Next: Tasks Up: lab8b Previous: What is a Transformer?

What is a Rectifier Circuit?

Now that we've stepped down the AC voltages to a level that is more in line with the
voltage requirements of the Stamp11, we are left with the problem of converting a
12 volt AC signal into our desired 5 volt DC power supply. We'll approach this in two
steps. First we'll convert the AC voltage into a DC voltage via a process known
as rectification. Then we'll step down this 12 volt DC voltage down to 5 volts using
the voltage regulator . This section briefly talks about the rectification process.

The simplest possible circuit for converting AC into DC is a half-wave rectifier. This
circuit consists of a single diode that only allows current to flow in one direction. A
possible circuit is shown below in figure 4. In this figure, you'll find the AC power
source connected to the primary side of a transformer. Note the symbol we use for the
transformer. The secondary terminals of this transformer are then connected to a diode
and resistor in series.

Figure 4: Half-wave rectifier

The operation of this circuit is straightforward. When is in the positive part of its
cycle, a positive voltage is produced on the secondary side of the transformer. This
voltage forward biases the diode and the diode begins passing current. As a result
most of the voltage drops across the load. When is negative, then the secondary
side also has a negative voltage. The diode is then reverse biased and ceases to pass
current. As a result, the voltage drop over the load is zero. The voltage waveform over
the load resistor therefore looks as shown in figure 4. Only the positive side of the
sinusoidal cycle is present and the negative side has been clamped off by the diode.

Looking at the output voltage, , you should note that it resembles the output of
the battery in that it is always positive. Unfortunately, this positive waveform is rather
"bumpy" and we need to find a way to smooth it out. The RC circuit shown in
figure 5 is used to smooth out these bumps. In this circuit, we've added a large
capacitor in parallel with the load resistance. The capacitor can store energy during
the times when the voltage over the load is positive. When the load voltage is clamped
to zero, our capacitor can then slowly release its stored energy, thereby smoothing out
the voltage over the load.

Figure 5: Half-wave rectifier with capacitor

What happens in this circuit is that the diode turns on when the voltage on the cap is
about 0.7 volts (the threshold voltage for the diode) below that coming out of the
transformer. Meanwhile the load discharges the cap with our standard RC time
constant. The circuit must be carefully designed so that the time-constant is much
longer than the AC cycle time. Even so, the cap will probably lose some voltage over
the idle time between pulses and this loss will result in voltage ripple. The resulting
waveforms are shown below in figure 5.

There is something else new in this circuit. Notice how the bottom plate of the
capacitor is shown with a curve and the top plate is marked with a plus sign. This is
because special capacitors are required to get a high capacitance in a small space. In
particular, you'll be using electrolytic capacitors. Such capacitors are constructed
using a paper soaked in an electrolyte. This fabrication method gives enormous
capacitances in a very small volume. But it also results in the capacitor
being polarized. In other words, the capacitor only works with one polarity of voltage.
If you reverse the polarity, hydrogen can disassociate from the internal anode of the
capacitor and this hydrogen can explode. Electrolytic capacitors always have their
polarity clearly marked, often with a bunch of negative signs pointed at the negative
terminal. You should have a 1000 F capacitor in your parts kits that you can use in
your power supply circuit.

While the half-wave rectifier has the virtue of simplicity, it lacks efficiency because
we are throwing away the negative side of the waveform. A better solution would be
to use the power in both sides of the waveform. Circuits that do this are called full-
wave rectifiers. In particular, you can use the following circuit shown in figure 6 to
build the full-wave rectifier. The left-hand side of this circuit is the full wave bridge.
This part of the circuit consists of four specially arranged diodes. The output of the
full wave rectifier is is, essentially a 12 volt DC supply. There will be a small ripple
on this supply, but you won't really be able to notice it even if you look at the
waveform using the oscilloscope.

Figure 6: Full wave rectifier

The circuit shown in figure 6 generates a DC voltage of 12-volts and ground across
the two terminals marked and . Your MicroStamp11, however, requires a 5 volt
supply. We can step down this 12 voltage voltage to a 5 voltage voltage in several
ways. One method is to use a Zener diode to clamp the voltage at 5 volts. A zener
diode is a diode whose breakdown voltages has been designed to sit at a specific
voltage level. The circuit shown in figure 7 performs this function. The resistor in
series with the diode is used to limit the output current, typical values are on the order
of 100-500 ohms.
 Figure 7: Zener Diode Voltage Regulator

Another way of stepping down the 12 voltage supply is to use a special three-terminal
device called a voltage regulator. A voltage regulator is a special semiconductor
device that has been specially designed to act as an ideal battery. The voltage
regulator connections are shown on the righthand side of figure 8. As you can see the
voltage regulator has 3 pins. Pin 3 (VIN) is connected to the positive battery terminal.
Pin 2 (GND) is connected to ground (the negative terminal of your battery) and Pin 1
is the 5 volt regulated output. In your lab kit you'll find an LM7805 voltage regulator.
You can use this to construct the regulator driven power supply for your system.

In connecting your voltage regulator be sure to put a 0.1 F capacitor on the output
end of your power supply. This capacitor helps remove voltage spikes from your
power supply, for if you have a step change in the voltage, the capacitor acts as a short
circuit to ground.

Figure 8: LM7805 Votlage Regulation Circuit

Next: Tasks Up: lab8b Previous: What is a Transformer?

 Michael Lemmon 2009-02-01

What is Rectification?
A direct current flows from the positive to negative terminal of a source supply when connected by a circuit. The current flows
continuously in a single direction. However, in the case of alternating current, the direction of the flow keeps on changing on the
basis of the frequency of the alternator producing it. This means that the current first flows in one direction in the circuit, rises to
the peak value and comes down, and then changes the direction, reaches the peak value and again comes back to normal. The rise
and fall of the current follows a sine wave pattern and is the characteristic of alternating current.

In a situation wherein direct current is required from a source supplying alternative current, the later needs to be rectified in order
to make it usable for the D.C requirement. This process of rectifying the AC current is known as rectification. Thus, rectification
can be defined as a process of converting alternating current (A.C) to Direct current (D.C). In this process the flow of current in
only one direction is permitted while in the other direction is resisted. This means that in an alternating current (A.C) the positive
component of the current is only permitted to pass whereas the negative is resisted. The equipment used for this rectification
process is known as rectifier.

