LESSON NO.

3
RECTIFIER
At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to
1. Describe how AC signal is rectified
2. Enumerate the parts of a rectifier circuit
3. Determine the output voltage of a rectifier
4. State the operations of a rectifier circuit
The DC power supply converts the standard 220V, 60 Hz AC source
at the wall outlet into constant DC voltage.
The first section is the TRANSFORMER. The transformer serves two
primary purposes: (1) to step up or step down the input line
voltage to the desired level and (2) to couple this voltage to the
rectifier section.
The RECTIFIER section converts the ac signal to a pulsating dc
voltage. However, you will see later in this lesson that the pulsating
dc voltage is not desirable. For this reason, a FILTER section is used
to convert the pulsating dc voltage to filtered dc voltage.
The AC Signal
The characteristic equation of the AC waveform is
e(t) = Em sin(ωt + φ)
where e(t) = instantaneous voltage, volts
Em = maximum voltage, volts
ω = 2πf, radian/sec
f = frequency, hertz
φ = phase angle, degrees or radian
t = time, sec
1. Period: – This is the length of time in seconds that the waveform
takes to repeat itself from start to finish. This value can also be
called the Periodic Time, ( T ) of the waveform for sine waves, or
the Pulse Width for square waves.
2. Frequency: – This is the number of times the waveform repeats
itself within a one second time period. Frequency is the reciprocal
of the time period, ( ƒ = 1/T ) with the standard unit of frequency
being the Hertz, (Hz).
3. Amplitude: – This is the magnitude or intensity of the signal
waveform measured in volts or amps.
Mathematically, the average value(DC Value) is defined as
VAVE = 1/T ∫ v(t) dt
Where T = period of the waveform
v(t) = instantaneous voltage
The RMS value(effective value)( it is the average value in an
alternating current) of a waveform is defined as
VRMS = √ 1/T ∫ v(t)2 dt
 EXAMPLE NO. 6
Determine the DC and the RMS value of the given waveform
Half wave
Vave = Vpk / π
Full wave
Vave = 2Vpk / π

For peak voltage in terms of rms value

Vpk = √2 Vrms
 The Transformer
General types of transformer
1. Step-up transformer – it increases the secondary voltage from
the primary voltage
2. Step-down transformer – it decreases the secondary voltage
from the primary voltage
The ratio of transformation is defined as
a = Vp/Vs = Is/Ip = Np/Ns
Transformer has several purposes: In addition to coupling the
input ac signal to the power supply, it also isolates the electronic
power supply from the external power source and either steps up
or steps down the ac voltage to the desired level. Additionally,
most input transformers have separate step-down windings to
supply filament voltages to both power supply tubes and the
tubes in the external equipment(load).
Such a transformer is shown in the figure. Because the input
transformer is located in the power supply and is the ultimate
source of power for both the load and the power supply, it is
called the POWER TRANSFORMER. Notice that the transformer
has the ability to deliver both 6.3 and 5 volts ac
 The Rectifier
Half wave rectifier – the most basic type of rectifier. It is composed
of 1 diode and a load.
Its output frequency is equal to its input frequency.
Center tapped full wave rectifier – composed of 2 diodes and a
load. The current travels bidirectional. Its output frequency is
equal to its input frequency.
Bridge type full wave rectifier – composed of 4 diodes and a load.
Its output frequency is twice the input frequency.
 Example No. 7
1. An AC signal is represented by the equation e(t) = 10sin(377t).
a. peak voltage
b. peak to peak voltage
c. frequency
d. period
2. At what time will the instantaneous voltage of 4.3V appear in
the given AC signal.
3. An RMS current of 2A is flowing thru a 30Ω resistor. What is its
peak value? What is the voltage peak across the resistor?

4. An RMS voltage of 21.21V is connected to a 2.5kΩ resistor.

What is the peak current flowing thru it?
5. A transformer of rating 2:5 is connected to a primary source of
16V peak to peak. Find the secondary voltage in peak and RMS.

