Abstract: The invention provides a power surge protection apparatus which includes at least one large capacitor used within a surge protection circuit associated with an electrical load to be protected. This large capacitor or capacitors are arranged to divert and store at least a portion of the energy present in a transient voltage surge to prevent or mitigate damage to the protected electrical load. In preferred embodiments the invention uses large capacitors in the form of electrical double layer capacitors.

Abstract: In one aspect the invention provides a fluid temperature modification apparatus which includes at least one temperature modification element s associated with a fluid conduit. This temperature modification element or elements are located adjacent to an outlet of the fluid conduit. The apparatus also includes at least one energy storage capacitor, and at least one trigger switch which when operated connects one or more energy storage capacitors to a temperature modification element. The operation of a trigger switch at least partially discharges at least one energy storage capacitor to energise a temperature modification element which modifies the temperature of fluid in the conduit adjacent to the outlet port of the conduit.

Abstract: The invention provides a power surge protection apparatus which includes at least one large capacitor used within a surge protection circuit associated with an electrical load to be protected. This large capacitor or capacitors are arranged to divert and store at least a portion of the energy present in a transient voltage surge to prevent or mitigate damage to the protected electrical load. In preferred embodiments the invention uses large capacitors in the form of electrical double layer capacitors.

Abstract: A linear voltage regulator which includes on its input side an array of switched super capacitors coupled between the power source and the load. This apparatus is capable of delivering currents typically from milliamperes to greater than several amperes at very low switching frequencies. In addition by using capacitors rather than resistors or transistor devices to drop voltage on the input side, power consumption is reduced. The array of capacitors is switched by simple analog circuitry or a switching logic with or without a processor subsystem and the capacitors themselves are of the super capacitor type, thus providing very high capacitance, and are effectively series connected during certain phases of operation with the input terminal of the conventional linear voltage regulator portion of the apparatus. Energy stored in the super capacitors during the various phases of operation is reused.

Abstract: A linear voltage regulator which includes on its input side an array of switched super capacitors for increasing the overall efficiency between the power source and the load. This apparatus is capable of delivering currents typically from milliamperes to greater than several amperes at very low switching frequencies, hence effectively reducing noise. In addition by using capacitors rather than resistors or transistor devices to drop voltage on the input side, efficiency is enhanced. The array of capacitors is switched by simple analog circuitry or a switching logic with or without a processor subsystem and the capacitors themselves are of the super capacitor type, thus providing very high capacitance, and are effectively series connected during certain phases of operation with the input terminal of the conventional linear voltage regulator portion of the apparatus. Energy stored in the super capacitors during the various phases of operation is reused to improve efficiency.