Lab manual# 4

FULL WAVE RECTIFIER WITH AND

WITHOUT FILTER
OBJECTIVE:

 To Examine the input and output waveforms of Full Wave Rectifier.

 To calculate its load regulation and ripple factor.
1. With Filter
2. Without Filter

APPARATUS:

1. Digital Multimeter
2. Transformer (6V-0-6V)
3. Diode, 1N4007
4. Capacitor 100μf/470 μf
5. Decade Resistance Box
6. Bread board
7. Breadboard CRO and CRO probes
8. Connecting wires
9. Proteus

THEORY:

The circuit of a center-tapped full wave rectifier uses two diodes D1&D2. During positive half
cycle of secondary voltage (input voltage), the diode D1 is forward biased and D2 is reverse
biased. So the diode D1 conducts and current flows through load resistor RL.

During negative half cycle, diode D2 becomes forward biased and D1 reverse biased. Now, D2
conducts and current flows through the load resistor RL in the same direction. There is a
continuous current flow through the load resistor RL, during both the half cycles and will get
unidirectional current as show in the model graph. The difference between full wave and half
wave rectification is that a full wave rectifier allows unidirectional (one way) current to the load
during the entire 360 degrees of the input signal and half-wave rectifier allows this only during
one half cycle (180 degree).
Its efficiency is about 81.2%

Theoretical calculations for Ripple factor:

Vrms = Vm/ √2

Vm = Vrms√2

Vdc = 2Vm/П

Without Filter:

Ripple factor, r = √ (Vrms/ Vdc )2 -1 = 0.812

With Filter:

Ripple factor, r = 1/ (4√3 f C RL)

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:

 Full wave rectifier without filter:

Model waveform
  Full wave rectifier with filter:

Model waveform
PROCEDURE:

1. Connections are made as per the circuit diagram.

2. Connect the ac mains to the primary side of the transformer and the secondary side to the
rectifier.
3. Measure the ac voltage at the input side of the rectifier.
4. Measure both ac and dc voltages at the output side the rectifier.
5. Find the theoretical value of the dc voltage by using the formula Vdc = 2Vm/П
6. Connect the filter capacitor across the load resistor and measure the values of Vac and
Vdc at the output.
7. The theoretical values of Ripple factors with and without capacitor are calculated.
8. From the values of Vac and Vdc practical values of Ripple factors are calculated. The
practical values are compared with theoretical values.

OBSERVATION TABLE:

Without filter:

S.No Load resistance O/P voltage (VO) Ripple factor

RL Vac (V) Vdc (V) V ac
γ=
V dc
1 1k 212.50v 80v 2.65v
2 2k 213.97v 80v 2.67v
 3 3k 213.97v 78.33v 2.73v
4 4k 212.50v 80v 2.65v
5 5k 213.97v 80v 2.67v
6 6k 212.50v 80v 2.65v
7 7k 213.97v 78.33v 2.73v
8 8k 213.97v 80v 2.67v
9 9k 212.50v 80v 2.65v
10 10k 213.97v 78.33v 2.73v
11 11k 213.97v 80v 2.67v
12 12k 212.50v 80v 2.65v
13 13k 213.97v 78.33v 2.73v
14 14k 212.50v 80v 2.65v
15 15k 213.97v 80v 2.67v

With filter capacitor:

S.No Load Capacitor O/P voltage (VO) Ripple factor

resistance in µF Vac (V) Vdc (V) V ac
RL γ=
V dc
1 1k 1 µF 214.87v 56.23v 3.82v
2 2k 2µF 220.42v 80.33v 2.74v
3 3k 3µF 214.87v 56.23v 3.82v
4 4k 4µF 220.42v 80.33v 2.74v
5 5k 5µF 214.87v 56.23v 3.82v
6 6k 6µF 220.42v 80.33v 2.74v
7 7k 7µF 214.87v 56.23v 3.82v
8 8k 8µF 220.42v 80.33v 2.74v
9 9k 9µF 214.87v 56.23v 3.82v
10 10k 10µF 220.42v 80.33v 2.74v
11 11k 11µF 214.87v 56.23v 3.82v
12 12k 12µF 220.42v 80.33v 2.74v
13 13k 13µF 214.87v 56.23v 3.82v
14 14k 14µF 220.42v 80.33v 2.74v
15 15k 15µF 214.87v 56.23v 3.82v

PRECAUTIONS:

1. The primary and secondary side of the transformer should be carefully identified.
2. The polarities of all the diodes should be carefully identified.

