EEK 471 LAB 1

Universiti Sains Malaysia Electrical Engineering Department Advanced Power Electronic Laboratory EEK471

The Single-Phase Half-wave Rectifier

OBJECTIVE To become familiar with the operating principles of the diode. To demonstrate the operation of a half-wave rectifier, a freewheeling diode and a battery charging circuit.

INTRODUCTION Operating principles of the diode A diode is a two-terminal semiconductor device. The two terminals are called respectively the anode A and cathode K. The diode operates as a high-speed switch which has no movable parts. The symbol for a diode and the characteristic curve of a diode are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Power Diode In summary, a diode turns ON only when a forward voltage is applied. It remains ON until the current stop flowing. The characteristic curve shows the current flows through the diode versus the voltage across it. The curve shows that virtually no current flows when the diode is reversed biased, but that the current increases very rapidly when it is forward biased. As long as current, I flow between A and K the diode acts as a closed switch. When I stops flowing, the diode turns off and becomes an open switch.

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Half-wave rectifier The half-wave rectifier is so called because it delivers a half-cycle of dc output for every full cycle of the applied ac voltage. With a resistive load, the circuit operates as follows (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: Operation of a power diode pure resistive circuit The conduction angle of a rectifier component is equal to the time that the component conducts current during each cycle, divided by the period and multiplied by 360. In Figure 2, the conduction angle is 180. With an inductive load, the circuit operates as follows (see Figure 3). The conduction angle of the diode has been increased because the inductor must restore the energy which has been supplied by the source. This principle is fundamental in defining the on state of a diode in inductive circuits. The current in an inductor varies slowly. This is because inductors oppose variations in their current. Also, the phase of I lags that of E.

Figure 3: Operation of a power diode inductive circuit

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Rectifier with free-wheeling diode When the load is inductive, the negative part of the output voltage waveform reduces the average output voltage. To prevent the output voltage from going negative, a free-wheeling diode can be placed in the circuit as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Half-wave rectifier with free-wheeling diode When the output voltage begins to go negative, the free-wheeling diode starts conducting. This maintains the output voltage at approximately zero while the energy stored in the inductor is being released (see Figure 4).The output voltage waveform is the same as for a purely resistive load, and the average output voltage is therefore greater than it would be without the freewheeling diode. Battery charger circuit A simple battery charging circuit consists of one diode and a current limiting device (see Figure 5). The current limiting device can be either a resistor or an inductor connected in series. This circuit transfers power from an ac source to a dc source (active dc load).

Figure 5: Battery charger with a series resistor

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Figure 6 shows the voltage and current waveforms for a battery charger with a series resistor. Current flows only between angles 1 and 2, when the ac source voltage ES is greater than the battery voltage EB. This circuit provides no means for electronically controlling the charging current.

Figure 6: Voltage and current waveforms in the battery charger circuit

EQUIPMENTS EMS 8821 Enclosure Power Supply EMS 8840-0A PE Power Supply EMS 8842-1A Power Diodes EMS 8412-05 Lab-Volt DC Voltmeter/Ammeter EMS 8311 Variable Resistance EMS 8325 Smoothing Inductor EMS 9056-15 and EMS 9056-05 Voltage/Current Isolator Textronic Oscilloscope Connection Leads

WARNINGS The voltages and currents that are used during this lab are larger and rated at 240VAC Line-toNeutral with current as high as 20 amps (or higher if circuits are improperly connected). Please take the proper precautions and use your head before touching any circuitry. NEVER change any circuit connections while the power supply is turned on. Ask the demonstrator to check your connections before turning on the switches. And follow the rating of voltmeters and ammeters given to prevent equipments from damaged.

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Experiment: Part I Characteristic curve of a power diode 1. Make sure that the main power switch of the Power Supply is set to the O (OFF) position. Set the voltage control knob to 0 %. Make sure that the toggle switches on the Resistive Load are all set to the O (open) position. 2. In this part, you will use the Voltage and Current lsolators to display the characteristic curve of a diode on the oscilloscope. Connect the modules as shown in Figure 1a.

