DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name of the faculty : Ch. Padmavathi
Designation : Lecturer in ECE
Branch : ECE
Institute : G.P.W, Nellore
Year/Sem. : III Sem
Subject : ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS - I
Subject Code : EC- 302
Topic : Power Supplies
Duration : 50 Mins.
Sub Topic : Simple zener regulaor

Teaching Aids : PPT slides , Scanned diagrams

EC 302 .13 1
On completion of this topic the student will be
able to know

• The need for RPS?

• The purpose of Zener in a regulator

• Working of Zener Regulator

• Advantages & Limitations of Zener regulator

EC 302 .13 2
Introduction

1. What is regulation?

It is the ability to keep the output constant in spite

of variations either in voltage or load current

2. Why regulation is needed ?

When a stable voltage is required the power

supply must be regulated. For example TV
receivers, Computers, etc require regulated
power supply

EC 302 .13 3
3. What is a Zener Diode?

Is a heavily uniform doped diode to operate

particularly in reverse bias.

4. Name the two breakdown mechanisms

that
occur in diodes.
Zener break down and Avalnche break down

EC 302 .13 4
Zener Break -down

• Generally occurs in si PN – junction at reverse biases of

less than 5v

• Under the influence of a high intensity electric field, large

number of electron within the depletion region break the

covalent bond with their atoms

• This is ionization by an electric field.

EC 302 .13 5
Avalenche break-down

• Further, the reverse bias across pn junction is

increased, the velocity of minority charge carriers
increased .
• When ever these high velocity minority charge carriers
strike the atoms within the depletion region, it junction to
break down. This break is known as ‘avalenche break
down’
• This is ionization by collision.

EC 302 .13 6
Regulated Power Supply
Introduction

• Electronic circuits require a source of DC power

• DC power for electronic circuits is obtained from

commercial ac lines by using rectifier, filter and

regulator system called DC power supply

EC 302 .13 7
Voltage Regulation
• The degree to which a power supply varies in output voltage
under condition of load variation is measured by the voltage
regulation,

• Voltage regulation = (Output voltage at no load – Output voltage at full load)

Output voltage at full load

• percent voltage regulation = v no load - v Full load  100

v Full load

• For an ideal power supply the output voltage is

independent of the load and the percent regulation is zero
EC 302 .13 8
What is Simple Zener regulator ?

The regulator circuit which consists of

• A series resistor with the input voltage

• A Zener Diode across the load

EC 302 .13 9
Circuit diagram of simple Zener regulator

RS IL

Un regulated IS IZ IL
power VIN
Supply

EC 302 .13 10
Circuit Operation

for proper operation of this regulator circuit

• VIN must be greater than Vz

Where

VIN = input voltage to the regulator

VZ = break down voltage of the zener regulator

EC 302 .13 11
Circuit Operation

• The current from the unregulated power supply splits

at the junction of the zener diode and the load as
IS = IZ+IL

• The maximum current through the Zener must be

limited to IZmax .The series resistance Rs is chosen based
on the given formula

RS=(V In-VZ)/IZmax

EC 302 .13 12
Case-1 Input voltage VIN is varied and the load resistance is
kept constant
RS IL

Un regulated
IS IZ
power IL
VIN RL
Supply

• The variation in the input voltage VIN will change IS .

• This variation in IS will be absorbed by the zener diode
without affecting the IL.
• The variation in VIN , will be dropped across RS., keeping

• Voltage acrossinRVL constant.

Any variation IN , changes I S and the drop across RS.
changes , keeping output Voltage across RL as constant.
EC 302 .13 13
 Case-2 Input voltage VIN is kept constant and the load

resistance changes.

IL
• As the input voltage VIN RS
Un regulated
is constant ,Is is also power IS IZ
IL
VIN RL
Supply
constant.

• The variation in RL will

also change IL

EC 302 .13 14
• When RL increased, IL
decreases and Zener RS IL

current increases by Un
IS IZ
regulated IL
keeping IS as constant . VIN RL
power
Supply
• When RL increased, IL
decreases and Zener
current increases by
keeping IS as constant

• The output voltage remains constant , because

VOUT = VIN- (IS.RS)
= VIN – (IZ+IL)RS

EC 302 .13 15
Disadvantages

1. Not efficient for large load currents because

increased power loss in series resistance.

2. Small and faster current changes in the load and

supply voltage can not be corrected..

EC 302 .13 16
Summary

1. The voltage across Zener diode is constant

when it is operated in the break down region.

4. When the load current is kept constant, the

changes in the input voltage ,changes the

Zener current with out affecting the output voltage.

EC 302 .13 17
1. When the input voltage is constant and if the load
current varies, the Zener current will change in a way
to keep the output voltage as constant.

6. To use the Zener as aregulator, two conditions are to

be satisfied.
a) It must be operated in the break down region.
b) The Zener current should not exceed IZmax

EC 302 .13 18
Quiz

1. The regulators are connected between

a) filter circuit and load

b) Before the filter circuit

c) After the rectifier

d) none

EC 302 .13 19
2. The purpose of series resistance in the Zener regulator

circuit
a) regulation

b) To limit the input current

c) To maintain constant drop

d) none

EC 302 .13 20
Frequently asked questions

1. Explain the working of simple Zener regulator.

2. What are the limitations of sinple Zener regulator?

3. What is the need for RPS?

4. List the specifications of an RPS.

EC 302 .13 21