Alternative Energy

Hermetic feedthroughs are an increasingly important technology in a variety of alternative energy applications—including smart grids, wind turbines, wave power systems, lithium batteries, hybrid vehicles, alternative fuel vehicles, charging and filling stations, solar energy, and magnetic bearing flywheels.  Hermetic feedthroughs are designed to protect and seal from one environment to another.  Electronics, wires, or power sources are being exposed to liquids and gases generating energy.  Douglas Electrical partners with its customers in the alternative energy space to build customized solutions that enable the transmission of power or signal in these types of environments and new applications, from hydrogen to hermetically sealed battery compartments.

Alternative energy can mean better for the environment, yet also more challenging in terms of operating conditions. Douglas Electrical manufactures electrical feedthroughs for hazardous and non-hazardous environments.  Gas storage systems including at cryogenic temperatures can require hermetic electrical seals between the gas and external environment. These seals often need third-party approvals to standards such as IEC 60079. Douglas Electrical components partners with customers to achieve the standard for customized feedthrough designs as well as offers a standard line of explosion-proof NPT feedthroughs.

While transformers are used in the traditional transmission and distribution market, Douglas also manufactures feedthroughs for this equipment used in alternative energy platforms. Windmills, as an example, use transformers to transmit power generated by the turbine. Douglas manufactures feedthroughs for power and signal applications using wires, connectors, or terminals. These seals can be used in both on and off-shore environments, with a hermetic epoxy designed and various housing options to survive the environmental conditions.