Ministry of higher Education

and Scientific Research

Thi-Qar University
College of Engineering
Biomedical Engineering Department

Analog Electronics
Third Stage 2024-2025

Lecture Four

Diode Applications
(Rectification)

Taif Nabeel Muslim / M.Sc. Biomedical Engineering.

[email protected]
Half Wave Rectifiers
A rectifier is a circuit which converts the Alternating Current (AC) input
power into a Direct Current (DC) output power. The input power supply
may be either a single-phase or a multi-phase supply with the simplest of
all the rectifier circuits being that of the Half Wave Rectifier.

The power diode in a half wave rectifier circuit passes just one half of each
complete sine wave of the AC supply in order to convert it into a DC
supply. Then this type of circuit is called a “half-wave” rectifier because it
passes only half of the incoming AC power supply as shown below.

The simplest of networks to examine with AC signal appears in Figure

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a) During the interval t = 0 to T/2 in above, the polarity of the applied
voltage vi is positive (as shown in the above figure), this Turns the
Diode into ON-State (short Circuit) assuming Ideal diode. As shown
in figure below, the output voltage is the same as the input voltage.

b) For the period T/2 → T: during this period the negative side of the
input signal is applied to the diode which makes the diode OFF (open
Circuit) and the output is Zero.

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Root Mean Square Voltage (RMS Voltage):

The process of removing one-half the input signal to establish a dc level

is properly called half-wave rectification.

If the diode is practical the Vdc equation will be:

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PIV (PRV)

The Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV) [or PRV (Peak Reverse Voltage)] rating
of the diode is of primary importance in the design of rectification systems.
Recall that it is the voltage rating that must not be exceeded in the reverse-
bias region or the diode will enter the Zener avalanche region. The required
PIV rating for the half-wave rectifier can be determined from Figure below.
Applying Kirchhoff’s voltage law, it is fairly obvious that the PIV rating
of the diode must equal or exceed the peak value of the applied voltage.
Therefore,

Example:

(a) Sketch the output Vo and determine the dc level of the output for the
circuit shown in Figure below.

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 (b) Repeat part (a) if the ideal diode is replaced by a silicon diode.
(c) Repeat parts (a) and (b) if Vm is increased to 200 V and compare
solutions using Ideal and silicon diodes.

Solution:

a. In this situation the diode will conduct during the negative part of
the input, and Vo will appear as shown in the figure. For the full
period, the dc level is:

Vdc= - 0.318Vm = - 0.318(20 V) = - 6.36 V

The negative sign indicates that the polarity of the output is opposite to the
defined polarity.

b. Using a silicon diode,

Vdc = - 0.318(Vm - 0.7 V) = - 0.318(19.3 V) = - 6.14 V
The resulting drop in dc level is 0.22 V or about 3.5%.

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 c. Ideal diode:
Vdc= - 0.318Vm= - 0.318(200 V) = - 63.6 V
Silicon Diode:
Vdc= - 0.318(Vm -VT) = - 0.318(200 V -0.7V) = - (0.318)(199.3V)
Vdc = - 63.38 V
This small difference between the output voltage using ideal and
silicon diodes can be ignored for most applications.

Example:

Given:
vin(RMS) = 110 V (60 HZ)
Turns Ratio 10:1
Find: vout (DC Effective)
Solution:
vin(Peak) = 1.414 vin(RMS) = 1.414 x 110 = 155.5 V

vout(Peak) = 1/10 vin(Peak) = 1/10 x 155.5 = 15.6 V

vDiode = 15.6 - 0.7 = 14.9 V

Vout (DC Effective) = 0.318

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vDiode = 0.318 x 14.9 ≈ 4.7 VDC

Full Wave Rectifiers

The dc level obtained from a sinusoidal input can be improved 100% using
a process called full-wave rectification.

Bridge Rectifier

During the Positive period:

 During the period t = 0 to T/2: D2 and D3 are conducting while D1

and D4 are in the “off” state.
 Since the diodes are ideal the load voltage is vo = vi

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During the Negative period:

 During the period t = 0 to T/2: D1 and D4 are conducting while D2

and D3 are in the “off” state.
 Since the diodes are ideal the load voltage is vo = vi

Over one full cycle the input and output voltages will appear as shown in
Figure below.

 For Ideal Diodes: The DC Voltage or Average Voltage: since the

area above the axis for one full cycle is now twice that obtained for
a half-wave system,

V𝒅𝒄= 𝟎.𝟔𝟑𝟔 𝑽

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  For Practical Diodes (Si or Ge): The DC Voltage or Average
Voltage:

V𝒅𝒄 ≅ 𝟎.𝟔36(Vm - 2VT)

This can be computed from Figure as shown below:

KVL around the conduction path would result in

 The peak value of the output voltage vo is therefore

V𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝑉𝑚 −2𝑉𝑇

 Then the dc voltage:

V𝑑𝑐 ≅ 0.636(𝑉𝑚 −2𝑉𝑇)

V𝒓𝒎𝒔= 𝟎.𝟕𝟎𝟕 𝑽𝒎

PIV

The required PIV of each diode (ideal) can be determined from Figure
below obtained at the peak of the positive region of the input signal. For
the indicated loop the maximum voltage across R is Vm and the PIV rating
is defined by:

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 P𝑰𝑽 ≥ 𝑽𝒎: Full-wave bridge rectifier.

Example:

In the bridge type circuit shown, the diodes are assumed to be ideal.
Assume primary to secondary urns to be 4. Find:

(i) dc output voltage

(ii) peak inverse voltage
(iii) output frequency.

Solution:

Primary/secondary turns, N1/N2=4

RMS primary voltage = 230V

∴ RMS secondary voltage = 230 (N2/N1) =230× (1/4)=57.5V

Maximum voltage across secondary is Vm=57.5× 2=81.3V

Average output voltage,

(i) ∴dc output voltage,

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 Vdc=VAVG =2×81.3/3.14=52V
(ii) peak inverse voltage (PIV=81.3V)
(iii) In full wave rectification, there are two output pulses for each
complete cycle of the input ac voltage. Therefore, the output
frequency is twice that of the ac supply frequency i.e.
fout= 2 ×fin= 2 ×50 = 100Hz

Centre-Tapped Transformer

A second popular full-wave rectifier appears in Figure below with only two
diodes but requiring a center-tapped (CT) transformer to establish the input
signal across each section of the secondary of the transformer.

 During the positive portion of vi. D1 assumes the short-circuit

equivalent and D2 the open-circuit equivalent.
 During the Negative portion of vi. D2 assumes the short-circuit
equivalent and D1 the open-circuit equivalent.

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PIV

The network of Figure below will help us determine the net PIV for each
diode for this full wave rectifier. Inserting the maximum voltage for the
secondary voltage and Vm as established by the adjoining loop will result
in:

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Example
Given:
vin (RMS) = 110 V (60 HZ)
Turns Ratio 10:1
Find: Vout (DC Effective)

Solution:
vin (Peak Center) = 1.414 vin(RMS) = 1.414 x 110 = 155.5 V
vout(Peak) = (1/2) (1/10) vin(RMS) = 1/20 x 155.5 = 7.8 V
vDiode = 7.8 - 0.7 = 7.1 V
Vout (DC Effective) = 0.636
vDiode = 0.636 x 7.1 ≈ 4.5 VDC

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