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How To Design A Voltage Controlled Current Source Circuit Using Op-Amp

This document discusses the design of a voltage controlled current source circuit using an operational amplifier (op-amp). The circuit works by using negative feedback to control a MOSFET, which then sources a constant current to a load that is proportional to the input voltage. The op-amp forces the voltage across a shunt resistor to equal the input voltage, causing a proportional amount of current determined by Ohm's law. This allows the circuit to act as a precision current source for driving other components where current is the controlling parameter.

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217 views8 pages

How To Design A Voltage Controlled Current Source Circuit Using Op-Amp

This document discusses the design of a voltage controlled current source circuit using an operational amplifier (op-amp). The circuit works by using negative feedback to control a MOSFET, which then sources a constant current to a load that is proportional to the input voltage. The op-amp forces the voltage across a shunt resistor to equal the input voltage, causing a proportional amount of current determined by Ohm's law. This allows the circuit to act as a precision current source for driving other components where current is the controlling parameter.

Uploaded by

reyniel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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circuitdigest.

com

How to Design a Voltage Controlled Current


Source Circuit using Op-Amp

8-10 minutos

In a voltage-controlled current source circuit, as the name implies,


a small amount of voltage across the input will proportionally
control the current flow across the output loads. This type of
circuit is commonly used in electronics to drive current-
controlled devices like BJT, SCR, etc. We know that in a BJT the
current flowing through the base of the transistor controls how
much transistor is closed, this base current can be provided by
many types of circuit, one method is to use this voltage controlled
current source circuit. You can also check the constant current
circuit which can also be used to drive current-controlled devices. 

In this project, we will explain how a voltage-controlled current


source using op-amp can be designed and also build it to
demonstrate its working. This type of voltage-controlled current
source circuit is also called a current servo. The circuit is very
simple and can be constructed with a minimum number of
components.

Basics of Op-Amp

To understand the working of this circuit it is essential to know


how an operational amplifier works.
The above image is a single operational amplifier. An amplifier
amplifies signals, but other than amplifying signals it can also do
mathematical operations. Op-amp or Operational Amplifier is the
backbone of Analog Electronics and is used in many applications,
such as Summing Amplifier, differential amplifier, Instrumentation
Amplifier, Op-Amp Integrator, etc.  

If we look closely in the above image, there are two inputs and
one output. Those two inputs have + and - sign. The positive input
is called as noninverting input and the negative input is called
inverting input.

The first rule the amplifier used to work is to make the difference
between these two inputs is always zero. For better
understanding let's see the below image -

The above amplifier circuit is a voltage follower circuit. The output


is connected in the negative terminal making it a 1x gain amplifier.
Therefore, the voltage given across the input is available across
the output.

As discussed before, the operational amplifier makes the


differentiation of both input 0. As the output is connected across
the input terminal, the op-amp will produce the same voltage that
is provided across the other input terminal.  So, if 5V is given
across the input, as the amplifier output is connected at the
negative terminal it will produce 5V which eventually proves the
rule 5V – 5V = 0. This happens for all negative feedback operation
of amplifiers.

Designing a Voltage Controlled Current Source


By the same rule, let’s see the below circuit.

Now instead of the output of the op-amp connected to the


negative input directly, negative feedback is derived from the
shunt resistor connected across an N channel MOSFET. The op-
amp output is connected across the Mosfet gate.

Let’s assume, 1V input is given across the positive input of the op-
amp. The Op-amp will make the negative feedback path 1V at any
cost. The output will turn on the MOSFET to get 1V across the
negative terminal. The rule of the shunt resistor is to produce a
drop voltage as per Ohms law, V= IR. Therefore, 1V drop voltage
will be produced if 1A of current flow through the 1 Ohm resistor.

