UNIVERSITY OF MALAWI

SCHOOL OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND ELECTRONICS

ELE-LAB REPORT

TITLE : HALF WAVE AND FULL WAVE RECTIFICATION

TO : MR H. SAUTENI AND MR E. KACHOKOLA

FROM : MR EDUAR AARON MHANGO

REG NO : BSC-ELE-06-20

COURSE : ELE316 PRACTICALS

COURSE CODE: ELE316

CONDUCTED ON: 21st November, 2023

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 1st December, 2023

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 AIM

The experiment aims at finding the ripple factor and regulation for both half-wave and full-wave
rectifiers and examining the input and output waveforms.

THEORY

A rectifier is an electric device that converts alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC), a
process known as rectification. Rectification is of two types; half-wave rectifier and full rectifier.
In half-wave rectification, either the positive or negative half of the AC wave is passed, while the
other half is blocked. Because only one-half of the input waveform reaches the output, it is very
inefficient if used for power transfer. Half-wave rectification can be achieved with a single diode
in a one-phase supply. In a halfwave rectifier circuit, during the positive half-cycle of the input,
the diode is forward-biased and conducts. Current flows through the load and a voltage is
developed across it. During the negative half-cycle, it is reverse-biased and does not conduct.
Therefore, in the negative half cycle of the supply, no current flows in the load resistor as no
voltage appears across it. Thus, the DC voltage across the load is sinusoidal for the first half
cycle only and a pure A.C. input signal is converted into a unidirectional pulsating output signal.

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 Figure 1

Working of A Half Wave Rectifier With filter, during the positive half cycle, the capacitor gets
charged as well as the load supply. During the negative half cycle, the circuit is open during
which the capacitor supplies the stored energy in it. The more the energy storage capacity the
lesser the ripple in the output waveform

Figure 2

During the full wave rectifcation the centre full taped transformer is used as shown in figure
below.

Figure 3

During positive half-cycles, D1 is forward-biased, and D2 is reverse-biased.

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The circuit of a center-tapped full wave rectifier uses two diodes D1 and D2. During the positive
half cycle of secondary voltage, the diode D1 is forward-biased, and D2 is reverse-biased.
therefore, the diode D1 conducts, and current flows through load resistor RL, as shown in Fig. 1

During the negative half cycle, diode D2 becomes forward-biased and D1 reverse-biased. In this
case, D2 conducts, and current flows through the load resistor RL in the same direction.

Figure 4
During negative half-cycles, D2 is forward-biased and D1 is reverse-biased.During both half
cycles, there is a continuous current flow through the load resistor RL, and it will get a
unidirectional current, as shown in Fig. 3. The difference between full-wave and half-wave
rectification is that a full-wave rectifier allows a unidirectional current to the load during the
entire 2π of the input signal. In contrast, a half-wave rectifier allows this only during one-half
cycle π.

METHODS

1. HALF WAVE RECTIFIER

The circuit connections are demonstrated in Figure 5 below

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Firstly, the voltage across the secondary transformer and the output terminals (Vo) were noted.
i.e. across load resistance RL (with 1K, 4.7K, 10K, 100K) with either the DRB Decade resistance
box or discrete component. In addition to that, the load resistor for different values was varied
while noting down the AC and DC voltages across the RL using the DMM or CRO. Thereafter,
the load resistor RL was disconnected, and the load voltage was noted as VNL. Finally, the ripple
factor and regulation were calculated using the formula for different loads and the numerical data
was tabulated.

The circuit connection with filter in Figure 6 below

On the same note, the circuit was connected with a capacitor (100𝜇𝑓/35) across the load resistor
to filter the circuit. Then the voltage across the secondary transformers and the output terminals
(VO) i.e., across the load resistor RL (with 1K, 4.7K, 10K, 100K) with either the DRB Decade
resistance box or discrete component. In addition to that, the load resistor for different values
was varied while noting down the AC and DC voltages across the RL using the DMM or CRO.
Thereafter, the load resistor RL was disconnected, and the load voltage was noted as VNL.
Finally, the ripple factor and regulation were calculated using the formula for different loads and
the numerical data
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 2. FULL WAVE RECTIFIER

The circuit connections were made as shown in Figure 3 below for a full wave rectifier without a
filter and with a filter.

Figure 7 without filter

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 Figure 8 with filter

All the procedures in the half-wave rectifier for both with and without filter were repeated in the
full-wave rectification circuit with changes in the number of diodes only.

DATA AND TABULATION FOR HALF WAVE RECTIFIER

Without filter VNL= 5.6±0.09

SL RL VFL = Vdc VAC RIPPLE % 𝑅𝐸𝐺𝑈𝐿𝐴𝑇𝐼𝑂𝑁
FACTOR =
NO KΩ VNL − VFL
VAC VFL ∗ 100
Vdc
1 1 5.3 ±0.09 12.5 2.4 5.66
2 4.7 5.4 ±0.05 12.5 2.3 3.70
3 10 5.5±0.05 12.5 2.3 1.81
4 100 5.6 ±0.02 12.5 2.2 0

