Half-Wave and Full-Wave Rectifiers

Rectification

Rectification is a method to convert AC (Alternating Current) to DC (Direct

Current) include full-wave rectification and half-wave rectification. In both cases,
rectification is performed by utilizing the characteristic that current flows only in
the positive direction in a diode.

Half -Wave Rectifier

In Half Wave Rectifier, when the AC supply is applied at the input, a positive half
cycle appears across the load, whereas the negative half cycle is suppressed. This
can be done by using the semiconductor PN junction diode. When the p-n junction
diode is forward biased, it gives little resistance and when it is reversing biased it
provides high resistance.
During alternate half-cycles, the optimum result can be obtained. The diode allows
the current to flow only in one direction. Thus, converts the AC voltage into DC
voltage.

Circuit Diagram of Half Wave Rectifier

In half-wave rectification, only one crystal diode is used. The AC supply to be

rectified is generally given through a transformer. It is connected in the circuit as
shown in figure.
Operation of Half Wave Rectifier
When AC supply is switched ON the alternating voltage (Vin) shown in the figure
below appears across the terminal AB at the secondary winding.

During the positive half cycle, terminal A is positive with respect to B

and the crystal diode is forward biased. Therefore, it conducts and
current flows through the load resistor RL. This current varies in
magnitude as shown in the wave diagram shown below
Thus, a positive half cycle of the output voltage (Vout = iRL) appears across the
load resistor RL shown in the figure below.

During the negative half cycle, terminal A is negative with respect to

B and the crystal diode is reverse biased. Thus, at the output side,
there will be no current generated, and we cannot get power at the
load resistance. A small amount of reverse current will flow during
reverse bias due to minority carriers.

Characteristics of Half Wave Rectifier

Following are the characteristics of half-wave rectifier:

Ripple Factor
Ripples are the oscillations that are obtained in DC. These ripples are measured
with the help of the ripple factor and are denoted by γ. Ripple factor tells us the
number of ripples presents in the output DC. Higher the ripple factor, more is
the oscillation at the output DC and lower is the ripple factor, less is the oscillation
at the output DC.
Ripple factor is the ratio of RMS value of the AC component of the output

γ =√(Vrms/ VDC )2 - 1
voltage to the DC component of the output voltage.

DC Current

π
DC current is given as a ratio of Imax, which is the maximum DC load current and

IDC = I max /π
DC Output Voltage
The output DC voltage appears at the load resistor RL which is obtained by
multiplying output DC voltage with the load resistor RL. As VSmax is the maximum
secondary voltage. The output DC voltage is given as:

VDC = V smax/ π

Form Factor
The form factor is the ratio of RMS value of the current to the output DC voltage.
For a half-wave rectifier, the form factor is 1.57.
Rectifier Efficiency
Rectifier efficiency is the ratio of output DC power to the input AC power. For
a half-wave rectifier, rectifier efficiency is 40.6%.
Full -Wave Rectifier
A full wave rectifier is defined as a rectifier that converts the complete cycle of
alternating current into pulsating DC.
The main advantage of a full-wave rectifier over half-wave rectifier is that such as
the average output voltage is higher in full-wave rectifier, there is less ripple
produced in full-wave rectifier when compared to the half-wave rectifier.
In Full Wave Rectification, when the AC supply is applied at the input, during
both the half-cycles (i.e., positive as well as negative) current flows through the
load in the same direction. To obtain the same direction of flow of current in the
load resistors RL during positive as well as the negative half cycle of input, the two
circuits are used. They are named as follows:-
Center Tapped Full Wave Rectifier
Full Wave Bridge Rectifier

Full-Wave Bridge Rectifier

Another type of circuit that produces the same output waveform as the Center
Tapped full-wave rectifier circuit is Bridge Rectifier . It have four individual
rectifying diodes connected in a closed loop “bridge” configuration to produce the
desired output. It does not require a special center-tapped transformer, so it reduces
its size and cost. The single secondary winding is connected to one side of the
diode bridge network and the load to the other side.
The four diodes labelled D1 to D4 are arranged in “series pairs” with only two
diodes conducting current during each half cycle as shown in diagram below:

During the positive half cycle of the supply,

diodes D1 and D2 conduct in series while diodes D3 and D4 are
reverse biased and the current flows through the load as shown

below.
During the negative half cycle of the supply,
diodes D3 and D4 conduct in series, but diodes D1 and D2 switch
“OFF” as they are now reverse biased, shown in diagram below. The
current flowing through the load is the same direction as before.

