Zener Voltage Calculator:

Enter the values of resistor voltage drop, V_r(V) and supply voltage, V_s(V)­ to determine the value of Zener voltage, V_z(V).

Zener Voltage Formula:

Zener voltage (Vz) is a critical concept in electrical engineering, particularly in the design and application of Zener diodes for voltage regulation.

A Zener diode allows current to flow in both directions, but it is specifically designed to conduct in the reverse direction when a particular reverse voltage, known as the Zener voltage, is reached.

This characteristic makes it useful for stabilizing voltage in power supplies.

Zener voltage, V_z(V) in volts can be calculated by subtracting the resistor voltage drop, V_r(V) in volts from the supply voltage, V_s(V) in volts.

Zener voltage, V_z(V) = V_s(V)­ – V_r(V)

V_z(V) = zener voltage in volts, V.

V_s(V)­ = supply voltage in volts, V.

V_r(V) = resistor voltage drop in volts, V.

Zener Voltage Calculation:

1. Calculate the Zener voltage in a circuit with a supply voltage of 12 volts and a resistor voltage drop of 2 volts:

Given: V_s(V)­ = 12V, V_r(V) = 2V.

Zener voltage, V_z(V) = V_s(V)­ – V_r(V)

V_z(V) = 12 – 2

V_z(V) = 10V.

2. Suppose a circuit has a supply voltage of 24 volts and the Zener voltage is 18 volts. Calculate the resistor voltage drop:

Given: V_s(V)­ = 24V, V_z(V) = 18V.

Zener voltage, V_z(V) = V_s(V)­ – V_r(V)

V_r(V) = V_s(V)­ – V_z(V)

V_r(V) = 24 – 18

V_r(V) = 6V.

Applications and Considerations:

• Voltage Regulation: Zener diodes are commonly used for maintaining a stable voltage across a load.
• Protection Circuits: They protect sensitive components from overvoltage conditions.
• Clipping Circuits: In signal processing, Zener diodes can clip voltage peaks to a desired level.

Zener as a voltage regulator