With filter VNL= 17.50±0.04

SL RL VFL = Vdc VAC RIPPLE % 𝑅𝐸𝐺𝑈𝐿𝐴𝑇𝐼𝑂𝑁
FACTOR =
NO KΩ VNL − VFL
VAC VFL ∗ 100
Vdc
1 1 14.52 ±0.05 12.5 0.86 2.05
2 4.7 16.25 ±0.03 12.5 0.77 7.69
3 10 16.70±0.05 12.5 0.75 4.79
4 100 17.30 ±0.04 12.5 0.72 1.16

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 DATA AND TABULATION FULL WAVE RECTIFIER

Table 1 Without filter VNL= 11.44±0.03

SL RL VFL = Vdc VAC RIPPLE % 𝑅𝐸𝐺𝑈𝐿𝐴𝑇𝐼𝑂𝑁
FACTOR =
NO KΩ VNL − VFL
VAC VFL ∗ 100
Vdc
1 1 10.8 ±0.09 12.5 1.16 5.9
2 4.7 11.0 ±0.09 12.5 1.14 4.0
3 10 11.19 ±0.05 12.5 1.12 2.23
4 100 11.25 ±0.05 12.5 1.11 1.69

Table 2 With filter VNL= 17.90±0.43

SL RL VFL = Vdc VAC RIPPLE % 𝑅𝐸𝐺𝑈𝐿𝐴𝑇𝐼𝑂𝑁
FACTOR =
NO KΩ VNL − VFL
VAC VFL ∗ 100
Vdc
1 1 16.00±0.04 12.5 0.78 11.9
2 4.7 16.70±0.19 12.5 0.75 7.19
3 10 17.20±0.05 12.5 0.73 4.07
4 100 17.70±0.33 12.5 0.71 1.13

RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS

Theoretical calculations for ripple factor

A) Half wave rectifier

Without filter:

Vrms = Vm⁄2

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 Vm = 2 Vrms = 2*12.5 = 25

Vdc = Vm⁄𝜋 = 25⁄𝜋 = 7.95

𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 12.5
Ripple factor = √( 𝑉𝑑𝑐 ) ∧ 2 − 1 = √(7.95) ∧ 2 − 1 = 1.21

Practical ripple factor (Average) = 2.3

ERROR = 2.3 – 1.21 = 1.09

With filter:

1
Ripple factor r =
2√3 𝑓𝐶𝑅

F = 50Hz

1
C = 100𝜇F =
2√3 ∗50∗100∗1

1. RL = 1KΩ F = 50Hz, C=100µF r=0.13

2. RL = 4.7KΩ F = 50Hz, C=100µF r=0.06

3. RL = 10KΩ F = 50Hz, C=100µF r=0.041

4. RL = 100KΩ F = 50Hz, C=100µF r=0.13

B) Full wave rectifier

Vrms = Vm⁄
√2

Vm = Vrms√2 = √2*12.5 = 17.68

Vdc = 2Vm⁄𝜋 = 17.67 ∗ 2⁄𝜋 = 11.2

Ripple factor

1) Without filter

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 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 12.5
√( )∧2 −1 = √( )∧2 −1 = 0.48
𝑉𝑑𝑐 11.2

Practical ripple factor (Average) = 1.13

ERROR = 1.13- 0.48 = 0.65

2) With filter

1
Ripple factor r =
4√3 𝑓𝐶𝑅

F = 50Hz

1
C = 100𝜇F =
4√3 ∗50∗100∗1

1. RL = 1KΩ, F=50Hz, C=100µF, r=0.065

2. RL = 4.7KΩ, F=50Hz, C=100µF, r=0.30

3. RL = 10KΩ, F=50Hz, C=100µF, r=0.020

4. RL = 100KΩ, F=50Hz, C=100µF, r=0.0065

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

From the results above, the observation of the ripple factor from the practical calculation is
higher than that of the theoretical calculations. The output voltage and the output power obtained
in full wave rectifier are higher than that obtained using half wave rectifiers.

The ripple factor from the practical calculations are different with the theoretical this can rise due
to internal resistance of the DMM, poor measurements and internal resistance of connecting
wires. In the circuit without filter, the DC voltage was increasing with increase in resistor value
while AC voltage had a constant value.

CONCLUSION

From the experiment, we have concluded that the AC could be converted to DC using the
rectification. In half wave rectification only, we get the output when the diode is forward biased,

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we get zero voltage at output when the diode is reversed biased it means we are throwing away
the negative or blocked cycle of the waves. It means half wave is not so effective in Ac to DC
conversion. Full wave rectification is efficient because we are using both the cycle of input and
get a positive cycle output for both positive and negative cycle. Now, the question is which class
of rectification is best? So, I concluded that the full-wave rectification is better than the half-
wave as discussed in the experiment, because using full wave a complete cycle of AC is
converted to DC and no power loss during this process. But, in the case of half wave half cycle
could be converted to DC and the other half cycle is in loss.

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References

[1] T. L. FLOYD, PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

[2] J. MLATHO, PRACTICALS IN DIGITAL ELECTRONICS, LILONGWE: UNIVERSITY
OF MALWI, 2019.
[3] Jacob Millman, Halkias, CC and Satyabrata, G, G, Millman's electronics Devices and
circuits, Mac-Graw Hill, 1996.
[4] K. K.L, Operational Amplifier and Linear Integrated Circuits, Pearson Education, 2006.

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