Diode Applications

pp
1
• Explain
p and analyze
y the operation
p of both half
and full wave rectifiers
• Explain and analyze filters and regulators and
their characteristics
• Explain and analyze the operation of diode
limiting and clamping circuits
• Explain
E l i and d analyze
l th
the operation
ti off di
diode
d
voltage multipliers.
• Interpret and use a diode data sheet
• Troubleshoot
oub es oot ssimple
ped diode
ode ccircuits
cu ts
2
 AC to DC

dc
Circuit A

dc Circuit B
ac Power Supply

dc Circuit C
Most circuits operate with dc
supply.
3
Basic Power Supply Principle

Rectification

Filtering Regulation(no ripple)

Good power supplies

(i e required switching techniques
(i.e. techniques,
zener regulation, etc)
4
 Diode Rectify
The cathode makes this
the positive end of the load.

+
+

0
ac 0

-
-

Half-wave pulsating dc

A series rectifier diode changes ac to dc

dc.
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 Half-wave Rectifier
A half wave
rectifier(ideal) allows
180°°
conduction for only 180
or half of a complete
p
cycle.

The output frequency

is the same as the
input.

The average VDC or

VAVG = Vp/
Proof this!!!!
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Average voltage of half-wave rectifier

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The effect of the barrier potential on the half-wave rectified output voltage
is to reduce the peak value of the input by about 0.70 7 V.
V

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 Reverse Operation
Peak inverse voltage(PIV) is the maximum voltage across the diode when it is in reverse
bias.
bi

PIV

The diode must be capable of

withstanding this amount of voltage.

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TRANSFORMER Review

10
 Transformer-Coupled Input

Transformers are often used for voltage change and isolation.

The turns ratio of the primary to secondary determines the
output
t t versus the
th input.
i t
The fact that there is no direct connection between the primary
and secondary windings prevents shock hazards in the
secondary circuit.

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 VCT
• Volts center tapped (VCT) describes the voltageg output of
a center tapped transformer. For example: A 24 VCT
transformer will measure 24 VAC across the outer two
t
taps (winding
i di as a whole),
h l and d 12VAC ffrom each h outer
t
tap to the center-tap (half winding). These two 12 VAC
supplies are 180 degrees out of phase with each other
other,
thus making it easy to derive positive and negative 12
volt DC power supplies from them.

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Center-tapped transformer
Only half of the transformer
secondary conducts at a time.

C.T.

VLOAD is equal
q
to one-half the
total secondary y
voltage.
VTOTAL
½ VTOTAL

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 The cathodes make this
the positive end of the load.
+

0 Full-wave p
pulsating
g dc

+
-

0
ac

Two diodes and a transformer

provide full-wave rectification.
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 Full-wave Rectifier(VCT)

This method of rectification employs two diodes connected to a center-

center
tapped transformer.

The peak output is only half of the transformer’s

transformer s peak
secondary voltage.

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 Full-wave Rectifier(VCT)

Note the current flow direction

during both alternations.
Being that it is center tapped, Vp(out)
the p
peak output
p is about half
of the secondary windings
total voltage.

Each diode is subjected to a

PIV of the full secondaryy
winding output minus one
diode voltage drop.
PIV=2Vp(out) - 0.7V
0 7V

NOTE. The diode must be able to withstand this “Reverse” or “Inverse” voltage without
breaking down. The diode 1N4001 has a PIV or PRV (Peak Inverse Voltage or Peak
Reverse Voltage) rating of 50 V. (Note that this is a peak value.)

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Homework

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 Classification

• Rectification is a process used to convert alternating

current(ac) signal to direct current(dc) signal. Rectifiers
are widely used as a first stage interfacing circuit in
electrical and electronics devices particularly when the dc
signal is required i.e. power supplies, battery charger, dc
motor drive inverters
inverters, etc
etc.
• 2 types: uncontrolled rectifier(diode) and controlled
rectifier(phase control device
device, ii.e.
e thyristors)
• Considering at the output: 2 types are half-wave and full-
wave rectifiers
• Basic Symbol:

Note. Replace diode with SCRs symbol for controlled rectifier

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 Full-wave Rectifier

A full-wave rectifier allows current to flow during both the

positive and negative half cycles or the full 360º. Note that the
output frequency is twice the input frequency.

The average VDC or VAVG = 2Vp/.

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The Full-Wave Bridge Rectifier

The full-wave
Th f ll
bridge rectifier
takes advantage of
the full output of the
secondary winding.

It employs four
diodes arranged
g
such that current
flows in the same
direction through
the load during
each half of the
cycle
cycle.

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 Positive Vout
+

ac +
0

0
- Full-wave
pulsating dc
-

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 Negative Vout
+

ac +
0 Full-wave
pulsating dc
0
-

Reversing the diodes produces a

negative power supply.
supply
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24
PIV for full-wave rectifier

KVL here

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Power Supply Filters And Regulators

As we have seen, the output of a rectifier is a pulsating

DC. With filtration and regulation this pulsating voltage can
be smoothed out and kept to a steady value.

