EE 3210

POWER ELECTRONICS
DIODE RECTIFIERS
(UNCONTROLLED RECTIFIERS)

Electrical and Computer Engineering Department

College of Engineering, University of DUHOK
Rectifier is a circuit that converts an AC signal to a DC signal

Rectifier

AC supply Transformer

Block diagram of an uncontrolled diode rectifier circuit

Note: In a diode rectifiers, the power flows only from the AC source
to the DC side.
Applications of Uncontrolled Rectifiers
• DC power supply for consumer electronic products such as radios,
TVs, DVD players, mobile phone chargers, computers, laptops and
so on (low power)
• DC motor drives (high power)

2
Depending on the type of input source, rectifiers are classified into
two main groups:

Half-wave
Single phase
Full-wave
Uncontrolled
rectifier
Half-wave
Three phase
Full-wave

Important
equations
𝑇
1
𝑦 𝑎𝑣 = ∫ 𝑦 (𝑡 ) 𝑑𝑡
𝑇 0

√
𝑇
1
𝑦 𝑟𝑚𝑠= ∫
𝑇 0
𝑦 (𝑡)
2
𝑑𝑡
3
Single-phase half-wave rectifier (R load)

Waveforms

4
 𝑉𝑚
The average value of output voltage 𝑉 𝑑𝑐 =
𝜋

𝑉 𝑑𝑐 𝑉 𝑚
The average value of load current 𝐼 𝑑𝑐 = =
𝑅 𝜋𝑅

𝑉𝑚
The rms value of output voltage 𝑉 𝑟𝑚𝑠 =
2
𝑉 𝑟𝑚𝑠
The rms value of load current 𝐼 𝑟𝑚𝑠 =
𝑅

Peak inverse voltage across the diode 𝑃𝐼𝑉 =𝑉 𝑚

𝑃 𝑑𝑐 𝑉 𝑑𝑐 𝐼 𝑑𝑐
The efficiency of rectification η= =
𝑃 𝑎𝑐 𝑉 𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝐼 𝑟𝑚𝑠

5
The effective (rms) value of the ac component of output voltage

𝑉 𝑎𝑐=√ 𝑉 −𝑉
2
𝑟𝑚𝑠
2
𝑑𝑐
The form factor (a measure for the shape of output voltage)
𝑉 𝑟𝑚𝑠
FF =
𝑉 𝑑𝑐

The ripple factor (a measure for the ripple content)

𝑉 𝑎𝑐 √𝑉 2𝑟𝑚𝑠 −𝑉 2𝑑𝑐
=√ 𝐹𝐹 −1
2
RF= =
𝑉 𝑑𝑐 𝑉 𝑑𝑐

6
The harmonic factor or total harmonic distortion (a measure
for distortion of a waveform] of the input current

𝐼 h √ 𝐼 2𝑠 − 𝐼 2𝑠 1
𝐻𝐹 =𝑇 𝐻𝐷= =
𝐼 𝑠1 𝐼 𝑠1
=
√( )
𝐼𝑠 2
𝐼 𝑠1
−1

Where Is1 is the rms value of the fundamental component of the input current. And I s
is the rms value of the input current.

7
If Φ is the angle between the fundamental component of the input
current and the voltage, the displacement factor

𝐷𝐹 =cos∅
The input power factor
𝑉 𝑠 𝐼 𝑠 1 cos ∅ 𝐼 𝑠 1 cos ∅
𝑃 𝐹= =
𝑉 𝑠 𝐼𝑠 𝐼𝑠

8
Single-phase half-wave rectifier (RL load) without
freewheeling diode
Due to inductive load, the conduction period of the diode D 1 will
extend beyond 180 degree until the current becomes zero.

