In the modern world of data and information, computer systems need circuits that are able to process and transfer that information. Because of this, a great deal of resources and innovation go into creating more advanced circuitry in order to increase data transfer rates and make computer systems smaller. This article will demonstrate how integrated …
In a very simple sense, a capacitor is a device that stores energy in an electric field between two charged "plates" for a short period of time. The electric charge is then used or dissipated at an appropriate time. The capacitor essentially works along the same lines as the battery you might find in a …
An electrical shunt is a component used to transfer currents away from parts of a circuit. Components used as shunts include the resistor, capacitor, diode, and gas discharge tube. The main uses for electrical shunts are to reduce current load in meters, filter out high frequencies, and protect circuits from surges. The term shunt is …
A police scanner is basically a radio scanner that is also a receiver that receives wireless radio signals. A scanner identifies these wireless radio waves. A scanner can identify numerous radio signals and bands concurrently making it easy to keep track of many channels simultaneously. The phrase “police scanner” derives from the fact that the …
A TRIAC is used in AC power control applications in order to switch high voltages over both parts of the AC waveform. As a result, TRIAC circuits are used in a number of applications that require power switching. The TRIAC was developed after the thyristor, which controls AC current over one half of the cycle. …
VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) is a metric commonly used with antenna systems for ham or shortwave radio communication. VSWR is normally defined as a ratio with a 1:1 VSWR, indicating that there is an exact or perfect match between all antenna system elements. The VSWR can also be expressed by comparing Vmax with Vmin …
A thermocouple is a temperature probe that uses two dissimilar metals join at two places. The voltage created when the metals are subjected to a temperature gradient is used to calculate the temperature. There are many different types of thermocouple, each designed for a specific temperature and sensitivity range. How Thermocouples Work The thermoelectric effect, …
A pulsation dampener is a device that can reduce or eliminate the intermittent gaps left in a pressurized system during the system’s discharge stroke. Pulsation dampeners are made for a variety of applications and can be used in virtually all pressurized devices to protect hardware, decrease maintenance costs, decrease down time, increase performance, and increase …
A PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) controller is a device that makes changes to a system based on current and intended settings. PID controllers are used in a wide variety of industrial control systems and are the most commonly used feedback controllers in the world. PID controllers allow users to obtain and/or maintain preferred conditions within …
Azimuth is a measurement at an angle used in the spherical coordinate system. To find a point of interest, the observer creates a vector that is then projected in a perpendicular fashion onto a reference plane. The resulting angle between the projected vector and the reference vector located on the reference plane is the azimuth. …