Abstract: A DC power plant generating DC power from a variety of engines including a Stirling cycle engine. The DC power plant includes a relatively small start-up power source that is discontinued after the engine is running. A method for producing DC power for a load including starting up an engine using power supplied by a relatively small power supply supplemented by a capacitor bank, providing output from the engine to a generator, producing alternating current (AC) power by the generator, converting the AC power to direct current (DC) power, disabling output of the DC power during a first set of pre-selected conditions, limiting a rate of change of current of the DC power during a second set of pre-selected conditions, reducing conducted and radiated emissions of the DC power, disconnecting the DC power from the load under a third set of pre-selected conditions, and providing the DC power to the load.

Abstract: A soft pack made from a composite laminate blank has inner and outer films 6, 8 of polyethylene laminated to a paper substrate 4. The outer film is formed with an integral tear strip 26 thicker than the remaining film.The blank is folded as a tube around the cigarette bundle, the ends closed by the conventional tuck-and-fold closure and then heat sealed. To one side of the revenue stamp 20 is provided a perforated band 24 which is torn away on pulling of the tear strip.