LABORATORUL 7

STABILIZATOARE

In the UniTr@in-I course "Transistor Voltage Regulators" we use experiments to investigate a stabilizing
circuit with a Darlington transistor while at the same time exploring the circuit's behavior and operating
principle.
In the fault simulation section the knowledge gained in the experiments can be employed in practical and
application-relevant exercises.
Training objectives:

Series stabilization

Series controller

Darlington transistor

Emitter follower

Reference voltage

Series stabilization with Zener diodes

Variable voltage

Transistor voltage regulators SO 4203-8E

Technical data:
Operating voltage:
Output voltage:

+15V DC via multipoint connector

Circuit group:

Darlington transistor TIP 140

Load resistors:

Simulated faults:
Weight:
Dimensions:

Transistor BC 547
120W / 2W
150W / 2W
180W / 2W
3
0.4 kg
Eurocard 160x100 mm

Description of module
The UniTr@in-I experiment card SO 4203-8E "Transistor Voltage Regulators" consists of a voltage
controller with one series and a transverse or parallel transistor. The output voltage can be set within
limits. To investigate the various load states three different load resistors have been included on the
circuit board which can be individually connected using jumpers.
The voltage is supplied via the connector terminal.
Three different faults can be activated to practice systematic fault finding.

Introduction
In most power supplies rectification follows transformation of an AC voltage. The DC voltage
generated in this manner is then smoothed using large capacitors. This voltage is normally still
characterised by a considerable ripple, due to the fact that it makes little sense to select exceedingly
large charge or smoothing capacitors .
However, to suppress this ripple effect and to also obtain a stable voltage which maintains the constant
level of its output voltage even under variable load or fluctuating mains voltage, voltage stabilisation i.e. voltage regulation is a necessity. Frequently power transistors are used for this which are able to
keep the output voltage constant under fluctuating input voltage or changes in load when used in
conjunction with control or stabilisation electronics.
In the following circuit diagram a power supply circuit can be seen in which the respective circuit
component responsible for stabilisation and control has been replaced by a grey box. It is this part of
the circuit which is the focus of the course entitled "Transistor Voltage Regulators".

Voltage stabilisation using a Zener diode

The simplest form of voltage stabilisation is an emitter follower whose base is connected to a reference
voltage source. You can use a Zener diode and a series resistor to obtain this reference voltage from the
unstabilised input voltage.

The controlling element here is a power transistor operating on an analog signal with high current
amplification and connected axially or in series between the input and the output. For that reason this is
also referred to as in-phase or series booster and the method as series stabilisation.
Generally-speaking one disadvantage from which series stabilisation suffers is poor efficiency since
large currents lead to power dissipation which is difficult to handle.

Variable output voltage

If a variable output voltage is required the reference variable is applied to an adjustable voltage divider
- a potentiometer. The reference voltage varied in this manner is connected to the base of the emitter
follower.

Circuit description
The complete power supply circuit contains an additional transistor T2 in addition to the reference
voltage source and the emitter follower. This transistor T2 acts as a comparator between the setpoint
value and the actual value and actually performs the duties of a regulator.
The setpoint is formed by the reference voltage at the Zener diode V1, which is present at the emitter.
The actual value is supplied to the base of T2 via the variable voltage divider consisting of the
potentiometer P1 and the resistor R4.

A portion of the Zener diode current from the unstabilised voltage is supplied via R1. Due to the action
of the Zener diode this leads to a highly constant voltage of approx. 4.7V at measuring point 6.
The base current for the emitter follower T1 is provided via R2. However a portion of this current also
flows through transistor T2.
Should the output voltage become too high, the base-emitter voltage of T2 increases too. T2 starts
conducting, a larger collector current flows in T2, which results in a drop in the base current of T1. The

falling base current leads to a decreasing emitter current for T1 with the result that the output voltage
drops. The circuit thus returns to a stable operating state.
R3 is a 1 W resistor that aids the measurement of current at the collector of the power transistor.
However, in real circuits the objective is to keep the internal impedance of the source as low as possible
to keep power dissipation to a minimum. Even a 1 W resistor here could lead to additional power losses
of a considerable magnitude.
Capacitors C1 and C2 are not essential to the regulating function of the circuit. Nevertheless they are
important in that they suppress oscillation.
For the emitter follower transistor T1 a high-gain power transistor consisting internally of a Darlington
pair is an ideal choice. As high power dissipation can arise here, a heat sink is required to dissipate the
heat.
Experiment 1
In the following experiment the regulator circuit is investigated in terms of its control range to determine its
operating principle. The voltages from the power supply are measured without a load at various settings of
the potentiometer.
Circuit

Set up the experiment as follows:

The controller circuit is provided with power by the 15V power supply of the UniTrain-I system. The
voltage at the output can be adjusted using the potentiometer.

Open voltmeter A from the Instruments menu.

