A battery system for a vehicle is provided with discharge circuits (R1, 129A through 129D, 128A through 128D) that discharge battery cells (BC1 through BC4) via measurement lines of those battery cells (BC1 through BC4). A control circuit transmits to an integrated circuit (3A) a first discharge command that causes discharge of the odd numbered battery cells (BC1 and BC3) of a cell group (GB1), a first transmission command that causes transmission to the control circuit of the terminal voltages of only the odd numbered battery cells (BC1 and BC3) measured during execution of the first discharge command, a second discharge command that causes discharge of the even numbered battery cells (BC2 and BC4) of the cell group (GB1), and a second transmission command that causes transmission to the control circuit of the terminal voltages of only the even numbered battery cells (BC2 and BC4) measured during execution of the second discharge command; and, based on the these various terminal voltages transmitted from the integrated circuit (3A), the control circuit diagnoses abnormalities in the system that includes the battery cells, the measurement lines, and the discharge circuits.

In a method for transferring energy between at least two energy storage cells in a controllable energy store that serves to control and to supply electrical energy to an n-phase electric machine, which energy store has n power supply arms which each have at least two series-connected energy storage modules which each include at least one electrical energy storage cell with an associated controllable coupling unit, and are connected to one respective phase of the electric machine, in a charging phase, all coupling units of those energy storage modules which are to be used as an energy source are controlled in such a way that the respectively associated energy storage cells are connected into the respective power supply arm.

A method for charging an assembled battery including series circuits connected in parallel, each of the series circuits including series-connected lead storage batteries, using a single charger is provided. The method includes: a first step of obtaining a first index value, corresponding to a resistance value of a first series circuit with a correlative relationship, the first series circuit having a lowest resistance value; a second step of obtaining a second index value corresponding to a resistance value of a second series circuit with a correlative relationship, the second series circuit having a highest resistance value; a third step of performing normal charging, in which the assembled battery is charged with a first amount of charge corresponding to the first index value; and a fourth step of performing refresh charging, in which the assembled battery is charged with a second amount of charge corresponding to the second index value.

State based full and empty control for rechargeable batteries that will assure a uniform battery empty condition, even in the presence of a load on the battery. A fuel gauge provides a prediction of the open circuit voltage of the battery, and when the predicted open circuit voltage of the battery reaches the predetermined open circuit voltage of an empty battery, the load is terminated, after which the battery will relax back to the predetermined open circuit voltage of an empty battery. A similar technique is disclosed for battery charging, allowing faster battery charging without overcharging. Preferably an RC battery model is used as the fuel gauge to provide the prediction, but as an alternative, a coulomb counter may be used to provide the prediction, with error correction between successive charge discharge cycles.

A controller for controlling a flow cell battery system is provided. The controller operates the flow cell battery system in a plurality of states including a plating state, a charging state and a discharge state.

A battery pack, and a method of controlling the battery pack are disclosed. The battery pack detects consumption current when a load is not turned on, and shuts off power when a load is turned off or in stand-by mode, thereby preventing consumption current of the load from flowing.

Temperature characteristics of battery cells are detected. In accordance with one or more embodiments, an intercept frequency is detected for each battery cell, at which frequency an imaginary part of a plot of impedance values of the battery cell exhibits a zero crossing. The impedance values correspond to current injected into the cell. A temperature of the cell is determined based upon the detected intercept frequency for the cell and stored data that models operation of the cell. Various approaches are implemented with different types of circuits coupled to detect the impedance values of the respective cells.

A disclosed battery protecting circuit includes a battery protecting IC powered by a voltage of a secondary battery; another battery protecting IC powered by a voltage of another secondary battery connected to the secondary battery in series; and a constant voltage output unit which receives a maximum voltage obtained by adding voltages of the secondary battery and the other secondary battery in series and outputs a constant voltage upon receipt of a control signal from an output terminal of the battery protecting IC or the other battery protecting IC.

The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adapt the charging of a battery using data which is representative of an overpotential or relaxation time (full or partial) of the battery. In another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to calculate data which is representative of an overpotential or relaxation time (full or partial) of the battery. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to calculate data which is representative of a state of charge of the battery using an overpotential or relaxation time (full or partial) of the battery.

