Rectifiers

Real and ideal diode characteristics

 Half-wave rectifier
• Figure (a) shows a half-wave
rectifier circuit.
• The ac source produces a
sinusoidal voltage.
• Assuming an ideal diode, the
positive half-cycle of source
voltage will forward-bias the
diode, which makes the diode
short circuited or closed switch.
• Since the switch is closed, as
shown in Figure (b), the positive
half-cycle of source voltage will
appear across the load resistor.
• On the negative half-cycle, the
diode is reverse biased.
• In this case, the ideal diode will
appear as an open switch, as
shown in Figure (c) and no voltage
appears across the load resistor
Analysis of Half-Wave Rectifier
1.Peak Inverse Voltage: The maximum voltage that the diode can bear in reverse biased mode is
called its peak inverse voltage. It is a crucial factor to be considered while designing rectifier
system. PIV=Vm

2. Peak Current: The maximum current that the diode can withstand in reverse biased condition
is called peak current of the diode.
 𝑇
1
𝐼 𝑑𝑐= ∫ 𝑖𝑑𝑡
𝑇0
R M S value of current
Rectifier efficiency
Ripple factor
 Full wave rectifier
• The figure shows a full-wave
rectifier circuit.
• Notice the grounded center tap
on the secondary winding.
• The full-wave rectifier is equivalent
to two half-wave rectifiers.
• Because of the center tap, each of
these rectifiers has an input voltage
equal to half the secondary voltage.
• Diode D1 conducts on the positive
half-cycle, and diode D2 conducts
on the negative half-cycle.
• As a result, the rectified load
current flows during both half-
cycles.
• The full-wave rectifier acts the
same as two back-to-back half-
wave rectifiers.
• When D1 is forward biased.
• This produces a positive load
voltage as indicated by the
current across the load
resistor.
• When D2 is forward biased.
• This also produces a positive
load voltage.
• During both half-cycles, the
load voltage has the same
polarity and the load current
is in the same direction.
• The circuit is called a full-
wave rectifier because it has
changed the ac input voltage
to the pulsating dc output.
 Bridge Rectifier
• Figure (a) shows a bridge rectifi
er circuit.
• The bridge rectifier is similar to
a full-wave rectifier because it
produces a full-wave output
voltage.
• Diodes D1 and D2 conduct on
the positive half-cycle, and D3
and D4 conduct on the negative
half-cycle.
• As a result, the rectified load
current flows during both half-
cycles.
• Figure (b) shows the
equivalent circuit for the
positive half-cycle.
• As you can see, D1 and D2 are
forward biased.
• This produces a positive load
voltage as indicated by the
plus-minus polarity across the
load resistor.
• As a memory aid, visualize D2
shorted.
• Then, the circuit that remains
is a half-wave rectifier, which
we are already familiar with.
• Figure (c) shows the
equivalent circuit for the
negative half-cycle.
• This time, D3 and D4 are
forward biased.
• This also produces a positive
load voltage.
• If you visualize D3 shorted,
the circuit looks like a half-
wave rectifier.
• So the bridge rectifier acts
like two back-to-back half-
wave rectifiers.
PIV=Vm
 𝑇
1
𝐼 𝑑𝑐= ∫ 𝑖𝑑𝑡
𝑇0
2𝜋
1
𝐼 𝑑𝑐= ∫ 𝑖𝑑(𝜔𝑡¿)¿
2 𝐼 𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝐼 𝑑𝑐=
𝜋
2𝜋 0
PIV=2Vm (For full wave centre tapped transformer)
PIV=Vm (For Bridge rectifier)
Efficiency of full wave rectifier
Ripple factor of full wave rectifier
Comparison table of rectifiers
Half wave rectifier with filter
Full wave rectifier with filter