Ripple Voltage Calculator

Ripple Voltage Calculator:

Enter the values of Load Current, I_(A), Frequency, f_(Hz) and Capacitance, C_(F) to determine the value of Ripple Voltage, V_p(V).

Enter Current:		A
Enter Frequency:		Hz
Enter Capacitance:		F
Result – Ripple Voltage:		V

Ripple Voltage:

Ripple voltage refers to the remaining fluctuating voltage in a DC output that arises from an AC power supply.It occurs after rectification and filtering, where the output is not a pure DC signal but contains small fluctuations or “ripples.” Ripple voltage is undesirable because it can affect the performance of sensitive electronic components.

It is especially significant in power supplies for analog and digital circuits. The level of ripple is influenced by factors such as the load current, the size of the filter capacitor, and the frequency of the AC input.

Larger capacitors and higher frequencies result in smaller ripple voltages. Ripple is often expressed in volts peak-to-peak (Vp-p), but it can also be described in RMS or percentage terms. It is a key parameter in the design and evaluation of power supplies.

Lower ripple voltages signify better smoothing and filtering of the rectified signal. Ripple can introduce noise into audio and RF systems, so minimizing it is crucial in such applications. It has an inverse relationship with both the capacitance and frequency, while being directly proportional to the current drawn by the load.

Typical circuits to reduce ripple include capacitors, inductors, and voltage regulators. Good circuit layout and filtering techniques help reduce ripple in sensitive applications.

Ripple Voltage, V_p(V)in volts equals Load Current, I_(A) in amperes divided by two times the Frequency, f_(Hz) in hertz multiplied by the Capacitance, C_(F) in farads.

Ripple Voltage, V_p(V) = I_(A)/ (2 * f_(Hz)* C_(F))

V_p(V) = ripple voltage in volts, V.

I_(A)= current in amperes, A.

f_(Hz)= frequency in Hertz, Hz.

C_(F) = capacitance in Farads, F.

Ripple Voltage Calculation:

1. A circuit has a load current (I) of 2 A, a frequency (f) of 50 Hz, and a capacitor (C) of 1000 µF. Calculate the ripple voltage.

Given: I_(A)= 2A, f_(Hz)= 50Hz, C_(F) = 1000µF.

Ripple Voltage, V_p(V) = I_(A)/ (2 * f_(Hz)* C_(F))

V_p(V) = 2 / (2 * 50 * 0.001)

V_p(V) = 2 / 0.1

V_p(V) = 20 V.

2. A power supply has a ripple voltage (Vp) of 5 V, a frequency (f) of 60 Hz, and a capacitor (C) of 2200 µF. Find the load current.

Given: V_p(V) = 5 V, f_(Hz)= 60Hz, C_(F) = 2200µF.

Ripple Voltage, V_p(V) = I_(A)/ (2 * f_(Hz)* C_(F))

I_(A)= V_p(V) * 2 * f_(Hz)* C_(F)

I_(A)= 5 * 2 * 60 * 0.0022

I_(A)= 1.32A.