Symbol – What Electronic Component Does This Symbol Represent?

dc/dc converterfeedforwardswitch-mode-power-supplysymbol [~]

From a schematic of a feed forward converter.

Best Answer

The symbol is for a coil with a saturable core.

Related Solutions

Schematic Symbol SG1 – What Do Two Arrows Pointing to Each Other Represent?

This looks like a spark gap.
(You could also look up gas discharge tube (GDT), which is similar to spark gap.)

The likely purpose of this component in your circuit is to protect the rest of the circuit from lightning strike and/or ESD. Spark gaps are often the first line of defense against high voltage.

Advantages of spark gaps: Once the arc is established, a spark gap acts as a crowbar, and it can dissipate a lot of energy. Because of that, spark gaps are used for protection against high voltage high energy threats (lightning, defibrillator). The parasitic capacitance of a spark gap is low, so it doesn't affect the signal. A spark gap can be formed as a PCB feature for free; it doesn't require an additional component in a BOM.

Weaknesses of spark gaps: They fire at a high voltage, hundreds of volts, and the firing voltage is not well reproducible or predictable. To address this weakness, there's usually another overvoltage protection device (such as TVS) in parallel with a spark gap. This additional device clamps at a lower voltage.