In early days, rectification was done using thyristors. However, presently a semi-conductor junction rectifier is used. This modern
rectifier is a PN diode which acts as an electrical non return valve when connected to alternating current (A.C) circuit, allowing
only current flowing in one direction.

Equipment Used for Rectification Process

The following items of equipment are used in rectifier circuits for assisting in the rectification process.

Transformer
Transformers are attached to the rectifier circuit as they help in bringing the alternating current (A.C) voltage down to the
required level. With the help of the transformer, the alternating current (A.C) voltage can be increased or decreased with a small
amount of power loss. Moreover, transformers also help in increasing the safety of the equipment being used.

P-N Diodes
PN diodes are also used for the rectification process along with the transformers. PN diodes help in getting a better rectification
of current. The diodes are generally attached in a separate circuit having one, two, or four diodes. The output result is a
unidirectional direct current, smooth in quality.

Capacitor
A single rectifier can only produce a half-wave rectification, which though unidirectional, is not continuous in flow and has
several ripples in it. In order to reduce these ripples in the direct current, a capacitor is used. Thus, a capacitor helps in smoothing
the alternative current (A.C) voltage after the rectification process.

Also, for getting a full wave rectification, two diodes are attached in a circuit. This type of circuit is known as a bridge rectifier.
However, in a two diode system, high voltage transformer is needed, which is expensive that the cost of a conventional bridge
rectifier.

The number of rectifiers used in a circuit depends on the kind of output required. Higher the number of rectifiers used, better is
the quality of rectified output voltage. There are several other methods for the rectification process; however, the above
mentioned are the most commonly used ones.

References
Marine electrical equipment and practice by H.D McGeorge
Chapter 6: Diode applications (Power
supplies, voltage regulators & limiters)
6.1 Rectifier
A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC), a
process known as rectification. Rectifiers have many uses including as components of power
supplies and as amplitude modulation detectors (envelope detectors) of radio signals. Rectifiers are
most commonly made using solid state diodes but other type of components can be used when very
high voltages or currents are involved. When only a single diode is used to rectify AC (by blocking
the negative or positive portion of the waveform), the difference between the term diode and the
term rectifier is simply one of usage. The term rectifier describes a diode that is being used to
convert AC to DC. Most rectifier circuits contain a number of diodes in a specific arrangement to
more efficiently convert AC power to DC power than is possible with only a single diode.

6.1.1 Half-wave rectification

In half wave rectification, either the positive or negative half of the AC wave is passed, while the
other half is blocked. Because only one half of the input waveform reaches the output, it is only 50%
efficient if used for power transfer. Half-wave rectification can be achieved with a single diode in a
single phase supply as shown in figure 6.1, or with three diodes in a three-phase supply.

Figure 6.1 Half wave rectifier using one diode

The output DC voltage of a half wave rectifier, given a sinusoidal input, can be calculated with the
following ideal equations:
6.1.2 Full-wave rectification
A full-wave rectifier converts both the positive and negative halves of the input waveform to a single
polarity (positive or negative) at its output. By using both halves of the AC waveform full-wave
rectification is more efficient than half wave.

When a simple transformer with out a center tapped secondary is used, four diodes are required
instead of the one needed for half-wave rectification. Four diodes arranged this way are called a
diode bridge or bridge rectifier as shown in figure 6.2. The bridge rectifier can also be used for
translating a DC input of unknown or arbitrary polarity into an output of known polarity. This is
generally required in electronic telephones or other telephony devices where the DC polarity on the
two phone wires is unknown. There are also applications for protecting against accidental battery
reversal in battery-powered circuits.

Figure 6.2 Bridge rectifier: a full-wave rectifier using 4 diodes.

For single-phase AC, if the transformer is center-tapped, then two diodes back-to-back (i.e. anode-
to-anode or cathode-to-cathode) can form a full-wave rectifier. Twice as many windings are required
on the transformer secondary to obtain the same output voltage compared to the bridge rectifier
above. This is not as efficient from the transformer perspective because current flows in only one
half of the secondary during each positive and negative half cycle of the AC input.
 Figure 6.3 Full-wave rectifier using a center tapped transformer and 2 diodes.

If a second pair of diodes is included as in figure 6.4 then both positive and negative polarity
voltages with respect to the transformer center tap can be generated. One can also view this
arrangement to be the same as adding a center tap to the secondary winding in the full-wave bridge
rectifier from figure 6.2.

Figure 6.4 Dual polarity Full-wave rectifier using a center tapped transformer and 4 diodes.

6.1.3 Rectifier output smoothing

Half-wave or full-wave rectification does not produce a constant-voltage DC as we have seen in the
previous figures. In order to produce a steady DC voltage from a rectified AC source, a filter or
smoothing circuit is needed. In the simplest form this can be just a capacitor placed across the DC
output of the rectifier. There will still remain an amount of AC ripple voltage where the voltage is not
completely smoothed. The amplitude of the remaining ripple depends on how much the load
discharges the capacitor between the peaks of the waveform.
 Figure 6.5(a) Half-wave Rectifier RC-Filter

Figure 6.5(b) Full-wave Rectifier RC-Filter

Sizing of the filter capacitor, C1, represents a tradeoff. For a given load, RL, a larger capacitor will
reduce ripple but will cost more and will create higher peak currents in the transformer secondary
and in the supply feeding it. In extreme cases where many rectifiers are loaded onto a power
distribution circuit, it may prove difficult for the power distribution grid to maintain a correctly shaped
sinusoidal voltage waveform.

For a given tolerable ripple the required capacitor size is proportional to the load current and
inversely proportional to the supply frequency and the number of output peaks of the rectifier per
input cycle. The load current and the supply frequency are generally outside the control of the
designer of the rectifier system but the number of peaks per input cycle can be affected by the
choice of rectifier design. The maximum ripple voltage present for a Full Wave Rectifier circuit is not
only determined by the value of the smoothing capacitor but by the frequency and load current, and
is calculated as:

Where:
Vrippleis the maximum ripple voltage on the DC output
ILoad is the DC load current
F is the frequency of the ripple (generally 2X the AC frequency)
C is the smoothing capacitor

A half-wave rectifier, figure 6.5(a) will only give one peak per cycle and for this and other reasons is
only used in very small power supplies and where cost and complexity are of concern. A full wave
rectifier, figure 6.5(b) achieves two peaks per cycle and this is the best that can be done with single-
phase input. For three-phase inputs a three-phase bridge will give six peaks per cycle and even
higher numbers of peaks can be achieved by using transformer networks placed before the rectifier
to convert to a higher phase order.

