INDEX
SERIAL NUMBER TOPIC NAME
1.
INTRODUCTION TO RECTIFIER
2.
FULL WAVE RECTIFIER
3.
HALF WAVE RECTIFIER
4.
COMPARISION AMONG FULL
WAVE RECTIFIER AND HALF WAVE
RECTIFIER
1.INTRODUCTION TO RECTIFIER
A rectifier is an electronic device that converts an alternating current
into a direct current by using one or more P-N junction diodes. A
diode behaves as a one-way valve that allows current to flow in a
single direction. This process is known as rectification.
A rectifier can take the shape of several physical forms such as solid-
state diodes, vacuum tube diodes, mercury-arc valves, silicon-
controlled rectifiers, and various other silicon-based semiconductors
switches.
TYPES OF RECTIFIERS
Rectifiers are mainly classified into two types as:
1. Uncontrolled Rectifier
2. Controlled Rectifier
Uncontrolled Rectifier
The type of rectifier whose voltage cannot be controlled is known as
an uncontrolled rectifier. Uncontrolled rectifiers are further divided as
follows:
1. Half Wave Rectifier
2. Full Wave Rectifier
The type of rectifier that converts only the half cycle of the alternating
current into the direct current is known as a half-wave rectifier.
Likewise, a full-wave rectifier converts both positive and negative half
cycles of the AC. An example of this is a bridge rectifier. A bridge
rectifier uses 4 diodes that are connected in the form of a Wheatstone
bridge.
Controlled Rectifier
A type of rectifier whose voltage can be varied is known as the
controlled rectifier.
2. FULL WAVE RECTIFIER
A full wave rectifier is a device which is used to rectify all the
alternating current components in an alternating supply and make it
purely a direct current. The two alternating halves of an alternation
current are rectified in a full wave rectifier which is an advantage over a
half wave rectifier. Most electronic devices cannot withstand very high
voltage or alternating current due to its intense high power. The use of
batteries in all devices is not practical as their replacement and
durability is a huge problem as the device has to be dismantled each
time for such a replacement. So, these rectifiers are used in most of the
electronic devices like TV's, Radios, Chargers, and Lightings etc.
CIRCUIT REPRESENTATION OF FULL WAVE
RECTIFIER
Merits:
The rectification efficiency of full wave rectifier is double of that of a
half wave rectifier.
The ripple voltage is low and of higher Frequency in case of a full wave
rectifier so simple filtering circuit is required.
Higher output voltage higher output power and higher TUF in case of a
full wave rectifier
In a full wave rectifier, there is no problem due to DC saturation of the
core because the DC currents in the two halves of the transformer
secondary flow in opposite directions
Demerits:
Full wave rectifier needs more circuit elements and is costlier.
Its Input and output wave representation in V-t Graphs
Its applications
Because of their low cost compared to centre tapped, they are widely
used in power supply circuit.
This can be used to detect the amplitude of modulated radio signal.
Bridge rectifiers can be used to supply polarized voltage in welding.
In daily life, rectifier find use in mobile chargers.
These rectifiers are used in most of the electronic devices like TV's
etc.
3.HALF WAVE RECTIFIER
A half wave rectifier is the simplest form of rectifier available. We will
look at a complete half wave rectifier circuit later – but let’s first
understand exactly what this type of rectifier is doing.
The diagram below illustrates the basic principle of a half-wave
rectifier. When a standard AC waveform is passed through a half-
wave rectifier, only half of the AC waveform remains. Half-wave
rectifiers only allow one half-cycle (positive or negative half-cycle) of
the AC voltage through and will block the other half-cycle on the DC
side, as seen below.
Only one diode is required to construct a half-wave rectifier. In
essence, this is all that the half-wave rectifier is doing.
Since DC systems are designed to have current flowing in a single
direction (and constant voltage – which we’ll describe later), putting
an AC waveform with positive and negative cycles through a DC
device can have destructive (and dangerous) consequences. So, we
use half-wave rectifiers to convert the AC input power into DC output
power.
Its Input and output wave representation in V-t Graphs
The graph above displays a positive half wave rectifier, which only
permits the positive half-cycles to pass through the diode while
blocking the negative ones.
Advantages of Half Wave Rectifier
The main advantage of half-wave rectifiers is in their simplicity. As
they don’t require as many components, they are simpler and cheaper
to setup and construct.
As such, the main advantages of half-wave rectifiers are:
1. Simple (lower number of components)
2. Cheaper up-front cost (as there is less equipment. Although there
is a higher cost over time due to increased power losses)
Disadvantages of Half Wave Rectifier
They only allow a half-cycle through per sinewave, and the other half-
cycle is wasted. This leads to power loss.
They produce a low output voltage.
The output current we obtain is not purely DC, and it still contains a lot
of ripples (i.e., it has a high ripple factor).
Its applications
Power supplies in low-power electronic devices
Signal demodulation in communication systems
Light dimming control
Pulse generator circuits
Amplitude modulation circuits
5.COMPARISION AMONG FULL
WAVE RECTIFIER AND HALF
WAVE RECTIFIER
Parameter Half Wave Rectifier Full Wave Rectifier
(HWR) (FWR)
Definition An electronic circuit An electronic circuit
which converts half that converts the
cycle of alternating complete cycle of
current into direct alternating current
current is known as into direct current is
half-wave rectifier. known as full-wave
rectifier.
Types No further The full-wave rectifier
classification. is of two types:
centre-tapped FWR
and bridge FWR.
Number of Half wave rectifier The number of diodes
requires only one required in a full-wave
diodes
diode. rectifier are as −
required Centre-tapped FWR
requires two diodes.
Bridge FWR requires 4
diodes.
Rectified In half wave rectifier, Full wave rectifier
only half cycle of AC rectifies the both
cycles of AC
(either positive or positive and negative
negative) being cycles of AC.
rectified.
Electric The electric current A continuous electric
through the load is not current flow through
current
continuous. the load.
through load
Peak inverse The peak inverse For the full wave
voltage for the half rectifier, the peak
voltage (PIV)
wave rectifier is equal inverse voltage is
to the maximum value equal to the double of
of the input voltage, the maximum value of
i.e., Vm. input voltage, i.e.,
2Vm.
Output For half wave rectifier, The output frequency
the frequency of ripple for the full-wave
frequency
output is equal to the rectifier is double of
input supply the supply frequency,
frequency, i.e., "f". i.e., "2f".
Voltage The half-wave rectifier The voltage regulation
has good voltage of a full-wave rectifier
regulation
regulation. is better than that of
half-wave rectifier.
Saturation of In case of half-wave A full-wave rectifier
rectifier circuit, the DC does not have DC
transformer
saturation of the saturation of the
core transformer core is a transformer core.
common problem.
Cost Half wave rectifier is Full wave rectifier is
less costly as it costlier than half-
requires only one wave rectifier as it
diode. requires a greater
number of diodes.
