CHAPTER 9

RECTIFIER

It is an electronic device that converts alternating current into direct current is called a
rectifier

HALF-WAVE RECTIFIER: In half wave rectification the rectifier conducts current only
during the positive half cycles of input AC supply. The negative half cycles of AC supply is
suppressed. Therefore current always flows in one direction through the load after every half
cycle.

CIRCUIT DETAILS: A single crystal diode acts as a half wave rectifier. The AC supply is
applied in series with the diode and load resistance RL. AC supply is given through the
transformer. There are two advantages using transformer.
1. It allows to step up or step down the AC input voltage according to the requirement
2. The transformer isolates the rectifier circuit from power line to reduce the risk of electric
shock.

OPERATION: During positive half cycle of input AC voltage end A becomes positive with
respect to end B. This makes the diode D forward biased and hence it conducts current.
During the negative half cycle end A is negative with respect to B terminal. Under this
condition the diode is reverse biased and it does not conduct current because semi-conductor
diode conducts current only when it is forward biased. Therefore, the current flows through
the diode during positive half cycles of input AC voltage only. It is blocked during the
negative half cycles. In this way current flows through the load RL always in the same
direction. DC output is obtained across R. The output across RL is pulsating DC. These
pulsations in the output are removed with the help of filter circuits.

DISADVANTAGES:
The pulsating output across load contains alternating component and direct Component.
Alternating components basic frequency is equal to the supply frequency. Therefore wide
filtering network is required to produce steady direct current.
The AC supply delivers power only halt cycle Therefore the output is low.
FULL WAVE RECTIFIER
In full wave rectification, current flows through the load in the same direction for both half
cycles of input voltage. This can be achieved by using two diodes working alternately. I.e.,
for the positive half cycles, voltage flow through one diode supplies current to the load and
for the negative half cycle the other diode. Therefore a full wave rectifier utilizes both half
cycles of input AC voltage.

In the figure both the diodes are joined together at “F’ to give the +ve end of the output. The
secondary of the transformer is Centre tapped and its two ends are connected to the diodes.
The center point serves as the -ve end of the output. In one half cycle when “M” is at +ve
potential and “N’ is at -ve potential. The diode A conducts and the current flows along
MAFX. In the next half cycle when N becomes +ve then diode B conducts and the currents
flows along NBFX. So we find that output current keeps on flowing through load resistor RL
in the same direction during both half cycles of AC input.

Difference between a half-wave and full-wave rectifier

In half-wave rectification, the rectifier conducts current only during the positive half cycles of
input AC supply.
It consists of only single diode. The efficiency of Half-Wave rectifier is 40.6 %.Centre tapped
transformer is not necessary.
In full-wave rectification, current flows through the load in the same direction for both half
cycles of input AC supply
The efficiency of Full-Wave rectifier is 81 .2 %.
The output frequency is twice that of the AC supply frequency.
BRIDGE RECTIFIER

The need of a centre tapped power transformer is eliminated in the bridge rectifier. It consists
of four diodes Dl, D2, D3 and D4 connected in the form of bridge. The AC supply is applied
to the diagonally opposite ends of the bridge through the transformer. The other two ends of
the bridge at one end of the load resistance RL is connected at the other end are grounded.

Operation: During the positive half cycle of secondary voltage terminal ‘A’ becomes positive
and ‘B’ is negative. This makes diode Dl, and D3 are forward biased and while D2 and D4
are reverse biased. Therefore only Dl and D3 conduct. These two diodes will be in series
through the load RL.
During the negative half cycle, voltage at terminal ‘B’ becomes negative and terminal ‘A’
positive this makes diode D2 and D4 forward biased and Dl and D3 reverse biased. Therefore
D2 and D4 conduct. These two diodes will be in series through the RL. Therefore, DC output
is obtained across load RL.

Advantages
1). The need for centre tapped transformer is eliminated.
2) The output is twice that of the centre tap circuit for the same secondary voltage.

Disadvantages
It requires four diodes
During each half cycle of AC input voltage two diodes are conducting in series so the voltage
drop in the internal resistance of the rectifying unit will be twice. This is objectionable when
secondary voltage is small.