To further reduce this ripple, an LC -filter (pi-filter) such as shown in figure 6.6 can be used. This
complements the reservoir capacitor, C1, with a series inductor, L1, and a second filter capacitor,
C2 so that a steadier DC output can be obtained across the terminals of the final filter capacitor. The
series inductor presents a high impedance at the ripple current frequency.

Figure 6.6 LC -filter (pi-filter)

A more usual alternative to a filter, and essential if the DC load requires a very smooth supply
voltage, is to follow the filter capacitor with a voltage regulator which we will discuss in section 6.3.
The filter capacitor needs to be large enough to prevent the troughs of the ripple getting below the
drop-out voltage of the regulator being used. The regulator serves both to remove the last of the
ripple and to deal with variations in supply and load characteristics. It would be possible to use a
smaller filter capacitor (which can be large for high-current power supplies) and then apply some
filtering as well as the regulator, but this is not a common design strategy. The extreme of this
approach is to dispense with the filter capacitor altogether and put the rectified waveform straight
into an inductor input filter. The advantage of this circuit is that the current waveform is smoother and
consequently the rectifier no longer has to deal with the current as a large current pulse just at the
peaks of the input sine wave, but instead the current delivery is spread over more of the cycle. The
downside is that the voltage output is much lower - approximately the average of an AC half-cycle
rather than the peak.
6.2 Voltage-doubling rectifiers
The simple half wave rectifier can be built in two versions with the diode pointing in opposite
directions, one version connects the negative terminal of the output direct to the AC supply and the
other connects the positive terminal of the output direct to the AC supply. By combining both of these
with separate output smoothing capacitors it is possible to get an output voltage of nearly double the
peak AC input voltage, figure 6.7. This also provides a tap in the middle, which allows use of such a
circuit as a split rail (positive and negative) supply.

Figure 6.7 Simple voltage doubler.

A variant of this is to use two capacitors in series for the output smoothing on a bridge rectifier then
place a switch between the midpoint of those capacitors and one of the AC input terminals. With the
switch open this circuit will act like a normal bridge rectifier with it closed it will act like a voltage
doubling rectifier. In other words this makes it easy to derive a voltage of roughly 320V (+/- around
15%) DC from any mains supply in the world, this can then be fed into a relatively simple switched
mode power supply.

Section Review:

Rectification is the conversion of alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC).

A half-wave rectifier is a circuit that allows only one half-cycle of the AC voltage
waveform to be applied to the load, resulting in one non-alternating polarity across it. The
resulting DC delivered to the load pulsates significantly.
 A full-wave rectifier is a circuit that converts both half-cycles of the AC voltage waveform
to an unbroken series of voltage pulses of the same polarity. The resulting DC delivered
to the load doesn't pulsate as much.
Capacitors are used to smooth out or filter the ripple present in the rectified DC, and
sometimes more complex filters using inductors as well as capacitors are used.

6.3 Zener Diode as Voltage Regulator

Zener diodes are widely used as voltage references and as shunt regulators to regulate the voltage
across small circuits. When connected in parallel with a varying voltage source, such as the diode
rectifier we just discussed, so that it is reverse biased, the zener diode conducts when the voltage
reaches the diode's reverse breakdown voltage. From that point on, the relatively low impedance of
the diode keeps the voltage across the diode at that value.

Figure 6.8 Zener Diode Voltage Reference

In the circuit shown in figure 6.8, a typical shunt regulator, an input voltage, VIN, is regulated down to
a stable output voltage VOUT. The reverse bias breakdown voltage of diode DZ is stable over a wide
current range and holds VOUT relatively constant even though the input voltage may fluctuate over a
fairly wide range. Because of the low impedance of the diode when operated like this, series resistor
RS is used to limit current through the circuit.

In the case of this simple reference, the current flowing in the diode is determined using Ohm's law
and the known voltage drop across the resistor RS.
The value of RS must satisfy two conditions:

RS must be small enough that the current through DZ keeps DZ in reverse breakdown. The
value of this current is given in the manufacturer's data sheet for DZ. For example, the
common BZX79C5V6 device, a 5.6 V 0.5 ? zener diode, has a recommended reverse
current of 5 mA. If insufficient current exists through DZ, then VOUT will be unregulated, and
less than the nominal breakdown voltage. When calculating RS, allowance must be made
for any current through any external load that might be connected to VOUT, not shown in
this diagram.

RS must be large enough that the current through DZ does not exceed the rated maximum
and destroy the device. If the current through DZ is ID, its breakdown voltage VB and its
maximum power dissipation PMAX, then:

A load may be placed across the diode in this reference circuit, and as long as the zener stays in
reverse breakdown, the diode will provide a stable voltage source to the load. Zener diodes in this
configuration are often used as stable references for more complicated voltage regulator circuits
involving buffer amplifier stages to supply large currents to the load.

Shunt regulators are simple, but the requirements that the ballast resistor, RS, be small enough to
avoid excessive voltage drop during worst-case operation (low input voltage concurrent with high
load current) tends to leave a lot of current flowing in the diode much of the time, making for a fairly
inefficient regulator with high quiescent power dissipation, only suitable for smaller loads.

These devices are also encountered, typically in series with a base-emitter junction, in transistor
stages where selective choice of a device centered around the avalanche or zener point can be
used to introduce compensating temperature co-efficient balancing of the transistor PN junction. An
example of this kind of use would be a DC error amplifier used in a regulated power supply circuit
feedback loop system.

As a side note: zener diodes are also used in surge protectors to limit transient voltage spikes.
Another notable application of the zener diode is the use of noise caused by its avalanche
breakdown in a random number generator that never repeats.
Regulator Design Example:
An output voltage of 5V is required and the output current required is 60mA.

We first must choose a zener diode, VZ = 4.7V which is the nearest value available.

We need to determine the nominal input voltage and it must be a few volts greater than VZ. For this
example we will use VIN = 8V.

As a rule of thumb we choose the nominal current through the zener to be 10% of the required
output load current or 6mA. This then determines the current Imax = 66mA which will flow through
RS (output current plus 10%).

The series resistor RS = (8V - 4.7V) / 66mA = 50, we would choose RS = 47 which is the nearest
standard value.

