SMC

Steve Clark EE 413 Braun Sustainability Analysis

**Energy:** Creating a split-rail power supply in most designs involves using two voltage regulators. A switching regulator consumes less power than a linear regulator therefore the former is more common. "Create a 12-V Split Rail From a 5-V Bias" creates a sustainable solution for powering sensitive analog sensors because it utilizes a single switching regulator and a number of passive storage elements. This provides a very energy efficient solution.

**Environment:** The National Semiconductor chip LM5001A that the design idea uses contains epoxy resin. Epoxy resin usually contains Bisphenol A which is an endocrine disruptor. This particular component makes this item a minor hazardous waste. Most plastics contain this component so this item is no different in that respect. The design reduces the traditional split-rail power supply design to using one regulator so this in effect reduces the amount of Bisphenol A.

**Economics:** The design is very economical because it is small, efficient, and cheap. The entire design requires less than one square inch. Conversion efficiencies greater than 80% are attainable when the output draws 25 to 55 mA. The cost of this chip is $1.85 at purchase of 1000 or more.

**Equity:** The gains in all areas of research benefit from this design. Analog sensors are in widespread use to gather data in all areas of scientific research. Using sustainable products to conduct research is very sustainable for the researcher and the beneficiaries of the research.

**1.** **Conserve and improve natural ecosystems while protecting human health and well-being.**

This design makes power supplies for analog sensors more efficient. These sensors provide data acquisition in research fields that can encourage sustainability and conservationism.

**2.** **Ensure that all material and energy inputs and outputs are as inherently safe and benign as possible.** The epoxy resin is a potential environmental hazard.

**3.** **Minimize depletion of natural resources.** The materials used to create the LM5001 are copper, iron, zinc, lead, and gold. The amount of each of these minerals used to produce this chip are so minimal that they do not have a significant on the available resources.

**4.** **Strive to prevent waste.** This design strives to prevent waste by efficiently converting energy and creating minimally noisy rails.

Reference: 1. [] 2. [] 3. [] 4. [] 5. [] 6. [|http://courseware.ee.calpoly.edu/~dbraun/courses/ee413/SustainabilityAnalysis.html]