The op-amp will use this drop voltage and get the desired 1V
feedback. Now, if we connect a load that requires current control
for operation, we can use this circuit and place the load at an
appropriate location.
The detailed circuit diagram for Op-Amp Voltage controlled
current source can be found in the below image –
Construction

To construct this circuit, we need an op-amp. LM358 is a very


cheap, easy to find op-amp, and it is a perfect choice for this
project, however, it has two op-amp channels in one package, but
we need only one. We have previously built many LM358 based
circuits you can also check them out. The below image is an
overview of the LM358 pin diagram.

Next, we need an N Channel MOSFET, for this IRF540N is used,


other MOSFETs will also work, but make sure that the MOSFET
package has an option to connect additional heat sink if required
and careful consideration is needed for selecting the appropriate
specification of the MOSFET as required. IRF540N pinout is
shown in the below image –

The third requirement is the shunt resistor. Let's stick into 1ohms
2watt resistor. Additional two resistors are required, one for the
MOSFET gate resistor and the other one is the feedback resistor.
These two are required for reducing the loading effect. However,
the drop between these two resistors is negligible.

Now, we need a power source, it is a bench power supply. There


are two channels available in the bench power supply. One of
them, the first channel is used to provide power to the Circuit and
the other one which is the second channel used to provide the
variable voltage to control the source current of the circuit. As the
control voltage is applied from an external source, both channels
need to be in the same potential, thus the ground terminal of the
second channel is connected across the first channel ground
terminal.

However, this control voltage can be given from a variable voltage


divider using any kind of potentiometer. In such a case, a single
power supply is sufficient. Therefore, the following components
are required to make a voltage-controlled variable current source -

1. Op-amp (LM358)
2. MOSFET (IRF540N)
3. Shunt Resistor (1 Ohm)
4. 1k resistor
5. 10k resistor
6. Power supply (12V)
7. Power supply unit
8. Bread Board and additional connecting wires

Voltage Controlled Current Source Working

The circuit is constructed in a breadboard for testing purposes as


you can see in the below image. The load is not connected in the
circuit to make it a near-ideal 0 Ohms (shorted) for testing the
current control operation.

The input voltage is changed from 0.1V to 0.5V and the current
changes are reflected in the other channel. As seen in the below
image, 0.4V input with 0 current draws is effectively made the
second channel to draw 400mA of current at 9V output. The
circuit is powered using a 9V supply.

You can also check the video at the bottom of this page for
detailed working. It is responding depending on the input voltage.
For example, when the input voltage is .4V, the op-amp will
respond to have the same voltage .4V in his feedback pin. The
output of the op-amp turn on and control the MOSFET until the
voltage drop across the shunt resistor became .4V.

The Ohms law is applied in this scenario. The resistor will only
produce .4V drop if the current through the resistor will 400mA
(.4A). This is because Voltage = current x resistance. Therefore,
.4V = .4A x 1 Ohm.

At this scenario, if we connect a load (resistive load) in series


same as like described in the schematic, in between positive
terminal of the power supply and the Drain pin of the MOSFET, the
op-amp will turn on the MOSFET and the same amount of current
will flow through the load and the resistor by producing the same
voltage drop as before.

Thus, we can say that the current through the load (current is
sourced) is equal to the current through the MOSFET which is also
equal to the current through the shunt resistor. Putting it in a
mathematical form we get,

Current sourced to the load = Voltage drop /


Shunt Resistance.

As discussed before, the voltage drop will be the same as the


input voltage across the op-amp. Therefore, if the input voltage is
changed, the current source through the load will also change.
Hence,

Current sourced to the load = Input voltage /


Shunt Resistance.

Design Improvements

1. The increase of resistor wattage can improve the heat


dissipation across the shunt resistor. To choose the wattage
of the shunt resistor, Rw = I2R can be used, where Rw is the
resistor wattage and I is the maximum sourced current, and R
is the value of shunt resistor.
2. Same as like LM358, many op-amp ICs have two op-amps in
a single package. If the input voltage is too low, the second
unused op-amp can be used to amplify the input voltage as
required.
3. For the improvement of the thermal and efficiency issues, low
on-resistance MOSFETs can be used along with proper heat
sink.

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