Set the measurement range to 20 V, and the measuring mode to AV (average
value).
Determine the limits of adjustment by adjusting the potentiometer to establish the
highest and lowest voltage and copy these values into the answer boxes provided.

Uamax

Uamin

Also open voltmeter B from the Instruments menu.

Set the measurement range to 20 V, and the measuring mode to AV (average
value).
Fill in the missing measurements from the the following Table. Using voltmeter
B, measure the voltages at measurement points 4, 5 and 6 and enter them in the
appropriate columns of the table.

Explain the operating principle for voltage regulation:

What establishes the upper and lower voltage limits?

Experiment 2
In the following experiment we will be investigating the regulator circuit and its response to load in order to
derive its operating principle. In this case the potentiometer is kept at a constant setting while the voltage is
measured for various load resistances.
Circuit

Set up the following experiment:

The controller circuit is provided with power from the 15V power supply unit of the UniTrain-I system. The
potentiometer is used to set the voltage at the output to a value of 8V. The three jumpers B1, B2 and B3 are
connected later in accordance with course instructions.

Open voltmeters A and B from the Instruments menu.

Set the measurement range to 20V, and the measuring mode to AV (average
value).
Fill in the missing measurement values from the following table. Use voltmeter B
to measure the voltages at measurement points 4, 6 and 7 in sequence and enter
them in the appropriate columns of the table.

What happens to the three measured voltages when the load increases and why? Explain how this circuit
operates.

What happens if the load resistance continues to decrease?

Experiment 3
In the following experiment we will be investigating the controller circuit in terms of its load response in
order to observe the problems of power dissipation in the emitter follower circuit. To accomplish this the
output voltage and load resistance are varied and the resulting collector-emitter voltage and collector current
of the emitter follower T1 measured to observe the power dissipation.
Circuit

Set up the following experiment:

The controller circuit is supplied with power from the 15V power supply unit of the UniTrain-I system.
Open the power meter in the Instruments/meters menu.
Set the voltage measurement range to 20 V. Set the value of the
value of the resistor to be measured to 1 Ohm then set the current
measurement range to 1 A.
Use voltmeter A to set the output voltage to an initial value of 7 V.
Next the collector voltage, collector current and power dissipation
level are measured at the measurement points shown and for the
load resistances required. Then the results should be copied into the
table.
Which of the various measures of power is being measured here?

Describe the relationship between the power and the load resistance:

Now connect the three jumpers B1, B2 and B3. The potentiometer is set in accordance with the
specifications given in the table.
Use voltmeter A to set the output voltage to the value required in the table. Next the collector voltage,
collector current and power dissipation are measured at the measurement points shown and the results
copied into the Table.
Describe how the power is dependent on the output voltage and explain why this is the case.

FIXED VOLTAGE REGULATOR

In the UniTr@in-I course "Fixed Voltage Regulators" we use experiments to investigate a series controller
IC while at the same time exploring the operation and respons of these circuits.
Training objectives:

Fixed voltage regulator

Increased voltage by means of a Zener diode

Variable output voltage

Power dissipation

Fixed voltage regulators SO 4201-8F

Technical data:
Operating voltage

+15V

Output voltage:

approx. 5V, 10V, 5....12V

Output current:

max. 1A

Function groups:

Fixed voltage controller IC 7805

Load resistors:

100 W / 5W
150 W / 5W
220 W / 4W

Weight:

0.4 kg

Dimensions:

Eurocard 160x100 mm

Description of module
The UniTr@in-I experiment card "Fixed Voltage Regulators" SO4201-8F is part of the "Electronics 7:
Analog Power Supply Circuits" unit. It consists of a circuit with an L7805 fixed voltage controller.
Various fixed and adjustable output voltages can be generated using different means.
Three load resistors have been included on the experiment card to put the controller circuit under load.
The circuit is supplied with operating voltage, i.e. input voltage via the terminal strip.
There is no fault simulation provided for this card.
Introduction
Nowadays scarcely any discrete components are to be found in control electronics or power supply units that
provide regulated output voltage. Instead integrated circuits are used. They have many advantages.
These integrated circuits contain a power transistor and complex control and monitoring electronics. They
are connected in series between the input and the output and are thus referred to as series controllers.
Advantages of fixed voltage controllers

Excellent control features

High accuracy

Compact design

SOA - monitoring function (Safe Operating Area)

Overcurrent limiting

Thermal monitoring

Available in many variations for various voltage and current values

Standard circuit
U1
In

Out
C2

C1

IN OUT
GND

Gnd

GND

Series controller ICs are particularly simple in design and thus correspondingly easy to use. They frequently
only have three connection pins and are thus easy to connect into a power supply circuit. They are extremely
popular especially for low current circuits up to just a few amps. The disadvantage of all types of series
controllers is their poor efficiency, which at high currents leads to power dissipation levels which are
difficult to deal with.
Important for all applications involving fixed voltage controllers are the two "energy storage capacitors"
with excellent high-frequency characteristics for the suppression of oscillation.
Increased voltage by means of a Zener diode
U1
In

Out
C2

Z1

C1

IN OUT
GND

Gnd

GND

The controlled output voltage of fixed voltage controllers can be boosted using external circuitry. In this
application the controlled output voltage is increased by an amount equal to the Zener voltage of the diode.
Variable output voltage
U1
Out
C2

C1

IN OUT
GND

R1

In

P1

Gnd

GND

Experiment 1
If the base of the controller is not connected to ground but to an adjustable voltage divider, which is supplied
by the output voltage, then the output voltage can be set to defined limits.

