TIP117 Darlington Power Transistor Pinout, Equivalent, Features and Uses
09 October 2023
Ⅱ. The symbol, footprint and pinout of TIP117
Ⅲ. Technical parameters of TIP117
Ⅳ. What are the features of TIP117?
Ⅴ. Package and packaging of TIP117
Ⅵ. What are the uses of TIP117?
Ⅷ. How to improve the efficiency of TIP117?
Ⅸ. DC current amplification factor and its test method
The TIP117, manufactured by STMicroelectronics, is a silicon epitaxial-based PNP transistor that features a monolithic Darlington configuration. This transistor comes encased in a Jedec TO-220 plastic package, ensuring both robustness and ease of integration into various electronic circuits. Designed with versatility, the TIP117 is well-suited for a range of medium-power applications, including both linear and switching tasks. With a rated power and power dissipation capability of 2W, it demonstrates reliability and stability even under demanding operating conditions.
One of its notable attributes is its wide operating temperature range, spanning from -65°C to 150°C, which enables its deployment in a diverse range of environments. Whether it's amplifying signals in audio equipment, driving motors in industrial machinery, or regulating voltage in power supplies, the TIP117 transistor proves to be a dependable and adaptable component for various electronic designs.
The TIP117 symbol usually consists of three letters and four numbers. The first letter represents the type of transistor, T represents bipolar transistor; the second letter represents the material, I represents silicon material; the third letter represents function, P represents signal amplifier. The number 117 represents the transistor's specific type identifier. In addition, some bipolar transistors have additional letters, such as GTIP for glass passivated bipolar transistor, SO for plastic package, and TO for zero temperature coefficient.
Replacement and equivalent:
• BDX33C
• TIP112
• TIP115
• TIP117TU
• TIP127
• TIP32CG
• TIP41C
The TIP117 bipolar transistor has three pins, namely collector(C), emitter(E) and base(B). The collector is the main power output pin. It is responsible for collecting and channeling the current inside the transistor and converting electrical energy into other forms of energy. The emitter is responsible for transmitting signals. It serves as an interface for input and output signals and is directly connected to other parts of the circuit. The base is the control pin, which regulates the conduction state of the transistor and controls the switching state of the transistor by changing the base voltage.
In terms of symbol recognition, the TIP117 bipolar transistor generally uses three dots on its external package to represent the three pins, and the arrangement and polarity of the pins can also be intuitively reflected from these symbols. For example, collector is on the far left, emitter is in the middle, and base is on the far right. The horizontal bar in the symbol designation indicates negative polarity, while the dot indicates positive polarity. Therefore, we can easily distinguish collector, emitter and base and understand their arrangement and polarity through symbolic identification.
• High DC current gain
• Low collector saturation voltage
• It is capable of handling 2 amps of current while consuming 2 watts of power.
• Its voltage value can reach -100 volts which is very useful in many applications.
• It is a PNP type single transistor and can function as a switch in the circuit.
• In application, it has hFE up to 1000, which means it has good amplification capability.
The package form of TIP117 is TO-220-3. This is a common package method for semiconductor devices with high reliability and stability. This form of package can not only effectively protect the internal transistors and other circuit components from the external environment, but also maintain good heat dissipation performance, thereby effectively dissipating the heat generated by the chip during operation.
In terms of packaging, TIP117 is generally sold in bulk and tubes, each with a fixed quantity. For scenarios that require extensive use, such as industrial production, scientific research experiments, etc., we can purchase a certain number of tube mounted chips.
• Universal amplifier
• Lighting applications: TIP117 is a common LED driver that can convert AC power to DC power to provide stable current for high-power LED lights and other types of lighting equipment. By using TIP117, we are able to easily adjust the brightness and color of the light to achieve a more comfortable lighting environment.
• Thermal controllers: TIP117 can be used in temperature control applications such as electric heaters and thermostats to maintain a specific temperature range.
• Switch of electronic equipment: TIP117 is a common electronic switch, mainly used to turn on and off the power of electronic equipment. By using this electronic switch, we can easily control the power on and off, thereby achieving the normal operation of electronic equipment and energy conservation and environmental protection.
• Electronic modules and experiments: TIP117 is often used by electronics enthusiasts and engineering technicians to conduct electronic experiments to construct various electronic circuit prototypes.
• Power regulator: TIP117 is often used in power regulator circuits where output voltage and current need to be adjusted. It serves as a key component of the voltage regulator, ensuring stable voltage output under a variety of load conditions.
• Audio amplifier: In some audio amplifier circuits, TIP117 can be used as an output-level power amplifier to enhance the power of the audio signal.
• Motor control: Because TIP117 has a high current carrying capacity, it is often used in drive circuits for DC motors and stepper motors. This transistor helps control the speed and direction of the motor.
1. Driver optimization: Optimizing the driver circuit of TIP117, such as using low internal resistance driver resistors, can reduce the power consumption of the driver circuit and thereby improve efficiency.
2. Optimize load matching: In the application of switching power supply, optimizing the matching relationship between load and power supply can reduce the power consumption of the load circuit, thereby improving efficiency.
3. Optimize heat dissipation design: A good heat dissipation design for TIP117 can reduce the junction temperature of the transistor, thereby reducing power loss.
4. Circuit design: Reasonable circuit design can reduce the heat loss of power transistors. We can use appropriate circuit topology and component values to minimize the time when the power transistor is in a saturated state. In addition, we can also use a current limiting circuit to avoid exceeding the maximum rated current of TIP117, which helps to reduce the risk of overheating.
5. Use magnetic components to optimize design: Using magnetic components, such as transformers and inductors, in switching power supplies can optimize the design of magnetic components, thereby reducing the loss of magnetic components.
6. Reasonable selection of filter components: The impedance and power loss of filter components can be reduced.
7. Control system timing: Enable the switch tube to switch on and off at the best time, which can reduce power consumption during the switching process, thereby improving efficiency.
The DC current amplification factor is an important parameter of the TIP117 bipolar transistor, which represents the ratio of the collector current to the base current. There are two testing methods. One is the direct measurement method, which directly reads the amplification coefficient through a multimeter or oscilloscope; the other is calculation using formulas, which requires measuring parameters such as collector current, base current, and emitter resistance. Both methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. The direct measurement method is simple and intuitive, but is limited by the accuracy of the instrument; while the calculation method requires more operations and calculation steps, but can obtain more accurate results.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the equivalent of TIP117?
We can replace the TIP117 with the BDX33C, TIP112, TIP115, TIP117G, TIP117TU, TIP127, TIP32CG or TIP41C.
2. What is the operating temperature range of TIP117?
The operating temperature of TIP117 ranges from -65°C to 150 °C.
3. What are some common applications for the TIP117 transistor?
The TIP117 transistor is commonly used in applications where high current amplification or switching is required. Some common applications include driving relays, solenoids, motors, and high-power LEDs.
4. How do you bias and drive a TIP117 transistor in a circuit?
To bias a TIP117 transistor properly, you apply a voltage to the base-emitter junction (BE) to control the current flow from collector to emitter. This voltage should be sufficient to turn the transistor on (saturate it) for your specific application.
5. Are there any complementary transistors to the TIP117 for use in different circuit configurations?
Yes, the TIP117 is a PNP transistor, and its complementary NPN Darlington transistor is often the TIP122. These two transistors are frequently used together in complementary push-pull amplifier and switching configurations.
