In order to obtain corresponding current values or parameters in electronic circuits, current limiting and current splitting is an essential action. Therefore, many products have this function. In terms of cost-effectiveness, resistors are already the most cost-effective product for current limiting and current splitting applications. However, in some special environments, there are also many other products that have other special characteristics and also have the functions of current limiting and current splitting. So, which components are they? For example, diodes, transistors, integrated circuits, MOSFETs, inductors, current limiters, fuses, thermistors, and so on. In this article, we will first introduce the most common current limiting and shunt components.
In addition to resistors, there are several other components that can be used for current limiting:
1. Diode:
-Current limiting diodes can be connected in series with the load, allowing current to flow in a normal manner until a selected threshold is reached. When the current exceeds the threshold, the diode will prevent additional current, preventing the circuit from consuming too much power and causing the circuit to burn out.
2. Transistor:
-Transistors can be used to make circuits to control current. They can be used together to form a turn back current limiting circuit, and can also be used in basic power regulators to control current in a simple way.
3. Integrated Circuit (IC):
-Integrated circuits package almost all components together with the aim of using these chips to detect current levels in the circuit. The IC will adjust to keep the current within the predefined limit range. This makes IC a solution that can produce compact and effective current limiting effects in complex circuits.
4. MOSFET：
-Most ICs on the market use external MOSFETs as switches to turn on and off current, as well as to limit current. In this case, the switch works similarly to a linear regulator.
5. Inductors:
-Inductors can also be used as voltage dividers or current limiters, especially when it is necessary to limit the current in AC circuits.
6. Current limiter:
-A current limiter is an overcurrent protection component used in programmable distribution frames, which can detect and limit short-circuit current when the first rise of the current waveform is less than 1ms.
7. Fuse:
-When the current exceeds the rated value, the fuse will melt, cutting off the circuit and limiting the current.
8. Thermistor:
-When the temperature is too high, the resistance of the thermistor will increase sharply, limiting the current.
9. Electronic fuse:
-It is a resettable overcurrent protection device with advantages such as fast response and high precision.
These components and circuits can be selected with appropriate current limiting schemes based on specific application requirements and circuit design.