Setting the half and full wave rectifier

Objectives:
 Study rectification and half and full wave rectifier
 Study about smoothing effect and ripple effect
 Studying behavior of half and full wave rectifier with filter

Abstract:
In this experiment we study about half and full wave rectifier and stuffing following factors:

 Smoothing effect of capacitor

 Ripple factors and its variation
 Regulation of output voltage with load

Rectification is process of conversion of AC voltage into DC voltage. And need of conversion of AC into
DC. circuits are set up and required value determined during experiment. One of the important
applications of diode is in DC power supply as a rectifier. DC power supply is an important element of
electronic circuits, as it provides power to energies all electronic circuits like oscillators, amplifiers, etc.
rectifiers may be defined as an electronic device used to convert AC into DC into one direction and diode
is suitable for this as it conducts current in one direction.

History
German physicist Ferdinand Braun, a 24-year old graduate of the University of Berlin, studied the
characteristics of electrolytes and crystals that conduct electricity at Würzburg University in 1874. When
he probed a galena crystal (lead sulfide) with the point of a thin metal wire, Braun noted that current
flowed freely in one direction only. He had discovered the rectification effect at the point of contact
between metals and certain crystal materials. Braun demonstrated this semiconductor device to an
audience at Leipzig on November 14, 1876

Introduction:
A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current (AC), which periodically reverses
direction, to direct current (DC), which flows in only one direction. This process is known as
rectification.

There are two categories of rectifiers:

  Half wave rectifiers
 Full waves rectifier

Half wave rectifier:

The circuit which converts half of the alternating current cycle into direct current is called half wave
rectifier. The half wave rectifier is made up of an AC source, transformer (step-down), diode, and
resistor (load). The diode is placed between the transformer and resistor (load).

AC source

The AC source supplies Alternating Current to the circuit. The alternating current is often represented by
a sinusoidal waveform.

Transformer

Transformer is a device which reduces or increases the AC voltage. The step-down transformer reduces
the AC voltage from high to low whereas the step-up transformer increases the AC voltage from low to
high. In half wave rectifier, we generally use a step-down transformer because the voltage needed for the
diode is very small. Applying a large AC voltage without using transformer will permanently destroy the
diode. So we use step-down transformer in half wave rectifier. However, in some cases, we use a step-up
transformer.
In the step-down transformer, the primary winding has more turns than the secondary winding. So the
step-down transformer reduces the voltage from primary winding to secondary winding.

Diode

A diode is a two terminal device that allows electric current in one direction and blocks electric current in
another direction.

Resistor

A resistor is an electronic component that restricts the current flow to a certain level

Working of half wave rectifier:

When high AC voltage (60 Hz) is applied, the step-down transformer reduces this high voltage into low
voltage. Thus, a low voltage is produced at the secondary winding of the transformer. The low voltage
produced at the secondary winding of the transformer is called secondary voltage (V S). The AC voltage or
AC signal applied to the transformer is nothing but an input AC signal or input AC voltage.The low AC
voltage produced by the step-down transformer is directly applied to the diode.

When low AC voltage is applied to the diode (D), during the positive half cycle of the signal, the diode
is forward biased and allows electric current whereas, during the negative half cycle, the diode is reverse
biased and blocks electric current. In simple words, the diode allows the positive half-cycle of the input
AC signal and blocks the negative half-cycle of the input AC signal.

The positive half-cycle of the input AC signal or AC voltage applied to the diode is analogous to the
forward DC voltage applied to the p-n junction diode similarly the negative half-cycle of the input AC
signal applied to the diode is analogous to the reverse DC voltage applied to the p-n junction diode.

We know that diode allows electric current when it is forward biased and blocks electric current when it
is reverse biased. Similarly, in an AC circuit, the diode allows electric current during the positive half
cycle (forward biased) and blocks electric current during the negative half cycle (reverse biased).

Half wave rectifier with capacitor filter

A filter converts the pulsating direct current into pure direct current. In half wave rectifiers, a capacitor or
inductor is used as a filter to convert the pulsating DC to pure DC.

The output voltage produced by a half wave rectifier is not constant; it varies with respect to time. In
practical applications, a constant DC supply voltage is needed.

