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SpinDistribute.com Article Directory

The following article was published in our article directory on February 3, 2011.
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Switching Power Supplies

Article Category: Computers and Technology

Author Name: Bob Viera

A switcher-mode power supply, SMPS, or simply called a switcher is an electrical power supply that utilizes alternating regulator in order to be increasingly efficient in the conversion of electrical power. Like other designs of power supplies, a switcher power supply utilizes power from an AC supply like the electrical power grid to a load (e.g., a stereo) while converting voltage and current values. A switcher power supply is often utilized to efficiently offer a regulated DC output voltage, usually at a value different from the input voltage.

Opposite from a linear power supply, the pass transistor of a switching mode power supply switches at very quick (usually between 50 kHz and 1 MHz) between full-on and full-off states, which minimizes dissipating energy. Voltage regulation is provided by varying the frequency of on to off time. In contrast, a linear power supply is forced to dissipate the unused voltage to maintain the output. This increased efficiency is the leading advantage of a switch-mode power supply.

Switching regulators are used as replacements for the linear regulators when higher efficiency, smaller footprint or lighter weight are required. They are, however, more difficult, their switching currents can cause EMI noise issues if not carefully managed, and simple designs may have a poor power factor.

A linear regulator creates the required output voltage by dissipating excess power in ohmic losses (e.g., as a resistor or in the collector–emitter region of a pass transistor in the active mode). A linear regulator manages either output voltage or current by dissipating the excess electric power as heat, and this is why its maximum power efficiency is voltage-out/voltage-in because the volt difference is wasted. While a switched-mode power supply maintains either output voltage or current by switching ideal storage elements, like inductors and capacitors, into and out of many different electronic components. Idyllic switching elements (e.g., transistors utilized outside of their active mode) have zero resistance when "closed" and transfer no current when "open", and so the conversion can theoretically operate with 100% efficiency.

The clearly recognized benefit of switch-mode power supplies is greater efficiency cause the switching transistor consumes very little power when it is not within its active region (i.e., when the transistor acts like a switch and either has a negligible voltage drop across it or a small current through it). Other benefits consist of improved size and lighter weight (from the removal of low frequency transformers which have a high weight) and lower heat dissipation because greater efficiency. Disadvantages include more complexity, the generation of high-amplitude, high-frequency energy that the low-pass filter must minimize to avoid electromagnetic interference (EMI), and a ripple voltage at the switching frequency and the harmonic frequencies thereof.

Very low cost switch mode power supplies sometimes connect electrical switching spikes back onto the input line, generating disruption with A/V equipment connected to the same input. Non-power-factor-corrected switching power supplies often create harmonic distortion.

Keywords: Power Supplies, industrial power supplies

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