What is Shunt Voltage Regulator?
A shunt voltage regulator is a type of voltage regulation circuit that is used to maintain a constant voltage level at the output of the circuit. It works by diverting a small portion of the load current away from the load and through a control element, such as a transistor, which is connected in parallel with the load.
What is Series Voltage Regulator?
A series voltage regulator is a type of voltage regulation circuit that is used to maintain a constant voltage level at the output of the circuit. It works by controlling the voltage drop across a control element, such as a transistor, which is connected in series with the load.
Difference Between Shunt and Series Voltage Regulator
| Basis for Comparison | Shunt Voltage Regulator | Series Voltage Regulator |
|---|---|---|
| Connection orientation | Control element is connected in parallel with the load | Control element is connected in series with the load |
| Voltage Regulation | is very Poor | Very Good |
| Circuit design | Simple | Complex |
| Type of control element | Low current, high voltage component | High current, low voltage component |
| Current through the control element | Only a small fraction of the current flows through the control element | The entire load current passes through the control element |
| Preferred for | Fixed voltage operations | Both fixed and variable voltage operations |
| Compensation in change in output voltage | By varying the current through the control element | By adjusting the voltage across the control element |
| Efficiency dependency | On the load current | On the output voltage |
| Example | Zener shunt regulator | Series feedback regulator |
Key difference Between Shunt and Series Voltage Regulator
- A shunt voltage regulator is a type of voltage regulator where the control element, which is responsible for maintaining a constant output voltage, is connected in parallel with the load.
- This means that only a fraction of the total current flows through the control element in Shunt voltage regulator. On the other hand, a series voltage regulator has the control element connected in series with the load, which means that the entire load current passes through the control element.
- The regulation provided by a series voltage regulator is generally better than that of a shunt voltage regulator.
- Shunt regulators are not suitable for varying load conditions because their efficiency depends on the load current, while the efficiency of a series voltage regulator depends on the output voltage.
- Shunt voltage regulators are simpler to design than series voltage regulators, but they are only suitable for fixed voltage operations. Series voltage regulators, on the other hand, can be used for both fixed and variable voltage operations.
- In a shunt regulator, the control element is a high voltage, low current component, while in a series regulator, the control element is a low voltage, high current component.