In the following experiment the standard application for a fixed voltage regulator is investigated. At the
same time the output and input voltages are measured under various loads.
Circuit

Set up the experiment as shown. Jumper B2 is connected initially while jumpers B5, B6 and B7 will be
connected later in accordance with the experiment instructions.

The controller circuit is supplied with power from the 15V power supply unit of the UniTrain-I system.
Open voltmeters A and B from the Instruments menu.
Set the measurement range to 20V, and the measuring mode to AV (average
value).
Measure the input and output voltage for different loads and copy these values
into the answer boxes provided.

Based on the graphs of voltage explain the behavior of the voltage controller:
With increasing load, the input voltage tends to buckle severely.
The output voltage remains absolutely stable at a level of 5.2 V.

Experiment 2
n the following experiment fixed voltage controller will be investigated in its standard application but with
an input voltage that has a ripple component. In addition the input and output voltages will be measured
using the oscilloscope.
Circuit

Set up the experiment as shown. Jumpers B2 and B7 are initially connected.

In this case the controller circuit may not be supplied from 15V power supply unit of the UniTrain-I system.
Instead the Interface and Experimenter are disconnected as shown.
Open the workspace named Ripple1 using the Load workspace menu
option under File.
Then open and adjust the the oscilloscope. The zero axis should be set
to two squares lower than the centre line.
Open and configure the waveform generator then switch it on. With
the saved settings the waveform generator produces a mixed voltage
consisting of a DC component of 7V and a superimposed, rectified
sine wave with a peak value of 2V.
Copy the trace obtained on the oscilloscope into the grid below.

Time base:
ms / DIV

Channel A
Amplitude:
V / DIV
Coupling:

Channel B
Amplitude:
V / DIV
Coupling:

Describe the form input voltage in terms of the trace it produces. Why was such a form selected?

Explain the trace for the output voltage and the action of the controller:

Open the workspace Ripple2 using the Load workspace menu option
under File.
Then open and adjust the the oscilloscope. The zero axis should be set
to two squares lower than the centre line.
Open and configure the waveform generator then switch it on. With
the saved settings the waveform generator produces a mixed voltage
consisting of a DC component of 5V and a superimposed, rectified
sine wave with a peak value of 4V.
Copy the trace obtained on the oscilloscope into the grid below.

Time base:
ms / DIV

Channel A
Amplitude:
V / DIV
Coupling:

Channel B
Amplitude:
V / DIV
Coupling:

Again explain the trace of the output voltage and the action of the controller.

Up to what input voltage is the controller able to keep the output voltage constant? What is the minimum
voltage drop needed for the controller?

Experiment 3

In the following experiment we will be investigating a fixed voltage controller connected to ground via a
Zener diode. We will also be measuring the output and input voltages under varying loads.
Circuit

Set up the circuit as shown. Jumper B3 is connected initially, while jumpers B5, B6 and B7 are connected
later in accordance with the experiment instructions.

The controller circuit is now supplied from the 15V power supply of the UniTrain-I system.
Open voltmeters A and B from the Instruments menu.
Set the measurement range to 20V, and the measuring mode to AV (average
value).
Measure the respective input and output voltage at varying loads and copy these
values into the answer boxes provided.

Based on the graphs of voltage explain the behaviour of the voltage controller:

Experiment 4
In the following experiment we will be investigating a fixed voltage controller in an application which
permits the output voltage to be set. We will also be measuring the output and input voltages for various
loads.
Circuit

Set up the experiment as shown. Jumpers B3 and B4 are connected initially, jumpers B5, B6 and B7 are
connected later in accordance with the experiment instructions.

The controller circuit is supplied from the 15V power supply of the UniTrain-I system. The voltage at the
output can be set using the potentiometer.
Open Voltmeter A from the Instruments menu.
Set the measurement range to 20V, and the measuring mode to AV (average
value).
Determine the setting limits by adjusting the potentiometer to establish the
maximum and minimum voltage and then to copy these values into the answer
boxes provided.

Uamax

Uamin

Open Voltmeter B from the Instruments menu.

Set the measurement range to 20V and the measuring mode to AV (average
value).
Use the potentiometer to set a new mean or average voltage value of e.g. 8V.
Measure the respective input and output voltages for varying loads and copy
these values into the answer boxes provided.

Explain the behaviour of the voltage controller: