The handbook is divided into six main sections: Definitions, Principles of Operation, AC and Load Connections, Remote Programming, Output Voltage and Current Ratings, and Performance Measurements. Each section contains answers to many of the questions commonly asked by users, What is meant by auto-parallel operation?, What are the advantages and disadvantages of switching regulated supplies?, When should remote sensing at the load be used?, How can ground loops in multiple loads be avoided?, What factors affect programming speed?, What are the techniques for measuring power supply performance?. Regulated power supplies employ engineering techniques drawn from the latest advances in many disciplines such as: low-level, high-power, and wideband amplification techniques; operational amplifier and feedback principles; pulse circuit techniques; and the constantly expanding frontiers of solid state component development.

This book examines the fundamentals of some nontraditional energy processes. Little effort is made to describe the “state of the art” of the technologies involved because, owing to the rapidity with which these technologies change, such description would soon become obsolete. Nevertheless, the underlying principles are immutable and are essential for the comprehension of future developments. An attempt is made to present clear physical explanations of the pertinent principles.We cannot entirely resist tradition. Most of the time we will express pressures in pascals, but we will occasionally use atmospheres because most of the existing data are based on the latter. Sometimes electronvolts are more convenient than joules. Also, expressing energy in barrels of oil or kWh may better convey the idea of cost. On the whole, however, we shall avoid quads, BTUs, calories, and other non-SI units. The reason for this choice is threefold: SI units are easier to use, they have been adopted by most countries, and they are frequently better defined.