Ripple refers to the residual periodic variation of the DC output voltage, resulting in a pulsating DC waveform.
This voltage fluctuation often synchronizes with the switching frequency of the power supply, superimposing itself onto the DC output.
Several factors influence the characteristics of these pulsations, including the capacitance of the input smoothing capacitor, the amplifier's response speed, the switching frequency, the output filter design, and the output current.
According to the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) standard, ripple specifically refers to fluctuations with frequency components at 50/60 Hz, corresponding to the AC power line frequency. In contrast, noise is defined as fluctuations composed of higher frequency components (several tens of kHz or more), typically caused by the switching operation of an AC adapter or power supply.
The output voltage will inevitably contain some level of both ripple and noise components. Therefore, when a highly stable output voltage is required, selecting a power supply with low ripple and noise specifications is crucial.
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