Kompensator

Kompensator is a term used in engineering and related fields to refer to a device or method that compensates for undesired deviations, errors, or variability within a system. A compensator aims to restore intended performance, improve stability, or enhance efficiency by counteracting the effects it encounters. Compensators can be passive, relying on physical properties, or active, employing sensors and actuators to adjust behavior in real time.

In control engineering, compensators modify a system’s dynamic response. Lead, lag, and lead-lag compensators adjust phase margin and gain to achieve faster response, reduced overshoot, or improved stability in feedback loops. In this context, compensators are part of the controller design and may be implemented in analog electronics or digital software.

In electrical and power engineering, compensators provide reactive power management and voltage regulation. Capacitors and other reactive components act as compensators to improve power factor, reduce losses, and stabilize voltages in electrical networks. Similar ideas appear in automotive and industrial applications where compensation helps balance loads and improve performance.

In mechanical and piping systems, expansion or vibration compensators absorb movement due to thermal expansion, pressure changes, or mechanical vibrations. Examples include metal bellows and flexible hoses used to prevent damage in pipelines and machinery.

Other uses include muzzle devices on firearms to reduce recoil, compensators in radiotherapy to shape dose distributions, and optics where compensators counteract birefringence or aberrations.

Across disciplines, compensators are essential tools for achieving precise, stable, and reliable system behavior.