Rectifiers (AC –DC Converters)

Dr. Luqman Maraaba

Power Electronics AAUP

Single-phase full-wave uncontrolled
rectifiers
Two types of Single phase full wave rectifiers exist.

1. Bridge rectifier : That formed by using a transformer and four diodes

2. Center tapped rectifier : That formed by using a center-tapped transformer and two diodes

Bridge rectifier Center tapped rectifier

 Single-phase full-wave Bridge
uncontrolled rectifiers with Resistive Load

 For this configuration, two diodes always conducting during the same
interval to provide a closed loop for the current. and conduct
whenever the supply voltage ( ) is positive while and conduct
whenever the supply voltage ( ) is negative.

 Since the load is a resistive load. Then, the load current will have the
same waveform as the load voltage
 The average value of the load voltage can be calculated as follows:

 The average value of the load current is

 Output DC power :

 The rms value of the load voltage can be calculated as follows:

 The output a.c. power is given by:

 The PRV for any diode in this configuration is .

 The load voltage ripple factor is

 The supply current is a pure sinusoidal

 The rms values of the supply current are

 If we neglect the voltage drops across the diodes, the input power will be equal to the output power and therefore the
power factor of the circuit will be unity.
Example
Single-phase Full-Wave Center tapped (Bi-phase) Uncontrolled
Rectifier with R- Load
 Full-Wave Rectifier With Center-Tapped Transformer (R Load)

 Each diode conducts on alternate half cycles of supply voltage producing a

full-wave output voltage across the load. DC saturation of the transformer
core does not exist here since there is no dc current flowing through the
transformer.

 The waveforms and analysis are same as for the bridge rectifier except for
the diodes voltages

 The peak inverse voltage of the diodes is 2Vm

Single-phase full-wave bridge uncontrolled rectifier
loaded with highly inductive load
 Highly inductive loads are basically RL loads where L >> R. Therefore, the
load time constant τ = L/R is very high and can be considered infinity.
Consequently, the load current is assumed constant.

 The average value of the load voltage can be calculated as

follows:
 Since the load is a highly inductive load. Then, the load current is considered constant (ripple free current) and its
average value is

 The DC power is

 The rms value of the load voltagecan be calculated as follows:

 Since the load current is constant over the studied period, therefore the rms value of the load current is

 The output AC power is given by:

Example : A single-phase full-wave uncontrolled bridge rectifier is supplying a highly inductive load (L/R ratio
is very large). If the supply voltage is 220V, 50Hz, and the load resistance R=22 Ω, Calculate:
 Input Current Harmonics
 If ripple-free load current in steady-state is assumed, the input current waveform of the single-phase full-wave
rectifier may then be depicted as shown

 Hence, the Fourier coefficients of the rectangular wave are

 The harmonic amplitudes reduce as the harmonic number increases.
 No even harmonics.