Ages

Introduction

Summary

Transformers are powerful electrical components which enable the conversion of a sinusoidal voltage into another sinusoidal voltage of the same frequency, but with a different amplitude.

The physical principle of induction, which is the basis of the transformer, does not work with direct current (DC).

A chopper is analogous to a transformer, but it does work with direct current.  A voltage, V, is reduced (stepped down) or increased (stepped up) to a different level of direct current.

We call this a DC-DC converter, as opposed to the transformer, which converts from alternating current (AC) to a different alternating current (AC-AC).

The chopper  underlies  switching power supplies  and the speed controllers for direct current machines.

Goals

• To explain the role of each component.
• To illustrate the influence of duty cycle on the output voltage, and so the speed of rotation of the motor.
• To teach the principle underlying the functioning of a switching power supply.
• To justify the appearance of each curve.

Features

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Roll over the curve to display the status of the components.

Student sheet

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Tags

switching-power-supply converter continuous Buck electronics power inductance smoothing rectification diode thyristor Duty-cycle motor power-supply switched-mode