A charging device with a battery management system which remains a rechargeable battery in full capacity during standby after being fully charged is disclosed. The charging device includes a charging module, electrically connected to a power source, for charging the rechargeable battery; a voltage detecting module, for detecting a voltage of the rechargeable battery; and a determination module, for instructing the charging module to charge the rechargeable battery with a supplementary current, when the voltage of the rechargeable battery detected by the voltage detecting module reduces to a first predetermined voltage, until the voltage of the rechargeable battery reaches a second predetermined voltage. A reduction of the voltage of the rechargeable battery is due to self-discharge of the rechargeable battery during standby after being fully charged.

Circuitry and techniques to measure, at the battery's terminals, characteristic(s) of the charging signal applied to the battery/cell during the recharging operation and, in response to feedback data which indicates the charging signal is out-of-specification, control or instruct the charging circuitry to adjust characteristic(s) of the recharging signal (e.g., the amplitude of the voltage of and/or current applied to or removed from the battery during the charging operation). For example, a rechargeable battery pack comprising a battery, and controllable switch(es), a current meter and voltmeter, all of which are fixed to the battery. Control circuitry generates control signal(s) to adjust a current and/or voltage of the charging signal using the feedback data from the current meter and/or voltmeter, respectively.

A method for operating a driverless, mobile assembly and/or material transport unit as a driverless transport system (DTS) with fixed assembly and/or warehousing stations. In this method, a system control device is used for the entire assembly process. The driverless, mobile assembly and/or material transport units comprises a travel device for the traveling movement of the unit, a drive device for the travel device, an energy storage device for providing the energy for the drive device and a control device for controlling the traveling movement in coordination with the system control device.

Systems and methods to determine cell capacities of a vehicle battery pack. Cell capacities may be determined using state of charge (SOC) estimates for the cells and a charge count for the battery pack. The SOC estimates may be determined when the SOC of the battery pack is below a lower threshold and above an upper threshold. Error values may also be generated for the cell capacity values.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a recharging device includes a recharging port that receives a flameless candle and recharges a battery in the candle. The recharging device includes a first stacking structure that has a top portion and a bottom portion. There is a top stacking contact on the top portion. An electrical power bus is connected with the top stacking contact. The electrical power bus is also configured to provide electrical power to the flameless candle through the recharging port. The top portion of the first stacking structure is configured to mate with a bottom portion of a first stacking structure of another recharging device.

A portable solar power supply includes a solar-powered charger including a solar cell; a circuit board including a power management unit, a buck-boost converter unit, a charging control unit, a data management unit, an on/off switch, a set of indicators, a power inlet, a power outlet, a first connector, a wireless communications member, a line transmission member, a data storage member, an RFID member, an SD card member, a USB port, a Micro USB port, and a solar charging member; and holes; and a rechargeable battery including at least one electrochemical cell each shaped to partially contain the solar-powered charger and including a second connector, a third connector, snapping members, and slots. The second connector is capable of connecting to the first connector or the third connector, and the snapping members are capable of being retained in the holes or the slots.

A system and method for digital management and control of power conversion from battery cells. The system utilizes a power management and conversion module that uses a CPU to maintain a high power conversion efficiency over a wide range of loads and to manage charge and discharge operation of the battery cells. The power management and conversion module includes the CPU, a current sense unit, a charge/discharge unit, a DC-to-DC conversion unit, a battery protection unit, a fuel gauge and an internal DC regulation unit. Through intelligent power conversion and charge/discharge operations, a given battery type is given the ability to emulate other battery types by conversion of the output voltage of the battery and adaptation of the charging scheme to suit the battery.

Systems and methods for in-vehicle charging of pallet jack batteries are provided. An example system allows using a power source of a host vehicle configured to provide power at voltage levels lower than the operating voltage of the pallet jack battery stack. The system may allow, for example, charging a 24 volts pallet jack battery stack from a 12 volts power source of the host vehicle. The system may further comprise an interconnecting circuit having a plurality of contactors electrically coupling the batteries in parallel for charging and serially for discharging. The system may further comprise a voltage monitoring circuit to detect whether the pallet jack is connected to the host vehicle power source for charging. Based on the detection, the voltage monitoring circuit may reconfigure the interconnecting circuit to electrically couple the pallet jack batteries in parallel.

