Can you use a tank circuit to produce an AC circuit?

[Puglife]

Since the resonant frequency of a tank circuit, is completely adjustable, and controlled by the value inductor and capacitor you use, I was wondering if it had any other uses, other than increasing its impedance at its resonant frequency. Can if be used to produce ac signals of its resonant frequency? What other uses are their for a tank circuit? How are they used? Thank you, your help is appreciated.

 

[anorlunda]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LC_circuit#Applications

The resonance effect of the LC circuit has many important applications in signal processing and communications systems.

1. The most common application of tank circuits is tuning radio transmitters and receivers. For example, when we tune a radio to a particular station, the LC circuits are set at resonance for that particular carrier frequency.
2. A series resonant circuit provides voltage magnification.
3. A parallel resonant circuit provides current magnification.
4. A parallel resonant circuit can be used as load impedance in output circuits of RF amplifiers. Due to high impedance, the gain of amplifier is maximum at resonant frequency.
5. Both parallel and series resonant circuits are used in induction heating.

LC circuits behave as electronic resonators, which are a key component in many applications:

• Amplifiers
• Oscillators
• Filters
• Tuners
• Mixers
• Foster-Seeley discriminator
• Contactless cards
• Graphics tablets
• Electronic article surveillance (security tags)

 

[Puglife]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LC_circuit#Applications

So they can not be used to generate high frequency signals

 

[anorlunda]

So they can not be used to generate high frequency signals

It doesn't say that. Define what you mean by high frequency.

Edit: Also define what you mean by generate. A signals energy had to come from somewhere.

 

[Puglife]

Taking a DC signal, and turning it into a separate, ac signal of the resonate frequency of the circuit. It doesn't necessarily have to be high frequency

 

[Averagesupernova]

Taking a DC signal, and turning it into a separate, ac signal of the resonate frequency of the circuit. It doesn't necessarily have to be high frequency

That is known as an oscillator. An oscillator sometimes uses a tank circuit but not necessarily. At any rate, an oscillator ALWAYS has to utilize a power source and some type of active device such as a transistor or if you are old school, electron tubes or valves as they are known in some parts of the world.

 

[tech99]

My understanding of a tank circuit is an LC resonant circuit which is used as an energy store (hence "tank"), so that brief current impulses can be turned into a near sine wave. For instance, if a tank circuit is placed across the resistive load of a Class C amplifier, the short pulses of DC are turned into a continuous sine wave.

 

[Puglife]

That is known as an oscillator. An oscillator sometimes uses a tank circuit but not necessarily. At any rate, an oscillator ALWAYS has to utilize a power source and some type of active device such as a transistor or if you are old school, electron tubes or valves as they are known in some parts of the world.

Ok, cool, thanks