Total Marks:

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

PLT107 ELECTRONICS 1

Laboratory Module 4
LIMITER AND CLAMPER CIRCUITS
(Zener Diode and Voltage Regulation)

Student Name: LAI CHANG YUAN

Metrics Num: 201361514

Program: UR6523006

Instructor Name: DR KHOR SHING FHAN

Date: 27/5/2021

SUBMITTED

Lai
Signature & Date (Student) Signature & Date
(Instructor/lecturer)
PLT 107 Electronics 1 Laboratory Module 4

EXPERIMENT 4: ZENER DIODE AND VOLTAGE REGULATION

OBJECTIVE

 To analyze zener diode characteristics

 To analyze zener diode as a simple voltage regulator

COMPONENTS AND EQUIPMENTS

Resistors 220 Ω - 2 units

1N753, 6.2V
DC power supply
Multimeters
Breadboard

INTRODUCTION
Operation wise, zener diodes are normally reverse biased. They maintain a constant
voltage across their terminals over a specified range of current. A zener diode can be
modeled by a constant dc voltage source in series with a resistor. As a regulator, the
zener diode maintains a dc output voltage that is essentially constant level regardless of
the fluctuations in load current.

Maximum limiting series resistance

R (max) = Vin (min)  Vout (4.1)

S
I L (max)
Output voltage

Vout = VZ (ideal = 6.2V) (4.2

Vout = VZ +  IZRZ (actual) (4.3)

Where  IZ = IZ – IZT
RZ = zener diode internal resistance = VZ / I Z
IZT = zener test current (20mA)

Zener diode current

IZ = IS – IL (4.4)

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Source current
Vin  Vout
IS = (4.5)
RS

Load current
VZ
IL = (4.6)
RL

Zener diode power dissipation

PZ = IZVZ (4.7)

Percent load regulation

VNL  VFL
%VR = x100% (4.8)
V FL

where VNL = no load (open circuit) output voltage

VFL = full load output voltage

PRE-LAB CALCULATION
1. Calculate the expected values of the parameters for full load condition in Figure 2
and record in Table 2.
2. Calculate the expected values of the parameters for no load condition if RL in
Figure 2 is disconnect and record in Table 3.
(Assume Vout = 6.2 V, VZ(ideal) = 6.2 V, IZT = 20mA and RZ = 8.34 Ω)

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PROCEDURE

A) Determination of zener’s current and voltage:

Figure 1: Schematic diagram of zener’s current and voltage

1. Setup the circuit as shown in Figure 1.

2. Increase the dc supply voltage, VDC with 1 V, whiles simultaneously measuring the
voltage (VZ) and current (IZ) of zener diode. Record the data in Table 1.
3. Repeat step 2 for other dc supply voltage as listed in Table 1.

(NOTE: Do not exceed the zener current of 40 mA )

4. Plot your results for the corresponding zener current and voltage values on the
graph.
5. From your graph, determine the voltage (VZ) across the zener diode if IZ = 20mA,
and the zener diode internal resistance, RZ.

B) Zener Diode Voltage Regulator (Full Load):

VFL

Figure 2: Schematic diagram of Zener Diode Voltage Regulator (Full Load)

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PLT 107 Electronics 1 Laboratory Module 4

1. Setup the circuit shown in the Figure 2.

2. Apply dc voltage (Vin = 15 V).
3. Measure the source current (IS), zener current (IZ), load current (IL) and full load
output voltage (VFL).
4. Record the values in Table 2.

C) Zener Diode Voltage Regulator (No Load):

1. From the circuit on Figure 2, disconnect load resistor (RL).

2. Measure the source current (IS), zener current (IZ), and output voltage with no
load (VNL).
3. Record your values in Table 3.

D) Load Regulation
Calculate the percent load regulation. Show your calculation.

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PRE-LAB CALCULATION

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RESULTS

Table 1 (8.5 marks)

VDC (V) Zener Voltage, VZ (V) Zener Current, IZ (mA)

1 1V 0mA

2 2V 0mA

3 3V 0mA

4 4V 0.00444mA

5 5V 0.00888mA

6 5.997V 0.012mA

6.1 6.065V 0.161mA

6.2 6.094V 0.485mA

6.3 6.109V 0.87mA

6.4
6.119V 1.277mA

6.5 6.127V 1.697mA

7 6.149V 3.869mA

8 6.171V 8.314mA

9 6.185V 13mA

10 6.195V 17mA

11 6.203V 22mA

12 6.21V 26mA

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Calculation:

6.21 − 5.997
= 8.196
26 × 10−3 − 0.012 × 10−3

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Plot graph IZ vs Vz (6 Marks)

From graph (2 Marks):

1. Zener knee voltage (VZ) when IZ = 20 mA: 6.2V

2. Internal zener resistance (RZ): 8.196Ω

Table 2 Full Load data (6 Marks)

% Error
Measured Value Expected Value

IS 0.04 40mA 0%

IZ 0.012 11.8mA 1.5%

IL 0.028 28.18mA 0.64%

VFL 6.182 6.13V 0.84%

Table 3 No Load data (4.5 Marks)

% Error
Measured Value Expected Value

IS 0.04 40mA 0%

IZ 0.04 40mA 0%

VNL 6.228 6.37V 0.74%

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Calculation of load regulation (1 Mark)

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APPENDIX:

Figure 1: Determination of zener’s current and voltage

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Figure 2: Zener Diode Voltage Regulator (No Load)

Figure 3: Zener Diode Voltage Regulator (Full Load)

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