A battery includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a first battery module, a second battery module, and a third batter module. The first battery module and the second battery module includes a first pole, a second pole, a plurality of battery cells, a charge and disconnect device, a disconnect device, and a bridging device. The third battery module includes a first pole, a second pole, a plurality of battery cells, a first disconnect device, a second disconnect device, and a bridging device. The first and second poles of the first battery module are connected in series with the first terminal and the first pole of the third battery module. The first and second poles of the second battery module are connected in series with the second terminal and the second pole of the third batter module.

An apparatus for charging an automobile battery is presented. The device provides a surface charge with a time limited window in which to start a vehicle. Use of used batteries provides for environmentally effective manner in which to deal with the tremendous amount of used batteries that are discarded worldwide each year. The apparatus may optionally include a charging circuit to allow for recharging the used batteries. An LED display may be included to provide indication when a target battery has sufficient surface charge to warrant an attempt to start an engine. The apparatus is a small portable device that can be stored anywhere in a vehicle.

A standby battery box for an electric cylinder is electrically connected to a control box for driving the electric cylinder and includes a charge-discharge device and a rechargeable battery. The charge-discharge device includes a protection unit, a power conversion unit, a voltage detection unit, a control unit, a discharge unit, a display unit, and a switch unit. The rechargeable battery is electrically connected to the charge-discharge device. When a startup switch of the switch unit is pressed, the charge-discharge device delivers the electricity of the rechargeable battery into the control box. When a shutoff switch of the switch unit is pressed, the charge-discharge device does not supply power, thereby protecting the standby battery box from being exhausted.

A battery system is disclosed. The battery system includes a plurality of battery cells, and a battery cell balancing unit, configured to adjust voltages across each of the battery cells to reduce variation among the voltages across the battery cells. The battery cell balancing unit includes a controller configured to receive a DC reference current and to generate an AC current based on the DC reference current, a transformer, a rectifier circuit including a rectifier connected to the output coil, and a switching unit including a plurality of switches, each configured to selectively connect the rectifier to one of the battery cells.

A stand for a portable electronic device includes a device receiving side including a coupling component for engaging with the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is in a first orientation relative to the device receiving side and when the portable electronic device is in a second orientation relative to the device receiving side. The stand also includes a first support side adjacent to the device receiving side to act as a base when the portable electronic device is in the first orientation, and a second support side adjacent to the first support side to act as a base when the portable electronic device is in the second orientation.

A method for scheduling a charge of a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) includes receiving, by a load management system, PEV information from a PEV plugged into an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE); transformer information from a transformer management system, the transformer information relating to a transformer associated with the EVSE; determining, by the charging information based on the PEV information and transformer information; providing the charging information to the PEV.

Disclosed herein is a battery pack including a battery cell array including two or more battery cells, each of which has an electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure disposed in a battery case together with an electrolyte in a sealed state, arranged in a lateral direction, a protection circuit module (PCM) connected to an upper end of the battery cell array to control an operation of the battery pack, a pack case in which the battery cell array and the protection circuit module are disposed, and a plate-shaped reinforcing member mounted between the pack case and the battery cell array to increase mechanical strength of the pack case.

A belt battery charger includes a belt having a first end, a second end and an elongated central portion extending between the first and second ends. A plurality of electrically connected rechargeable batteries are carried by the central portion of the belt. A belt buckle located at the first end of the belt includes a frame that is secured to the central portion of the belt. The buckle further includes a prong in the form of an electrical connector electrically connected to the batteries and pivotally secured to the frame. The second end of the belt includes a number of spaced apart eyelets passing therethrough. The prong is shaped so as to be able to enter one of the eyelets to secure the second end of the belt to the buckle in the conventional manner. A second electrical connector is located adjacent the second end of the belt and is also connected to the batteries. One of said connectors is adapted to be connected to a cell phone for charging the same.

A battery fuel gauge apparatus comprises a current amplifier formed by a first transistor and a second transistor. Both transistors operate in the same operation conditions except that the second transistor has a smaller channel width in comparison with that of the first transistor. The first transistor is connected in series with a battery pack. The second transistor is connected in series with a sensing device. The sensing device comprises a first resistor and a second resistor connected in series. The first resistor has a positive temperature coefficient and the second resistor has a negative temperature coefficient.

There is provided a battery controller including a storing unit which stores an upper limit voltage and a lower limit voltage, each defining a first voltage range in which a battery is charged/discharged, and a second upper limit voltage and a second lower limit voltage, each defining a second voltage range which is wider than the first voltage range, and a charge/discharge regulation unit which temporarily changes, when charge/discharge is performed in the first voltage range and permission for charge/discharge in the second voltage is received, setting of the battery such that charge/discharge is performed in the second voltage range.