Circuit diagram

Waveforms

9
The average value of the output voltage

𝑉𝑚
𝑉 𝑑𝑐 = [ 1 − cos( 𝜋 + 𝜃) ]
2𝜋

Where the angle θ can be calculated as:

𝜃=𝑡𝑎𝑛 −1
[ ]
𝜔𝐿
𝑅
, 𝜔=2 𝜋 𝑓

The average value of the load current

𝑉 𝑑𝑐
𝐼 𝑑𝑐 =
𝑅

The average value of the output voltage (and hence the current)
can be increased by making θ=0, which is possible by adding a
freewheeling diode Dm across the load.

10
11
Single-phase half-wave rectifier (RL load) with
freewheeling diode

Circuit diagram

Waveforms

The effect of the freewheeling diode Dm is to prevent the negative

voltage appearing across the load, and as a result, the magnetic
stored energy is increased. At t=π/ω, the current from D1 is
transferred to Dm and this process is called commutation of
diodes. Depending on the load time constant, the load current may
be discontinuous. 12
Single-phase center-tap full-wave rectifier (R load)

Circuit diagram

Waveforms
13
 2𝑉𝑚
The average value of output voltage 𝑉 𝑑𝑐 =
𝜋
𝑉 𝑑𝑐 2𝑉 𝑚
The average value of load current 𝐼 𝑑𝑐 = =
𝑅 𝜋𝑅

𝑉𝑚
The rms value of output voltage 𝑉 𝑟𝑚𝑠 =
√2
𝑉 𝑟𝑚𝑠
The rms value of load current 𝐼 𝑟𝑚𝑠 =
𝑅

Peak inverse voltage across each diode 𝑃𝐼𝑉 =2𝑉 𝑚

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Single-phase bridge full-wave rectifier (R load)

Circuit diagram

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The average value of output voltage
2𝑉𝑚
𝑉 𝑑𝑐 =
𝜋
The average value of load current
𝑉 𝑑𝑐 2𝑉 𝑚
𝐼 𝑑𝑐 = =
𝑅 𝜋𝑅
The rms value of output voltage
𝑉𝑚
𝑉 𝑟𝑚𝑠 =
√2
The rms value of load current
𝑉 𝑟𝑚𝑠
𝐼 𝑟𝑚𝑠 =
𝑅
Peak inverse voltage across each diode

𝑃𝐼𝑉 =𝑉 𝑚
Waveforms

16
Single-phase bridge full-wave rectifier (RL load)

With a resistive load, the load current

is identical in shape to the load
voltage.
In practical applications, most loads
are inductive. The load current shape
and magnitude depend on both the
load resistance R and inductance L.

Circuit diagram

Waveforms
17
Single-phase bridge rectifier with very large inductive load

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E#1 If a single-phase bridge rectifier supplies a very high inductive
load such as a dc motor. the turns ratio of the transformer is unity.
Determine a) the HF of the input current, and b) the input PF of the
rectifier.

Note the output (load) current is constant and ripple free due to the highly inductive load.

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Using Fourier series, the input current is can be analyzed as
∞
𝑖 𝑠 (𝑡)= 𝐼 𝑑𝑐+ ∑ (𝑎𝑛 cos𝑛𝜔 𝑡 +𝑏𝑛 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝜔 𝑡)
𝑛=1 ,2 , 3 ,…
2𝜋
1
𝐼 𝑑𝑐 =
2𝜋
∫ 𝑖 𝑠 (𝑡 ) 𝑑 ( 𝜔 𝑡 )=0
0

2𝜋
1
𝑎𝑛 =
𝜋
∫ 𝑖𝑠 (𝑡 ) cos 𝑛 𝜔 𝑡 𝑑 ( 𝜔 𝑡 ) =0
0

2𝜋
1 4 𝐼𝑎
𝑏𝑛 =
𝜋
∫ 𝑖 𝑠 (𝑡 ) sin 𝑛 𝜔 𝑡 𝑑 ( 𝜔 𝑡 ) = 𝑛 𝜋
0

4 𝐼 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜔 𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 3 𝜔 𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛5 𝜔 𝑡

