Screen Supplies
Screen Supplies
Related Page: Grid Driven
Amplifiers
Screen supply design is far more critical than we might realize. The screen
grid, is far more dominant than the anode in tube operation. The screen current
is far more critical to tube life or amplifier function than control grid
current.
Small screen
voltage variations cause large changes in a tube’s zero signal operating point
(quiescent current) and power gain. In all transmitters and amplifiers, with the
general exception of rules 2-4 below, stages that
are not subject to tuning or operated in class A
should follow these rules:
(this applies to any class amplifier)
2.) screen dissipation must be limited
to a value safely below the tube’s rated maximum screen dissipation
under all conditions
3.) screen voltage should be held at the proper safe voltage range under all
normal operating conditions, even key up
4.) as the screen goes into dissipation overload, screen voltage should be
immediately reduced or removed
Linear and Non-linear Stages
The screen grid is the
main “attracter” of electrons in a normal multi-grid tube. Screen grid
voltage has far more influence on tube current than anode voltage. This is why, using only
screen regulation, oscillators can be stabilized for supply voltage changes.
For
a 6L6, we find open cathode voltage more than doubles as screen voltage doubles.
Cathode voltage barely changes with anode voltage changes!
All stages (with the possible exception of some class A stages), linear or
not, should regulate or reasonably control screen voltage, but linear stages are
especially critical for screen voltage. Even though proper design technique of
linear stages dictates a very tightly regulated screen supply, linear amplifiers sometimes
cheap out and use non-regulated screen supplies.
It is easy to see why old designs avoided screen regulation. Prior to the 1970’s a good screen system was
technically difficult, took up a lot of space, and was relatively expensive. Today,
all of this can be accomplished in most circuits with a few very and relatively inexpensive components. In all examples below, screen dissipation will not exceed the static
regulator dissipation as long as screen supply voltage is at least twice
regulated screen voltage. As a matter of fact, at just 1.5 ratio between Vsg
(screen operating voltage) and Vss (screen supply voltage), screen dissipation
is well-limited.
With screen supply voltages much over 2x desired voltage, and with a regulator at
the screen grid, excessive fault dissipation in R1 and wasted supply power
become disadvantages. This can be a trade off for supply cost:
| Opr V g2 | Norml Disp g2 | Scrn Supply V | allowed Ig2 | maximum Ig2 | Screen Drop Res | Normal Pd R | Fault Pd R | Max Pd g2 | Max PdReg | Pd OL % | Ratio HV/Eg2 |
| 100 | 3 | 105 | 0.0300 | 0.6300 | 167 | 0.15 | 66.15 | 16.54 | 3.00 | 551% | 1.05 |
| 100 | 3 | 107.5 | 0.0300 | 0.4300 | 250 | 0.23 | 46.23 | 11.56 | 3.00 | 385% | 1.075 |
| 100 | 3 | 110 | 0.0300 | 0.3300 | 333 | 0.30 | 36.30 | 9.08 | 3.00 | 303% | 1.1 |
| 100 | 3 | 112.5 | 0.0300 | 0.2700 | 417 | 0.38 | 30.38 | 7.59 | 3.00 | 253% | 1.125 |
| 100 | 3 | 115 | 0.0300 | 0.2300 | 500 | 0.45 | 26.45 | 6.61 | 3.00 | 220% | 1.15 |
| 100 | 3 | 117.5 | 0.0300 | 0.2014 | 583 | 0.53 | 23.67 | 5.92 | 3.00 | 197% | 1.175 |
| 100 | 3 | 120 | 0.0300 | 0.1800 | 667 | 0.60 | 21.60 | 5.40 | 3.00 | 180% | 1.2 |
| 100 | 3 | 122.5 | 0.0300 | 0.1633 | 750 | 0.68 | 20.01 | 5.00 | 3.00 | 167% | 1.225 |
| 100 | 3 | 125 | 0.0300 | 0.1500 | 833 | 0.75 | 18.75 | 4.69 | 3.00 | 156% | 1.25 |
| 100 | 3 | 127.5 | 0.0300 | 0.1391 | 917 | 0.83 | 17.73 | 4.43 | 3.00 | 148% | 1.275 |
| 100 | 3 | 130 | 0.0300 | 0.1300 | 1,000 | 0.90 | 16.90 | 4.23 | 3.00 | 141% | 1.3 |
| 100 | 3 | 135 | 0.0300 | 0.1157 | 1,167 | 1.05 | 15.62 | 3.91 | 3.00 | 130% | 1.35 |
| 100 | 3 | 140 | 0.0300 | 0.1050 | 1,333 | 1.20 | 14.70 | 3.68 | 3.00 | 123% | 1.4 |
| 100 | 3 | 145 | 0.0300 | 0.0967 | 1,500 | 1.35 | 14.02 | 3.50 | 3.00 | 117% | 1.45 |
| 100 | 3 | 150 | 0.0300 | 0.0900 | 1,667 | 1.50 | 13.50 | 3.38 | 3.00 | 113% | 1.5 |
| 100 | 3 | 160 | 0.0300 | 0.0800 | 2,000 | 1.80 | 12.80 | 3.20 | 3.00 | 107% | 1.6 |
| 100 | 3 | 170 | 0.0300 | 0.0729 | 2,333 | 2.10 | 12.39 | 3.10 | 3.00 | 103% | 1.7 |
