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Introduction: A power supply is a buffer circuit that provides power with the
characteristics required by the load from a primary power source with
characteristics incompatible with the load. It makes the load compatible with its
power source.
Example: A power source might be the 60 Hz, single phase, 120 V ac power found in
a home in the United States or the 50 Hz, single phase, 220 V ac found in the United
Kingdom. The load might be a logic circuit in a personal computer that requires
regulated 5 V dc power. The power supply is the circuit that makes the 120 V ac or
220 V ac power source and 5 V dc load compatible.
A power supply is sometimes called a power converter and the process is
called power conversion. It is also sometimes called a power conditioner and the
process is called power conditioning. The Power Sources Manufacturers Association's
(PSMA) Handbook of Standardized Terminology for the Power Sources Industry
gives this definition of a power supply.
Power supplies belong to the field of power electronics, the use of
electronics for the control and conversion of electrical power. The IEEE Power
Electronics Society provides a more formal definition of power electronics in their
constitution.
Power Electronics -- This technology encompasses the effective use of
electronic components, the application of circuit theory and design techniques, and
the development of analytical tools toward efficient electronic conversion, control,
and conditioning of electric power.
Personal computers, AV equipment, and other common electronic devices
incorporate a number of electronic components in order to realize the functions of
those devices. "Power supply" is the name given to the functional block that
supplies the voltage or current required to operate the electronic components.
Types Of Power Supply: Power supplies for electronic devices can be broadly
divided into linear and switching power supplies. The linear supply is a relatively
simple design that becomes increasingly bulky and heavy for high current devices;
voltage regulation in a linear supply can result in low efficiency. A switched-mode
supply of the same rating as a linear supply will be smaller, is usually more efficient,
but will be more complex.
So we will explain both types one by one as follows:
Function: To continuously control the voltage between the input and output so that an
unstable input voltage is lowered and converted into a stable voltage output.
Type: Series regulators (such as 3-terminal regulators) and shunt regulators are
available.
A series regulator that operates even if the difference between the input voltage and
output voltage is approximately 1 V is called low-dropout type (LDO type).
Features: Simple because it's almost integrated into one chip as a power supply.
A linear power supply regulates the output by measuring that output and changing
some parameter a tiny tiny amount so that it looks like the output is either constant or
changing a very tiny tiny amount. The output transistor is operated in its linear region
which often consumes a lot of power that goes to waste as heat.
A switching-mode power supply is a power supply that provides the power supply
function through low loss components such as capacitors, inductors, and transformers
-- and the use of switches that are in one of two states, on or off. The advantage is that
the switch dissipates very little power in either of these two states and power
conversion can be accomplished with minimal power loss, which equates to high
efficiency.
A switching power supply regulates the output by measuring the output
and changing some parameter a tiny tiny amount too, but instead of changing
the output a tiny amount too it simply regulates the pulse width of the output
transistor. A filter circuit at the output makes the output look like it only changes a
small amount, but a good scope on the output will show some ripple that is the result
of the constantly switching output transistor. The output transistor is operated as either
fully on or fully off which does not waste power because when a transistor is fully on
it doesn’t waste that much power and when it is fully off it does not waste much
power either.
Function: Controls ON/OFF of input and outputs a constant voltage by using a
smoothing circuit.
Type: Insulated type (AC-DC converter) and non-insulated type (DC-DC converter)
are available.
Application: Used as an AC-DC converter for stepping up, stepping down, or
inverting the voltage, or as a DC-DC converter.
Features: Little heat emission and high efficiency. Suitable for a large power supply.
Welding power supply: Arc welding uses electricity to melt the surfaces of the
metals in order to join them together through coalescence. The electricity is
provided by a welding power supply, and can either be AC or DC. Arc welding
typically requires high currents typically between 100 and 350 amps. Some
types of welding can use as few as 10 amps, while some applications of spot
welding employ currents as high as 60000 amps for an extremely short time.
Older welding power supplies consisted of transformers or engines driving
generators, while modern ones implement semiconductors and even
microprocessors, greatly reducing their size and weight.