According to some embodiments, battery charge management using a scheduling application is disclosed. A first parameter may be received from a scheduling application running on a mobile computing device having a battery pack. Based on at least the first parameter and battery pack data, a required charge percentage for the battery pack may be determined and the remaining capacity of the battery pack may be determined. If the remaining capacity of the battery pack is less than the required charge percentage, a charge termination voltage may be determined and the battery pack may be charged to the charge termination voltage.

An apparatus for minimizing self-discharge of a smart battery pack is provided. During initial storage of the smart battery pack (100), prior to be being charged, a self-discharge protection circuit (110) disables smart battery circuitry (130). A minimal current drain is maintained while the smart battery circuitry (130) is disabled. Upon coupling of the smart battery pack (100) to a charger, the protections circuit (110) enables the smart battery circuitry (130). Battery packs having to be shipped with partially drained cells as part of shipping precaution requirements are no longer faced with the additional drainage problem previously caused by the smart battery circuitry (130) during storage.

A semiconductor device for battery control includes a CPU, a first bus coupled to the CPU, a second bus not coupled to the CPU, and a protective function circuit for protecting a battery from stress applied thereto. The semiconductor device also includes a non-volatile memory storing trimming data, a trimming circuit to perform trimming required to allow the protective function circuit to exert a protective function, and a bus control circuit capable of selectively coupling the first bus and the second bus to the non-volatile memory. The semiconductor device further includes a transfer logic circuit which causes, by making the bus control circuit select the second bus, a trimming data transfer path leading from the non-volatile memory to the trimming circuit to be formed and the trimming data stored in the non-volatile memory to be transferred to the trimming circuit without involving the CPU.

A battery pack and an electronic device are disclosed. The battery pack includes a battery for storing electric energy, and a non-contacting discharging unit for receiving the stored electric energy from the battery and for transferring the stored electric energy to a power receiving unit in a non-electrically contacting manner. The electronic device includes a main body and the battery pack. The main body includes a power receiving unit. The battery pack is for mounting to and supplying power to the main body.

There is provided a battery module including: a power storage unit storing power; a first authentication unit carrying out first authentication via a first authentication route; a second authentication unit carrying out second authentication via a second authentication route; and a discharging control unit controlling discharging from the power storage unit to an external appliance, wherein the first authentication unit is operable, when the first authentication has succeeded, to share key information to be used in the second authentication with an authentication party for the second authentication, the second authentication unit carries out the second authentication using the key information shared with the authentication party, and the discharging control unit is operable, when the second authentication has succeeded, to permit discharging from the power storage unit.

A battery voltage detector includes, but is not limited to: a voltage detection circuit; and a voltage processor. The voltage detection circuit includes, but is not limited to: a capacitor configured to be charged by a battery cell; a pair of output terminals; an output switch; and a voltage processor. While the capacitor is charged, the output switch is configured to be off-state and insulate the capacitor from the pair of the output terminals. After the capacitor is charged, the output switch is configured to be on-state and connect the capacitor to the pair of the output terminals. The voltage processor is configured to obtain, as a cell voltage, a voltage between the output terminals of the voltage detection circuit while the output switch is on-state. A high-potential output terminal of the pair of the output terminals is connected to a power line via a pull-up resistor.

A method includes steps of dividing resistance R into a physical and chemical resistances Ro and Rp, obtaining corrected open-circuit voltages Vo corresponding to setting currents Ia to Ix, acquiring predicted reaching voltages Va to Vx corresponding to the setting currents Ia to Ix, and creating a current-voltage curve. The corrected open-circuit voltages Vo are obtained to predict available maximum currents I—target in a particular time t2. The predicted reaching voltages Va to Vx are acquired based on corrected physical and chemical resistances Ro and Rp, and the corrected open-circuit voltages Vo. The current-voltage curve is creased based on the setting currents Ia to Ix and the predicted reaching voltages Va to Vx to acquire upper and lower limit voltages Vmax and Vmin, and upper and lower limit currents Imax and Imin at a temperature whereby assigning these limit currents to available maximum currents I—target in charging and discharging operations, respectively.

