Help with Voltage Regulation

[TechTyro]

Hello Forum!
I am stuck due to a simple problem that arose in my project. I want to trim the voltage that a source produces without any significant loss in the current. I have attached a couple of pictures that roughly characterizes the source I am talking about. I want the output voltage to be regulated at around 2 Volts (2V plus or minus 0.1V) for at least the first few seconds until the source voltage drops below 2 volts or till the source voltage reaches zero. I also want a significant amount of the source current at the output side as I will use that to charge a supercapacitor. In any case, the output voltage must NOT go beyond 2.4 volts as it will damage my supercapacitor. I am looking for a circuit(s) that come in-between the source and the supercapacitor that fulfills the above requirement. Suggestions please....

 

[Kabelsalat]

I have trouble of understanding your statement: I want to trim the voltage that a source produces without any significant loss in the current.

So - without having control over load impedance that is impossible (as in math equations) - that is just like I tell you how to crank up the water pressure in my bathrom sink, without the water flow faster. That I have not got an answer to.

 

[Bluejets]

Cross posting will get you in trouble.

 

[TechTyro]

Cross posting will get you in trouble.

Sorry. Won't do it again. I'm a newbie to Electronics Point.

 

[TechTyro]

I have trouble of understanding your statement: I want to trim the voltage that a source produces without any significant loss in the current.

So - without having control over load impedance that is impossible (as in math equations) - that is just like I tell you how to crank up the water pressure in my bathrom sink, without the water flow faster. That I have not got an answer to.

Sorry for not conveying my point clearly. What I meant was, I don't want the circuit you suggest to completely drain the energy received from the source. I want regulated 2 volts output with a considerable amount of current(say at least 200mA) to charge my supercapacitor. Also, the voltage and current must be constant for the first few seconds (i.e till the source voltage drops below 2).

 

[Kabelsalat]

Ok. For current regulation - if power loss is not an issue, you could simply use voltage drop over a low value resistor connected in serie with the cap.

Limited the cap voltace is simething I'll normally prefer using a comparator for. If using a resistor in order to measure charge current, you must be aware that the voltage on the positive terminal on cap will be slightly higher due to voltage drop in resistor.

 

[tedstruk]

I was just reading about voltage dividers, it looks like when you build a voltage divider, that each time you add a resistor, the voltage drops a bit, and each resistor allows an output of a different voltage. I don't know if they make voltage dividers that small... (2v is considered signal isn't it?) but I do know that what ever you design that outputs that voltage, is your own device and any mistakes you make will be your own. you should read alot of advanced electricity books that take you from your V.O.M. meter to the calculating of frequencys and the maintaining of signal....(heh heh.. I need to read more about this too) but the guys here will tell me if I am spouting jibberish....
you get a source and it goes into a circuit and runs devices and then it comes out.... you are trying to maintain the signal so that when it comes out, it is at least close to when it came in.