VIVA QUESTIONS:
1. Define regulation of the full wave rectifier?
A Full Wave Rectifier is a circuit, which converts an ac voltage into a pulsating dc voltage
using both half cycles of the applied ac voltage. ... During the negative half cycle of the input
voltage, diode D1 becomes reverse biased and D2 becomes forward biased. Hence D1
remains OFF and D2 conducts.

2. Define peak inverse voltage (PIV)? And write its value for Full-wave rectifier?

The maximum value of the reverse voltage that a PN junction or diode can withstand without
damaging itself is known as its Peak Inverse Voltage. ... As usually, a PN junction or diode is
used as a rectifier.

3. If one of the diode is changed in its polarities what wave form would you get?

if you are referring to a bridge rectifier, the output would be nothing (zero volts) on one half of
the cycle, and would present effectively 2 forward biassed diodes on the other half cycle, which
would cause a large current to flow from the transformer (if over 1.4V). It would be clamped at
1.4 Volts, on one half cycle, if the current is limited, and the output would still be nothing.

4. Does the process of rectification alter the frequency of thewaveform?

Yes, the fundamental frequency is doubled, and infinite harmonics are added to the original
waveform. Since rectification turns the negative half-cycle into another positive half-cycle, the
original waveform is splitted into two cycles that are equal and fit in the same period, so the
fundamental frequency is doubled.

5. What is ripple factor of the Full-wave rectifier?

The ripple factor of a full wave rectifier is 0.482. The average (DC) output voltage is higher than
for half wave, the output of the full wave rectifier has much less ripple than that of the half wave
rectifier producing a smoother output waveform.

6. What is the necessity of the transformer in the rectifier circuit?

A transformer is used to step down one AC voltage (usually mains) to a more convenient
voltage. The full-wave rectifier then takes this more convenient (usually much lower) voltage
and inverts the negative half-cycles of the AC waveform to produce a rectified AC.

7. What are the applications of a rectifier?

A half-wave rectifier is used in soldering iron types of circuit and is also used in mosquito
repellent to drive the lead for the fumes. In electric welding, bridge rectifier circuits are used to
supply steady and polarized DC voltage

8. What is meant by ripple and define Ripple factor?

Ripple:
Ripple is the fluctuating AC component present in rectified DC output. The output of a rectifier
may either be DC current or voltage. In view of this, AC fluctuating component present in DC
output voltage is called voltage ripple and that in DC current output is called current ripple

Ripple factor:

The definition of the ripple factor is the ratio of the AC component's RMS value and the DC
component's RMS value within the output of the rectifier. The symbol is denoted with “γ” and
the formula of R.F is mentioned below. ripple-factor. (R.F) = AC component's RMS value / DC
component's RMS value.

9. Explain how capacitor helps to improve the ripple factor?

The capacitor connected to the +,- pins of the bridge rectifier would have the maximum voltage
(as defined by the transformer ratio and input voltage) if there were no current being drawn by
other circuits.

But there is, hence the ripple! The capacitor is being charged to maximum voltage at 50/60Hz for
a half-bridge and double that for a full-bridge.

Let’s look at the formula for a capacitor:

dV = dQ/C

since dQ is charge, which we don’t really know what to make of in this example, we can write it
as dQ=Idt. (The change in charge is current times dt)

dV = (I dt)/C

It depends directly on how much current the circuit behind C is drawing: I

It depends directly on the time between two AC peaks: dt.

It depends inversely on the value of the capacitor: C

10. Can a rectifier made in INDIA (V=230v, f=50Hz) be used in USA (V=110v, f=60Hz)?

Almost the whole of the world uses a frequency of 50Hz and a voltage of 220-240(higher
voltages for better efficiency in transmission). The exception, where 60Hz is used (with a voltage
of 110-120), is the Americas (North and South) and the Caribbean (and parts of Japan and
Korea).

Early in the history or electricity, Thomas Edison's General Electric

company was distributing DC electricity at 110 volts in the United States.

Then Nikola Tesla devised a system of three-phase AC electricity at 240 volts. Three-phase
meant that three alternating currents slightly out of phase were combined in order to even out the
great variations in voltage occurring in AC electricity. He had calculated that 60 cycles per
second or 60Hz was the most effective frequency.Tesla later compromised to reduce the voltage
to 120 volts for safety reasons.

With the backing of the Westinghouse Company, Tesla's AC system became the standard in the
United States.Westinghouse chose 60 Hz because the arc light carbons(arc lamp) that were
popular at that time worked better at 60 Hz than at 50 Hz