Electronic Circuits (DKT214) 2011/2012

Laboratory Module

EXPERIMENT 5
Voltage regulator
1.

OBJECTIVE:
1.1
1.2
1.3

2.

To understand concept of the line regulation and load regulation.

To analyze the output voltage regulators is constant over time.
To understand the low current power supplies a simple voltage regulator.

INTRODUCTION:

DC power supplies regulate the voltage using a shunt regulator such as a zener
diode, avalanche breakdown diode, or voltage regulator tube. Each of these devices
begins conducting at a specified voltage and will conduct as much current as
required to hold its terminal voltage to that specified voltage. The power supply is
designed to only supply a maximum amount of current that is within the safe
operating capability of the shunt regulating device (commonly, by using a series
resistor).
If the stabilizer must provide more power, the shunt regulator output is only used to
provide the standard voltage reference for the electronic device, known as the
voltage stabilizer. The voltage stabilizer is the electronic device, able to deliver much
larger currents.

Active regulators
Active regulators employ at least one active (amplifying) component such as a
transistor or operational amplifier. Shunt regulators are often (but not always) passive
and simple, but always inefficient because they (essentially) dump the excess current
not needed by the load. When more power must be supplied, more sophisticated
circuits are used. In general, these active regulators can be divided into several
classes:

Linear series regulators

Switching regulators

Linear regulators
Linear regulators are based on devices that operate in their linear region (in contrast,
a switching regulator is based on a device forced to act as an on/off switch). In the
past, one or more vacuum tubes were commonly used as the variable resistance.
Modern designs use one or more transistors instead, perhaps within an Integrated
Circuit. Linear designs have the advantage of very "clean" output with little noise
introduced into their DC output, but are most often much less efficient and unable to
step-up or invert the input voltage like switched supplies. All linear regulators require
a higher input than the output. If the input voltage approaches the desired output
voltage, the regulator will "drop out". The input to output voltage differential at which
this occurs is known as the regulator's drop-out voltage.

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Laboratory Module

Switching regulators
Switching regulators rapidly switch a series device on and off. The duty cycle of the
switch sets how much charge is transferred to the load. This is controlled by a similar
feedback mechanism as in a linear regulator. Because the series element is either
fully conducting, or switched off, it dissipates almost no power; this is what gives the
switching design its efficiency. Switching regulators are also able to generate output
voltages which are higher than the input, or of opposite polarity something not
possible with a linear design.

Zener Diode
A Zener diode is a special kind of diode which allows current to flow in the forward
direction same as an ideal diode, but will also permit it to flow in the reverse direction
when the voltage is above a certain value known as the breakdown voltage, "Zener
knee voltage" or "Zener voltage." When the reverse bias breakdown voltage is
exceeded, a conventional diode is subject to high current due to avalanche
breakdown. Unless this current is limited by circuitry, the diode will be permanently
damaged due to overheating. In case of large forward bias (current in the direction of
the arrow), the diode exhibits a voltage drop due to its junction built-in voltage and
internal resistance. The amount of the voltage drop depends on the semiconductor
material and the doping concentrations.
With the conventional device, a reverse-biased Zener diode will exhibit a controlled
breakdown and allow the current to keep the voltage across the Zener diode close to
the Zener breakdown voltage. For example, a diode with a Zener breakdown voltage
of 3.2 V will exhibit a voltage drop of very nearly 3.2 V across a wide range of reverse
currents. The Zener diode is therefore ideal for applications such as the generation of
a reference voltage (e.g. for an amplifier stage), or as a voltage stabilizer for lowcurrent applications.

2.1 Ohms Law:

V=IR

(2.1)

where V (voltage, in V or volts),I (Current, in A or Amperes) and R

(Resistance in Ohms or )
2.2 Diode forward resistance
Rf
3.

V d
I d

COMPONENT AND EQUIPMENT:

3.1
Resistors:
3.1.1 4.7k
3.1.2 4.7k
3.1.3 10k
3.2 1N4735A (for Stability Power Supply)
3.3 0 15 V dc power supply
3.4 Multimeter
3.5 Breadboard

(2.2)

Electronic Circuits (DKT214) 2011/2012

4.

