AE Techron LVC2016, Technical Manual

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Principles of Operation 4-1
4
Principles of Operation
This section of the manual explains the general operating principles of an AE
T
ECHRON
LVC 608/623/2016 grounded bridge power amplifier. Topics covered
include Front End, Grounded Bridge, and ODEP.
4.1 Overview
Your AE T
ECHRON
variable impedance amplifier incorporates several new
technological advancements including low-stress output stages, real-time
computer simulation of output transistor conditions, an advanced heat diffuser
embodiment, a modular system for signal input and processing, and the articulated
variable impedance power supplies.
Custom protection circuitry limits temperature and current to safe levels while
making the amplifier highly reliable and tolerant of faults. Unlike many lesser
amplifiers, it can operate at its voltage and current limits without self-destructing.
Real-time computer simulation is used to create an analogue of the junction
temperature of the output transistors (hereafter referred to as the output
devices"). Current is limited only when the device temperature becomes excessive
and just by the minimum amount necessary. This patented approach is called
ODEP or Output Device Emulation Protection. It maximizes the available output
power and eliminates overheating, the major cause of output device failure.
The amplifier is protected from all common hazards that plague high power
amplifiers including shorted, open or mismatched loads, overloaded power
supplies, excessive temperature, chain-destruction phenomena, input overload
damage and high frequency blowups. The unit protects loads from turn-on and
turn-off transients. The amplifier is also protected from internal faults.
The patented four-quadrant topology used in the grounded output stages is called
the
grounded bridge. The grounded bridge topology takes full advantage of the
power supplies delivering peak-to-peak voltages to the load that are twice the
voltage seen by the output devices and twice the voltage generated by the power
supplies.
The grounded bridge topology is ground-referenced. Because the required current
exceeds the limits of presently available components, composite output devices
are constructed to function as gigantic NPN and PNP devices. Each output stage
has two composite NPN and two composite PNP devices.