Zener shunt regulator
Zener shunt regulator with explicit circuit assumptions and worked equations.
Development preview. Check the assumptions below before relying on a result. Calculations run in your browser.
How it calculates
Resistor window: (Vin,max−Vz)/(IL,min+IZ,max) ≤ Rs ≤ (Vin,min−Vz)/(IL,max+IZ,min)
Dynamic model: VZ = VZ,test + rz(IZ − IZ,test)
Assumptions
- Window uses nominal Vz; corner voltages include constant dynamic resistance about the entered test current. Loads are constant current. Temperature, knee curvature and pulse ratings require the device data sheet.
Worked example
These are the calculator's default inputs. Change any input above to recalculate.
Inputs
- Minimum supply
- 9 V
- Maximum supply
- 15 V
- Zener reference voltage
- 5.1 V
- Minimum load current
- 0 A
- Maximum load current
- 0.01 A
- Minimum regulation current
- 0.005 A
- Maximum permitted Zener current
- 0.05 A
- Chosen series resistor
- 330 Ω
- Zener dynamic resistance
- 5 Ω
- Zener test current
- 0.02 A
Results
- Minimum series resistance
- 198 Ω
- Maximum series resistance
- 260 Ω
- Maximum resistor dissipation (chosen Rs)
- 0.297 W
- Maximum Zener dissipation (chosen Rs)
- 0.153709 W
- Minimum model output
- 5.01045 V
- Maximum model output
- 5.14925 V
- Small-signal line gain
- 0.0149254
- Small-signal output resistance
- 4.92537 Ω