VIVA Question – HWR and FWR

What is a Rectifier?
A rectifier is a device which converts AC (Alternating current) to DC (Direct
current).

Name the basic types of rectifiers?

Half wave rectifier, Full wave center tap rectifier and Full wave bridge rectifier.

What is the difference between Half Wave and Full Wave Rectifier?
A half wave rectifier converts only half of the AC cycle to Uni-direction. Whereas
a full wave rectifier converts both half cycles.

What is efficiency of a rectifier?

The ratio of DC output power to the applied AC input power is known as the
efficiency of a rectifier.

What is the maximum efficiency (η) of a half wave and full wave rectifier?
Half wave rectifier – 40.6% and full wave rectifier – 81.2%.

What is form factor?

It is the ratio of the RMS value to the Average value.

What is peak factor?

The ratio of maximum value to the RMS value.

What is called ripple Voltage?

Ripple voltage in a rectifier output is the amount of AC content present in the
output DC, it causes periodic pulsating of the DC voltage which is derived from
the AC source.

Define Ripple factor in rectifiers?

Ripple factor is the ratio of root mean square (RMS) value of the AC component
or ripple voltage to the average value of rectified DC output.

A half wave rectifier has a Ripple factor value greater than that of a full wave
rectifier.
What is the importance of PIV voltage of a Diode in A Rectifier Circuit?
PIV (Peak Inverse Voltage) is the maximum possible voltage that a diode can
withstand in the reverse bias. When a voltage greater than peak inverse voltage
is applied across the diode, an avalanche breakdown occurs which cause permanent
damage of the diode. Hence, the PIV of the diode should be always greater than
the maximum reverse voltage.

What is the PIV of full wave center tapped rectifier and why?
A center tapped full wave rectifier has a PIV of two times the maximum voltage,
2Vmax. Because in a center tap rectifier the voltage across the two half winding
becomes 2Vmax, which is the total voltage across the two end terminals of the
winding (The maximum voltage across the load will be always half of the maximum
total winding voltage, which is the voltage between one end terminal and center
tap).

What is the Transformer utilization factor in rectifiers?

The Transformer utilization factor (TUF) of a rectifier circuit is defined as the
ratio of the DC power available to the load to the VA rating of the secondary coil
of a transformer.

What is the TUF of a half wave rectifier?

TUF of a half wave rectifier, 0.2865.

What is the advantage of a bridge rectifier over a center tapped full wave
rectifier?
A center tapped transformer is not required for a bridge rectifier.

The output voltage of a Bridge rectifier is twice than that of the center tap
rectifier for the same secondary winding of a transformer.

PIV of a bridge rectifier is half of the center tap rectifier for the same output
voltage.

A bridge rectifier utilizes full voltage of the transformer secondary whereas a

center tap rectifier utilizes only of the secondary voltage.

A bridge rectifier has a TUF of 81.2% and a center tap has only 67.2%.
What is the difference b/w AC and DC supply, what are the advantages of
each?

Ac supply is sinusoidal function of t, but Dc supply is constant for every time, dc

can be storable but not Ac, Ac can transfer for a long distance but not Dc.

What is rectifier, filter, regulators?

Rectifier coverts AC to pulsating DC; Filter coverts the pulsating DC to

Fluctuating DC; Regulator convers fluctuating DC to exat DC

What are the various types in rectifiers and which one is best and why?

Half wave, Full wave, Bridge Rectifier. Bridge rectifier is best because PIV is less,
efficiency more, ripple factor less, TUF is more.

Define ripple factor, efficiency, transformer utilization factor, form factor, peak
factors?

Ripple factor= RMS value of ac component/Average value

Efficiency= dc output power / ac input power

TUF= dc power delivered to load/ac rating of transformer secondary

Form factor=rms/ average

Peak factor= peak value/ rms value

Explain the importance of ripple in the case of a rectifier.

Ripple factor gives the idea about fluctuations in signal, if it is less means ripples
are less for DC ripple factor is Zero.

Explain why only the inductor or the capacitor alone is not used as filters to a
FWR circuit.

In inductor filter Ripple factor is inversely proportional to load, In capacitor

filter Ripple factor is proportional to load, so in LC filter ripple factor will be
independent of load.