Palestine Polytechnic University

College of Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Electrical Circuits Lab

Rectifier Circuits

Abed AL-Rahman Mohamed Mahmoud Dakdak

225346

December 11, 2024

Under the supervision of Eng. hiba aldarras

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Contents:

Summary………………………………………………………………

1. Objective (Introduction)……………………………………………...

2. Methods………………………………………………………………

3. Results………………………………………………………………..

4. Discussion……………………………………………………………

5. Conclusion…………………………………………………………...

References………………………………………………………………

Appendices……………………………………………………………...

Evaluation and review questions………………………………………..

Multisim………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Summary
This report focuses on rectifier circuits, which convert alternating current (AC) into
direct current (DC). Three types of rectifiers were studied: half-wave, full-wave,
and bridge rectifiers.The goal was to understand how these circuits work and
measure key characteristics like ripple voltage and frequency.Key Points How
Rectifiers Work: Rectifiers use diodes to allow current to flow in only one
direction, turning AC into pulsating DC.Types of Rectifiers:Half-wave: Uses one
diode and works for half the AC cycle.Full-wave: Uses two diodes or four diodes
(in a bridge setup) to use the full AC cycle.Improvements with Filters: Adding a
filter capacitor reduces the ripple (the leftover AC in the DC output), making the
output smoother.FindingsThe circuits were built and tested to observe how AC is
converted into DC.Filter capacitors made the output more stable by reducing
fluctuations.Each rectifier type has its own advantages depending on the
application.Conclusion Rectifiers are crucial in power supplies for electronic
devices.Understanding their operation helps in designing better circuits for real-
world use.

1.Objective (Introduction)
1. Construct different rectifier circuits: half-wave, full-wave, and bridge rectifiers.
2. Compare their input and output voltages.
3. Add a filter capacitor to each circuit to observe its effects on ripple voltage and
ripple frequency.
The purpose of this experiment is to study and understand the operation of
rectifier circuits, which are essential in converting alternating current (AC) to
direct current (DC). These circuits are fundamental in powering electronic devices,
as most require stable DC voltage to operate.
The experiment focuses on three types of rectifiers: half-wave, full-wave, and
bridge rectifiers. By exploring their behavior and performance, the study
highlights their role in electrical systems. The addition of filter capacitors is also
examined to understand how they improve DC output quality by reducing ripple
voltage.

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2.Methods
Materials:
A signal diode (e.g., 1N914), resistors (e.g., 1 kΩ), transformer, capacitors, power
supply, voltmeter, and oscilloscope.
Diode Characteristics
Built half-wave, full-wave, and bridge rectifier circuits.
Observed input and output waveforms using an oscilloscope.
Added filter capacitors to each rectifier to reduce ripple and recorded changes in
output.
Measurements:
Measured key parameters like peak inverse voltage (PIV), ripple voltage, and
ripple frequency.
Compared input and output voltages for all rectifier types with and without
filtering.
These steps were designed to allow replication of the experiment, providing
detailed observations of diode and rectifier behaviors.
3. Results
Note : ”Multisim”
4.Discussion
The half-wave rectifier effectively converted AC to pulsating DC, but with
significant ripple. This result is expected because it only uses one half of the AC
waveform, leading to a less smooth output.The full-wave rectifier and bridge
rectifier circuits produced smoother DC outputs due to using both halves of the
AC waveform. However, adding a filter capacitor further reduced ripple voltage
and improved the output, as anticipated. The filter works by smoothing out the
fluctuations in the output voltage.The observed ripple frequency doubled for the
full-wave circuits, which is consistent with theory. The ripple frequency for the
half-wave rectifier remained the same as the AC supply frequency.

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5.Conclusion
This experiment successfully demonstrated the functionality of different rectifier
circuits—half-wave, full-wave, and bridge rectifiers—in converting alternating
current (AC) to direct current (DC).
Half-Wave Rectifier:
The half-wave rectifier was able to convert AC to pulsating DC, but the output had
significant ripple due to using only one half of the AC waveform.
Full-Wave and Bridge Rectifiers:
Both full-wave and bridge rectifiers provided smoother DC output by utilizing both
halves of the AC waveform. The ripple frequency in these circuits was double that
of the input AC, as expected.
Effect of Filter Capacitors:
Adding filter capacitors to the rectifier circuits reduced ripple voltage and
improved the quality of the DC output. The filter capacitors effectively smooth the
fluctuations, making the output more stable and usable for electronic
applications.
In conclusion, the experiment confirmed that full-wave and bridge rectifiers are
more effective than half-wave rectifiers in providing smoother DC output. The
addition of filter capacitors significantly improves performance by reducing ripple,
making these circuits more suitable for powering electronic devices.

References
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jM4Nc1BZAfVsbN5wuUihv9UWUuTYKdbx/view

Appendices
Note : ”Multisim”
Evaluation and review questions
Nothing

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Multisim
1.Forward Bias

2.Reverse Bias

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The end
Thanks