As the current flowing through the load is unidirectional, so the voltage developed
across the load is also unidirectional the same as for the positive half cycle.
The complete waveform, as the output voltage across the resistor load is the phasor
sum of the two waveforms combined shown in diagram below:

Characteristics of Full Wave Rectifier

Following are the characteristics of full-wave rectifier:
Ripple Factor

γ =√(Vrms /VDC )2 - 1
Ripple factor for a full-wave rectifier is given as:

DC Current
Currents from both the diodes D1 and D2 are in the same direction when they flow
towards load resistor RL. The current produced by both the diodes is the ratio of

IDC = 2I max /π
Imax to π, therefore the DC current is given as:

DC Output Voltage

VDC = 2V max /π
The output DC voltage is obtained at the load resistor RL and is given as:

Form Factor
The form factor is the ratio of RMS value of the current to the output DC voltage.
For a full-wave rectifier, the form factor is 1.11.
Rectifier Efficiency
Rectifier efficiency is used as a parameter to determine the efficiency of the
rectifier to convert AC into DC. It is the ratio of DC output power to the AC
input power. The rectifier efficiency of a fullwave rectifier is 81.2%.
Capacitor Filter
During the process of rectification, the output generated will not result in the
pure DC form. Instead, there is the presence of ripples in the output. The ripples
are the unwanted AC part present in the output DC. This affects the efficiency of
the circuit. The frequencies that are undesirable to the circuit can be filtered by
connecting the capacitor filter across the load.
Capacitors that connected across the load in order to filter the generated output are
known as the capacitor filter.
Full Wave Rectifier with Capacitor Filter
The main function of full wave rectifier is to convert an AC into DC. As the name
implies, this rectifier rectifies both the half cycles of the i/p AC signal, but the DC
signal acquired at the o/p still have some waves. To decrease these waves at the o/p
this filter is used.
In the full wave rectifier circuit using a capacitor filter, the capacitor C is located
across the RL load resistor.
The working of this rectifier is almost the same as a half wave rectifier. The
only dissimilarity is half wave rectifier has just one-half cycles (positive or
negative) whereas in full wave rectifier has two cycles (positive and negative).

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Once the i/p AC voltage is applied throughout the positive half
cycle, then the D1 diode gets forward biased and permits flow of
current while the D2 diode gets reverse biased & blocks the flow of
current.
The current in the D1 diode gets the filter and energizes the capacitor. But, the
capacitor charging will occur just when the voltage which is applied is superior
to the capacitor voltage (approximately 0.7 V.). So as the applied voltage become
high enough, then the capacitor will get charged immediately. Throughout this
transmission time, the capacitor gets charged to the highest value of the i/p voltage
supply.
When the i/p AC voltage supply gets the negative half-cycle, then
the D1 diode gets reverse biased but the D2 diode is forward
biased. As the AC voltage begins falling & turns into less than the
voltage of the capacitor, after that the capacitor begins discharging
gradually.
Throughout the negative half cycle, the flow of current in the D2 gets the filter to
charge the capacitor. But, as we know, the capacitor charging occurs only while
the applied AC voltage is superior to the voltage of the capacitor.
Again for next positive half cycle once the rectifier reaches the
positive half cycle, then the diode acquires forward biased & allows
the flow of current to make the capacitor charge again.
Thus charging and discharging of the capacitor mainly depends on when the input
voltage supply is less or greater than the capacitor voltage. The capacitor filter
through a huge discharge will generate an extremely smooth DC voltage.
Therefore, a smooth DC voltage can be attained with this filter as shown in
diagram below.

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Hence the analysing above obtained waveform for the capacitor connected across
the half-wave and full-wave rectifiers and then the purpose of the connecting
capacitor is proven beneficial because it can remove unnecessary ripples from the
generated output.