Voltage Regulators

Basically there are two types of transistor voltage regulators. They are
1)Series Voltage Regulators
2)Shunt Voltage Regulators.
Each type of circuit can provide an output dc voltage that is regulated or maintained at a
predetermined value even if the input voltage varies or the load connected to the output terminal
changes.

SERIES VOLTAGE REGULATOR

The basic connection of a series voltage regulator circuit is shown in the block diagram given in the
figure below. The series element controls the magnitude of the input voltage that gets to the output.
The output voltage is sampled by a circuit that provides feedback voltage to be compared to a
reference voltage.
If the output voltage increases the comparator circuit provides a control signal to cause the series
control element to reduce the magnitude of the output voltage thereby maintaining the output
voltage. On the other hand, if the output voltage falls, the comparator circuit provides a control
signal to cause the series control element to increase the magnitude of output voltage.
Simple emitter follower voltage regulator

One of the simplest implementations of this concept is to use a single pass transistor in the form of
an emitter follower configuration, and a single Zener diode drive by a resistor from the unregulated
supply. This provides a simple form of feedback system to ensure the Zener voltage is maintained at
the output, albeit with a voltage reduction equal to the base emitter junction voltage - 0.6 volts for a
silicon transistor
It is a simple matter to design a series pass voltage regulator circuit like this. Knowing the
maximum current required by the load, it is possible to calculate the maximum emitter current. This
is achieved by dividing the load current, i.e. transistor emitter current by the or hfe of the
transistor.

The Zener diode will generally need a minimum of around 10mA for a small Zener to keep its
regulated voltage. The resistor should then be calculated to provide the base drive current and the
minimum Zener current from a knowledge of the unregulated voltage, Zener voltage and the current
required. [ (Unregulated voltage - Zener voltage ) / current ]. A small margin should be added to the
current to ensure that there is sufficient room for margin when the load, and hence the transistor
base is taking the full current.
The power dissipation capacity for the Zener diode should be calculated for the case when the load
current, and hence the base current is zero. In this case the Zener diode will need to take the full
current passed by the series resistor.
SHUNT VOLTAGE REGULATOR
Shunt voltage regulator provides regulation by shunting current away from the load. The block
diagram of such a voltage regulator is depicted in the figure. The input unregulated voltage provides
current to the load. Some of this current is shunted away by the control element to maintain the
regulated output voltage across the load. If the output voltage tends to change due to change in load,
the sampling circuit provides a feedback signal to a comparator circuit which then provides a
control signal to vary the magnitude of current shunted away from the load. For example, the output
voltage tends to fall, the sampling circuit provides a feedback signal to the comparator circuit which
then provides a control signal to draw lesser shunt current, providing more load current, thereby
keeping the regulated voltage constant.

Operation
As there is a voltage drop in the series resistance Rseries the unregulated voltage is also decreased
along with it. The amount of voltage drop depends on the current supplied t the load Rload. The
value of the voltage across the load depends on the zener diode and the transistor base emitter
voltage Vbe.
Thus, the output voltage can be written as
Vout = Vzener + Vbe = Vin I.Rseries
The output remains nearly a constant as the values of Vzener and Vbe are nearly constant. This
condition is explained below. When the supply voltage increases, the output voltage and base
emitter voltage of transistor increases and thus increases the base current Ibase and therefore causes
an increase in the collector current Icoll (Icoll = .Ibase).
Thus, the supply voltage increases causing an increase in supply current, which inturn causes a
voltage drop i the series resistance Rseries and thereby decreasing the output voltage. This decrease
will be more than enough to compensate for the initial increase in output voltage. Thus, the output
remains nearly a constant. The working explained above happens in reverse if the supply voltage
decreases.
When the load resistance Rload decreases, the load current Iload increases due to the decrease in
currents through base and collector Ibase and Icoll. Thus, there will not be any voltage drop across
Rseries and the input current remains constant. Thus, the output voltage will remain constant and
will be the difference of the supply voltage and the voltage drop in the series resistance. It happens
in reverse if there is an increase in load resistance.