CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

EXPERIMENT #2
DIODES AND POWER SUPPLY

F A B R I Z I O D ’A N G E L O
ANAS AOUDE

LAB PERFORMED - 11/10/12

LAB REPORT DUE - 25/10/12

MECH 368
T TA TK

We certify that this submission is the original work of members of the group and meets the
Faculty's Expectations of Originality

F A B R I Z I O D ’A N G E L O _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2 5 / 1 0 / 1 2
ANAS AOUDE _________ ___________________ 25/10/12
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction:......................................................................................................................................... 3

Objective:...................................................................................................................................................3

Theory:...................................................................................................................................................... 3

Equipment:................................................................................................................................................4

Procedure:............................................................................................................................................. 4

Results:................................................................................................................................................. 5

Discussion:............................................................................................................................................ 6

Conclusion:............................................................................................................................................ 6

References:........................................................................................................................................... 6

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INTRODUCTION :

OBJECTIVE:

To observe the behavior and understand the operation of a diode rectifier for AC and DC
currents; as well as to observe the operation of a monolithic voltage regulator.

THEORY:

A diode rectifier is a device that converts a circuit that has alternating current to only direct
current which is the allowance of electrons to flow in only one direction. DC current is
important because most electronic devices and other applications operate solely on a DC
current sources. Diode rectifiers can operate in the half-wave or full-wave function
depending on the frequency. Half-wave rectifiers allow for a discontinuous current and
therefore it is not always convenient as there will be a break in the current.

Figure 1 – Showing the half-wave rectifier

The full-wave rectifier is much more common, as it converts the negative flow of electrons
into a positive one creating a constant DC positive output current as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 – Showing a full-wave rectifier

Rectifier diodes can be measured according to their ripple factor which is denoted as:

RMS value of output AC component

ripple factor=
DC output voltage

The ripple factor is most commonly defined as the peak to peak value which is measured on
an oscilloscope machine.

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EQUIPMENT:

For this experiment, the four main component used to construct are circuit will be a voltage
source (wall outlet), a transformer, a rectifier, a filter and a regulator.

The required components used to construct this circuit are:

- 1 transformer, 120V / 12.6V

- 1 rectifier pack, 200V, 1.5A, type KVPO2M
- 1 electrolytic capacitor, 2200 uF, 50V
- 1 electrolytic capacitor, 1000 uF, 50V
- 3 power resistor, 100Ω
- 1 fixed power resistor, 470Ω
- 1 monolithic voltage regulator, 12V, type LM7812C
- 1 capacitor, 0.22 uF
- 1 capacitor, 0.10 uF
- 2 diodes, 1N4001

PROCEDURE:
Constructed a circuit using the half-wave rectifier diode while applying a voltage of 10V
passing through a resistor of 1kΩ. Recorded the output DC voltage, wave form of the
circuit, as well as the RMS value in order to calculate the ripple factor. Repeated the
above experiment, while reversing the direction of the half-wave rectifier diode.

Added the diode bridge rectifier (4-pin diode) section to the circuit above, with a load
resistance of 100Ω. Recorded the output DC voltage, wave form of the circuit, as well as
the RMS value in order to calculate the ripple factor.

We then added a 1000uF capacitor to the rectifier as well as removed the load across
the rectifier. Recorded the output DC voltage, wave form of the circuit, as well as the
RMS value in order to calculate the ripple factor.

We then removed the load across the capacitor and connected a voltage regulator in
series across the regulator output. Recorded the output DC voltage, wave form of the
circuit, as well as the RMS value in order to calculate the ripple factor.

Finally, in order to test the regulator operating limits, we removed the input capacitors
and then loaded the regulator with a 100Ω resistor and a 50Ω variable resistor.

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Recorded the . output DC voltage, wave form of the circuit, as well as the RMS value in
order to calculate the ripple factor.

RESULTS:
Input:
mean = 0V
pk-pk = 42V
RMS = 15V
freq. = 60Hz

1)

a)

DC = 1.3V
RMS = 2.06V
Ripple = DC/RMS = 1.3/2.06 = 0.631

b)

DC = -1.44V
RMS = 2.26V
Ripple = DC/RMS = -1.44/2.26 = -0.637

2)

Mean = 12.1 V
pk-pk = 20V
RMS = 13.7 V
freq. = 120 Hz

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3)

Mean = RMS? = 18.8V

4)

Mean = 8.52V
pk-pk = 12.8V
RMS = 9.73V
freq. = 120Hz

DISCUSSION:
1) xxxxxxxx

2) xxxxxxxxxxx

3) xxxxxxxxxxxx

4) xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

5) xxxxxxxxxxx

CONCLUSION:
xxxxxxxxxxxx

REFERENCES:

MECH368. Electronics for Mechanical Engineers - Laborator manual. Montreal: Concordia

University, 2012.

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