ELECTRONICS 1

REPORT No.4
VOLTAGE REGULATION WITH ZENER DIODE

1st Cristopher Cueva 2nd Alex Montenegro 3rd Dennis Jimenez

dept. Electrical and Electronics dept. Electrical and Electronics dept. Electrical and Electronics
Ing. Electronics, Automation and Control Ing.Electronics and Telecommunications Ing.Electronics and Telecommunications
Sangolqui, Ecuador Sangolqui, Ecuador Sangolqui, Ecuador
cgcueva@espe.edu.ec afmontenegro1@espe.edu.ec dfjimenez4@espe.edu.ec

Abstract—
In this work, it is intended to know the voltage regulation
circuits with zener diode with variable RL , fixed VL and fixed
RL , variable VL , for which we design our own circuit for each
case, taking into account the materials available in the market
and with the adequate power to avoid overloads or damage to
the circuit.
Index Terms—Fixed RL , variable VL , variable RL , fixed VL ,
power, overloads

I. OBJECTIVES
Fig. 1. Voltage regulator circuit with Zener diode.
• Verify the operation of the Zener diode and its application
in voltage regulation circuits when the input voltage (Vin)
and the load resistance (RL) are variable. observed that the load current (iL) varies as the value of
• Understand the regulation mechanism of the zener diode. the load resistance (RL) changes. For this circuit to operate
• Evaluate results of your behavior as regulates as a voltage regulator (VL), it is required that the design
II. INTRODUCTION of the circuit contemplates the diode operating in its zener
region. At this point, the voltage at the terminals of the
The zener diode is a special type of diode, which is always
diode remains almost constant at a value (VZ). Although
used reverse polarized. And if it polarizes in a direct sense it
in Figure 1 it is not visible, it is considered that the value
behaves like a common diode. When the zener diode operates
of the voltage source also varies within the next interval
reverse polarized it maintains a constant voltage (Vz) between
((min) (max) VS). The main objective during the design of
its terminals. For this voltage, the current through the zener
this type of circuits is to select an adequate resistance value
diode can vary in a wide range of values. This region is called
(Ri) that allows the diode to maintain an almost constant
the operational zone. This is the characteristic of the zener
output voltage, even when both the input voltage (VS) and
diode that is used to function as a voltage regulator, since
the voltage vary. Load resistance (RL). This resistance (Ri)
the voltage remains practically constant for a large current
limits the current through the Zener diode and receives the
variation. For a voltage regulator with a zener diode it is
excess voltage between (VS) and (VZ). Once the value of the
normal for the output voltage to decrease as the load increases,
resistance (Ri) has been selected, it is important to consider
that is, as the current demand of the load increases.
the maximum power that it will dissipate when the maximum
III. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK current considered in the design flows through it. On the
A. REGULATION OF VOLTAGE WITH ZENER DIODES other hand, the Zener diode that is selected must satisfy the
regulation voltage of the design, and must also withstand the
The Zener diode can be used in voltage regulation applica-
changes in the inverse bias currents that arise when the load
tions, as indicated in the circuit of Figure 1. This is possible
resistance or the voltage of the source (VS) varies . For this, the
because its breaking voltage is almost constant over a wide
maximum power that the semiconductor device will support
range of reverse bias currents In the previous figure it is
must be considered. Therefore, it is recommended to carefully
study the specification sheets provided by the manufacturers
of the selected Zener diode to determine the most important
operating parameters and limitations of the device.

B. Zener resistance
In the Zener regulator circuit shown in Figure 1, the Zener
diode was considered ideal. That is, it maintains a constant
voltage in the region of rupture. In practice, however, this
voltage (VZ) is not constant since it is a function of the current
flowing through the device. Therefore, a practical model of
the Zener diode should consider its internal resistance (rZ),
Fig. 3. constant source and RL variable
as illustrated in Figure 2. In this figure, the model of the
Zener diode includes an ideal Zener diode with nominal Zener
voltage (VZ). nominal) and a series resistance (rZ).
V. P ROCESS
VOLTAGE REGULATION WITH FIXED Vin and VARI-
ABLE RL
• Build the circuit of Figure No. 3.
• Vary the resistance RL with values between 28 Ohms
and 260 Ohms. The amount of The values to be recorded
in Table No. 1 depend on the precision you want in the
results
• Measure the output voltage at the output resistor RL and
the current at the Zener diode for each of the values of
the resistances chosen in step 3.2
• Draw the output voltage according to the different values
of the resistance RL.
• Dibuje la tensin en el diodo Zener en funcin de la
Fig. 2. Voltage regulator circuit that considers the internal resistance rZ of
the Zener diode. corriente que circula en el mismo.
VOLTAGE REGULATION WITH FIXED RL AND VARI-
ABLE Vin
C. Percentage of regulation • Vary the input voltage according to the values noted in
As mentioned above, because of the Zener resistance, the Table No.4.
output voltage will not remain constant. So it is possible to
determine the minimum and maximum values of the output
voltage. A factor of merit for a voltage regulator is the
percentage of regulation that is defined as:

