reduced heat sink and enclosure expenses.

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