IC VOLTAGE REGULATORS

IC voltage regulators are versatile and relative inexpensive and are available with features such as a programmable output,current-voltage boosting,internal short-circuit current limiting,thermal shutdown,and floating operation for high voltage applications.

Voltage regulators comprise a class of widely employed ICs. Regulator  IC  units contain the circuitry for reference source,comparator amplifier,control devices,and overload protection all in a single IC. Although  the internal construction of IC is some what different from that explained in case of discrete voltage regulator circuits,the external operation is almost the same.

A power supply can be built using a transformer connected to the ac supply line to transform the ac voltage to a desired level,then rectifying the ac voltage,filtering with a capacitor and RC filter,if  desired,and finally regulating the dc voltage employing an ac IC regulator.The regulator can be selected for operation with load currents ranging from hundreds of milliamperes  to tens of amperes,corresponding to power rating from milliwatts to tens of watts.

IC regulators are of the following types:

1.Fixed output voltage regulators: positive and/or negative output voltage.

2.Adjustable output voltage regulators:positive and/or negative output voltage.

3.Switching regulators.

4.Special regulators.

Except for the switching regulators,all other types of regulators are linear regulators.The impedance of the active element of the linear regulator may be continuously varied to provide a desired current to the load.On the other hand,in a switching regulator a switch is turned on and off at a rate such that the regulator provides the desired average current in periodic pulses to the load.The switching regulators are more efficient than the linear regulators.This is because there is negligible power dissipation in switching elements in either the on or off state.Nevertheless,in switching regulators  the power dissipation is substantial during the switching intervals(on to off or off to on).Also,most of the loads(devices)cannot accept the average current in periodic pulses.Therefore,most practical voltage regulators are of the linear types.

Voltage regulators,especially the switching type,are employed as control circuits in pulse width modulation,push-pull bridges,and series type switch mode supplies.Almost all power supplies make use of some to use,reliable,cheaper in cost,and,above all,available in a verity of voltage and current ratings.