VL (max) − VL (min)
%regulation = ∗ 100 (1)
VL (nominal)
where (VL (max)) and (VL (min)) are the maximum and
minimum voltages present in the load when a maximum
(IZ (max)) and minimum (IZ (min)) current circulates, re-
spectively, through the Zener diode; on the other hand, the
Fig. 4. variable source and RL constant
term (VL (nominal)) represents the nominal value of the
output voltage. As this percentage approaches zero, the circuit
approaches that of an ideal voltage regulator. • Measure the output voltage for each of the values of
the input voltage noted in the Table No.2. Measure the
IV. M ATERIALS voltage in the Zener diode and the current flowing through
this diode for each one of the values of the input voltage
• 2 Zener diodes from 5.6[V] to [1W]. noted in Table No. 2
• 2 resistors from 33 [Ω] to [5W]. • Draw the output voltage in RL according to the variations
• 2 resistors of 260 [Ω] / [1W]. of the input voltage. A) Yes same measure the voltage on
• 2 resistors of 1.2 [kΩ] / [1W]. the Zener diode depending on the current flowing through
• Other resistances said diode.
 VI. D ESIGN V imin = IR min ∗ R1 = 0.022527 ∗ 220 (24)
Design for the circuit of figure 3 V iminm in = 4.96V (25)
Zener data 1N4734A
Vz = 5.6 V imax = IR max ∗ R1 = 0.18324 ∗ 220 (26)
Pzmax = 1W V iminm in = 40.31V (27)
With this data we find the RL values for the zener diode to
2
conduct. Theoretically, the design was carried out with a R1 PR=220Ω = IRmax ∗ R = 0.183242 ∗ (220) (28)
of 32Ω, but in practice it was carried out with a resistance of
PR=220Ω = 7.3869W (29)
commercial value of 33Ω
VII. ANALYSIS
P =V ∗i (2)
CIRCUIT 1
1W
= 0.1786A (3)
5.6V
Izmax = 178.6mA (4) TABLE I
VALUES OF RL, VL AND I Z
AsR = 32Ω
RL [Ω] VL [V ] Iz [mA]
RV z ((32)(5.6)) 28 5.40 0.8
RLmin = = = 28Ω (5)
(V i − V z) (12 − 5.6) 56 5.68 83.2
68 5.76 95.1
Ilmin = IR − Izmax (6) 82 5.80 106.2
100 5.82 117.0
12 − 5.6
Ilmin = − 0.1786 = 0.0214A (7) 120 5.82 124.5
32 220 5.88 145.0
Ilmin = 21.4mA (8) 258 5.89 152.0
20 4.43 13.5 uA
Rlmax = V z/Ilmin = 5.6/0.0214 (9) 300 5.92 157

Rlmax = 261.68 (10)

