Sukkur IBA University

Department of Computer Systems Engineering

Electronic Devices and Circuits, Spring 2021

Lab Handout # 03: Full Wave Rectification

Instructor: Engr. Irfan Ali Babar

Submission Profile

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Note: Submit this lab hand-out in the next lab with attached solved activities and exercises.

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Lab Learning Objectives:
After completing this session, students will be able:

➢ To Understand the operation of Full wave rectification

➢ To Design center tape and bridge Full wave rectification circuit
➢ To Simulate the circuit on Multisim

Lab Hardware and Software Required:

1. NI ELVIS II
2. NI ELVISmx Instrument Launcher
3. Multisim
4. Resistors
5. Diodes (IN4001)
6. Voltage supply (AC)
7. Voltmeter
8. Oscilloscope

Background Theory:

Alternating current (AC) is generally used throughout the world for powering electrical equipment.
As its name implies, an alternating voltage is a voltage which is periodically reversing its polarity
and is continually changing its value from instant to instant, as shown in Fig: 3.1(a). Direct current
(DC) is commonly used for powering electronic equipment. Reversely, a direct voltage is a voltage
which is constant in its value and polarity as shown in Fig: 3.1(b)

Figure: 3.1(a) AC voltage waveform Figure: 3.1(b) DC voltage waveform

Since most of electronic equipment, such as radio and TV, are powered by the direct voltage, it is
necessary to convert an AC line voltage delivered from a power plant to a dc voltage. The device
or circuit which converts the ac voltage to a useful dc voltage is called a rectifier. The functional
diagram of a rectifier is shown in Fig: 3.2.

Figure: 3.2 Diagram of a rectifier

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There are three types of rectifier circuit commonly used in electronic circuits. They are called a
half-wave, full-wave, and bridge rectifier. A half-wave rectifier circuit is the simplest rectifier for
which only half of ac voltage wave is present in the load circuit.

For many applications it is needed to have a rectifier which supplies current during both half-cycles
of the ac power voltage and, thus provides a more continuous current to the load. A full-wave
rectifier is shown in Fig: 3.3. This circuit is essentially two half-wave rectifiers in parallel with inputs
that have a phase difference of 180° and usually comes from a center-tapped transformer.

Figure: 3.3 Center tape Full wave rectifier circuit

A way to obtain full-wave rectification which does not require a center-tapped transformer is
shown in Fig: 3.4. This circuit is called the bridge rectifier. On the positive half-cycle, D4 and D5
conduct. On the negative half-cycle, D6 and D7 conduct. In each case, the direction of current
flow through the load is the same.

Figure: 3.4 Full wave bridge rectifier

Operation:

The ac voltage is applied across the secondary windings. During the positive half cycle of ac input
voltage point 5 is positive with respect to point 8. This makes the diode D1 forward biased and
hence it conducts the current as shown in the upper half cycle of fig.3.1.

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 (a) (b) (c)

Figure 3.5: Full Wave rectifier

During the negative half cycle, point 5 is negative with respect to point 8. Under this condition,
the diode D1 is reverse biased and no current conducts but diode D2 is forward biased and
conducts current. Therefore the current flows during full cycle. In this way, the current flows
through the load resistor RL always. Hence dc output is obtained across the RL. The complete
output waveform of full wave rectifier of three cycles will look like as shown in figure 3.2.

Figure 3.6: Full wave rectifications up to three cycles

BRIDGE RECTIFIER:

During the positive half cycle of A.C input voltage diodes D4 and D5 are forward biased and
conduct current .At this time a voltage is developed across Rl which looks like the positive half of
the input cycle. When input cycle is negative, the diodes D6 and D7 are forward biased and
conduct current in same direction through Rl as during positive half cycle. During the negative
half cycle diodes D4 and D5 are reverse biased. When we combine the output of positive and
negative half cycle, the resulting wave looks like as shown in fig. 3.6

Figure 3.6: Full wave bridge rectifications up to two cycles

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OBSERVATION TABLE:

FULL WAVE CENTRED TAPED RECTIFIER

S.NO Vin(p-p) Vout(p-p) Vavg=2Vp/π Vrms=Vp/1.41 Ripple Factor

FULL WAVE BRIDGE RECTIFIER

S.NO Vin(p-p) Vout(p-p) Vavg=2Vp/π Vrms=Vp/1.41 Ripple Factor

Lab Activities:

➢ Perform the full wave rectification by using center tape circuit and design three different
circuits with different parameters and make table of measurements.
➢ Perform the full wave rectification by using Bridge circuit and design three different
circuits with different parameters and make table of measurements.
➢ Attach circuit diagrams and results with lab report.

Lab Exercises:

➢ Implement the same circuits on Multisim and attach simulation results with lab report.
➢ Provide procedure of lab experiments in lab report.

Review Questions:

1. What is full wave rectification process?

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2. Compare the two full wave rectifier circuits.

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3. Why centre tapped transformer is required with centre tapped full wave rectifier?
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4. Which type of rectifier has high ripple factor?

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5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of rectifier?

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