Difference between revisions of "PWM"
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| − | PWM a.k.a. Pulse width modulation is a voltage waveform usually seen in power electronics such as motor drives and power supplies. | + | PWM a.k.a. Pulse-width modulation is a voltage waveform usually seen in power electronics such as motor drives and power supplies. |
The main idea in PWM is to switch input voltage either fully on or off so rapidly that output device "feels" only the average voltage caused by pulsed voltage. | The main idea in PWM is to switch input voltage either fully on or off so rapidly that output device "feels" only the average voltage caused by pulsed voltage. | ||
Revision as of 11:46, 26 March 2012
PWM a.k.a. Pulse-width modulation is a voltage waveform usually seen in power electronics such as motor drives and power supplies.
The main idea in PWM is to switch input voltage either fully on or off so rapidly that output device "feels" only the average voltage caused by pulsed voltage.
Contents
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very high efficiency due to low losses in electronics
- Robust
- Usually very little heat sinking needed
Cons
- Increased EMI noise compared to linear (non-pulsed) output
