Department of Electrical Engineering

Faculty of Engineering & Applied Sciences

Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan

Program: B.Sc. Electrical Engineering Semester: VIII

Subject EE-473 Power Electronics Date: …………….

Experiment 6: Single Phase half wave Controlled Rectifier (Hardware PT970721 trainer +
Multisim Simulation)

OBJECTIVES:

(i) To describe the working principles of a half-wave rectifier using a thyristor.

Name: Muhammad Ehsan Ullah Sap id: 3050

Performance Lab Report
Description Total Marks Description Total Marks
Marks Obtained Marks Obtained
Methodology 5 Organization/Structure 5

Implementation 5 Data Presentation 5

and completion
Total Marks obtained

Remarks (if any): ………………………………….

Name & Signature of faculty: …………………………………

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Objectives:
 To describe the working principles of a half-wave rectifier using a thyristor.
 To explain the concept of half wave control rectifier circuit using a thyristor.

Introduction:
Half wave control Rectifier:
Rectification converts an oscillating sinusoidal AC voltage source into a constant
current DC voltage supply by means of diodes, thyristors, transistors, or converters. This
rectifying process can take on many forms with half-wave, full-wave, uncontrolled and fully-
controlled rectifiers transforming a single-phase or three-phase supply into a constant DC level.
In this tutorial we will look at single-phase rectification and all its forms.
A Single Phase Half Wave Controlled Rectifier circuit consists of SCR / thyristor, an AC voltage
source and load. The load may be purely resistive, Inductive or a combination of resistance and
inductance. For simplicity, we will consider a resistive load. A simple circuit diagram of Single
Phase Half Wave Controlled Rectifier is shown in figure below.

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Following points must be kept in mind while discussing controlled rectifier:
 The necessary condition for turn ON of SCR is that, it should be forward biased and gate
signal must be applied. In other words, an SCR will only get turned ON when it is
forward biased and fired or gated.
 SCR will only turn off when current through it reaches below holding current and reverse
voltage is applied for a time period more than the SCR turn off time.
Well, let us go ahead with the above points in mind. Let us assume that thyristor T is fired at a
firing angle of α. This means when wt = α, gate signal will be applied and SCR will start
conducting. Refer the figure below.

Thyristor T is forward biased for the positive half cycle of supply voltage. The load output
voltage is zero till SCR is fired. Once SCR is fired at an angle of α, SCR starts conducting. But
as soon as the supply voltage becomes zero at ωt = π, the load current will become zero and after
ωt = π, SCR is reversed biased. Thus thyristor T will turn off at ωt = π and will remain in OFF
condition till it is fired again at ωt = (2π+α).
Therefore, the load output voltage and current for one complete cycle of input supply voltage
may be written as
v0 = VmSinωt for α≤ωt≤ π
i0 = VmSinωt / R for for α≤ωt≤ π
Circuit diagram:

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Procedure:
 Use channel 2 of the oscilloscope to observe the load voltage UL.
 Observe the load voltage UL for the minimum and maximum potentiometer output voltage
Up.
 Find the minimum and maximum firing angle of the circuit. Sketch the voltages on Figures
below.
 For the various triggering angles α as specified in Table, fill in the table below with values
calculated using equation given above and the observation data.
 Switch off power supply and replace resistive load lamp with inductive load motor as shown
in diagram below.
 Switch on power supply and observe the load voltage UL for the minimum and maximum
potentiometer output voltage Up. Find the minimum and maximum firing angle of the circuit.
Sketch the voltages on Figures below.
 Compare both waveforms due to inductive and resistive load and explain difference in
observations and discussion.
Table:
Sr. No. 𝜶𝜶 Vdc1 FF
1 Minimum 2.435V 0.3104
2 45’ 2.66V 0.3389
3 90’ 2.91V 0.3708
4 Maximum 3.528V 0.4495

Lab Task:
Minimum Waveform

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Firing angle at 45’

Firing angle at 90’

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Maximum Waveform

Results and Discussions:

Drop across SCR is small & neglected so output voltage is equal to supply voltage. Due to
'RL' load, current through SCR increases slowly. At 'π', supply voltage is at zero where load
current is at its max value. In positive half cycle, inductor stores energy & that generates the
voltage. In negative half cycle, the voltage developed across inductor, forward biases SCR &
maintains its conduction. Basically with the property of inductance it opposes change in
current. Output current & supply current flows in same loop, so all the time io=is. After π the
energy of inductor is given to mains & there is flow of 'io'. The energy reduces as if gets
consumed by circuit so current also reduces. At 'β' energy stored in inductance is finished,
hence 'io' becomes zero & 'T1' turns off. 'io' becomes zero from 'β' to '2π+α' hence it is
discontinuous conduction.

Conclusion:
In this lab I learned the working principles of a half-wave rectifier using a thyristor. Then
explain the concept of half wave control rectifier circuit using a thyristor.

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