With the popularisation of PCs, the constant voltage transformers (CVTs) have also become equally popular.

The CVT is simply a magnetic transformer of a special construction that has a capacitor connected across the secondary inding of the transformer. !n an ordinary transformer, the primary and secondary indings are ound near each other so that henever there is a change of voltage across the primary there is a corresponding change in the secondary voltage depending upon the ratio of the turns on the t o indings. "o ever, in a CVT the primary and secondary indings are ound separately from each other, as illustrated in figure. To set up field in bet een the coils, a separate shunt path is provided bet een the t o indings but an airgap is formed in the shunt path. # capacitor is connected across suitable tappings of the secondary inding. The constructional details of a CVT are sho n in the figure.

Operation of CVT.
The portion of the magnetic core over hich the secondary inding is ound is saturated, hile the portion over hich the primary is ound is not saturated. # capacitor is connected across the secondary inding to tune out the output at a frequency very close to $% "&. This capacitor also ma'es the current in the secondary inding to increase hich helps in the saturation of the secondary flu(. )ince the secondary ac flu( is restricted to a saturated value for a large range of the input voltage (*+%,-+% V), a constant voltage is available across the secondary inding. The output voltage ill not be of a pure sinusoidal aveform but ill be an appro(imate sine ave ith the pea's flattened approaching a square ave. .utput voltage aveform of a CVT is sho n in figure . !n figure, a compensating inding is sho n connected in series to the secondary to improve the CVT performance. !f a CVT is placed at the output of a square ave inverter (in the /P)), care must be ta'en to control the frequency of the inverter, since the CVT is sensitive to the frequency of its input supply.

The reason e use a CVT and not a voltage stabili&er for computer applications is that in the voltage stabili&er relays are present and hen these relays operate (s itch), the output voltage may be interrupted for a short time. )uch a transient may not be desirable for computers hich may cause the computer to reboot. #lso, the CVT provides a clean spi'e, free output voltage. The voltage regulation possible in a CVT also is good. The input voltage ranges *+% to -0% V and output regulation is -1% 2 - 3 at no load to full, load. 4istortion,appro(imately $3 under full,load conditions. 5ating of $%, *$%, -$%, 1$%, $%%, +$%, *%%%, -%%% V#. # practical circuit of a CVT po er supply is given in figure.