| 100 | 3 | 180 | 0.0300 | 0.0675 | 2,667 | 2.40 | 12.15 | 3.04 | 3.00 | 101% | 1.8 |
| 100 | 3 | 190 | 0.0300 | 0.0633 | 3,000 | 2.70 | 12.03 | 3.01 | 3.00 | 100% | 1.9 |
| 100 | 3 | 200 | 0.0300 | 0.0600 | 3,333 | 3.00 | 12.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 100% | 2 |
| 100 | 3 | 220 | 0.0300 | 0.0550 | 4,000 | 3.60 | 12.10 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 100% | 2.2 |
| 100 | 3 | 240 | 0.0300 | 0.0514 | 4,667 | 4.20 | 12.34 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 100% | 2.4 |
| 100 | 3 | 260 | 0.0300 | 0.0488 | 5,333 | 4.80 | 12.68 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 100% | 2.6 |
| 100 | 3 | 280 | 0.0300 | 0.0467 | 6,000 | 5.40 | 13.07 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 100% | 2.8 |
| 100 | 3 | 300 | 0.0300 | 0.0450 | 6,667 | 6.00 | 13.50 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 100% | 3 |
Typical regulated screen circuits are:
You’ll notice the above circuits omit a standard voltage divider. This is
because a standard voltage divider either limits dissipation to a safe value, or
limits voltage to a safe value. Although better than just a standard single
resistor dropping system, a voltage divider generally cannot do both!
A: Series resistance and shunt Zener.
This simple circuit uses a Zener diode for regulation.
B: Series resistance and shunt gas tube
This circuit uses a shunt gas tube, and has all of the problems associated
with gas regulator tubes. Gas regulator tubes require more ignition voltage than
sustaining voltage. Refer to the VR Tube design section
at this link where you can download
a
Spreadsheet
C: Clamping Diode to LV
Boat anchor affectiono should pay attention
to this method. This circuit uses a clamping diode divert current in key-up or
light screen load conditions to a bleeder loaded low voltage supply. The low
voltage supply must be reasonably stable, and the LV supply must be able to accept and
safely absorb current from the screen
dropping resistor without seriously affecting the low voltage supply stability. This
screen supply method is often acceptable in minimal-cost class C tube type transmitter
designs, as long as the LV supply has an adequate bleeder resistance. For
just a few cents in parts, this circuit can correct screen key-up soaring in CW
transmitters (which generally cause abnormal CW key voltages).
The circuits above, with proper HV and components, will satisfy all safety
and operating requirements. They will provide a safe, reliable, simple,
properly-operating screen supply at very little complexity or cost.
In all circuits, R1 should be set to limit current at the maximum desired
screen current. Any shunt regulator, Zener or gas, should be at the desired
screen voltage and properly rated for dissipation.
Here is a basic spread sheet download:
Basic Screen Grid Circuits
The screen grid can go into a negative resistance region, supplying current
to the screen source instead of drawing current. In severe cases, this can cause
the screen to go above supply rail. This can lead to excessive screen voltage.
As mean or average anode voltage sags nearer or below screen voltage, screen
resistance drops and screen current soars. This can lead to excessive screen
dissipation. Because of this, the screen also needs current limiting.
Shunt regulators operated from a high source voltage mitigate the two factors
above, negative resistance and low screen resistance.
There is an Excel sheet to calculate regulator dissipation and current
on this page. The Excel
link is
Regulator Spreadsheet. This sheet will work with diodes or gas tubes.
Let’s look at two possible shunt regulator choices:
A general rule of thumb is we set the dissipation in the regulator at the
value of maximum allowed grid dissipation, and have a regulator with enough
dissipation headroom to safely absorb any negative screen current. A
conservative estimate would to use a regulator capable of dissipating twice the
screen rated dissipation. Ideally, we also want to have HV supply voltage
between 1.5 times and twice the operating screen voltage. The ration can be more
than 2, but at the expense of screen resistor and regulator heat.