In order to produce a constant DC voltage, we need to suppress the ripples of a DC voltage. This can be
achieved by using either a capacitor filter or inductor filter at the output side. In the below circuit, we are
using the capacitor filter. The capacitor placed at the output side smoothen the pulsating DC to pure DC.
Role of capacitor in half wave rectifier:
The capacitor provides high resistive path to dc components (low-frequency signal) and low resistive path
to ac components (high-frequency signal).

Electric current always prefers to flow through a low resistance path. So, when the electric current
reaches the filter, the dc components experience a high resistance from the capacitor and ac components
experience a low resistance from the capacitor. The dc components do not like to flow through the
capacitor (high resistance path). So, they find an alternative path (low resistance path) and flows to the
load resistor (RL) through that path.

On the other hand, the ac components experience a low resistance from the capacitor. So the ac
components easily passes through the capacitor. Only a small part of the ac components passes through
the load resistor (RL) producing a small ripple voltage at the output. The passage of ac components
through the capacitor is nothing but charging of the capacitor. In simple words, the ac components are
nothing but an excess current that flows through the capacitor and charges it. This prevents any sudden
change in the voltage at the output.

During the conduction period, the capacitor charges to the maximum value of the supply voltage. When
the voltage between the plates of the capacitor is equal to the supply voltage, the capacitor is said to be
fully charged.
When the capacitor is fully charged, it holds the charge until the input AC supply to the rectifier reaches
the negative half cycle.

When the negative half cycle is reached, the diode D gets reverse biased and stops allowing electric
current through it. During this non-conduction period, the input voltage is less than that of the capacitor
voltage. So, the capacitor discharges all the stored charges through the load resistor R L. This prevents the
output load voltage from falling to zero.

The capacitor discharges until the input supply voltage is less than the capacitor voltage. When the input
supply voltage is greater than the capacitor voltage, the capacitor again starts charging.

Reason of half wave rectifier which lead to invention of full wave rectifier

 Power loss

The half wave rectifier either allows the positive half cycle or negative half cycle. So the remaining
half cycle is wasted. Approximately half of the applied voltage is wasted in half wave rectifier.

 Pulsating direct current

The direct current produced by the half wave rectifier is not a pure direct current; it is a pulsating
direct current which is not much useful.

 Produces low output voltage

Full wave rectifier:

The circuit used for obtaining the DC signal for both the half cycles of input AC is called full wave
rectifier circuit. It consists more than one diode. The full wave rectifier converts both positive and
negative half cycles of the input AC signal into output pulsating DC signal. The full wave rectifier is
further classified into two types: center tapped full wave rectifier and full wave bridge rectifier.

Working of full wave rectifier:

The full wave rectifier circuit consists of two power diodes connected to a single load resistance (RL) with
each diode taking it in turn to supply current to the load. When point A of the transformer is positive with
respect to point C, diode D1 conducts in the forward direction as indicated by the arrows.

When point B is positive (in the negative half of the cycle) with respect to point C, diode D2 conducts in
the forward direction and the current flowing through resistor R is in the same direction for both half-
cycles. As the output voltage across the resistor R is the phasor sum of the two waveforms combined, this
type of full wave rectifier circuit is also known as a “bi-phase” circuit.

Full wave rectifier with filter:

AC voltage is applied throughout the positive half cycle, then the D1 diode gets forward biased and
permits flow of current while the D2 diode gets reverse biased & blocks the flow of current. Throughout
the above half cycle, the current in the D1 diode gets the filter and energizes the capacitor. But, the
capacitor charging will occur just when the voltage which is applied is superior to the capacitor voltage.
Firstly, the capacitor will not charge, as no voltage will stay among the capacitor plates. So when the
voltage is switched on, then the capacitor will get charged immediately.
Throughout this transmission time, the capacitor gets charged to the highest value of the i/p voltage
supply. The capacitor includes a highest charge at the quarter waveform in the positive half cycle. At this
end, the voltage supply is equivalent to the voltage of the capacitor. Once the AC voltage begins falling &
turns into less than the voltage of the capacitor, after that the capacitor begins discharging gradually. As
the i/p AC voltage supply gets the negative half-cycle, then the D1 diode gets reverse biased but the D2
diode is forward biased. Throughout the negative half cycle, the flow of current in the second diode gets
the filter to charge the capacitor. But, the capacitor charging occurs simply while the applied AC voltage
is superior to the voltage of the capacitor.

