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SHORT CIRCUIT PROTECTION
TheTDA2030hasanoriginalcircuitwhichlimitsthe
current of the output transistors.Fig.18 showsthat
the maximum output current is a function of the
collector emitter voltage; hence the output transis-
tors work within their safe operating area (Fig. 2).
This functioncan thereforebe consideredas being
peak power limiting rather than simple current lim-
iting.
It reduces the possibility that the devicegets dam-
aged during an accidental short circuit from AC
output to ground.
Figure 18. Maximum
output current vs.
voltage [VCEsat]across
each output transistor
Figure 19. Safe operating area and
collector characteristics of the
protected power transistor
THERMAL SHUT-DOWN
The presenceof a thermallimitingcircuitoffersthe
following advantages:
1. An overload on the output (even if it is perma-
nent),oranabovelimitambienttemperaturecan
be easily supported since the Tjcannot be
higher than 150°C.
2. The heatsinkcan havea smallerfactorof safety
compared with that of a conventional circuit.
There is no possibility of devicedamage due to
high junctiontemperature.If forany reason,the
junctiontemperatureincreasesup to150°C, the
thermal shut-down simply reduces the power
dissipationat the currentconsumption.
The maximum allowable power dissipation de-
pends uponthe size ofthe externalheatsink(i.e.its
thermal resistance); fig. 22 shows this dissipable
power as a function of ambient temperature for
differentthermalresistance.
TDA2030