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In fields and devices where a constant level of voltage is needed to be achieved, engineers use voltage regulators. These may come in different types and shapes, starting with the feed-forward voltage regulator and ending with the more complicated one that also includes negative feedback. Some designs can also handle to regulate multiple AC or DC voltages.
These voltage regulators are present in various electronic devices like computer power supplies where their main job is stabilizing the DC voltages. They’re also very helpful and used in generators where they can keep the power output under control.
There are many forms of voltage regulators, all depending on what they’re used for. The so called Active regulators include the linear regulator, the switching regulator, SCR regulator and a so called hybrid regulator, which as its name suggests is a cross between more than one method of regulating voltage because lots of power supplies out there need more than just one regulator.
There are many essential parameters of a voltage regulator that include temperature coefficient, initial accuracy, output noise and transient response.
A very simple method of creating a voltage regulator is to simply form a resistor in a series with a diode, this way the voltage that goes through these diodes doesn’t fluctuate. This type of voltage regulator is usually used in situations where an exact voltage control is not essential.
While in the past electromechanical regulators were very common and used, by simply coiling the sensing wire, this way achieving an electromagnet, in the present newer designs are being used, with the use of transistors which does the same thing as an electromechanical regulator.
But still, electromechanical regulators are still widely used to this day, mainly in the stabilization of voltage mains.
Other types of regulators that have been widely used over the past also include the Coil-rotation regulator.
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