History…

 Early radio receivers called

crystal sets, used a "cat's whisker"
of fine wire pressing on a crystal of
galena (lead sulfide) to serve as a
point contact rectifier or "
crystal detector". In gas heating
systems flame rectification can be
used to detect a flame. Two metal
electrodes in the outer layer of the
flame provide a current path and
rectification of an applied alternating
voltage, but only while the flame is
present.
 cat's whisker detector same like rectifier

Crystal set
Now..

AC, half-wave and full wave rectified signals

 What is a rectifier?

 A rectifier is an electrical device that converts

alternating current to direct current, a process known as
rectification.
 What it is made of?
Rectifiers may be made of:
- solid state diodes
- vacuum tube diodes,
- mercury arc valves
- and other technologies
• the term rectifier describes a
diode that is being used to
convert AC to DC

Almost all rectifiers

comprise a number of
diodes in a specific
arrangement for more
efficiently converting AC
to DC than is possible
with just a single diode
 Half-wave rectification
 A half wave rectifier is a special case of a clipper. In half
wave rectification, either the positive or negative half of
the AC wave is passed easily while the other half is
blocked, depending on the polarity of the rectifier.
 In this circuit, the diode is considered as an ideal diode.
Therefore, the diode can be replace as short circuit
when ir is ON and when the diode is OFF, it can be
replaced as open circuit.

half wave rectifier circuit

 If the rectifier circuit is connected to a sinusoidal AC
circuit, the output voltage consist of only the positive
halves of the AC signal as illustrated.

va

vp

vp

t
 Finding DC circuit using half-
wave rectifier circuit

vp
VDC= VP/π t

Output waveform for half-wave rectifier

From the wave Vp

from, VDC =
π
 Since the AC voltage is always express in rms unit,
therefore it must be converted to peak value before the
DC voltage can be determined.

Vp = √2 Vrms
 Half-wave rectifier is not efficient since half of the input
signal is cropped…..

There is a solution…
 Full wave rectification

 Full-wave rectification converts both polarities of the input

waveform to DC, and is more efficient
A full wave rectifier converts the whole of the input
waveform to one of constant polarity (positive or
negative) at its output by reversing the negative (or
positive) portions of the alternating current waveform.
The positive (negative) portions thus combine with the
reversed negative (positive) portions to produce an
entirely positive (negative) voltage/current waveform.
Full-wave rectifier output signal

VS

D1 D2
t

D3 D4 VO

t
When the source is positive,
the current follows the route
where D2 and D3 are ON but
D1 and D4 are OFF. The
current enters the positive
terminal of resistor, therefore
Vo is positive.
 Vo
D2

Vp
VO
t
D3 T
_
2

Positive output signal

When the source is negative, the

current follows the route where D1
and D4 are ON but D2 and D3 are
OFF. But the current still enters the
positive terminal of resistor, therefore
V0 remains positive.
 Vo
D1

t
D4 T T
2

Negative output signal

Since both halves of the input signal are

used, thus full-wave rectifier produces
twice DC signal compared to half- wave
rectifier
 Vo

Vp
2Vp
Vdc =
π t

Combination of positive and negative input

 Full wave rectifier with vacuum tube,
having two anodes.

 A very common vacuum tube rectifier configuration contained

one cathode and twin anodes inside a single envelope; in this
way, the two diodes required only one vacuum tube. The 5U4
and 5Y3 were popular examples of this configuration.
Three Phase Bridge Rectifier

 For three phase AC, six diodes are used

 Typically there are three pairs of diodes, each pair,

though, is not the same kind of double diode that
would be used for a full wave single phase rectifier.
Instead the pairs are in series (anode to cathode).
Most devices that generate alternating current
(such devices are called alternators) generate
three phase AC. For example, an automobile
alternator has six diodes inside it to function as a
full wave rectifier for battery charge applications.
Disassembled automobile
alternator, showing the six diodes
that comprise a full-wave three
phase bridge rectifier.

A rectifier diode and associated

mounting hardware. The heavy
threaded stud helps remove
heat.
 The primary application of rectifiers is to derive usable DC
power from an AC supply.
Virtually all electronics requires a DC supply but
mains power is AC so rectifiers find uses inside the
power supplies of virtually all electronic
equipment.
 Rectifiers also find a use in detection of amplitude modulated
radio signals.
- The signal may or may not be amplified before
detection but if unamplified a very low voltage drop
diode must be used.
 Output voltage of a full-wave rectifier
with controlled thyristors

 Rectifiers are also used to supply

polarised voltage for welding.
- In such circuits control of the output
current is required and this is
sometimes achieved by replacing
some of the diodes in bridge
rectifier with thyristors, whose
voltage ouput can be regulated by
means of phase fired controllers.
disadvantages…

Full Wave Rectifier

- 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 seen only in low-power applications.