Laboratory Module

PROCEDURE:
4.1. Measuring Voltage across a Forward Biased diode:
4.1.1 Take your multimeter and select a low-resistance meter range.
4.1.2 Connect the positive lead of the multimeter to the diodes anode. Let
the negative lead connected to the diodes cathode terminal, as shown
in Figure 2.2.
4.1.3 Note the resistance reading. Write your result in Table 2.1.
IN4735A

Figure 2.2 Voltage measurement by using multimeter

4.2 Measuring Voltage across a Reverse Biased diode.

4.2.1 Now try connecting the meters leads in the reverse order. (Reverse
the meters leads so that its positive terminal is connected to the
cathode terminal of the diode)
4.2.2 Record your result in Table 2.1.
(NOTE: Some multimeters have the polarity of their leads reversed
from the normal sense; that is, the positive lead is actually wired to
the internal batterys negative terminal. In this case, the forward and
reverse resistance readings will be the opposite of those indicated in
these two steps.)

4.3 Construct the circuit shown in Figure 4.1.

Figure 4.1 Power Supply Regulator.

Electronic Circuits (DKT214) 2011/2012

Laboratory Module

4.3.1

Connect the voltage regulator output circuit to a 4.7k resistor

which acts as the load resistance, RLoad. For testing purposes, set
the power supply at 0V. Connect the Common terminal to the bottom
of the diode and capacitor, C1.

4.3.2

Connect the +20V terminal of the power supply to the transistor

collector and R1.

4.3.3

Vary the values of power supply voltage, VIN, starting at 0 volts

increasing the supply by 1V steps until it reaches 9V. Measure the
output capacitor voltage, Vcap. Record your result in Table 2.2.

(As increase the power supply voltage, keep an eye on the ammeter on your
power supply. If it moves noticeably, immediately turn the voltage backdown
and check your circuit.)

4.3.4

The line regulation error for the ideal voltage regulator is 0%. With a
single 4.7k resistor as a load for the voltage regulator output, and
a power supply voltage of 9V, measure the output voltage. Change
in the power supply voltage to 8V and then measure the output
voltage.
What is Aline for your voltage regulator?
Aline = VOUT / VIN

4.3.5

Next, for load regulation, a good load regulation means that the
output voltage does not change much with changing load resistance.
To characterize the load regulation of your regulator circuit, set the
power supply voltage at 9V, and see how the output voltage varies.

4.3.6

Measure the regulator output voltage (Vout_new) with a 4.7k

resistance (which means a load current of about 1mA) and with a
load resistance of two 4.7k resistors in parallel (which means a
load current of approximately 2mA).
By using the equation below, calculate the value of Rsupply for
regulator?
Rsupply = VOUT / IOUT
= VOUT / 1mA

Electronic Circuits (DKT214) 2011/2012

Laboratory Module

Name

___________________________

Date: ______________

Matric No.

____________________________

Course : ___________

5.

RESULTS:
Table 2.1

Diode testing with multimeter

Meter Leads
Step

Result

4.1

Anode

Cathode

4.2

Cathode

Anode
(2 M)

Table 2.2

Voltage Value

Power Supplies
Voltage

Diode
Voltage

(VIN)

(Vz)

Voltage across
Capasitor (Vcap) &
4.7 k
Resistor(RLoad)

1V
2V
3V
4V
5V
6V
7V
8V
9V
10 V
(10 M)
Value of Aline = __________________

(0.5 M)

Regulator output voltage (Vout_new) = ___________________

(0.5 M)

Value of Rsupply = _________________

(0.5 M)

If power supply voltage at 9V, how the output voltage varies.

(1.5 M)

Electronic Circuits (DKT214) 2011/2012

6.

Laboratory Module

QUESTIONS:
6.1 Name the two basic categories of voltage regulation
6.2 Analyze the operation of linear series regulation.
6.3 The input certain regulator increases by 4.5V. As a result, the output
voltage increases by 0.0045V. The nominal output is 30. Determine the
line regulation in % and in %/V.

7.

CONCLUSION:

Based on your experiment, make an overall conclusion for voltage regulator.