The capacitor in the circuit is not charged fully, so the charging of this does not occur instantly. Once the
voltage supply becomes superior to the voltage of the capacitor, the capacitor gets charging. In both the
half cycles, the flow of current will be in the similar direction across the RL load resistor. Thus we
acquire either whole positive half cycle otherwise negative half cycle. In this case, we can get the total
positive half cycle.

Ripple factor

The direct current (DC) produced by a half wave rectifier is not a pure DC but a pulsating DC. In the
output pulsating DC signal, we find ripples. These ripples in the output DC signal can be reduced by
using filters such capacitors and inductors.

In order to measure how much ripples are there in the output DC signal we use a factor known as ripple
factor. The ripple factor is denoted by γ. The ripple factor tells us the number of ripples present in the
output DC signal. A large ripple factor indicates a high pulsating DC signal while a low ripple factor
indicates a low pulsating DC signal.
If the ripple factor is very low then it indicates that the output DC current is closer to the pure DC current.
In simple words, the lower the ripple factor the smoother the output DC signal.

Ripple factor can be mathematically defined as the ratio of rms value of AC component of the output
voltage to the DC component of the output voltage.

The direct current is given by:

Apparatus:
 Step down transformer
 Diodes
 Load resistance
 Capacitor
 Oscilloscope
 Digital multimeter
 Connecting wires, Bread board and ac sources

Procedure:

Half-Wave Rectifier Circuit

 1.set all connection according to given circuit
 2. Using oscilloscope, determine Vin (Channel 1) and Vout (channel 2)
 3. Sketch the input waveform, V in and the output waveform, Vout. Record the Vpp values for
both waveforms.
 4. Using Digital Multimeter (DMM), measure and record Vin and Vout. Measure for both DC
and AC mode of the DMM.
 5. Discuss your results.

Full wave rectifier

 construct connections according to circuit.
 2.Using oscilloscope, determine Vin (Channel 1) and Vout (channel 2)
 Sketch the input waveform, Vin and the output waveform, Vout. Record the Vpp values for both
waveforms.
 Using Digital Multimeter (DMM), measure and record Vin and Vout. Measure for both DC and
AC mode of the DMM.
  Connect a 1µF capacitor in parallel to the load resistor. Sketch the input waveform, Vin and the
output waveform.
 Repeat step 5. With capacitor value of 10µF and 100µF. Sketch the input waveform, Vin and the
output waveform.
 Discuss your results

Calculations and observations:

Half wave rectifier without filter:

Vm = 2.8V

Vrms = Vm/√ 2 = 1.4V

1
VDC = Vm = 0.8917
π

V aC √ V 2rms −V 2DC
γ= = 2
= 1.22
V DC V DC

Ripple factor with filter

VAC = Vr(p-p)/2√ 3 = 0.05V

VDC = Vm – Vr (P-P)/ 2= 0.1V

V AC
γ= = 0.577
V DC

Full wave rectifier without filter:

Sr. no. VM VAC Vrms VDC V AC

γ=
V DC

1. 0.86 0.26 0.608 0.547 0.48

2. 0.052 0.014 0.036 0.033 0.43

3. 0.4 0.126 0.28 0.75 0.5

 4. 1.3 0.414 0.919 0.82 0.5

5. 0.7 0.205 0.49 0.445 0.46

6. 0.5 0.145 0.35 0.318 0.45

7. 0.075 0.022 0.053 0.047 0.48

Average ripple factor:

r 1+r 2+ r 3+ r 4+r 5+r 6+ r 7

γ= = 0.4714
7

1
γ= = 0.00065
4 √3 fRC

Result and discussion:

As voltage across the load resistor is only present during the positive half cycle in case of half wave
rectifier, the resultant V is on and off during every cycle in a low average DC valve. This variation on the
rectified waveform is called ripple and is an undesirable feature. Ripple is a dimension less quantity and
denoted by r. its value is always less than unity.

Mathematically

v aC √ V 2rms −V 2DC
γ= =
v DC V 2DC

Efficiency is double in full wave rectifier but it needs more complex circuit then half wave rectifier.

Conclusion:
Full and half wave and half wave rectifier circuits is established under filter and without filter conditions.
In both cases ripple factor is calculated.

Videos references:

https://youtu.be/J8A6QUxfk8c

https://youtu.be/yaUMBKjkOjg

https://youtu.be/8Bzt-FFvRgQ
References:

Electronical devises: conventional current version by Thomas L. Floyd

Experimental physics by M.H Mussadiq