Table 1 shows that increasing the load resistance RL increases
IR (cte) = (12 − 5.6)/32 = 0.2A (11) the voltage in the load and the current that passes through
P( R = 32) = I 2 ∗ R = 0.22 ∗ (32) (12) the zener diode. This is because the voltage in the load is
the same as that of the zener diode (VL = Vz ). In the zener
P( R = 32) = 1.26W (13) diode, Ohm’s law is fulfilled, since the higher the voltage,
the higher the current and the equal load resistance, the
Design for the circuit of figure 4
higher the voltage, the greater the resistance. It can also be
Using the same Zener diode 1N4734A Vz = 5.6V
observed that the voltage in the load varies very little when
Pzmax = 1W
the resistance takes values between 28 and 300Ω, which does
Izmax = 178.6mA
not happen when the resistance takes the value of 20Ω, since
With the data of this diode we find the values of V1 for the
in this case the variation of the voltage in the load is very
zener diode to conduct.
noticeable. This occurs because the minimum load resistance
Vz 5.6 for the zener diode to conduct is 28Ω. With respect to the
IL = = (14) maximum load resistance theoretically the value is 260Ω, but
RL 1200
as you can see, if in practice you put a load resistance of
IL = 4.76mA (15)
300Ω, the zener diode does but it runs the risk of burning.
IR = IL + IZmax = (4.67 + 178.57)mA (16) When the load resistance is 300Ω, you can see the voltage
and the maximum current at which the zener diode can act.
IRmin = IL + IZmin (17)
It is important to emphasize that the voltage of the zener
By design criteria: diode is 5.6V , but in practice it can be seen that this value
can range between 5.4 and 5.9V .
IZmax (178.57mA)
IZmin = = (18)
10 10
IZmin = 17.857mA (19) In Figure 5 it can be seen that the voltage in the load remains
IRmin = (4.67 + 17.857)mA (20) almost constant when the load resistance is between 50 and
300Ω. This indicates that the zener diode for those resistance
IRmin = 22.527mA (21) intervals does lead.
Figure 6 shows how the zener voltage increases when
IRmax = IL + IZmax = (4.67 + 178.57)mA (22)
the current increases. It can also be seen that for voltage
IRmax = 183.24mA (23) values less than about 5.5, the values that the current passing
 Fig. 5. RL vsVL

Fig. 7. VL vsVi n

zener diode is conducting. For input voltage values that are

below 8 V, there is a significant drop in charge voltage since
the diode does not conduct.

Fig. 6. Vz vsIz

through the zener will take are approaching 0.

CIRCUIT 2

TABLE II
VALUES OF RL, VL AND I Z .
Fig. 8. Iz vsVz
Vin [V ] VL [V ] Iz [mA]
4.96 4.18 9.7 uA
8 5.47 7.05 Figure 8 shows that for current values that exceed about 8 mA,
11 5.48 21.0 the voltage of the zener takes an approximate value of 5.6 V,
14 5.58 34.5 which indicates that it drives. For current values that are below
17 5.66 48.3
20 5.67 62.5
8 mA it is observed that the voltage drops significantly, so the
23 5.79 75.7 zener diode does not conduct and what is being measured is
23.3 5.80 77.7 no longer the zener voltage but the voltage in the load.
4 3.38 1.7 uA
3.05 2.58 0.4 uA VIII. CONCLUSIONS
• The voltage of the zener diode although it theoretically
In table 2, it can be seen how the voltage increases in the gives you a value, it tends to oscillate between a range
load and the current in the zener diode increases with the of voltage values.
input voltage. It can be seen that from the value of 8 up • The zener diode conducts as long as the load resistance is
to 23.3 V, the voltage in the load varies very little, which between a range of values (RLmin and RLmax), because
indicates the range of oscillation of the voltage in the zener. if it is not within this range the zener diode does not
For the other values of input voltage, it is observed that the conduct and will act as an open circuit.
voltage in the load is well below 5.6 V, which indicates that • The input voltage must be between a range of values for
the zener diode is not conducting therefore it is in open circuit. the zener diode to conduct, since if the input voltage is
too high or too low, the diode will not conduct.
Figure 7 shows that there is a certain stability in the voltage • When the load resistor is connected in parallel to the
value of the load, when the input voltage assumes values zener diode, the load voltage will be equal to the zener
between 8 to 24 V approximately, this occurs because the voltage, as long as the zener diode drives.
 • The zener diode is a special diode, which is polarized
inversely to act as a DC source and deliver a constant
voltage to the load. This voltage is known as zener voltage
and may vary depending on the zener diode used.
R EFERENCES
[1] Microelectronics; Circuit Analysis and Design (Chapter 2) Donal A.
Neamen, McGraw Hill, 3rd Edition, 2007
[2] Electronic Devices (Chapter 1) Thomas L. Floyd, Prentice Hall, 6th
Edition, 2002
[3] Electronic Devices and Circuits (Chapter 1 and 2) Robert T. Paynter,
Prentice Hall, 7th Edition, 2006