Figure 1a: Diode characteristic circuit Table 1a: Parameters setting e1 (V) i1 (A) 600 5 R1 () 229

Line Voltage (VAC) 0 - 240

3. Use the horizontal (X) and vertical (Y) position controls on the oscilloscope to position the spot in the centre of the screen by selecting DisplayFormatXY mode on the oscilloscope. Then set both channels to dc coupling by pressing CH1 or CH2 and choose CouplingDC. 4. Set the main power switch to 1 (ON) and set the voltage control knob to 90(%). Observe the curve displayed on the oscilloscope screen. The horizontal axis represents the instantaneous value of the voltage across the diode and the vertical axis the instantaneous value of the current through the diode. Use Figure 1b to reproduce the curve displayed on the oscilloscope.

Figure 1b: The voltage-current characteristic of a diode

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5. Return the voltage control knob to 0 then set the main power switch to O (OFF). Can you conclude from the appearance of the curve that current flows in one direction only? Can you also conclude that the diode operates as a switch? Explain.

Experiment: Part II Single phase half-wave rectifier circuit 1. Make sure that the main power switch of the Power Supply is set to the O (OFF) position. Set the voltage control knob to 0 %. Make sure that the toggle switches on the Resistive and Inductive Load are all set to the O (open) position. 2. In this part, you will set up a half-wave rectifier circuit. Set up the circuit of Figure 2a using the resistive load Z1(a).

Figure 2a: Half-wave rectifier circuit

Line Voltage (V) 0 - 240

I1 dc (A) 1.5

Table 2a: Parameters setting i1 (A) E1 dc (V) e1, e2 (V) 5 400 600

Z1(a) R=240

Z1(b) R=240 L=0.8 H

3. Then set the main power switch of the Power Supply is set to 1 (ON) position. Set the voltage control knob to 90%. Record the output voltage, current, and power of the rectifier circuit in the first row of Table 2b. Enter the conduction angle of the diode. Table 2b: Results I1 dc (A) PO = E1 X I1 (watt)

Load Z1 (a) Resistive (b) Inductive

E1 dc (V)

Conduction Angle ()

4. Sketch the voltage and current waveforms displayed on the oscilloscope in Figure 2b. A sine wave supply 4-N is drawn in this figure as a reference and can be viewed as e1. You may find it helpful to change the time base of the oscilloscope. For example, you could adjust the time base so that one complete cycle of the waveform occupies 6 horizontal divisions. Each horizontal division would then represent 60.

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Figure 2b: Output waveforms Record the ripple frequency (frequency of the rectified waveform). Ripple frequency = _______Hz 5. Set the voltage control knob to the 0 % position then set the main power switch to the O position. 6. Change the load in the circuit to the inductive load Z 1(b) as in Figure 2c. Repeat the procedure steps necessary to complete Table 2b and Figure 2b. Explain the effect of an inductive load on the voltage and current waveforms and on the conduction angle.

Figure 2c: Z1(b) connection. 7. Set the voltage control knob to the 0 % position then set the main power switch to the O position.

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Experiment: Part III Rectifier with free-wheeling diode 1. Make sure that the main power switch of the Power Supply is set to the O (OFF) position. Set the voltage control knob to 0 %. Make sure that the toggle switches on the Resistive and Inductive Load are all set to the O (open) position. 2. In this part, you will add a free-wheeling diode to the circuit as shown in Figure 3a. Set up the circuit using the inductive load Z1(b). Use the similar setting for parameters as in Table 2a. Set the main power switch to 1 (ON), and set the voltage control knob to 90(%). Fill in Table 3a.

Figure 3a: Rectifier circuit with free-wheeling diode Table 3a: Results E1 dc (V) I1 dc (A)

Load Z1 (b) Inductive

PO = E1 X I1 (watt)

3. Sketch the voltage and current waveforms displayed on the oscilloscope as in Figure 2b. 4. Set the voltage control knob to 0 % then set the main power switch to O (OFF). 5. Connect the Current lsolator as shown in Figure 3b(a) and 3b(b) to observe the waveform of the current through the rectifying diode then through the free-wheeling diode. Before changing any connections always set the main power and voltage control knob of the Power Supply to 0. What effect does the free-wheeling diode have on the operation of the circuit and on the parameters measured?

(a) Through rectifying diode

(b) Through free-wheeling diode

Figure 3b: Observing current waveforms

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6. Sketch the current waveforms of ID1 and ID2. 7. Set the voltage control knob to 0 % then set the main power switch to O (OFF).

REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Indicate how a diode conducts or does not conduct, when a voltage E is applied to its terminals. 2. What effect has a series inductor on the output of a half-wave rectifier circuit? 3. Explain what happens in a battery charger as the battery charges up.