6. A transformer has a rating of 4: 3. the secondary voltage is 13V

peak. Find the primary voltage in peak and RMS value.
7. A power supply is using a half wave rectifier with turns ratio of
5:1. What is the secondary peak voltage if the primary is
connected to a 115Vrms. What is the average output voltage at
1KΩ resistor if the diode used is silicon?
8. Determine the peak and average power delivered to the load.
9. From the circuit below, determine the total secondary peak
voltage and the average DC voltage of the center tapped full wave
rectifier.
 D5 1N1 1
D6 1N1 1
TR2
D3 1N1183

10. Determine the secondary peak voltage and the average load
voltage for the circuit shown

1:3
24VrmsN1 N2

1.2K

all diodes are silicon

Capacitor Filter
A filter is a reactive network that freely passes the desired
bands of frequencies while almost totally suppressing all
other bands. A filter is constructed from purely reactive
elements, for otherwise the attenuation would never
becomes zero in the pass band of the filter network.
Filters can be classified as analog and digital filters.
Analog filters – may be classified as either active or passive.
Digital filters – implemented using a digital computer or
special purpose digital hardware.
Low pass filter (LPF) – rejects or attenuates frequencies above the cut-off
frequency and pass the frequencies below it.
High pass filter (HPF) – rejects or attenuates frequencies below the cut-off
frequency and allows the passage of frequencies above the cut-off.
Band pass filter (BPF) – a filter that rejects or attenuates frequencies not
within the two cut-off frequencies.
Band reject filter or band elimination filter (BRF) – a filter that rejects
frequencies within the two cut-off frequencies.
Multiband filter (MBF) – a combination of the band pass filter and the
band reject filter which transmits all frequencies between lower and
upper frequency limits such as f1 and f2
Constant K LPF
Design considerations:
L1 = Rk/πfC
C2 = 1/πRkfC
Rk = √L1/C2
fC = 1/π√L1C2
Constant K HPF
Design Consideration
L2 = RK /4πfC
C1 = 1/ 4πRkfC
Rk = √L2/C1
fC = 1/ 4π√L2C1
Design a constant K low pass filter (both p and T-sections) having a
cut-off frequency of 2 kHz to operate with a terminated load
resistance of 500 Ω.
A filter is a reactive network that freely passes the desired
bands of frequencies while almost totally suppressing all
other bands. A filter is constructed from purely reactive
elements, for otherwise the attenuation would never
becomes zero in the pass band of the filter network.
Filters can be classified as analog and digital filters.
Analog filters – may be classified as either active or passive.
Digital filters – implemented using a digital computer or
special purpose digital hardware.
The LC choke-input filter is used primarily in power supplies where
good voltage regulation is important and where the output
current is relatively high and subject to varying load conditions.
This filter is used in high-power applications such as those found in
radar and communication transmitter power supplies
Ripple (specifically ripple voltage) in electronics is the
residual periodic variation of the DC voltage within a power supply
which has been derived from an alternating current (AC) source.
This ripple is due to incomplete suppression of the
alternating waveform after rectification. Ripple voltage originates
as the output of a rectifier 
The rms ripple voltage for an RC filter can be approximated as
Vr (rms) = 2.4Vdc / RC = 2.4Vave / RC
Where Vdc = the output DC voltage of the input waveform.
The DC level is
Vr(DC) = Vm – 4.17IDC/C
Where Vm = peak of the rectified voltage
The LC filter has two disadvantages. The first is cost. The LC filter is
more expensive than the RC filter because its iron-core choke
costs more than the resistor of the RC filter. The second
disadvantage is size, since the iron-core choke is bulky and heavy.
Thus, the LC filter may be unsuitable for some applications but is
still one of the most widely used
Voltage regulation refers to the voltage change that takes place
when the load changes. It is usually expressed as the change in
voltage at no load condition to full load condition.
VNL - VFL
%VR = ------------------- x 100%
VFL
The lower the %VR the better the circuit.
Multipliers
 ASSIGNMENT NO. 3
1. A multiplier circuit has an input voltage of 6Vrms. Determine its
output peak voltage if a double, tripler and quadrupler circuit is
used.
2. A center tapped transformer is used in a full wave rectifier with
ratio 5:2. if the input voltage is 20Vrms, Find the average output
voltage and the current flowing in the 2.5KΩ resistor. All diodes
are silicon.
3. A bridge type circuit is used in a full wave rectifier circuit with
ratio 2:1. if the input voltage is 12Vrms, find the average output
voltage, current and power delivered to the 1.6KΩ resistor. All
diodes are germanium.
4. A rectifier is producing an output voltage of 250v at no load
condition. Determine the regulation if at a certain load X its output
voltage is 240v. If the same rectifier is used, the output voltage at
another load Y is 245V. Find its regulation. Which of them has a
good regulation, load X or load Y?
 D4 1N1183

R
D5 1N1 18
D6 1N1 18
TR2
D3 1N1183

5. Determine the secondary turns ratio if the current flowing in

the 3KΩ resistor is 56.102mA.

2:X
80VrmsN1 N2

3K

all diodes are silicon