The resistor power rating PRS > (8V - 4.7V) 66mA = 218mW, so we choose PRS = 0.5W

The maximum power that could be dissipated in the zener when there is zero current in the output
load can be calculated as PZ > 4.7V 66mA = 310mW, so we would choose PZ = 400mW.

Lab Activity: Zener Diode Regulator

Rectifier Circuits
Chapter 3 - Diodes and Rectifiers

Now we come to the most popular application of the diode: rectification. Simply
defined, rectification is the conversion of alternating current (AC) to direct current
(DC). This involves a device that only allows one-way flow of electrons. As we have
seen, this is exactly what a semiconductor diode does. The simplest kind of rectifier
circuit is the half-wave rectifier. It only allows one half of an AC waveform to pass
through to the load. (Figure below)

Half-wave rectifier circuit.

For most power applications, half-wave rectification is insufficient for the task. The
harmonic content of the rectifiers output waveform is very large and consequently
difficult to filter. Furthermore, the AC power source only supplies power to the load
one half every full cycle, meaning that half of its capacity is unused. Half-wave
rectification is, however, a very simple way to reduce power to a resistive load. Some
two-position lamp dimmer switches apply full AC power to the lamp filament for full
brightness and then half-wave rectify it for a lesser light output. (Figure below)

Half-wave rectifier application: Two level lamp dimmer.

In the Dim switch position, the incandescent lamp receives approximately one-half
the power it would normally receive operating on full-wave AC. Because the half-wave
rectified power pulses far more rapidly than the filament has time to heat up and cool
down, the lamp does not blink. Instead, its filament merely operates at a lesser
temperature than normal, providing less light output. This principle of pulsing power
rapidly to a slow-responding load device to control the electrical power sent to it is
common in the world of industrial electronics. Since the controlling device (the diode,
in this case) is either fully conducting or fully nonconducting at any given time, it
dissipates little heat energy while controlling load power, making this method of power
control very energy-efficient. This circuit is perhaps the crudest possible method of
pulsing power to a load, but it suffices as a proof-of-concept application.

If we need to rectify AC power to obtain the full use of both half-cycles of the sine
wave, a different rectifier circuit configuration must be used. Such a circuit is called
a full-wave rectifier. One kind of full-wave rectifier, called the center-tap design, uses
a transformer with a center-tapped secondary winding and two diodes, as in
Figure below.
Full-wave rectifier, center-tapped design.

This circuits operation is easily understood one half-cycle at a time. Consider the first
half-cycle, when the source voltage polarity is positive (+) on top and negative (-) on
bottom. At this time, only the top diode is conducting; the bottom diode is blocking
current, and the load sees the first half of the sine wave, positive on top and
negative on bottom. Only the top half of the transformers secondary winding carries
current during this half-cycle as in Figure below.

Full-wave center-tap rectifier: Top half of secondary winding conducts during positive
half-cycle of input, delivering positive half-cycle to load..

During the next half-cycle, the AC polarity reverses. Now, the other diode and the
other half of the transformers secondary winding carry current while the portions of
the circuit formerly carrying current during the last half-cycle sit idle. The load still
sees half of a sine wave, of the same polarity as before: positive on top and
negative on bottom. (Figure below)

Full-wave center-tap rectifier: During negative input half-cycle, bottom half of

secondary winding conducts, delivering a positive half-cycle to the load.

One disadvantage of this full-wave rectifier design is the necessity of a transformer

with a center-tapped secondary winding. If the circuit in question is one of high power,
the size and expense of a suitable transformer is significant. Consequently, the
center-tap rectifier design is only seen in low-power applications.
The full-wave center-tapped rectifier polarity at the load may be reversed by changing
the direction of the diodes. Furthermore, the reversed diodes can be paralleled with
an existing positive-output rectifier. The result is dual-polarity full-wave center-tapped
rectifier in Figure below. Note that the connectivity of the diodes themselves is the
same configuration as a bridge.

Dual polarity full-wave center tap rectifier

Another, more popular full-wave rectifier design exists, and it is built around a four-
diode bridge configuration. For obvious reasons, this design is called a full-wave
bridge. (Figure below)

Full-wave bridge rectifier.

Current directions for the full-wave bridge rectifier circuit are as shown in
Figure below for positive half-cycle and

Figure below for negative half-cycles of the AC source waveform. Note that
regardless of the polarity of the input, the current flows in the same direction through
the load. That is, the negative half-cycle of source is a positive half-cycle at the load.
The current flow is through two diodes in series for both polarities. Thus, two diode
drops of the source voltage are lost (0.72=1.4 V for Si) in the diodes. This is a
disadvantage compared with a full-wave center-tap design. This disadvantage is only
a problem in very low voltage power supplies.
Full-wave bridge rectifier: Electron flow for positive half-cycles.

Full-wave bridge rectifier: Electron flow for negative half=cycles.

Remembering the proper layout of diodes in a full-wave bridge rectifier circuit can
often be frustrating to the new student of electronics. Ive found that an alternative
representation of this circuit is easier both to remember and to comprehend. Its the
exact same circuit, except all diodes are drawn in a horizontal attitude, all pointing
the same direction. (Figure below)

Alternative layout style for Full-wave bridge rectifier.

One advantage of remembering this layout for a bridge rectifier circuit is that it
expands easily into a polyphase version in Figure below.

Three-phase full-wave bridge rectifier circuit.

Each three-phase line connects between a pair of diodes: one to route power to the
positive (+) side of the load, and the other to route power to the negative (-) side of
the load. Polyphase systems with more than three phases are easily accommodated
into a bridge rectifier scheme. Take for instance the six-phase bridge rectifier circuit in
Figure below.

Six-phase full-wave bridge rectifier circuit.

When polyphase AC is rectified, the phase-shifted pulses overlap each other to

produce a DC output that is much smoother (has less AC content) than that
produced by the rectification of single-phase AC. This is a decided advantage in high-
power rectifier circuits, where the sheer physical size of filtering components would be
prohibitive but low-noise DC power must be obtained. The diagram in
Figure below shows the full-wave rectification of three-phase AC.

Three-phase AC and 3-phase full-wave rectifier output.

In any case of rectificationsingle-phase or polyphasethe amount of AC voltage

mixed with the rectifiers DC output is called ripple voltage. In most cases, since
pure DC is the desired goal, ripple voltage is undesirable. If the power levels are not
too great, filtering networks may be employed to reduce the amount of ripple in the
output voltage.

