Rectifiers

ABANA, LEX LOCI CONCEPCION, MANOLO RIVERA, ZALDY RIVERO JR, STEPHEN ELBERT ROMERO, ALBERT MARION

Intended Learning Outcome

Compare

the different types of

rectifier

Objectives
1.

State the important uses of a diode

Converting alternating current to direct current Voltage regulation (stabilization)

2. 3.

Switching devices

Explain and analyze the operation of half-wave rectifiers Explain and analyze the operation of full-wave rectifiers

4.
5.

Explain and analyze the operation of diode limiter and dampers

Explain and analyze the operation of diode voltage multiplier

Basic DC power Supply

All active electronic devices require a source of constant dc that can be supplied by a battery or a dc power supply

DC power supply converts standard 120 V 60 Hz ac voltage available at wall outlets into a constant dc voltage.
The voltage produced is used to power all types of electronic circuits including consumer electronics (TV, DVDs, etc.) computers industrial controllers, and most laboratory instrumentation systems and equipment. The dc voltage level required depends on the application, but most applications require relatively low voltages.

Rectifiers

A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current (AC), which periodically reverses direction, to direct current (DC), which flows in only one direction. The process is known as rectification. Rectifiers have many uses, but are often found serving as components of DC power supplies and high-voltage direct current power transmission systems. Rectification may serve in roles other than to generate direct current for use as a source of power. As noted, detectors of radio signals serve as rectifiers. In gas heating systems flame rectification is used to detect presence of flame. Because of the alternating nature of the input AC sine wave, the process of rectification alone produces a DC current that, though unidirectional, consists of pulses of current. Many applications of rectifiers, such as power supplies for radio, television and computer equipment, require asteady constant DC current (as would be produced by a battery). In these applications the output of the rectifier is smoothed by an electronic filterto produce a steady current.

Rectifiers

Eliminates the fluctuations in the rectified voltage and produces a relatively smooth dc voltage

Maintains a constant dc voltage for variations in the input line voltage or in the load

Half-wave rectification

In half wave rectification of a single-phase supply, 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, mean voltage is lower. Half-wave rectification requires a single diode in a singlephase supply, or three in a three-phase supply. Rectifiers yield a unidirectional but pulsating direct current; half-wave rectifiers produce far more ripple than full-wave rectifiers, and much more filtering is needed to eliminate harmonics of the AC frequency from the output. Simple meaning a circuit that converts an ac sinusoidal input voltage into a pulsating dc voltage with one output pulse occurring for each input cycle.

Half Wave Rectifier

Average Voltage

Peak Inverse Voltage

Effect of the Barrier Potential on the Half-Wave Rectifier Output

For practical model 0.7V barrier potential is taken into account, this is what happens.

Note: barrier potential - the amt. of energy required to produce full conduction across the pn junction in fwd bias

During the positive half-cycle, the input voltage must overcome the barrier potential before the diode becomes forward-biased.
This results in a half-wave output with a peak value that is 0.7V less than the peak value of the input.

Application of a Half-Wave rectifier Circuit

For most power applications, half-wave rectification is insufficient for the task. The harmonic content of the rectifier's 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.

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.

Half-wave Rectifier with transformer

Note: turns ratio the number of turns in the secondary (Nsec) divided by the no. of turns in the primary (Npri)

Note: n < 1 : step-down (secondary voltage is less As you have seen, a transformer is often used to couple ac input voltage from than the primary) the source to the rectifier. Transformer coupling provides two advantages. n > 1 : step-up It allows the source to be stepped down as needed. (secondary voltage is It is electrically isolated from the rectifier, thus preventing a shock hazard in the greater than the primary) secondary circuit. n = 1 then Vsec = Vpri The amount of voltage that is stepped down is determine by the turns ratio of the transformer. Vsec = nVpri

Vp(out) = Vp(sec) 0.7V

PIV = Vp(sec)

Full-Wave Rectifier

Allows unidirectional (one-way) current through the load during the entire 360 of the input cycle, whereas a half-wave rectifier allows current through the load only during one-half of the cycle. The result of full-wave rectification is an output voltage with a frequency twice the input frequency and that pulsates every half-cycle of the input

Center-Tapped Full-Wave Rectifier Operation

Is a type of full-wave rectifier that uses two diodes connected to the secondary of a center-tapped transformer.

The input voltage is coupled through the transformer to the center-tapped secondary.
Half of the total secondary voltage appears between the center tap and each end of the secondary winding One disadvantage of this fullwave 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.

For positive half-cycle of the input voltage, the polarities of the secondary voltages are as shown. This condition forward-biases diode D1 and reverse-biases diode D2. the current path is through D1, and the load resistor RL, as indicated.

This condition reverse-biases D1 and forward-biases D2. the current path is through D2 and RL, as indicated. Because the output current during both the positive and negative portions of the input cycle is in the same direction through the load, the output voltage developed across the load resistor is a full-wave rectified dc voltage, as shown.

Bridge Full-Wave Rectifier Operation

This type of single phase rectifier uses four individual rectifying diodes connected in a closed loop "bridge" configuration to produce the desired output. The main advantage of this bridge circuit is that it does not require a special centre tapped transformer, thereby reducing its size and cost. The single secondary winding is connected to one side of the diode bridge network and the load to the other side as shown below.
The four diodes labelled D to D are arranged in "series pairs" with only two diodes conducting current during each half cycle. During the positive half cycle of the supply, diodes D1 and D2 conduct in series while diodes D3 and D4 are reverse biased and the current flows through the load as shown.
1 4

an alternative representation of this circuit is easier both to remember and to comprehend. It's the exact same circuit, except all diodes are drawn in a horizontal attitude, all pointing the same direction.

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.

Bridge Output Voltage

Peak Inverse Voltage

Filters and Regulators

A power supply filter ideally eliminates the fluctuations in the output voltage od a half-wave or full-wave rectifier and produces a constant-level dc voltage. Filtering is necessary bec. Electronic circuits require a constant source of dc voltage and current to provide power biasing for proper operation. Filters are implemented with capacitors.

Voltage regulation in power supplies is usually done with integrated circuit voltage regulators
A voltage regulator prevents changes in the filtered dc voltage due to variations in input voltage or load

Operation of HW rectifier with filter

Operation of HW rectifier with filter

Operation of HW rectifier with filter

Ripple Voltage

Comparison of ripple voltage

Ripple Factor (r)

Effectiveness of filter

Example

Seatwork

Surge Current

Surge Resistance

Voltage Regulator

Regulated FW power supply

Percent Regulation

Example

Determine the current passing through each resistor

Diode Limiting and Clamping Circuit

Limiter or Clipper

To clip off portions of Signal voltage above or below certain levels

Clamper

To add or restore a DC level

Diode Positive Limiter

Diode Negative Limiter

Example

Output Waveform

Describe the waveform

Biased Positive Limiter

Biased Negative Limiter

Biased Limiter

Determine the Output Waveform

Output Waveform

Voltage Divider Bias Limiter

Example

Output Waveform

Diode Positive Clamping

Diode Negative Clamping

Example

Output Waveform

Voltage Multiplier

Half-wave Voltage Doubler

Full-Wave Voltage Doubler

Voltage Tripler

Voltage Quadrupler