NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY

B.ENG (HONS) TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING

NAME : TENDAI B. CHINGWENA

STUDENT NO. : 174743T
MODULE CODE: TCL 2102
LECTURER : MR MAPURANGA

QUESTION
Explore the effects of noise on comparators and how they can be minimized. Explain 2 applications of
comparators. [25]
MARK……………………………………

SOLUTION:

EFFECTS OF INPUT NOISE ON COMPARATOR OPERATION.

 Consider the Zero level detection circuit below.

Fig 1.

 The inverting (-) input is grounded to produce a zero level (reference to

compare with).
 The input signal voltage is applied to the noninverting (+) input.
 Noise (unwanted voltage fluctuations) appears (superimposed) on the
input line as shown below in Fig 2(a).
 When the input sine wave is positive, the output voltage is driven to
+Vsat.
 Due to superimposed noise on the input voltage fluctuating around Vref
many times, the total input voltage is the made to vary above and below
0(Vref) several times at the same input voltage level.
 When the input sine wave crosses 0 (i.e) it is now negative, Vout is
driven to -Vsat.
 Again due to superimposed noise on the input voltage fluctuating
around Vref many times, the total input voltage is the made to vary
above and below 0(Vref) several times at the same input voltage level.
 In both cases, noise thus producing an erratic output voltage as shown in
Fig 2(b) below.

Fig 2.

CONCLUSION

Noise causes output wave distortion of the zero level detector due to
noise fluctuating which in turn causes a rapidly movement of the total
input voltage above and below the reference voltage at the inverting
input at the same voltage level.
 REDUCING NOISE ON THE COMPARATOR USING HYSTERESIS.

 Hysteresis is incorporated by adding regenerative (positive) feedback,

which creates two switching points: the upper trigger point (UTP) and
the lower trigger point (LTP). After one trigger point is crossed, it
becomes inactive and the other one becomes active.

Case 1.
 When Vout is equal to +Vout(max), UTP is active while the LTP is in
active.

 When Vin exceeds UTP, the output switches to the -Vout(max).

 Fig 3.

Case 2.
 When Vout is equal to -Vout(max), LTP is now active while the UTP is in
active.

 When Vin goes below LTP, the output switches to the +Vout(min).
 Fig 4.

CONCLUSION
 Fig 5.

The device triggers only once when UTP or LTP is reached as shown above in
Fig.5; thus, there is immunity to noise that is riding on the input signal.

APPLICATIONS OF COMPARATORS.

1. Smoke Alarm Circuit.

Fig 6.

Operation using Fig 6.

 The photo diodes emit light which is detected by the photo-transistors Q1
and Q2.
 The operating point of transistor Q1 does not change since top region
doesn’t changes its state.
 This operating point is used as the reference for the comparator.
 When smoke enters the lower region, the operating point of photo-
transistor Q2 changes.
 This results in a change in the voltage Vin from the base (no smoke) value
Vin (no smoke).
 Due to smoke entering the region, light intensity at the base of the photo-
transistor decreases.
 the base current also decreases such that voltage Vin will increase from
the base (no smoke) value Vin(no smoke).
 When the voltage Vin crosses Vref the output of the comparator switches
from VL to VH triggering the alarm.

2. The Humidity Monitoring System.

 The humidity monitoring system of soil based on wireless sensor

networks using Arduino project is designed for developing an automatic
irrigation system that can control the switching operation (on/off) pump
motor depending upon the moisture content in the soil.

Operation

 Moisture sensor senses the moisture of soil.

 Appropriate signal is passed to the Arduino board.
 Comparator compares moisture level signals with the predefined
reference signal.
 Then it will send a signal to the microcontroller. Based on the signal
received from the sensing arrangement and comparator signal, the water
pump will be operated.