What is the difference between the types of power stabilizers in terms of frequency?

Power supply regulator (50Hz or 60Hz)

Working principle and structural characteristics

The power frequency power regulator is mainly for AC mains with a frequency of 50Hz (the mains frequency of most countries such as China) or 60Hz (some countries such as the United States). This type of regulator is usually based on the principle of electromagnetic induction, and the common inductive regulators and autotransformer regulators. The induction regulator adjusts the output voltage by changing the turn ratio of the transformer. The autotransformer regulator uses the winding tap switching of the autotransformer to achieve voltage regulation.

Because it is designed for a fixed power frequency, the design and parameters of the internal core, winding and other components are optimized based on the electromagnetic characteristics at this frequency. For example, the core material selection and size design of the power frequency transformer should consider the hysteresis loss and eddy current loss at 50Hz or 60Hz to ensure efficient energy conversion and stable voltage output.

Frequency adaptability and limitations

Power frequency power regulators have very strict frequency requirements and can only work normally under conditions close to their design frequency (50Hz or 60Hz). If there is a large deviation in the frequency of the input power supply, the electromagnetic relationship inside the regulator will be disturbed, affecting the voltage regulation effect. For example, when the input frequency deviates to 40Hz or 70Hz, the regulator may not be able to accurately adjust the voltage, and may even overheat, damage, and so on.

High frequency Power Supply regulator (kHz-MHz range)

Working principle and structural characteristics

High frequency power supply regulators are mainly used in equipment such as high frequency switching power supplies, and their operating frequency is usually in the range of several thousand Hertz to several megahertz. Most of these regulators use switching power supply technology to achieve voltage transformation and voltage regulation through the fast on-off and off of high-frequency switching tubes (such as MOSFET, etc.). For example, in a typical high-frequency switching power regulator, the switching frequency may be 100kHz, and the switching tube quickly switches at this frequency, converting the input DC voltage into a high-frequency pulse voltage, and then converting into a stable DC output voltage through a high-frequency transformer, rectifier filter and other circuits.

The circuit structure of high frequency power supply regulator is relatively complex, including high frequency transformer, switch tube drive circuit, feedback control circuit and so on. High-frequency transformers work at high frequencies, and their volume is much smaller than that of power frequency transformers, because the operating characteristics of the magnetic core at high frequencies make it possible to use a smaller magnetic core size to achieve the same energy conversion efficiency.

Frequency adaptability and limitations

High frequency power supply regulators have certain adaptability to frequency changes, but also have certain range limits. In the high frequency range of its design, it can adjust the switching frequency, duty cycle and other parameters to adapt to the change of input voltage, so as to achieve voltage regulation. However, if the frequency is beyond the design range, for example, in a regulator with a design frequency of 100kHz, the frequency suddenly rises to 1MHz, it may lead to a sharp increase in the switching loss of the switching tube, electromagnetic interference, and instability of the control circuit, thereby affecting the voltage regulation effect and the normal operation of the equipment.

Broadband power supply regulator

Working principle and structural characteristics

Broadband power regulators are designed to achieve voltage regulation over a wide frequency range. It usually uses a hybrid technology that combines some characteristics of power frequency regulators and high frequency regulators. For example, variable frequency switching power supply technology may be adopted, and some filtering and matching circuits for different frequency segments may be added to the input and output. In low frequency bands, principles similar to power frequency regulators may be used to ensure basic voltage stability; In the high frequency band, it relies more on the quick adjustment ability of the switching power supply.

The internal circuit structure of broadband power regulator is more complex, so the electromagnetic characteristics and circuit characteristics at different frequencies need to be comprehensively considered and optimized. For example, the filter circuit needs to be able to effectively filter out interference signals in the wide frequency range, and the control circuit needs to be able to accurately adjust the voltage regulation strategy according to different frequency inputs.

Frequency adaptability and limitations

Although broadband power regulators can operate in a wide frequency range, they are not suitable for all frequencies. In general, broadband power regulators are capable of covering a frequency range from tens of Hertz to hundreds of kilohertz and beyond, but can encounter technical challenges at extremely low frequencies (such as below a few Hertz) and extremely high frequencies (such as above tens of megahertz). At very low frequencies, there may be some problems similar to that of power frequency regulators at low frequencies, such as reduced voltage stability accuracy; At extremely high frequencies, problems such as performance limits of high-frequency components and electromagnetic compatibility may be faced.