Hobbies And Interests
Rectification
Rectification is the act of a diode shifting the frequency of voltage at its DC value. The altered DC value is maintained by resisters and capacitors at the diode's output. Camp circuits can be positive or negative and biased or unbiased. A positive clamp circuit rectifies output of a purely positive value from the input signal. Negative clamps perform the opposite function. Bias refers to the output voltage offset between the diode and the ground.
Radio Demodulation
Diode claps were first used in AM radios to extract the original audio signal without producing the atmospheric noise. The AM signal consists of a alternating positive and negative signal that is rectified by the diode to produce a direct signal, in this case the original audio signal.
Power Conversion
Diode clamps are widely used to transform AC to DC in motors such as car alternators, generators and other motorized applications. Motors need a steady positive waveform of voltage to function correctly without stall. AC allows for these dips in voltage, necessitating a transfer to DC. By rectifying AC to DC, the diode clamp allows for a motor circuit to operate correctly.
Over-Voltage Protection
Due to the properties of a diode, a diode clamp is frequently used in electronics to protect sensitive instruments from high-voltage such as in small electronics and appliances. A heightened voltage can fry the more delicate circuitry of computer motherboard or stereo components. A diode clamp rectifies high voltage to protect these components. Diodes are rated to accept a peak voltage at manufacture and will self-destruct when the voltage exceeds this rating. Multiple diodes can be used in a diode clamp circuit to prevent this instance.