Introduction

Alternating current (AC) is the most efficient way to deliver electrical

power. However, DC is the main operator of the electric devices. So we
need to convert the AC TO DC. Many industrial applications make use
of controlled DC power, like in steel rolling mills, paper mills and textile
mills, which employ DC motor drives. The basic advantages of DC
motor are high starting torque, high accelerating and decelerating torque.
DC motor is easily adaptable for drives requiring wide range speed
control and quick reversals. So DC machine possesses high degree of
flexibility and versatility.
The losses like eddy current loss, hysteresis loss are also absent in DC
applications. For some industrial applications a versatile AC to DC
converter is indispensable. Direct current is used to charge batteries, and
in nearly all electronic systems as the power supply. Very large
quantities of direct-current power are used in production of aluminum
and other electrochemical processes. Direct current is also used for some
railway propulsion, especially in urban areas. High voltage direct current
(HVDC) is used to transmit large amounts of power from remote
generation sites or to interconnect alternating current power grids.

DC is commonly found in many low-voltage applications, especially

where these are powered by batteries, which can produce only DC, or
solar power systems, since solar cells can produce only DC. Most
automotive applications use DC, although the alternator is an AC device
which uses a rectifier to produce DC. Most electronic circuits require a
DC power supply.

Direct-current installations usually have different types of sockets,

switches, and fixtures, mostly due to the low voltages used, from those
suitable for alternating current. It is usually important with a direct-
current appliance not to reverse polarity unless the device has a diode
bridge to correct for this.

A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current (AC),

which periodically reverses direction, to direct current (DC), which
flows in only one direction.

Depending up on the type of input supply, rectifiers are classified into

two types:

Single phase and

Three phase rectifiers.

Depending up on the output type we can further classify single phase

rectifiers as:
Half wave and
Full wave rectifiers.

Depending up on the switching devices that we use to implement the

rectifier we can classify rectifiers as:
Controlled rectifiers: Uses diode as switching device and
Uncontrolled rectifiers: Uses switching devices like, SCR, BJT,
MOSFET, IGBT that they can be switched on in a controlled
manner.
Objective:
General objective:
 Chapter Two
Literature Review
What is Rectifier?
A Rectifier is an electrical device that is made of one or more than one diodes that converts
the alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC). It is used for rectification where the
process below shows that how it convert AC into DC.

What is Rectification?
Rectification is the process of conversion of the alternating current (which periodically changes
direction) into direct current (flow in a single direction).

Types of Rectifiers

There are mainly two types of rectifiers:

1. Uncontrolled Rectifier
2. Controlled Rectifier

Bridge rectifiers are of many types and the basis for the classification can be many, to name a
few, type of supply, bridge circuit’s configurations, controlling capability etc. Bridge rectifiers
can be broadly classified into single and three phase rectifiers based on the type of input they
work on. Both of these types include these further classifications which can be made into both
single and three phase rectifiers.

The further classification is based on the switching devices the rectifier uses and the types are
uncontrolled, half controlled and full controlled rectifiers. Some of the types of rectifiers are
discussed below.

Based on the type of rectification circuit does, the rectifiers are classified into two categories.
 Half wave rectifier
 Full wave rectifier
Half wave rectifier only converts half of the AC wave into DC signal whereas Full wave rectifier
converts complete AC signal into DC.
Bridge rectifier is the most commonly used rectifier in electronics and this report will deal with
the working and making of one. Simple bridge rectifier circuit is the most popular method for
full wave rectification.

Uncontrolled Rectifier:
The type of rectifier whose output voltage cannot be controlled is called
an uncontrolled rectifier.
A rectifier uses switches to work. The switches can be of various types, broadly, controllable
switches and uncontrollable switches. A diode is unidirectional device that allows the current
flow in only one direction. The working of a diode is not controlled as it will conduct as long as
it is forward biased
With a configuration of diodes in any given rectifier, the rectifier is not fully in the operator’s
control, so these types of rectifiers are called uncontrolled rectifiers. It does not allow the power
to vary depending on the load requirement. So this type of rectifier is commonly used in constant
or fixed power supplies.

Types Of Uncontrolled Rectifier:

Uncontrolled Rectifiers are further divided into two types:
1. Half Wave Rectifier
2. Full Wave Rectifier
Half Wave Rectifier:
A Type of rectifier that converts only the half cycle of the alternating current (AC) into direct
current (DC) is known as half wave rectifier.
 Positive Half Wave Rectifier:
A half wave rectifier that converts only the positive half cycle and blocks the negative half
cycle.

 Negative Half Wave Rectifier:

A negative half wave rectifier converts only the negative half cycle of the AC into DC.
In all types of rectifiers, a half-wave rectifier is the simplest of them all as it is composed of only
a single diode.

A diode allows the current flow in only one direction known as forward bias. A load resistor RL is
connected in series with the diode
Positive Half Cycle:
During the positive half cycle, the diode terminal anode will become positive and
the cathode will become negative known as forward bias. And it will allow the positive
cycle to flow through.
Negative Half Cycle:
During the negative half cycle, the anode will become negative and the cathode will
become positive, which is known as reverse bias. So the diode will block the negative
cycle.

So when an AC source is connected to the half-wave rectifier, only half cycle will flow

through it as shown in the figure below.

The output of this rectifier is taken across the load resistor RL. if we look at the input-
to-output graph, it shows a pulsating positive half cycle of the input.