6 Common Types of Power Supply?

Figure 1: Power supply.
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As we mentioned before, Power Supply can be divided into DC power supply and AC power supply. What are the specific types of power supply? Let me introduce them to you.

1. Linear Power Supply

Figure 2: Linear power supply.

In a linear power supply the AC input voltage passes through a power transformer and is then rectified and filtered to obtain a DC voltage. The filtering reduces the amplitude of AC mains frequency present in the rectifier output and can be as simple as a single capacitor or more complex such as a pi filter. The electric load's tolerance of ripple dictates the minimum amount of filtering that must be provided by the power supply. In some applications, ripple can be entirely ignored. For example, in some battery charging applications, the power supply consists of just a transformer and a diode, with a simple resistor placed at the power supply output to limit the charging current.

2. Capacitive Power Supply

A capacitive power supply (transformerless power supply) uses the reactance of a capacitor to reduce the mains voltage to a smaller AC voltage. Typically, the resulting reduced AC voltage is then rectified, filtered and regulated to produce a constant DC output voltage.

Figure 3: Capacitive power supply.

The output voltage is not isolated from the mains. Consequently, to avoid exposing people and equipment from hazardous high voltage, anything connected to the power supply must be reliably insulated. The voltage reduction capacitor must withstand the full mains voltage, and it must also have enough capacitance to support maximum load current at the rated output voltage. Taken together, these constraints limit practical uses of this type of supply to low-power applications.

3. Linear Regulator

Figure 4: Linear regulator.

The function of a linear voltage regulator is to convert a varying DC voltage to a constant, often specific, lower DC voltage. In addition, they often provide a current limiting function to protect the power supply and load from overcurrent (excessive, potentially destructive current).

A constant output voltage is required in many power supply applications, but the voltage provided by many energy sources will vary with changes in load impedance. Furthermore, when an unregulated DC power supply is the energy source, its output voltage will also vary with changing input voltage. To circumvent this, some power supplies use a linear voltage regulator to maintain the output voltage at a steady value, independent of fluctuations in input voltage and load impedance. Linear regulators can also reduce the magnitude of ripple and noise on the output voltage.

4. Programmable Power Supply

Figure 5: programmable power supply.

A programmable power supply (PPS) is one that allows remote control of its operation through an analog input or digital interface such as RS232 or GPIB. Controlled properties may include voltage, current, and in the case of AC output power supplies, frequency. They are used in a wide variety of applications, including automated equipment testing, crystal growth monitoring, semiconductor fabrication, and x-ray generators.

Programmable power supplies typically employ an integral microcomputer to control and monitor power supply operation. Power supplies equipped with a computer interface may use proprietary communication protocols or standard protocols and device control languages such as SCPI.

5. High-voltage Power Supply

A high-voltage power supply is one that outputs hundreds or thousands of volts. A special output connector is used that prevents arcing, insulation breakdown and accidental human contact. Federal Standard connectors are typically used for applications above 20 kV, though other types of connectors (e.g., SHV connector) may be used at lower voltages. Some high-voltage power supplies provide an analog input or digital communication interface that can be used to control the output voltage. High-voltage power supplies are commonly used to accelerate and manipulate electron and ion beams in equipment such as x-ray generators, electron microscopes, and focused ion beam columns, and in a variety of other applications, including electrophoresis and electrostatics.

Figure 6: High-voltage power supply.

High-voltage power supplies typically apply the bulk of their input energy to a power inverter, which in turn drives a voltage multiplier or a high turns ratio, high-voltage transformer, or both (usually a transformer followed by a multiplier) to produce high voltage. The high voltage is passed out of the power supply through the special connector and is also applied to a voltage divider that converts it to a low-voltage metering signal compatible with low-voltage circuitry. The metering signal is used by a closed-loop controller that regulates the high voltage by controlling inverter input power, and it may also be conveyed out of the power supply to allow external circuitry to monitor the high-voltage output.

6. Bipolar Power Supply

Figure 7: Bipolar power supply.

A bipolar power supply operates in all four quadrants of the voltage/current Cartesian plane, meaning that it will generate positive and negative voltages and currents as required to maintain regulation. When its output is controlled by a low-level analog signal, it is effectively a low-bandwidth operational amplifier with high output power and seamless zero-crossings. This type of power supply is commonly used to power magnetic devices in scientific applications.

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