Electronic Circuit Labs Diode and Power Supply

Lab 1 – Diode and Power Supply

Aims:
[1] To understand the operation principle of half-wave and full-wave rectifiers.
[2] To compare half-wave rectifier with full-wave rectifier.
[3] To understand the operation principle of Zener voltage regulator.
[4] To understand the structure of a basic DC power supply.

1. Background
1.1 DC power supply
DC power supply is one of the most important parts of many electronic devices (TV,
radio, computer etc). There are various types of DC power supplies for different
purposes, in this experiment, we concentrate on a linear DC power supply, with basic
structure, as shown on figure H1.1.

H1.1
We have to understand input and output parameters of a DC power supply. For
example, a DC power supply is labeled as follows: Input: 230V~, 50-60Hz, Output: 5V,
0.5A=, Line Regulation <5mV, Load Regulation < 2%; that is: the input in an AC voltage,
230VRMS (root mean square value) and the frequency is 50Hz or 60Hz; the output is a 5V-
DC voltage, maximum output current is 5mA, ripple factor < 0.1% (5mV/5V), voltage
regulation (VR) factor < 2% (see figure H1.2 and H1.3 for line regulation and load
regulation - VR).

(none load) H1.3 (none load)

(full load) load (full load) load

If two DC power supplies have the same input - output voltages and maximum
output current, they will be compared based on the ripple factor and voltage regulation
factor. Figure H1.2 illustrates two outputs of two 5V-DC supplies, the first one has Line

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Electronic Circuit Labs Diode and Power Supply

Regulation < 0.25V (ripple factor = 5%) and the second one has Line Regulation < 0.5V
(ripple factor = 10%). Figure H1.3 shows two cases of voltage regulation factors.
The formulas for ripple factor and voltage regulation factor:
V V
- Ripple factor: r  AC  ( for small ripple factor) .
VDC 2VDC
VFL  VNL
- Voltage regulation factor: VR%   100% .
VNL
1.2 Half-wave rectifier
The half-wave rectifier circuit is shown on figure H1.4a, with input and output
voltages are shown on figures H1.4b&c. Diode is forward biased during the positive half
cycle of input voltage and reverse biased during the negative half one. The diode voltage
waveform is presented on figure H1.4d.

The output is a DC voltage with high ripple factor. A capacitor is usually used as a
simple low-pass filter, which is shown on figure H1.5a, in order to reduce the ripple factor,
the greater capacitor, the smaller ripple factor. The output voltage when a filter is
applied is illustrated on figure H1.5b.

1.3 Full-wave rectifier

The full-wave rectifier circuit is shown on figure H1.6. There are two types of full-
wave rectifier: using two diodes (figure H1.6a) and using four diodes (figure H1.6b),
which have the same output shown on figure H1.6d.
This experiment uses the two diodes scheme, with input voltages shown on figure
H1.6c. These two voltage have the same amplitude but reverse phases.
A capacitor is usually used in order to reduce the ripple factor (figure H1.7a). The
output voltage when a filter is applied is illustrated on figure H1.7b.

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Electronic Circuit Labs Diode and Power Supply

1.4 Zener regulator

Zener regulator circuit is presented on figure H1.8a.

This regulator is based on the volt-ampere characteristic of the Zener diode Dz,
which is shown on figure H1.8b. We have to know the properties of input and output
signals in order to design a Zener regulator. Zener diode operates as a regulator when
the reverse biased current ranges from Izmin to Izmax. Izmax is calculated based on the
maximum power of Dz, while Izmin is usually chosen equal to 0.1Izmax. Designing a Zener
regulator is to choose suitable Dz and Ri.

2. Experiment preparation
- Review the diode circuit theories: Microelectronic Circuits 6th Edition, Sedra/Smith,
pages 164-229.
- Read the Experiment procedure carefully.
- Write the experiment preparation, including:
 Principle schemes of all experiment circuits.
 Formulas and calculated results (if available).
 Method for measuring circuit parameters.

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Electronic Circuit Labs Diode and Power Supply

 Photo all the tables in lab manual (in order to record or draw the results
immediately while doing the experiments).

3. Materials
- Main kit: ELECTRONIC LAB ANA-MAIN.
- Module: Diode & Power supply
- Oscilloscope: GRS-6052A
- Multimeter: Fluke 45
- Connectors

4. Experiment procedure
4.1 Rectifier
- Construct the circuit on figure H4.1a using BLOCK-A in module Diode & Power
Supply as shown on figure H4.1b. The capacitor C is chosen between C2 and C3 or not
connected (C = 0), the load RLoad is R and VR1 in series, adjust VR1 to achieve desired
values. Use the oscilloscope and the multimeter Fluke 45 to measure all parameters then
fill Table 4.1a&b (the half-wave parts).

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Electronic Circuit Labs Diode and Power Supply

- Construct the circuit on figure H4.1c using BLOCK-A in module Diode & Power
Supply as shown on figure H4.1b. The capacitor C is chosen between C2 and C3 or not
connected (C = 0), the load RLoad is R and VR1 in series, adjust VR1 to achieve desired
values. Use the oscilloscope and the multimeter Fluke 45 to measure all parameters then
fill Table 4.1a&b (the full-wave parts).

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Electronic Circuit Labs Diode and Power Supply

Table 4.1a - Rectifier

Cases Half-wave rectifier Full-wave rectifier

C=0 Vim Vomax Vomin VoDC VoAC VD VDr r Vim Vomax Vomin VoDC VoAC VD VDr r
RLoad = Max

C = C3 Vim Vomax Vomin VoDC VoAC VD VDr r Vim Vomax Vomin VoDC VoAC VD VDr r
= 47F
RLoad
= 500

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Electronic Circuit Labs Diode and Power Supply

Table 4.1b - Rectifier

Cases Half-wave rectifier Full-wave rectifier

C = C2 Vim Vomax Vomin VoDC VoAC VD VDr r Vim Vomax Vomin VoDC VoAC VD VDr r
= 22F
RLoad
= 500

C = C2 Vim Vomax Vomin VoDC VoAC VD VDr r Vim Vomax Vomin VoDC VoAC VD VDr r
= 22F
RLoad
= 200

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Electronic Circuit Labs Diode and Power Supply

4.2 Zener regulator

- Construct the circuit on figure H4.2a using BLOCK-B in module Diode & Power
Supply as shown on figure H4.2b. Ri is R1 and VR2 in series, RLoad is R2 and VR3 in series, Dz
is Z1 (or Z2). Measure all parameters and fill Table 4.2a (the first part).

- Construct the circuit on figure H4.2c using BLOCK-A&B in module Diode & Power
Supply as shown on figure H4.2d. Measure all parameters and fill Table 4.2a (the sencond
and third parts).

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Electronic Circuit Labs Diode and Power Supply

Table 4.2a - Observing the outputs while the inputs are changed

Vi 0 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17

Vo

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Electronic Circuit Labs Diode and Power Supply

- Construct the circuit on figure H4.2b, the DC voltage is fixed to 12V, the load is
changed, measure and fill Table 4.2b.

Table 4.2b - Observing outputs while the loads are changed

Zener regulator

RLoad 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200

Vo

5. Further questions for the experiment report

5.1. Rectifier: based on the experiment results:
- Analyze the effect of capacitor.
- Analyze the effect of RLoad.
- Compare half-wave with full-wave rectifier.
5.2. Regulator: Can a zener-regulator be used as a DC power supply? Why or why not?

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