FACULTY OF MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

Electronics in Mechatronics System

BHM4402
Project Report:

Difference between Linear and Switching Mode Power Supply

Prepared by:
Muhammad Iqbal bin Mustaparuddin (HA11010)
Muhammad Ammar Faris bin Muhammad Yazid (HA11022)

Lecturers Name:
Dr. Azli bin Yahya

Date of Submission:
16th October 2015

Introduction

Presently, power supply is widely known as an electronic device that is use to supply
the electric energy to the load. Its function is basically to perform the conversion of electric
energy. Apart from the energy source, a power supply consists of a power input and a power
output. The power input was function to obtain the energy that is comes from the energy
sources. Meanwhile the power output would deliver the energy to the load that is connected to
the power supply.
In terms of functionality, power supplies can be categorized into several features such
as regulated, unregulated, adjustable and isolated power supply. For example, a regulated
power supply is one that maintains constant output voltage or current despite variations in load
current or input voltage. Conversely, the output of an unregulated power supply can change
significantly when its input voltage or load current changes. Besides, adjustable power supplies
allow the output voltage or current to be programmed by mechanical controls. Meanwhile the
isolated power supply has a power output that is electrically independent of its power input.
In power conversion method, the power supplies were divided into two types, known
as the linear (unregulated) and switching mode (regulated). The linear type of power supply
would firstly convert the power gain directly, with all active power conversion components
operating in their linear operating regions. Whereas in switching power converters, the gain
power would be converted to AC or to DC pulses before processing. It will be use the
components that operate mainly in non-linear modes.

Objective
The objective of this experiment is to analyse both linear and switching mode power
supply (SMPS) circuit design. It includes identifying the pattern and measuring the voltage and
current that flows through each part of the circuit. Experiments done will give out the difference
between both types of power either on their behaviour, function, and efficiency. Due to time
constraint and insufficient components, experiments will be done in simulation using Multisim
software
Flow Chart and Methodology
Both circuits will be built and analysed independently using the same steps described
by the flowchart below:
Circuit design draft
-choosing components/module
to be used

Circuit sketching and calculation of

expected results

Build circuit in Multisim

Run simulation and get measurements from

different points necessary

Compare simulation results with

expected results

Conclusion

Figure 1: Flow chart for independent experiment for linear

power supply and SMPS

Conclusions made at this point are only separated conclusion between both linear
power supply and SMPS, focusing mainly on comparison of expected and simulated values,
while deducing the purpose of the main components or modules used in the circuit. Another
point to be determined is either the circuit design behave like how it supposed to be.
To see the differences between the two power supplies, another experiment will be
done by giving a same set of input values to both circuit. Output values will be collected and
analysed in form of graph to detect at which point the circuits differ with each other. Block
diagram below described the overview of the second experiment.

Linear Power Supply

Output

Input

Compare
SMPS

Figure 2: Block diagram for second experiment

Output