Industrial Electronics

Topic 11 – Rectifier

A Introduction

1 Rectifier

A rectifier is a device that changes AC to DC.

Rectification is a process by which alternating current is changed to direct

current. Since diode conducts in only one direction, it is used as a rectifier.

In this topic, we will discuss the principle operation of rectifiers.

B Types of rectifier circuits

1. Have-Wave Rectifier.
2. Full-Wave Rectifier.
3. Bridge Rectifier.
1 Half wave rectifier

RL

During the positive half cycle of the ac supply, the diode is forward
biased and it conducts. This signal is thus present at the load.

During the negative half cycle of the ac supply, the diode is reversed
biased and it does not conduct.

+ +

Thus throughout the negative half cycle, there is no signal present at the
load. Therefore the signal output of load R L appears to be shown as
follows:

Output at load

VP

VAVG
Area
0
T

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Industrial Electronics
Topic 11 – Rectifier

1. Half-Wave Rectifier Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV)

2
Occurs at the peak of negative cycle alternation of an ac input when the
diode is reverse biased.

It is define as the maximum reverse bias voltage that can be applied to a

diode without the diode breaking down. PIV equals the peak value of
input (reverse) voltage before going through a diode or Vp = 1.414 x
Vrms

The diode must be capable of withstanding this amount of repetitive

reverse voltage.

2 Full Wave Rectifier

2. The circuit in fig 4-1 is a full-wave rectifier circuit.

1
The full-wave rectifier requires a center-tapped transformer so that
current can be made to flow in the load resistor on both halves of the
ac wave.

In a full-wave rectifier circuit, a diode rectifier is placed in series with

each half of the center-stepped transformer secondary winding and
the load. Effectively you have 2 half-wave rectifiers working into the
same load.

A D1 C

6V
230Vac 0
RL
6V D2

D
Fig. 4-1

2. During the first half cycle, when point A of the transformer is positive.
2
It makes the diode D1 anode positive so that it can conduct
current.

Current will flow from A through diode D1 to point C through the load
resistor RL, to point D and then to ground at the transformer center-tapped

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Industrial Electronics
Topic 11 – Rectifier

terminal.
A positive voltage will be developed across the load resistor R L.
2. During the next half cycle when point B of the transformer is positive
3
It makes the diode D2 anode positive so that it will conduct.

Current will flow from B through the diode D 2 to point C, through the load
resistor RL to point D and then to earth, the center-tapped of the
transformer.

This current flow will also develop another positive voltage across the load
resistor RL
2. Since both pulses of the current flowing through the load are in the same
4 direction, a pulsating dc voltage now appears across the load. The full-
wave rectifier has changed both halves of the ac input voltage to a
pulsating dc output voltage.

The sequence half cycles of the input ac voltage will be rectified in the
same way. The output voltage develop across the load resistor R L will be
as shown below :

VLOAD

VP

D1 D2 D1

Output at load
3 Bridge Rectifier

3. The circuit in fig 4-2 is a full-wave bridge rectifier that requires a non-
1 center-tapped transformer and 4 diodes. At any one time 2 diodes will be
in operation.

T1 D1
12V D2
C
230Vac
0V RL
D4 D3
100
B
D

Fig4-2

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Industrial Electronics
Topic 11 – Rectifier

3. During the positive half cycle, when point A is positive,

2
The diodes D2 and D4 anodes will be positive ( while D1 and D3 anodes will
be negative.)

Current will flow from point A via D2 to point C, through the load resistor R L
to point D, through diode D4 to point B, through the transformer and back
to point A.

This current flow will developed a positive voltage across the load resistor
RL.
3. During the next half cycle, point B is positive
3
The diode D1 and Diode D3 anode will be positive ( while diode D 2 and
diode D4 anode will be negative).

Current will flow via diode D4 to point C, through the load resistor R L to
point D, through diode D1 and back to point B.

This current will also develop a positive voltage across the load resistor
RL.

C Relationship between voltages

1 Root-mean-square voltage (Vrms)

Vrms = 0.707 x Vp

2 Average voltage (Vav)

Vac = 0.637 x Vp

3 Peak Voltage (Vp)

Vp = 1.414 x Vrms

D Rectifiers Calculations:

1 Half-Wave Rectifier

Average value, VAVG is the value you would measure on a dc voltmeter.

VAVG = VP


= 0.318 X VP

VP is the peak value of the voltage.

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Industrial Electronics
Topic 11 – Rectifier

The average value of DC output voltage at the rectifier output

Vout = Vmax – 0.7V

= Vp

2 Full-wave Rectifier

Vmax VP

A D1 C

6V
230Vac 0
RL
6V D2

The average value of DC output voltage at the rectifier output

Vavg = 2Vp
-------


The PIV per diode = 2.82 Vrms

3 Bridge Rectifier

Vmax VP
A
T1 D1
12V D2 C
230Vac
0V RL
D4 D3
100
B
D

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Topic 11 – Rectifier

3. The average value of DC output voltage at the rectifier output

1
Vavg = 2Vp
-------


Vout = Vmax – 0.7V – 0.7V

= Vmax – 1.4V = Vp

3. Diode Rating
2
Diodes are generally rated by its voltage, current or power.

3. Peak Inverse Voltage

3
It is define as the maximum reverse bias voltage that can be a applied to a
diode without the diode breaking down

The PIV across each reverse-biased diode = V P + 0.7V or

= 1.41 Vrms

3. Maximum Forward Current Rating

4
It is referred to the maximum current that is allowed to flow through the
diode.

E Rectifier Performance

A rectifer circuit that gives a full-wave performance without using the

transformer is the bridge rectifier. Instead it uses four diodes to give full-
wave rectification.

1 Rectifiers Advantages and Disadvantages

1. The full-wave bridge rectifier has the advantage of using a non center-
1 tapped transformer. As a result, the rectifier circuit becomes lighter in
weight. Since diodes are inexpensive, the full wave bridge rectifier is
commonly used in solid-state electronic equipment. In many cases, a
special package of 4 diodes are available to avoid the extra wiring required
in this circuit.

1. The disadvantage of the full-wave rectifier is that it requires a center-

2 tapped transformer. It becomes costly and heavier in weight.

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