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A capacitor-input
filter will charge
and discharge
such that it fills in
the “gaps”
between each
peak. This reduces
variations of
voltage. The
remaining voltage
variation is called
ripple voltage.
 Filter
capacitor Discharge

+ VP

ac 0
Ch
Charge
-

A relatively large filter capacitor will maintain the

load voltage near the peak value of the waveform.
waveform
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 Discharge time is less.

+ VP
ac
0

Full-wave is easier to filter since the discharge

time is shorter than it is for half-wave rectifiers.
rectifiers
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The advantage of a full-wave rectifier over a half-wave is quite clear.
The capacitor can more effectively reduce the ripple when the time
between peaks is shorter.

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 Protection

Being
B i ththatt th
the capacitor
it
appears as a short
during the initial
charging, the current
through the diodes can
momentarily y be quite
q
high. To reduce risk of
damaging the diodes, a
surge current limiting
resistor is placed in
series with the filter and
load.
load

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Voltage Regulator

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Regulation
g is the last step
p in eliminating
g the remaining
g ripple
pp
and maintaining the output voltage to a specific value.
Typically this regulation is performed by an integrated circuit
regulator. There are many different types used based on the
voltage and current requirements.

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 Regulator Efficiency

How well the regulation is performed by a regulator is

measured by it’s regulation percentage. There are two
types of regulation,
regulation line and load
load. Line and load regulation
percentage is simply a ratio of change in voltage (line) or
current (load) stated as a percentage.

Line Regulation = (VOUT/VIN)100%

Load Regulation
g = (V
( NL – VFL))/VFL))100%

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 Diode Limiter(Clippers)
Limiting
g circuits limit the p
positive or negative
g
amount of an input voltage to a specific value.

This positive limiter will limit the output to VBIAS + .7V

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37
Positive and Negative Limiter
Example1
Example2
 Diode Clamper
A diode clamper adds a DC level to an AC voltage. The capacitor charges
to the peak of the supply minus the diode drop drop. Once charged
charged, the
capacitor acts like a battery in series with the input voltage. The AC
voltage will “ride” along with the DC voltage. The polarity arrangement of
th di
the diode
d determines
d t i whether
h th th the DC voltage
lt iis negative
ti or positive.
iti

Positive Clamper
+V
Vp(in)-V
Vc-0.7=0
07 0

Hint: Find voltage across C first. This will be a voltage shift level. 42
Negative Clamper

-Vp(in)-Vc+0.7=0

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Example
p

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 Voltage Multiplier
A voltage multiplier is an electrical circuit that converts AC electrical power
from a lower voltage to a higher DC voltage, typically by means of a network
of capacitors and diodes.
Voltage
g multipliers
p can be used to ggenerate bias voltagesg ranging
g g from a few
volts for electronic appliances, to millions of volts for purposes such as
high-energy physics experiments and lightning safety testing.

The most common type of voltage multiplier is the half-wave series multiplier,
also called the Villard cascade.

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 Operation
Clamping
p g action can be used to increase p peak rectified voltage.
g Once C1 and
C2 charges to the peak voltage they act like two batteries in series, effectively
doubling the voltage output. The current capacity for voltage multipliers is low.

1+2
2

Half-wave voltage doubler (a) is composed of (b) a clamper and (c) a half-wave rectifier.

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 Full-wave Voltage Multiplier
The full-wave voltage
g doubler arrangement
g of diodes and capacitors
p takes
advantage of both positive and negative peaks to charge the capacitors giving
it more current capacity. Voltage triplers and quadruplers utilize three and four
diode-capacitor arrangements respectively.

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 Voltage tripler

A combination of a doubler and a half wave

rectifier (C3,, D3). The half-wave rectifier p
produces
5 V (4.3 V) at node 3. The doubler provides
another 10 V (8.4 V) between nodes 2 and 3. for a
total of 15 V (12.9 V) at the output node 2 with
respect to ground
ground.

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Voltage Quadrupler

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 Rectifier Diode Selection

• Average forward current (Io)

• Reverse blocking voltage
• Transient capability; peak, surge current
and
d voltage
lt

50
Transient Suppression

CEMF

The inductive kick

can cause damage.
d

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CEMF

The coil discharges

through the diode and
there is no arc.

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 Summary(1)

 The basic function of a power supply to give us a

smooth ripple free DC voltage from an AC voltage.
 Half
Half-wave
wave rectifiers only utilize half of the cycle to
produce a DC voltage.
 Transformer Coupling
p g allows voltage g manipulation
p
through its windings ratio.
 Full-Wave rectifiers efficiently make use of the
whole cycle. This makes it easier to filter.
 The full-wave bridge rectifier allows use of the
full secondary winding output whereas the center
center-
tapped full wave uses only half.

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 Summary(2)

 Filtering
g and Regulating
g g the output
p of a rectifier helps
p keep
p
the DC voltage smooth and accurate.
 Limiters are used to set the output peak(s) to a given value.
 Clampers are used to add a DC voltage to an AC voltage.

 Voltage Multipliers allow a doubling

doubling, tripling
tripling, or quadrupling of
rectified DC voltage for low current applications.
 The Data Sheet gives us useful information and
characteristics of device for use in replacement or designing
circuits.

 Troubleshooting requires use of common sense along with proper

troubleshooting techniques to effectively determine the point of failure
in a defective circuit or system.
system

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