DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name of the faculty : D Saritha
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : D.A.E.I.E
Institute : Govt Polytechnic, Kothagudem
Year/Semester : V Semester
Subject : Linear IC Applications
Sub-Code : AEI-505
Topic : Other Applications of OP-Amp
Duration : 50 min
Sub-Topic : Voltage Regulators
Teaching Aids : Diagrams

AEI-505.74 1
 Objectives

Upon the completion of this topic the student will be

familiar with Voltage Regulators

• IC 7805 Positive voltage regulator

• IC 7905 Negative voltage regulator
• IC 317 Adjustable Positive voltage regulator

AEI-505.74 2
 Voltage regulators

• A voltage regulator is a circuit that supplies a constant

voltage regardless of changes in load currents

• IC voltage regulators are more commonly used when

compared to op-amp regulators as they are versatile and
relatively inexpensive available with features such as a
programmable output, current/voltage boosting, internal
short-circuit current limiting, thermal shutdown, and
floating operation for high-voltage applications.

AEI-505.74 3
 Types of IC voltage regulators

• Linear regulators
• Fixed output voltage regulators : positive and/or negative
output voltage
• Adjustable output voltage regulators : positive and/or
negative output voltage
• Special regulators
• Switching regulators

AEI-505.74 4
 Applications

Voltage regulators are commonly used for

• on-card regulation and laboratory-type power supplies

• Switching type voltage regulators are used as control

circuits in pulse width modulation (PWD), push-pull
bridges, and series-type switch mode supplies

• Almost all power supplies use some type of voltage

regulator IC

AEI-505.74 5
 Fixed voltage regulators

Positive voltage regulator series with seven voltage

options:
• The 7800 series consists of three terminal positive
voltage regulators with seven voltage options
• These ICs are designed as fixed voltage regulators
and with adequate heat sinking can deliver output
currents in excess of 1A.
• These devices do not require external components
• These ICs also have internal thermal overload
protection and internal short-circuit current limiting

AEI-505.74 6
 7800 Series regulators
a) Voltage options b) packing types

AEI-505.74 7
7800 series regulators
(standard application)

AEI-505.74 8
 Design of 7800 series

• A common ground between input and output voltages is

required for proper operation of the IC
• The difference in the input and output voltages (Vin –Vo)
called dropout voltage, must be 2.0V even during the low
point on the input ripple voltage
• The capacitor Ci is required if the regulator is located an
appreciable distance from a power supply filter
• Co is used to improve the transient response of the
regulator

AEI-505.74 9
 Performance parameters

Typical performance parameters for voltage regulators are

• Line or input regulation: Defined as change in output

voltage for a change in the input voltage. Expressed in
milli-volts or a percentage of output voltage Vo

• Load Regulation: Defined as the change in output

voltage for a change in load current . Expressed in milli-
volts or a percentage of output voltage Vo.
AEI-505.74 10
• Temperature stability or average temperature
coefficient of output voltage (TCVo): Is the change in
output voltage per unit change in temperature. Expressed
as millivoltsoC/ or partspermillion/0C

• Ripple rejection: It is the measure of a regulators ability

to reject ripple voltages. Expressed in decibels

• The smaller the values of line regulation, load regulation

and temperature stability the better the regulator

AEI-505.74 11
The 7805C as a 0.5-a current source

AEI-505.74 12
 Working
• The 7800 regulators can also be used as current
sources
• The 7805C as a 0.5-A current source is shown in the
figure
• The current supplied to the load is given by the
equation IL= VR/R +IQ
where IQ = quiscent current (amperes)
= 4.3 mA typically for the 7805C
from the figure VR = V23 =5V and R = 10Ω
∴ IL ≅ 0.5A
the output voltageVo with respect to ground is
Vo = VR+VL
where VL = ILRL AEI-505.74 13
• The load resistance RL = 10Ω hence VL = 5 V .
Therefore Vo =10 V. Since the dropout voltage for the
7805C is 2V, the minimum input voltage required is
given by the equation
Vin = Vo + dropout voltage
= 12V
• Thus a current source circuit using a voltage regulator
can be designed for a desired value of load current (IL)
simply by selecting an appropriate value for R

