Strømgating

Strømgating is a term used in Danish and Norwegian electronics to describe the practice of controlling the flow of electric current by applying a control input to a gating element in a power device. The concept aligns with the general idea of gating in electronics, where a gate or trigger modulates a device’s conductivity to enable turning on, off, or regulating conduction in a circuit.

Mechanism: In semiconductor devices, a gate electrode or trigger voltage modulates charge carriers in a channel, allowing or restricting current flow between terminals. In devices such as thyristors, a gate pulse initiates conduction once a triggering condition is met. In modern switching power electronics, gate drive signals control transistors like MOSFETs or IGBTs, producing PWM waveforms that regulate average output current and voltage.

Applications: Strømgating is central to the operation of switching power supplies, DC-DC converters, motor drives, inverters, and other systems where precise control of current or voltage is required. Effective gating must balance switching speed, efficiency, and electromagnetic compatibility, while avoiding spurious triggering and noise-induced faults.

See also: Gate (electronics), PWM, MOSFET, IGBT, Thyristor, Gate drive.

Notes: The term is found in Scandinavian engineering literature, and may be used more descriptively in English-language sources as "gate control" or "gate drive" rather than as a distinct technical term.