The present embodiments provide a control system and method that is able to automatically start and/or stop a portable engine-driven power source. For example, in one embodiment, a system includes an engine-driven power source having an engine, a compressor driven by the engine, a sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a demand for air pressure from the compressor and a second signal indicative of no demand for air pressure from the compressor. The engine-driven power source also includes a controller configured to stop the engine in response to the second signal.

The excitation overcurrent detection unit for the doubly-fed electric machine is provided with a function to determine an excitation current magnitude relationship among three phases. The firing pulse is held to on-state or off-state to cause the largest-current phase and the second-largest-current phase to charge the DC capacitor by the operation of diodes. The conduction ratio of the third-largest-current phase or minimum current phase is controlled according to the detected current value to protect against a possible short-circuit across the DC capacitor. When the voltage of the DC capacitor exceeds a preset value, the voltage is suppressed by operating active or passive power devices.

A rotary electric machine for a vehicle that is capable of starting synchronous rectification through switching elements after having ensured absence of a short circuit fault. The rotary electric machine includes a multi-phase armature winding, a switching element set that includes a plurality of pairs of upper-arm and lower-arm switching elements to form a bridge rectification circuit together with the armature winding, an on/off-timing setter that sets on/off-timing of each switching element, a switching element driver that drives each switching element at the on/off-timing set by the on/off-timing setter; and a synchronous control start determiner that determines timing when an energization period for the upper-arm switching element and an energization period for the lower-arm switching element occur alternately as start timing of the synchronous rectification.

The present invention provides a method and a device for primary frequency regulation based on bang-bang control, the method comprises: obtaining in real-time a power grid frequency of a steam turbine generator set; performing a subtraction operation on a rated power grid frequency and said power grid frequency to generate a power grid frequency difference; performing a dead zone process on the power grid frequency difference according to a dead zone fixed value to generate a frequency difference; performing a frequency difference compensation operation on the frequency difference to generate a frequency difference compensation instruction; and combining an original primary frequency regulation output instruction with the frequency difference compensation instruction and outputting the result to a steam turbine speed regulation system when a selecting switch is 1.

A wind energy plant comprising a rotor having blades and a generator driven by said rotor for generating electric energy. The pitch of the blades can be adjusted and a pitch system for adjusting the pitch angle of the blades is provided, which is supplied by a hub power source. An additional electric load is provided on the hub. A pitch power control device is provided which dynamically distributes the power of the hub power source between the pitch system and the additional electric load and further acts on the pitch system such that its power consumption during high-load operation is reduced. Thus, the power consumption of the pitch system during high-load operation can be reduced and additional power provided for operating the additional load. Even large additional loads, such as a blade heater, can be operated in this way, without having to boost the hub power source.

The control system of this floating wind turbine generator is a control system of a floating wind turbine generator in which the control system controls a pitch angle control section by a pitch angle instruction value calculated on the basis of signals detected by a second sensor detecting a relative angle between a nacelle and a tower and a third sensor detecting a yaw angle from a reference position of the tower so that a signal detected by a first sensor detecting wind direction deviation relative to a vertical direction of a rotation plane of wind turbine blades indicates an angle within a predetermined range from the vertical direction of the rotation plane of the wind turbine blades, and controls a yaw driving device by a yaw driving instruction value calculated on the basis of the signals detected by the second sensor and the third sensor.

A DC chopper comprising a control unit and a power circuit and a DC chopping method for a DFIG (doubly fed induction generator) system are provided. The input terminal of the control unit is coupled to a DC capacitor of a converter to detect a DC voltage. The power circuit includes input terminals, an overvoltage protection module, a rectifier module and output terminals. The overvoltage protection module comprises at least one discharge unit formed from a discharge resistor and a switch element, and the rectifier module is coupled in parallel to the overvoltage protection module. When a grid voltage drops, the control unit outputs a corresponding control signal to drive the switch element to be ON or OFF, and the output terminal of the power circuit absorbs a portion of rotor inrush current, so as to impose over-current protection.

A method for converting heat to electric energy is described which involves thermally cycling an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes. The material is heated by extracting thermal energy from a gas to condense the gas into a liquid and transferring the thermal energy to the electrically polarizable material. An apparatus is also described which includes an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes and a heat exchanger for heating the material in thermal communication with a heat source, wherein the heat source is a condenser. An apparatus is also described which comprises a chamber, one or more conduits inside the chamber for conveying a cooling fluid and an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes on an outer surface of the conduit. A gas introduced into the chamber condenses on the conduits and thermal energy is thereby transferred from the gas to the electrically polarizable material.

A wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a generator, an output thereof being connectable to a power grid via a power transmission path, the power transmission path comprising a generator side converter coupled to the output of the generator, a grid side converter coupled to the power grid, and a DC link coupled between the generator side converter and the grid side converter. For diverting the generator power, a load dump arrangement is provided which includes at least one resistor, a plurality of switches, and a plurality of electrical connections which electrically connect the at least one resistor to the output of the generator and across the DC link via the plurality of switches. One common and configurable load dump is used for both converter system failures and grid failures. As compared to two separate load dumps for converter failures and grid failures, the single load dump will require a smaller space for a wind turbine. Thus, the weight and size of the power converter system may be reduced.

Some embodiments relate to a method of controlling speed of a variable speed generator. The method includes detecting a load of the variable speed generator and determining a target speed for the variable speed generator based on the load supplied by the variable speed generator. The method further includes using a controller to adjust the speed of the variable speed generator based on the target speed. The method may further include correcting the target speed by calculating a correction factor that corrects the target speed based on a voltage produced by the variable speed generator.

Systems and methods for monitoring excitation of a generator based on a faulty status of a generator breaker are provided. According to one embodiment, a system may include a controller and a processor communicatively coupled to the controller. The processor may be configured to receive, from a contact associated with a generator breaker, a reported status of the generator breaker, receive operational data associated with one or more parameters of a generator associated with the generator breaker, and correlate the reported status of the generator breaker and the operational data. Based on the correlation, the processor may establish an actual status of the generator breaker, and, based on the actual status, selectively modify a mode of excitation of the generator.

According to an embodiment, a method of operating a wind turbine comprising a DC-to-AC voltage converter is provided, the wind turbine being connectable to a grid via the DC-to-AC voltage converter, the method comprising: determining a line voltage of a power line connecting the DC-to-AC voltage converter to the grid; if the determined line voltage exceeds a predefined voltage threshold value, injecting reactive current into the power line, wherein the amount of reactive current injected is chosen such that an output voltage of the DC-to-AC voltage converter is kept within a predetermined voltage range.

A DC motor assembly (10) with soft starting capability is provided. The assembly (10) comprises a DC motor (12) including an armature (14) and a field winding (16) adapted to be excited separately from the armature; and circuitry configured to controllably increase current flow through the field winding of the DC motor as a function of time during starting of the DC motor.

A system configured for charging and distribution control is provided. The system includes a switching regulator, a control circuit and a first converter. The switching regulator is configured to be selectively operable in one of a first operative state and a second operative state based on a control signal. The first operative state and the second operative state are associated with a maximum level of an alternator output power corresponding to at least one alternator operational feature, at least one alternator operational feature being associated with the alternator output voltage and an alternator speed. The control circuit is configured to generate the control signal based at least on the at least one alternator operational feature. The first converter is configured to generate a first converter output voltage based on the regulated DC output voltage. The first converter output voltage is lower than the regulated DC output voltage.

The regulator/brush-holder assembly (1) comprises a support (2) and an electrical circuit (5, 6) comprising a regulating element (5) connected by microwires to a trace circuit (6). The electrical circuit further includes a filtering circuit (10) separate from the regulating element and connected by microwires to the trace circuit. According to one particular embodiment, the filtering circuit comprises an insulating substrate (11) and surface-mounted components (C1, C2, S1, S2, V). A ground plane (19) and/or one or more ground pads may be provided for connection to a ground trace of the trace circuit. The filtration frequencies of the filter circuit extend from 100 kHz to 1 GHz.

A method for converting heat to electric energy is described which involves thermally cycling an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes. The material is heated using thermal energy obtained from: a combustion reaction; solar energy; a nuclear reaction; ocean water; geothermal energy; or thermal energy recovered from an industrial process. An apparatus is also described which includes an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes and a heat exchanger for heating the material. The heat source used to heat the material can be: a combustion apparatus; a solar thermal collector; or a component of a furnace exhaust device. Alternatively, the heat exchanger can be a device for extracting thermal energy from the earth, the sun, ocean water, an industrial process, a combustion reaction or a nuclear reaction. A vehicle is also described which comprises an apparatus for converting heat to electrical energy connected to an electric motor.