Power sources

Session 2009-2013
Chapter 2

Power Sources

2.1

POWER SUPPLY
A power supply is a device that supplies electric power to an electrical load. The

term is most commonly applied to electric power converters that convert one form of
electrical energy to another, though it may also refer to devices that convert another form of
energy (mechanical, chemical, solar) to electrical energy. A regulated power supply is one
that controls the output voltage or current to a specific value; the controlled value is held
nearly constant despite variations in either load current or the voltage supplied by the power
supply's energy source.
Every power supply must obtain the energy it supplies to its load, as well as any energy it
consumes while performing that task, from an energy source. Depending on its design, a
power supply may obtain energy from:

Electrical energy transmission systems. Common examples of this include power

supplies that convert AC line voltage to DC voltage.

Energy storage devices such as batteries and fuel cells.

Electromechanical systems such as generators and alternators.

Solar power.

A power supply may be implemented as a discrete, stand-alone device or as an integral

device that is hardwired to its load. Examples of the latter case include the low voltage DC
power supplies that are part of desktop computers and consumer electronics devices.

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Session 2009-2013

Commonly specified power supply attributes include:

The amount of voltage and current it can supply to its load.

How stable its output voltage or current is under varying line and load conditions.

How long it can supply energy without refueling or recharging (applies to power
supplies that employ portable energy sources).

2.1.1 APPLICATIONS OF POWER SUPPLY

1. Computer power supply
A modern computer power supply is a switch-mode power supply that converts
AC power from the mains supply, to several DC voltages. Switch-mode supplies replaced
linear supplies due to cost, weight, and size improvement. The diverse collection of output
voltage also has widely varying current draw requirements.
2. 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 60,000 amps for an extremely short
time. Older welding power supplies consisted of transformers or engines driving generators.
More recent supplies use semiconductors and microprocessors reducing their size and
weight.

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Session 2009-2013

3. AC adapter

4. Switched mode mobile phone charger

A power supply that is built into an AC mains power plug is known as a "plug
pack" or "plug-in adapter", or by slang terms such as "wall wart". They are even more
diverse than their names; often with either the same kind of DC plug offering different
voltage or polarity, or a different plug offering the same voltage. "Universal" adapters
attempt to replace missing or damaged ones, using multiple plugs and selectors for different
voltages and polarities. Replacement power supplies must match the voltage of, and supply at
least as much current as, the original power supply.
The least expensive AC units consist only of a small transformer, while DC
adapters include a few additional diodes. Whether or not a load is connected to the power
adapter, the transformer has a magnetic field continuously present and normally cannot be
completely turned off unless unplugged.
Because they consume standby power, they are sometimes known as "electricity
vampires" and may be plugged into a power strip to allow turning them off.
In contrast, switched-mode power supplies can cut off leaky electrolyte-capacitors, use
powerless MOSFETs, and reduce their working frequency to get a gulp of energy once in a
while to power, for example, a clock, which would otherwise need a battery.

5. Over load protection

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Session 2009-2013

Power supplies often have protection from short circuit or overload that could
damage the supply or cause a fire. Fuses and circuit breakers are two commonly used
mechanisms for overload protection.
A fuse contains a short piece of wire which melts if too much current flows. This
effectively disconnects the power supply from its load, and the equipment stops working
until the problem that caused the overload is identified and the fuse is replaced. Some power
supplies use a very thin wire link soldered in place as a fuse. Fuses in power supply units
may be replaceable by the end user, but fuses in consumer equipment may require tools to
access and change.
A circuit breaker contains an element that heats, bends and triggers a spring which
shuts the circuit down. Once the element cools, and the problem is identified the breaker can
be reset and the power restored.
Some PSUs use a thermal cutout buried in the transformer rather than a fuse. The
advantage is it allows greater current to be drawn for limited time than the unit can supply
continuously. Some such cutouts are self-resetting, some are single use only.
6. Current limiting
Some supplies use current limiting instead of cutting off power if overloaded.
The two types of current limiting used are electronic limiting and impedance limiting. The
former is common on lab bench PSUs, the latter is common on supplies of less than 3 watts
output.
A hold back current limiter reduces the output current to much less than the
maximum non-fault current.

2.2

7805 IC VOLTAGE REGULATOR

7805 is a voltage regulator integrated circuit. It is a member of 78xx series of

fixed linear voltage regulator ICs. The voltage source in a circuit may have fluctuations and
would not give the fixed voltage output. The voltage regulator IC maintains the output
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Session 2009-2013

voltage at a constant value. The xx in 78xx indicates the fixed output voltage it is designed to
provide. 7805 provides +5V regulated power supply. Capacitors of suitable values can be
connected at input and output pins depending upon

the respective

voltage levels.

Pin Description
Pin
No
1

Function

Name

Input voltage (5V-18V)

Input

Ground (0V)

Ground

Regulated output; 5V (4.8V-5.2V)

Output

Table 2.1 Pin description of 7805

Application of 7805
The 7805 is common, as its regulated

5 volt

supply provides a convenient power

source

for most TTL components.

2.2.1 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF 78XX SERIES

Advantages
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78xx series ICs do not require additional components to provide a constant, regulated
source of power, making them easy to use, as well as economical and efficient uses of
space. Other voltage regulators may require additional components to set the output
voltage level, or to assist in the regulation process. Some other designs (such as
a switched-mode power supply) may need substantial engineering expertise to
implement.

78xx series ICs have built-in protection against a circuit drawing too much power.
They have protection against overheating and short-circuits, making them quite
robust in most applications. In some cases, the current-limiting features of the 78xx
devices can provide protection not only for the 78xx itself, but also for other parts of
the circuit.

Disadvantages

The input voltage must always be higher than the output voltage by some minimum
amount (typically 2 volts). This can make these devices unsuitable for powering some
devices from certain types of power sources (for example, powering a circuit that
requires 5 volts using 6-volt batteries will not work using a 7805).

As they are based on a linear regulator design, the input current required is always the
same as the output current. As the input voltage must always be higher than the output
voltage, this means that the total power (voltage multiplied by current) going into the
78xx will be more than the output power provided. The extra input power is
dissipated as heat. This means both that for some applications an adequate heat
sink must be provided, and also that a (often substantial) portion of the input power is
wasted during the process, rendering them less efficient than some other types of
power supplies. When the input voltage is significantly higher than the regulated
output voltage (for example, powering a 7805 using a 24 volt power source), this
inefficiency can be a significant issue.

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