∴ 𝑖𝑠 ( 𝑡 )=
𝜋 ( 1
+
3
+
5
+… )
Therefore, the rms value of the input current is
4 𝐼𝑎
( () () )
2 2
1 1
∴ 𝐼 𝑠= 1+ + +… =𝐼 𝑎
𝜋 √2 3 5
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Therefore, the rms value of the fundamental component of the
input current is 4 𝐼𝑎
∴ 𝐼 𝑠 1= =0.9 𝐼 𝑎
𝜋 √2
Therefore, the harmonic factor is

√( )
𝐼𝑠 2
√( )
2
1
𝐻𝐹 =𝑇 𝐻𝐷= − 1= −1=0.4843 𝑜𝑟 48.43 %
𝐼 𝑠1 0.9

Since Φ=0, the displacement factor is

𝐷𝐹 =cos∅ =1
Therefore, the input power factor
𝐼 𝑠 1 cos ∅
𝑃 𝐹= =0.9 𝑙𝑎𝑔𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔
𝐼𝑠

21
Multiphase rectifier

22
Three phase bridge rectifier

Circuit diagram

23
Waveforms
24
The average value of output voltage

3 √3 𝑉 𝑚
𝑉 𝑑𝑐 = =1.654 𝑉 𝑚
𝜋

The rms value of output voltage

1 /2
3 9 √3
𝑉 𝑟𝑚𝑠=⌊ + ⌋ 𝑉 𝑚 =1.6554 𝑉 𝑚
2 4𝜋

Peak inverse voltage across each diode

𝑃𝐼𝑉 = √ 3 𝑉 𝑚

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E#2 A three-phase bridge rectifier supplies a high inductive load
such that the average load current Idc= 60 A and the ripple content
is negligible. Determine the ratings of the diodes if the line-to-
neutral voltage of the supply is 120V, 60Hz.
As shown, the average value of the diode
current
𝐼 𝑑𝑐 60
𝐼 𝑑 (𝑎𝑣 )= = =20 A
3 3

The rms value of the diode current

The peak inverse voltage across the

diode
PIV =√ 3 𝑉 𝑚= √3 × √ 2× 120=294 𝑉 Currents through diodes

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E#3 For the following current waveform, determine the average,
rms, peak value of the current.

𝐼 𝑎𝑣 =𝐼 1 𝑎𝑣 + 𝐼 2 𝑎𝑣 + 𝐼 3 𝑎𝑣
𝑡3 400
𝐼 1 𝑎𝑣 =150 × =150 × =12 𝐴
𝑇 5000
2 𝐼 𝑚 𝑡 2 −𝑡 1 2× 150 100
𝐼 2 𝑎𝑣 = × = × =1.91 𝐴
𝜋 𝑇 𝜋 5000
𝑡 5 −𝑡 4 200
𝐼 3 𝑎𝑣 =100 × =100 × =4 𝐴
𝑇 5000

𝐼 𝑎𝑣 =1 2+1 .91+ 4=17.91 𝐴

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 𝐼 𝑟𝑚𝑠=√ 𝐼 2
1𝑟𝑚𝑠 +𝐼 2
2𝑟𝑚𝑠 +𝐼 2
3𝑟𝑚𝑠

√
𝑡3
𝐼 1𝑟𝑚𝑠 =150 × =150 ×
𝑇
400
5000 √
=42.43 𝐴

𝐼 2 𝑟𝑚𝑠= ×
√2 √
𝐼 𝑚 𝑡 2 −𝑡 1
𝑇
×=
150
×
1 00
√2 5000 √
=15 𝐴

𝐼 3 𝑟𝑚𝑠=100 ×
√
𝑡 5 −𝑡 4
𝑇
=100 ×
2 00
5000 √
=20 𝐴

𝐼 𝑟𝑚𝑠=√ 42.432 +15 2+ 202=49.25 𝐴

𝐼 𝑝 =300 𝐴
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