Sometimes, the method of rectification is referred to by counting the number of DC

pulses output for every 360o of electrical rotation. A single-phase, half-wave
rectifier circuit, then, would be called a 1-pulserectifier, because it produces a single
pulse during the time of one complete cycle (360o) of the AC waveform. A single-
phase, full-wave rectifier (regardless of design, center-tap or bridge) would be called
a2-pulse rectifier, because it outputs two pulses of DC during one AC cycles worth of
time. A three-phase full-wave rectifier would be called a 6-pulse unit.
Modern electrical engineering convention further describes the function of a rectifier
circuit by using a three-field notation of phases, ways, and number of pulses. A
single-phase, half-wave rectifier circuit is given the somewhat cryptic designation of
1Ph1W1P (1 phase, 1 way, 1 pulse), meaning that the AC supply voltage is single-
phase, that current on each phase of the AC supply lines moves in only one direction
(way), and that there is a single pulse of DC produced for every 360 o of electrical
rotation. A single-phase, full-wave, center-tap rectifier circuit would be designated as
1Ph1W2P in this notational system: 1 phase, 1 way or direction of current in each
winding half, and 2 pulses or output voltage per cycle. A single-phase, full-wave,
bridge rectifier would be designated as 1Ph2W2P: the same as for the center-tap
design, except current can goboth ways through the AC lines instead of just one way.
The three-phase bridge rectifier circuit shown earlier would be called a 3Ph2W6P
rectifier.

Is it possible to obtain more pulses than twice the number of phases in a rectifier
circuit? The answer to this question is yes: especially in polyphase circuits. Through
the creative use of transformers, sets of full-wave rectifiers may be paralleled in such
a way that more than six pulses of DC are produced for three phases of AC. A
30o phase shift is introduced from primary to secondary of a three-phase transformer
when the winding configurations are not of the same type. In other words, a
transformer connected either Y- or -Y will exhibit this 30o phase shift, while a
transformer connected Y-Y or - will not. This phenomenon may be exploited by
having one transformer connected Y-Y feed a bridge rectifier, and have another
transformer connected Y- feed a second bridge rectifier, then parallel the DC
outputs of both rectifiers. (Figure below) Since the ripple voltage waveforms of the two
rectifiers outputs are phase-shifted 30o from one another, their superposition results
in less ripple than either rectifier output considered separately: 12 pulses per
360o instead of just six:

Polyphase rectifier circuit: 3-phase 2-way 12-pulse (3Ph2W12P)

REVIEW:
 Rectification is the conversion of alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC).
A half-wave rectifier is a circuit that allows only one half-cycle of the AC voltage
waveform to be applied to the load, resulting in one non-alternating polarity across it.
The resulting DC delivered to the load pulsates significantly.
A full-wave rectifier is a circuit that converts both half-cycles of the AC voltage waveform
to an unbroken series of voltage pulses of the same polarity. The resulting DC delivered
to the load doesnt pulsate as much.
Polyphase alternating current, when rectified, gives a much smoother DC waveform
(less ripplevoltage) than rectified single-phase AC

Rectifier Circuits
Chapter 3 - Diodes and Rectifiers

Now we come to the most popular application of the diode: rectification. Simply
defined, rectification is the conversion of alternating current (AC) to direct current
(DC). This involves a device that only allows one-way flow of electrons. As we have
seen, this is exactly what a semiconductor diode does. The simplest kind of rectifier
circuit is the half-wave rectifier. It only allows one half of an AC waveform to pass
through to the load. (Figure below)

Half-wave rectifier circuit.

For most power applications, half-wave rectification is insufficient for the task. The
harmonic content of the rectifiers output waveform is very large and consequently
difficult to filter. Furthermore, the AC power source only supplies power to the load
one half every full cycle, meaning that half of its capacity is unused. Half-wave
rectification is, however, a very simple way to reduce power to a resistive load. Some
two-position lamp dimmer switches apply full AC power to the lamp filament for full
brightness and then half-wave rectify it for a lesser light output. (Figure below)

Half-wave rectifier application: Two level lamp dimmer.

In the Dim switch position, the incandescent lamp receives approximately one-half
the power it would normally receive operating on full-wave AC. Because the half-wave
rectified power pulses far more rapidly than the filament has time to heat up and cool
down, the lamp does not blink. Instead, its filament merely operates at a lesser
temperature than normal, providing less light output. This principle of pulsing power
rapidly to a slow-responding load device to control the electrical power sent to it is
common in the world of industrial electronics. Since the controlling device (the diode,
in this case) is either fully conducting or fully nonconducting at any given time, it
dissipates little heat energy while controlling load power, making this method of power
control very energy-efficient. This circuit is perhaps the crudest possible method of
pulsing power to a load, but it suffices as a proof-of-concept application.

If we need to rectify AC power to obtain the full use of both half-cycles of the sine
wave, a different rectifier circuit configuration must be used. Such a circuit is called
a full-wave rectifier. One kind of full-wave rectifier, called the center-tap design, uses
a transformer with a center-tapped secondary winding and two diodes, as in
Figure below.

Full-wave rectifier, center-tapped design.

This circuits operation is easily understood one half-cycle at a time. Consider the first
half-cycle, when the source voltage polarity is positive (+) on top and negative (-) on
bottom. At this time, only the top diode is conducting; the bottom diode is blocking
current, and the load sees the first half of the sine wave, positive on top and
negative on bottom. Only the top half of the transformers secondary winding carries
current during this half-cycle as in Figure below.

Full-wave center-tap rectifier: Top half of secondary winding conducts during positive
half-cycle of input, delivering positive half-cycle to load..

During the next half-cycle, the AC polarity reverses. Now, the other diode and the
other half of the transformers secondary winding carry current while the portions of
the circuit formerly carrying current during the last half-cycle sit idle. The load still
sees half of a sine wave, of the same polarity as before: positive on top and
negative on bottom. (Figure below)

Full-wave center-tap rectifier: During negative input half-cycle, bottom half of

secondary winding conducts, delivering a positive half-cycle to the load.

One disadvantage of this full-wave rectifier design is the necessity of a transformer

with a center-tapped secondary winding. If the circuit in question is one of high power,
the size and expense of a suitable transformer is significant. Consequently, the
center-tap rectifier design is only seen in low-power applications.

