Electronics IBasic DC Voltage Regulator Design and Implementation

Kevin Diaz10/30/15

Abstract:The DC voltage regulator is designed to take an AC voltage source and transform it completely into a desirably constant DC voltage using silicon diodes, a filtering capacitor, a zener diode, an op-amp, and a BJT transistor, as well as multiple resistors throughout.

Intro to the Theory Used:

The above is the provided design for the DC voltage regulator. The process of transforming the AC voltage into desirable DC voltage begins in the transformer itself. The common components used in this circuit design cannot handle the high voltage of 120 Vrms provided by city, therefore the transformer is used to cut the input voltage to a more manageable input of 12.6 Vrms. Next the 4 silicon diodes in combination with the transformer form a full-wave rectifier, also known as a bridge rectifier. The bridge rectifier is responsible for changing the voltage form AC to DC. The voltage is no longer AC with a sine wave with a changing polarity, but now a pulsating DC with no change in polarity. The figure below gives a visual comparison of the input and output voltage of a bridge rectifier.