Elements of Electrical and Electronics Engineering – Lab

Date:

Experiment 9
AIM: To study half-wave, full-wave, and bridge rectifiers.

THEORY:
Half wave:
In Half Wave Rectification, When AC supply is applied at the input, only the Positive Half
Cycle appears across the load whereas, the negative Half Cycle is suppressed. How this can
be explained as follows:

During the positive half-cycle of the input voltage, the diode D1 is in forward bias and
conducts through the load resistor R L. Hence the current produces an output voltage across
the load resistor RL, which has the same shape as the positive half cycle of the input voltage.

During the negative half-cycle of the input voltage, the diode is reverse biased and there is no
current through the circuit. i.e., the voltage across R L is zero. The net result is that only the
positive half cycle of the input voltage appears across the load. The average value of the half
wave rectified o/p voltage is the value measured on dc voltmeter.

For practical circuits, transformer coupling is usually provided for two reasons.
1. The voltage can be stepped-up or stepped-down, as needed.
2. The ac source is electrically isolated from the rectifier. Thus preventing shock
hazards in the secondary circuit.
3.
The efficiency of the Half Wave Rectifier is 40.6%

Full wave:
The circuit of a center-tapped full wave rectifier uses two diodes D1&D2.

During positive half cycle of secondary voltage (input voltage), the diode D1 is forward
biased and D2 is reverse biased. So the diode D 1 conducts and current flows through load
resistor RL.

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During negative half cycle, diode D2 becomes forward biased and D1 reverse biased. Now, D2
conducts and current flows through the load resistor R L in the same direction. There is a
continuous current flow through the load resistor R L, during both the half cycles and will get
unidirectional current as show in the model graph. The difference between full wave and half
wave rectification is that a full wave rectifier allows unidirectional (one-way) current to the
load during the entire 360 degrees of the input signal and a half-wave rectifier allows this
only during one-half cycle (180 degrees).

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:
A) Half Wave Rectifier Without Filter

D1

Vac RL DC Vdc
230V,50Hz,ac
supply 0-20V

Fig. 1 Circuit Diagram of Half Wave Rectifier without Filter.

B) Half Wave Rectifier With Filter

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D1

Vac RL DC Vdc
230V,50Hz,ac
supply 0-20V
C1

Fig. 2 Circuit Diagram of Half Wave Rectifier with Filter.

MODEL WAVEFORMS:

Fig. 3 Waveform of half wave rectifier.

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PROCEDURE:

1. Connections are made as per the circuit diagram.

2. Connect the primary side of the transformer to ac mains and the secondary side to the
rectifier input.
3. By the multi meter, measure the AC input voltage of the rectifier and the AC and dc
voltage at the output of the rectifier.
4. Find the theoretical value of dc voltage by using the formula, Vdc=Vm/П
Where, Vm=2Vrms, (Vrms=output ac voltage.)

5. The Ripple factor is calculated by using the formula

r = ac output voltage/dc output voltage.

C) Full Wave Rectifier Without Filter

D1
6V

0V Vac
230V,50Hz,ac
supply

6V 0-20V
DC
RL Vdc
D2

Fig. 4 Circuit Diagram of Full Wave Rectifier without Filter.

D) Full Wave Rectifier With Filter

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D1
6V

Vac
230V,50Hz,ac 0V
supply

6V
C1
0-20V
DC
RL Vdc
D2

Fig. 5 Circuit Diagram of Full Wave Rectifier with Filter.

MODEL WAVEFORMS:

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 Elements of Electrical and Electronics Engineering – Lab

Fig. 6 Waveform of full wave rectifier.

PROCEDURE:

1. Connections are made as per the circuit diagram.

2. Connect the AC mains to the primary side of the transformer and the secondary side to
the rectifier.
3. Measure the AC voltage at the input side of the rectifier.
4. Measure both AC and dc voltages at the output side of the rectifier.
5. Find the theoretical value of the dc voltage by using the formula Vdc = 2Vm/П.
6. Connect the filter capacitor across the load resistor and measure the values of V ac and Vdc
at the output.
7. The theoretical values of Ripple factors with and without capacitors are calculated.
8. From the values of Vac and Vdc practical values of Ripple factors are calculated. The
practical values are compared with theoretical values.

CALCULATIONS:
For Half wave:
Theoretical calculations for Ripple factor:
Without Filter:
Vrms = Vm/2
Vm = 2Vrms
Vdc = Vm/П
Ripple factor r=√ (Vrms/ Vdc )2 -1 =1.21

With Filter:
Ripple factor, r = 1/ (2√3 f C RL)
For full wave:
Theoretical calculations for Ripple factor:
Vrms = Vm/ √2
Vm = Vrms√2
Vdc = 2Vm/П
Without Filter:

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Ripple factor, r = √ (Vrms/ Vdc )2 -1 = 0.812

With Filter:
Ripple factor, r = 1/ (4√3 f C RL)

CONCLUSION:

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