John Errington's tutorial on Power Supply Design

Rules of Thumb and example designs

1: Smoothed unregulated supply.

For an output of Vout volts DC at Iout

amps max you need the following
Introduction
(minimum values):
Transformer
Transformer: Mains : Vrms rated at
and rectifier
Vout volts, Vout*Iout*1.25 watts.
Smoothing
Bridge Rectifier: rated 3 * Vout at
Ripple Current around 2 * Iout

Load Capacitor: 5000uF * Iout at 1.5 * Vout

regulation

Design
Example: Design a simple capacitor smoothed DC supply to operate from 240V mains
Example 1
and provide 24V at 2A.

Transformer: 240:24V RMS rated 24*2*1.25 = 60VA

Voltage
Regulation Rectifier: 3 * 24 = 76V @ 2 * 2 = 4A (get 100V 5A)

Voltage Capacitor: 5000*2 = 10,000uF at 24*1.5 = 36V

References

Voltage 2: Simple regulated supply

Regulation
Simple cct We can add a
commercial regulator
Voltage IC to the circuit above
Regulation and but will need to
analysis increase some values,
to provide for the
Voltage
"drop out voltage"
Regulation
needed for the
precision
regulator to operate.
circuit
This is typically 3V.
Voltage
Transformer: Mains : Vrms rated at (Vout +3) volts, (Vout+3)*Iout*1.25 watts.
Regulation
Conclusion Bridge Rectifier: rated 3 * Vout at around 2 * Iout

Capacitor: 5000uF * Iout at 1.5 * Vout

Current
sources
The 78XX series regulators are inexpensive and can provide voltages of 5,6,8,9,10,12, 15,18 &
Constant 24 Volts at 1A.
current
For higher currents (or different voltages) the LM338 regulators can provide up to 5A when
mounted on a suitable heat sink.
Feedback
For more precision, or better flexibility, use one of the designs shown earler.
High voltages

Rules of Example: Design a simple regulated DC supply to operate from 240V mains and provide
18V at 4A.
thumb
Transformer: 240:21V RMS rated 21*4*1.25 = 105VA (24V 120VA)

Rectifier: 3 * 21 = 63V @ 4 * 2 = 8A (get 63V 8A )

Capacitor: 5000*4 =
20,000uF at 21*1.5 =
26V

Regulator: LM338
with heat sink

R1: 1k2 R2: 16k