AEI-505.74 14
Negative voltage regulator series with
nine voltage options
• The 7900 series of fixed output negative voltage
regulators are complements to 7800 series devices
• These negative voltage regulators are available in the
same seven-voltage options as the 7800 devices
• In addition two extra voltage options , -2V and -5.2V
are also available in the negative 7900 series

AEI-505.74 15
7000 series voltage regulators

AEI-505.74 16
 Adjustable voltage regulators

• The LM 117,217,317 are positive adjustable

regulators and LM 137,237,337 are negative
adjustable regulators. It is possible to adjust
output voltage from 1.2V to 40V and current up
to 1.5A
• The adjustable voltage regulators have the
following performance and reliability advantages
over the fixed type
• Improved system performance by having line
and load regulation of a factor of 10 or better
AEI-505.74 17
• Improved overload protection allows greater
output current over operating temperature range

• Improved system reliability with each device being

subjected to 100% thermal limit burn-in

AEI-505.74 18
Adjustable positive voltage regulator
LM 317

AEI-505.74 19
 Design of LM 317

• The LM 317 is a series adjustable three-terminal

positive voltage regulator
• The three terminals are VIN, VOUT and ADJUSTMENT
(ADJ)
• Two external resistors are required to set the output
voltage

AEI-505.74 20
 Working
• The LM317 develops a nominal 1.25V, referred to as
reference voltage VREF, between the output and
adjustment terminal.
• This reference voltage is impressed across resistor R1,
and , since the voltage is constant, the current I1 is also
constant for a given value of R1.
• Because resistor R1 sets current I1, it is called the current
set or program resistor
• In addition to the current I1,, the current IADJ from the
adjustment terminal also flows through the output set
resistor R2 AEI-505.74 21
• The LM317 is designed such that IADJ is very small and
constant with line and load changes
• The maximum value of adjustment pin current IADJ is100µ
A
• Thus, the output voltage Vo is
Vo = R1I1+ R2(I1 + IADJ)
where I1 =VREf/R1
R1 =current (I1) set resistor
R2 =current (I2) set resistor
IADJ = adjustment pin current
AEI-505.74 22
• Substituting the value of I1 we get
Vo = VREf (1+ R2/R1) + IADJR2
where VREf = 1.25 V = reference voltage between the
out put and adjustment terminals

• However, the current IADJ is very small (100µA) and

constant. Therefore, the voltage drop across R2 due to
IADJ is also very small and can be neglected.

AEI-505.74 23
• In short, Vo = 1.25 (1+ R2/R1)

the output voltage Vo is a function of R2 for a given R1

and can be varied by adjusting the value of R2.
• The current set resistor R1 is usually 240Ω , and to
achieve good regulation it should be tied directly to the
output of the regulator rather than near the load.

AEI-505.74 24
 Summary

We have discussed about

• Voltage regulators
• Types of Voltage regulators
• 7800 series positive voltage regulators
• 7900 series negative voltage regulators
• Adjustable positive voltage regulator LM317

AEI-505.74 25
 Quiz

• Regardless of changes in load currents a voltage

regulator is a circuit that supplies

c) High voltage
d) Low voltage
e) A constant voltage
f) None of the above

AEI-505.74 26
1) The 7800 series is a

b) Fixed-negative voltage regulator

c) Fixed-positive voltage regulator

d) Adjustable-negative voltage regulator

e) Adjustable-positive voltage regulator

AEI-505.74 27
1) The 7900 series is a

b) Fixed-negative voltage regulator

c) Fixed-positive voltage regulator

d) Adjustable-negative voltage regulator

e) Adjustable-positive voltage regulator

AEI-505.74 28
1) The adjustable voltage regulators such as the
LM317 and LM337 are more popular because of
their

c) Versatility
d) Performance
e) Reliability
f) All the above

AEI-505.74 29
 Frequently asked questions

1. What is a voltage regulator? List four different types of

voltage regulators

2. What are the advantages of the adjustable voltage

regulators over the fixed voltage regulators
3. Explain the 7800 positive voltage regulator series with
a neat diagram
4. Explain the LM317 series adjustable positive voltage
regulator with a neat diagram

AEI-505.74 30