With the invention of the zener diode, there was a great opportunity to stabilize the alternating voltage. This is necessary for the normal operation of many household devices. A modern stabilized power supply has good output characteristics and is used in almost all electronic circuits. It can be found in tape recorders, TVs, chargers, computers, etc.
A lot depends on the quality of the power supply of the circuit. This is primarily the stability of the entire device. In addition to household appliances, the stabilized power supply is widely used in manufacturing. With its help, electronic circuits are powered, which is involved in the control of technological processes. Special requirements are imposed on the quality of direct voltage sources, because the normal functioning of the entire production line depends on their work.
Usually, AC voltage stabilizers incorporate a parametric stabilizer, which isan ordinary voltage divider, in one arm of which a zener diode is included. This circuit is so simple and reliable in operation that its use in electronics has become a good form in the design of various devices.
The non-linear characteristic of the zener diode allows you to generate a control voltage that is supplied to the amplifier stage based on a transistor. Electrolytic capacitors are usually placed at the output of the device. Their task is to straighten the stabilized voltage. Such a circuit has very good characteristics, the output ripple does not exceed one percent. The advantages also include a low level of radiated interference. But such a stabilized power supply has its drawbacks. This is a low efficiency and large size, as it uses a power step-down transformer.
Attempts to correct these shortcomings led to the creation of devices in which the pulsed conversion principle is implemented. The operation of such sources is based on rectifying an alternating voltage and converting it into a pulsed frequency up to 1000 Hz and higher. Its transformation can be carried out using small-sized transformers. This led to a reduction in size and an increase in the efficiency of the device.
Further, the voltage is stabilized and smoothed out by capacitors. Such a stabilized power supply has a high efficiency and small dimensions. But it has a high level of noise at the output. Their use is advisable in household appliances, where such a parameter as dimensions has a largevalue.
Pulsed sources have proven themselves and are used in TVs, computers, laptops, etc.
To organize a home laboratory, it is useful to purchase or make your own stabilized power supply. It will help in setting up the circuits and the initial supply of the required voltage. Such blocks are widely used in laboratories in production, they can be used to repair old or create new electronic devices.
