Concept in Definition ABC

A regulator is a device that allows to control the different degrees of a certain physical quantity. At the same time, this word is used in all those contexts in which an organism acts as an arbiter that regulates or controls an activity.

Regulatory bodies

The different sectors of the economy they need to be supervised and regulated by some body, usually a public entity. These types of institutions act in order to ensure the good functioning of the different areas of economic life.

Its main characteristic is the independence of criteria, since it is about ordering an activity in an impartial way. In this sense, it could be said that every regulatory body functions as an arbitrator that tries to make different players in a sector comply with their obligations and respect certain rules.

The organisms regulators make it easier for competence among companies in a sector is adjusted to a regulation and to some standards. In this way, consumers are protected against possible abuses by companies that have power in the public sphere.

As a general criterion, these public bodies are related to electricity companies, drinking water companies or banking and the stock market.

Three examples of regulatory devices

The gasoline of motor vehicles must be regulated through a device. Its purpose is to maintain a constant pressure of fuel.

Currently most motor vehicles use electronic injection systems and these require specific pressure regulators. The gasoline pressure regulator has a spring mechanism that maintains constant pressure to suit the vehicle manufacturer's design. A type of regulator is used to measure pressure.

Thus, in the fuel pressure a manometer is used with which a unit of pressure is measured, the PSI (the PSI is a unit of the Anglo-Saxon system and 1 psi is equivalent to 6894.76 pascals).

The voltage is the force that drives electrons through the cables of the electrical network and a voltage regulator is a device that allows voltage levels to be maintained in a stable way and without variations. In short, this device serves to stabilize the electricity at an average level and without variations and the unit of measurement used is the volt.

The intensity of the light can be more or less dim and for this it is necessary to install a light regulator. At present, halogen bulbs are being replaced by LED bulbs, but in both cases it is possible to install a device that regulates the light.

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