Boucherot Cell

A Boucherot Cell is an electrical network used for cancelling out reactive power. It is formed by the series connection of Rc and Cb in this circuit. This network is the basis for power factor correction circuits and it is also widely employed in audio electronics although the term Zobel Network is most common in the industry. In audio amplifier circuits a Boucherot Cell in the output terminal helps prevent high frequency instability. The network is also employed to compensate for the loudspeaker's inductive reactance so that the output of the amplifier sees a constant and purely resistive load. In this circuit, the inductive reactance of Lb can be cancelled when Rl=R=Rc and R²=Lb/Cb. However, while the overall impedance of the network can be flattened, the junction of Rl and Lb and the junction of Rc and Cb cannot be balanced across all frequencies. Balancing of the junctions for all frequencies can only be achieved with the interchanging of either Rl and Lb or Rc and Cb. The interchange will make the circuit a balanced Zobel bridge.