The full-wave center-tapped rectifier polarity at the load may be reversed by changing
the direction of the diodes. Furthermore, the reversed diodes can be paralleled with
an existing positive-output rectifier. The result is dual-polarity full-wave center-tapped
rectifier in Figure below. Note that the connectivity of the diodes themselves is the
same configuration as a bridge.
Dual polarity full-wave center tap rectifier

Another, more popular full-wave rectifier design exists, and it is built around a four-
diode bridge configuration. For obvious reasons, this design is called a full-wave
bridge. (Figure below)

Full-wave bridge rectifier.

Current directions for the full-wave bridge rectifier circuit are as shown in
Figure below for positive half-cycle and

Figure below for negative half-cycles of the AC source waveform. Note that
regardless of the polarity of the input, the current flows in the same direction through
the load. That is, the negative half-cycle of source is a positive half-cycle at the load.
The current flow is through two diodes in series for both polarities. Thus, two diode
drops of the source voltage are lost (0.72=1.4 V for Si) in the diodes. This is a
disadvantage compared with a full-wave center-tap design. This disadvantage is only
a problem in very low voltage power supplies.

Full-wave bridge rectifier: Electron flow for positive half-cycles.

Full-wave bridge rectifier: Electron flow for negative half=cycles.

Remembering the proper layout of diodes in a full-wave bridge rectifier circuit can
often be frustrating to the new student of electronics. Ive found that an alternative
representation of this circuit is easier both to remember and to comprehend. Its the
exact same circuit, except all diodes are drawn in a horizontal attitude, all pointing
the same direction. (Figure below)

Alternative layout style for Full-wave bridge rectifier.

One advantage of remembering this layout for a bridge rectifier circuit is that it
expands easily into a polyphase version in Figure below.

Three-phase full-wave bridge rectifier circuit.

Each three-phase line connects between a pair of diodes: one to route power to the
positive (+) side of the load, and the other to route power to the negative (-) side of
the load. Polyphase systems with more than three phases are easily accommodated
into a bridge rectifier scheme. Take for instance the six-phase bridge rectifier circuit in
Figure below.

Six-phase full-wave bridge rectifier circuit.

When polyphase AC is rectified, the phase-shifted pulses overlap each other to
produce a DC output that is much smoother (has less AC content) than that
produced by the rectification of single-phase AC. This is a decided advantage in high-
power rectifier circuits, where the sheer physical size of filtering components would be
prohibitive but low-noise DC power must be obtained. The diagram in
Figure below shows the full-wave rectification of three-phase AC.

Three-phase AC and 3-phase full-wave rectifier output.

In any case of rectificationsingle-phase or polyphasethe amount of AC voltage

mixed with the rectifiers DC output is called ripple voltage. In most cases, since
pure DC is the desired goal, ripple voltage is undesirable. If the power levels are not
too great, filtering networks may be employed to reduce the amount of ripple in the
output voltage.

Sometimes, the method of rectification is referred to by counting the number of DC

pulses output for every 360o of electrical rotation. A single-phase, half-wave
rectifier circuit, then, would be called a 1-pulserectifier, because it produces a single
pulse during the time of one complete cycle (360o) of the AC waveform. A single-
phase, full-wave rectifier (regardless of design, center-tap or bridge) would be called
a2-pulse rectifier, because it outputs two pulses of DC during one AC cycles worth of
time. A three-phase full-wave rectifier would be called a 6-pulse unit.

Modern electrical engineering convention further describes the function of a rectifier

circuit by using a three-field notation of phases, ways, and number of pulses. A
single-phase, half-wave rectifier circuit is given the somewhat cryptic designation of
1Ph1W1P (1 phase, 1 way, 1 pulse), meaning that the AC supply voltage is single-
phase, that current on each phase of the AC supply lines moves in only one direction
(way), and that there is a single pulse of DC produced for every 360o of electrical
rotation. A single-phase, full-wave, center-tap rectifier circuit would be designated as
1Ph1W2P in this notational system: 1 phase, 1 way or direction of current in each
winding half, and 2 pulses or output voltage per cycle. A single-phase, full-wave,
bridge rectifier would be designated as 1Ph2W2P: the same as for the center-tap
design, except current can goboth ways through the AC lines instead of just one way.
The three-phase bridge rectifier circuit shown earlier would be called a 3Ph2W6P
rectifier.

Is it possible to obtain more pulses than twice the number of phases in a rectifier
circuit? The answer to this question is yes: especially in polyphase circuits. Through
the creative use of transformers, sets of full-wave rectifiers may be paralleled in such
a way that more than six pulses of DC are produced for three phases of AC. A
30o phase shift is introduced from primary to secondary of a three-phase transformer
when the winding configurations are not of the same type. In other words, a
transformer connected either Y- or -Y will exhibit this 30o phase shift, while a
transformer connected Y-Y or - will not. This phenomenon may be exploited by
having one transformer connected Y-Y feed a bridge rectifier, and have another
transformer connected Y- feed a second bridge rectifier, then parallel the DC
outputs of both rectifiers. (Figure below) Since the ripple voltage waveforms of the two
rectifiers outputs are phase-shifted 30o from one another, their superposition results
in less ripple than either rectifier output considered separately: 12 pulses per
360o instead of just six:

Polyphase rectifier circuit: 3-phase 2-way 12-pulse (3Ph2W12P)

REVIEW:
Rectification is the conversion of alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC).
A half-wave rectifier is a circuit that allows only one half-cycle of the AC voltage
waveform to be applied to the load, resulting in one non-alternating polarity across it.
The resulting DC delivered to the load pulsates significantly.
A full-wave rectifier is a circuit that converts both half-cycles of the AC voltage waveform
to an unbroken series of voltage pulses of the same polarity. The resulting DC delivered
to the load doesnt pulsate as much.
 Polyphase alternating current, when rectified, gives a much smoother DC waveform
(less ripplevoltage) than rectified single-phase AC

Rectifier Circuits
Chapter 3 - Diodes and Rectifiers

Now we come to the most popular application of the diode: rectification. Simply
defined, rectification is the conversion of alternating current (AC) to direct current
(DC). This involves a device that only allows one-way flow of electrons. As we have
seen, this is exactly what a semiconductor diode does. The simplest kind of rectifier
circuit is the half-wave rectifier. It only allows one half of an AC waveform to pass
through to the load. (Figure below)

Half-wave rectifier circuit.

