Flyback transformer

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A flyback transformer (FBT) or line output transformer (LOPT) is a type of transformer used in the power supply that generates the high voltage needed for driving a cathode ray tube (CRT) or "picture tube". It generates a voltage of a few kilovolts for a monochrome tube, or 10 to 30 kilovolts for a color tube. Unlike a mains (line) transformer, which works with sinusoidal alternating currents at 50 or 60 hertz, a flyback transformer operates with switched currents at much higher frequencies.

1 How it works
2 Practical considerations
3 Failure
4 References
5 Patents
6 See also

[edit] How it works

Unlike mains transformers and audio transformers, an LOPT is designed not just to transfer energy, but also to store it for a significant fraction of the switching period. This is achieved by winding the coils on a ferrite core with an air gap. The air gap increases the reluctance of the magnetic circuit and therefore its capacity to store energy.

The primary winding of the LOPT is driven by a relatively low voltage sawtooth wave, which is ramped up (and sweeping the beam across the screen to draw a line) and then abruptly switched off (and causing the beam to quickly fly back from the right to the left of the display) by the horizontal output stage. This is a ramped and pulsed waveform that repeats at the horizontal (line) frequency of the display. The flyback (vertical portion of the sawtooth wave) is extremely useful to the flyback transformer: the faster a magnetic field collapses, the greater the induced voltage. Furthermore, the high frequency reduces the size of the transformer. In television sets, this high frequency is about 15 kilohertz (15,750Hz for NTSC), and vibrations from the related circuitry can often be heard as a high-pitched whine. In modern computer displays the frequency can vary over a wide range, from about 30 kHz to 150 kHz.

The alternating current coming from the flyback transformer is converted to direct current by a high-voltage rectifier. If the output voltage of the LOPT is not high enough by itself, the rectifier is replaced by a voltage multiplier. Conversely, early color television sets (like the 1954 RCA CT-100) used a regulator to control the high voltage. The rectified voltage is then used to charge the anode of the cathode ray tube. There are often auxiliary secondary windings that produce lower voltages for driving other parts of the display's circuitry - often the CRT's filament will be driven from the flyback.

[edit] Practical considerations

In modern displays, the LOPT, voltage multiplier and rectifier are often integrated into a single package on the main circuit board. There is usually a thick wire from the LOPT to the anode terminal (covered by a rubber cap) on the side of the picture tube. The thickness of this wire is mostly due to the thickness of the plastic insulation, the copper conductor inside being much thinner as it carries only a small current.

One advantage of operating the transformer at the flyback frequency is that it can be much smaller and lighter than a comparable transformer operating at mains (line) frequency. Another advantage is that it provides a failsafe mechanism – should the horizontal deflection circuitry fail, the flyback transformer will cease operating and shut down the rest of the display, preventing the screen burn that would otherwise result from a stationary electron beam.

[edit] Failure

Flyback transformers are a frequent source of failure for television sets; the high voltage present in the many turns of wire with the somewhat thin insulation required for the transformer to be of reasonable size is likely to eventually result in leakage at one point or another; as the leakage heats the insulation it carbonizes and conducts more, which leads to even more heat and carbonization, until the leaked current is high enough for the high voltage to cease to function. As a result, replacement flyback transformers for almost every set on the market are available through dealers in electronic parts, typically for a few tens of dollars. The problem is exacerbated by the tendency of the flyback to accumulate a coating of dust due to electrostatic attraction, which serves as a path to ground for leaks which might otherwise not be of sufficient magnitude to initiate the chain of events leading to destructive failure, as described. As a result, occasional cleaning of the accumulated dust from the high voltage circuitry inside a television can be beneficial, provided the proper precautions are taken, as below.

A flyback transformer and its associated circuitry operate at lethally high voltages, far beyond mains voltage. While most flybacks do not supply enough power to kill directly, the voltage they employ can cause violent muscle spasms if touched; and such spasms usually cause injury. Therefore, only trained persons should touch or modify these devices, after first ensuring that the transformer is switched off and any stored energy has been safely discharged. The CRT has an inherent capacitance which can hold a high voltage charge for a period up to several days after the power is switched off. Often, a high-resistance bleeder resistor is connected in parallel to ensure the charge is safely grounded when not in use, but it is not wise to assume that this is the case.

In many recent televisions, after replacing the flyback transformer, the control firmware must be recalibrated to account for slight differences in performance between transformers in order to maintain accurate color reproduction.