For most power applications, half-wave rectification is insufficient for the task. The
harmonic content of the rectifiers output waveform is very large and consequently
difficult to filter. Furthermore, the AC power source only supplies power to the load
one half every full cycle, meaning that half of its capacity is unused. Half-wave
rectification is, however, a very simple way to reduce power to a resistive load. Some
two-position lamp dimmer switches apply full AC power to the lamp filament for full
brightness and then half-wave rectify it for a lesser light output. (Figure below)

Half-wave rectifier application: Two level lamp dimmer.

In the Dim switch position, the incandescent lamp receives approximately one-half
the power it would normally receive operating on full-wave AC. Because the half-wave
rectified power pulses far more rapidly than the filament has time to heat up and cool
down, the lamp does not blink. Instead, its filament merely operates at a lesser
temperature than normal, providing less light output. This principle of pulsing power
rapidly to a slow-responding load device to control the electrical power sent to it is
common in the world of industrial electronics. Since the controlling device (the diode,
in this case) is either fully conducting or fully nonconducting at any given time, it
dissipates little heat energy while controlling load power, making this method of power
control very energy-efficient. This circuit is perhaps the crudest possible method of
pulsing power to a load, but it suffices as a proof-of-concept application.

If we need to rectify AC power to obtain the full use of both half-cycles of the sine
wave, a different rectifier circuit configuration must be used. Such a circuit is called
a full-wave rectifier. One kind of full-wave rectifier, called the center-tap design, uses
a transformer with a center-tapped secondary winding and two diodes, as in
Figure below.

Full-wave rectifier, center-tapped design.

This circuits operation is easily understood one half-cycle at a time. Consider the first
half-cycle, when the source voltage polarity is positive (+) on top and negative (-) on
bottom. At this time, only the top diode is conducting; the bottom diode is blocking
current, and the load sees the first half of the sine wave, positive on top and
negative on bottom. Only the top half of the transformers secondary winding carries
current during this half-cycle as in Figure below.
Full-wave center-tap rectifier: Top half of secondary winding conducts during positive
half-cycle of input, delivering positive half-cycle to load..

During the next half-cycle, the AC polarity reverses. Now, the other diode and the
other half of the transformers secondary winding carry current while the portions of
the circuit formerly carrying current during the last half-cycle sit idle. The load still
sees half of a sine wave, of the same polarity as before: positive on top and
negative on bottom. (Figure below)

Full-wave center-tap rectifier: During negative input half-cycle, bottom half of

secondary winding conducts, delivering a positive half-cycle to the load.

One disadvantage of this full-wave rectifier design is the necessity of a transformer

with a center-tapped secondary winding. If the circuit in question is one of high power,
the size and expense of a suitable transformer is significant. Consequently, the
center-tap rectifier design is only seen in low-power applications.

The full-wave center-tapped rectifier polarity at the load may be reversed by changing
the direction of the diodes. Furthermore, the reversed diodes can be paralleled with
an existing positive-output rectifier. The result is dual-polarity full-wave center-tapped
rectifier in Figure below. Note that the connectivity of the diodes themselves is the
same configuration as a bridge.

Dual polarity full-wave center tap rectifier

Another, more popular full-wave rectifier design exists, and it is built around a four-
diode bridge configuration. For obvious reasons, this design is called a full-wave
bridge. (Figure below)

Full-wave bridge rectifier.

Current directions for the full-wave bridge rectifier circuit are as shown in
Figure below for positive half-cycle and

Figure below for negative half-cycles of the AC source waveform. Note that
regardless of the polarity of the input, the current flows in the same direction through
the load. That is, the negative half-cycle of source is a positive half-cycle at the load.
The current flow is through two diodes in series for both polarities. Thus, two diode
drops of the source voltage are lost (0.72=1.4 V for Si) in the diodes. This is a
disadvantage compared with a full-wave center-tap design. This disadvantage is only
a problem in very low voltage power supplies.

Full-wave bridge rectifier: Electron flow for positive half-cycles.

Full-wave bridge rectifier: Electron flow for negative half=cycles.

Remembering the proper layout of diodes in a full-wave bridge rectifier circuit can
often be frustrating to the new student of electronics. Ive found that an alternative
representation of this circuit is easier both to remember and to comprehend. Its the
exact same circuit, except all diodes are drawn in a horizontal attitude, all pointing
the same direction. (Figure below)
Alternative layout style for Full-wave bridge rectifier.

One advantage of remembering this layout for a bridge rectifier circuit is that it
expands easily into a polyphase version in Figure below.

Three-phase full-wave bridge rectifier circuit.

Each three-phase line connects between a pair of diodes: one to route power to the
positive (+) side of the load, and the other to route power to the negative (-) side of
the load. Polyphase systems with more than three phases are easily accommodated
into a bridge rectifier scheme. Take for instance the six-phase bridge rectifier circuit in
Figure below.

Six-phase full-wave bridge rectifier circuit.

When polyphase AC is rectified, the phase-shifted pulses overlap each other to

produce a DC output that is much smoother (has less AC content) than that
produced by the rectification of single-phase AC. This is a decided advantage in high-
power rectifier circuits, where the sheer physical size of filtering components would be
prohibitive but low-noise DC power must be obtained. The diagram in
Figure below shows the full-wave rectification of three-phase AC.
Three-phase AC and 3-phase full-wave rectifier output.

In any case of rectificationsingle-phase or polyphasethe amount of AC voltage

mixed with the rectifiers DC output is called ripple voltage. In most cases, since
pure DC is the desired goal, ripple voltage is undesirable. If the power levels are not
too great, filtering networks may be employed to reduce the amount of ripple in the
output voltage.

Sometimes, the method of rectification is referred to by counting the number of DC

pulses output for every 360o of electrical rotation. A single-phase, half-wave
rectifier circuit, then, would be called a 1-pulserectifier, because it produces a single
pulse during the time of one complete cycle (360o) of the AC waveform. A single-
phase, full-wave rectifier (regardless of design, center-tap or bridge) would be called
a2-pulse rectifier, because it outputs two pulses of DC during one AC cycles worth of
time. A three-phase full-wave rectifier would be called a 6-pulse unit.

Modern electrical engineering convention further describes the function of a rectifier

circuit by using a three-field notation of phases, ways, and number of pulses. A
single-phase, half-wave rectifier circuit is given the somewhat cryptic designation of
1Ph1W1P (1 phase, 1 way, 1 pulse), meaning that the AC supply voltage is single-
phase, that current on each phase of the AC supply lines moves in only one direction
(way), and that there is a single pulse of DC produced for every 360 o of electrical
rotation. A single-phase, full-wave, center-tap rectifier circuit would be designated as
1Ph1W2P in this notational system: 1 phase, 1 way or direction of current in each
winding half, and 2 pulses or output voltage per cycle. A single-phase, full-wave,
bridge rectifier would be designated as 1Ph2W2P: the same as for the center-tap
design, except current can goboth ways through the AC lines instead of just one way.
The three-phase bridge rectifier circuit shown earlier would be called a 3Ph2W6P
rectifier.

Is it possible to obtain more pulses than twice the number of phases in a rectifier
circuit? The answer to this question is yes: especially in polyphase circuits. Through
the creative use of transformers, sets of full-wave rectifiers may be paralleled in such
a way that more than six pulses of DC are produced for three phases of AC. A
30o phase shift is introduced from primary to secondary of a three-phase transformer
when the winding configurations are not of the same type. In other words, a
transformer connected either Y- or -Y will exhibit this 30o phase shift, while a
transformer connected Y-Y or - will not. This phenomenon may be exploited by
having one transformer connected Y-Y feed a bridge rectifier, and have another
transformer connected Y- feed a second bridge rectifier, then parallel the DC
outputs of both rectifiers. (Figure below) Since the ripple voltage waveforms of the two
rectifiers outputs are phase-shifted 30o from one another, their superposition results
in less ripple than either rectifier output considered separately: 12 pulses per
360o instead of just six:

Polyphase rectifier circuit: 3-phase 2-way 12-pulse (3Ph2W12P)

REVIEW:
Rectification is the conversion of alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC).
A half-wave rectifier is a circuit that allows only one half-cycle of the AC voltage
waveform to be applied to the load, resulting in one non-alternating polarity across it.
The resulting DC delivered to the load pulsates significantly.
A full-wave rectifier is a circuit that converts both half-cycles of the AC voltage waveform
to an unbroken series of voltage pulses of the same polarity. The resulting DC delivered
to the load doesnt pulsate as much.
Polyphase alternating current, when rectified, gives a much smoother DC waveform
(less ripplevoltage) than rectified single-phase AC

Diode Rectifier Circuits

- notes and details of the various forms of diode rectifier circuits that are widely used for power
rectification, signal rectification and other applications.
DIODE RECTIFIERS TUTORIAL INCLUDES

Diode rectifier circuits

Half wave rectifier circuit

Full wave rectifier circuit

Two diode full wave rectifier

Bridge rectifier circuit

Synchronous rectifiers

Rectifier capacitor smoothing circuit

Diode rectifier circuits are widely used in electronic circuit design.

The diode rectifier circuits can be used for both power rectification and signal detection. The chief
differences are the frequency and the power levels involved.

Diode rectifier circuit basics

Diode rectifier circuits obviously rely on diodes for their operation. Diodes are devices that only pass
current in one direction. When Ambrose Fleming invented the first diode - a thermionic device /
vacuum tube - he called it a valve because of its one way action. Semiconductor devices are now
used and these provide exactly the same function.

The diode has a characteristic something like that shown below. In the forward direction, a small
voltage is required across the diode before it conducts - the turn on voltage. The actual voltage
depends on the type of diode rectifier and the material used. For a standard silicon diode rectifier
this turn on voltage is around 0.6 volts.

Diode rectifier characteristic

In the reverse direction, the diode rectifier will ultimately break down. The breakdown voltage is
normally well in excess of the turn on voltage - the scales on the diagram have been altered
(compressed) in the reverse direction to illustrate that reverse breakdown occurs.

There are many different types of rectifier diode that can be used - each one with its own properties,
advantages and disadvantages.
Note on diode types:

There are many different diode types that can be used. Each diode type has its own characteristics and is suited to

particular applications. In order to obtain the required performance for a particular application, it is necessary to

choose the required type.

Click on the link for further information about Diode Types

For power rectification applications, power diodes of Schottky diodes are normally used. For signal
rectification small point contact diodes, signal diodes, or Schottky diodes may be used. The Schottky
diode has the advantage that it only requires a forward voltage of around 0.2 - 0.3volts for forward
conduction. This is particularly useful when detecting small radio signals, and when used as a power
rectifier the power losses are reduced. However the reverse leakage characteristics are not as good
as normal silicon diodes.

Diode symbol and packages

The diode circuit symbol is widely known. Diodes also come in a variety of packages, although some
of the more usual formats are shown in the diagram below.

Diode circuit symbol and common package formats

Diode rectifier action

The action of the diode is to allow current to flow in only one direction. Therefor is an alternating
waveform is applied to a diode, then it will only allow conduction over half the waveform. The
remaining half is blocked.

Diode rectifier action

Diode rectifier circuit configurations
There are a number of different configurations of diode rectifier circuit that can be used. These
different configurations each have their own advantages and disadvantages, and are therefore
applicable to different applications.

Half wave rectifier circuit: This is the simplest form of rectifier. Often using only a single
diode is blocks half the cycle and allows through the other. As such only half of the waveform
is used.

While the advantage of this circuit is its simplicity, the drawback is the fact that there is
longer between successive peaks of the rectified signal. This makes smoothing less effective
and more difficult to achieve high levels ripple rejection. Read more about the half wave
rectifier .

Full wave rectifier circuit: This form of rectifier circuit uses both halves of the waveform.
This makes this form of rectifier more effective, and as there is conduction over both halves
of the cycle, smoothing becomes much easier and more effective.

The two diode version of the full wave rectifier circuit requires a centre tap in the transformer.
When vacuum tubes / thermionic valves were used, this option was widely used in view of
the cost of the valves. However with semiconductors, a four diode bridge circuit saves on the
cost of the centre tapped transformer and is equally effective. Read more about the full
wave two diode rectifier .

Bridge rectifier circuit: This is a specific form of full wave rectifier that utilises four diodes
in a bridge topology. Bridge rectifiers are widely used, especially for power rectification, and
they can be obtained as a single component contain the four diodes connected in the bridge
format. Read more about bridge rectifiers.

Synchronous rectifier circuit: Synchronous or active rectifiers use active elements

instead of diodes to provide the switching. This overcomes the diode losses and significantly
improves the efficiency levels. Read more about synchronous rectifiers.

The choice of diode rectifier circuit depends on the application. While the full wave rectifier circuits,
and in particular the bridge rectifier circuits are possible the most widely used, half wave rectifier
circuits may offer a better option in some circumstances.