Electric and Electronic Engineering

Chapter 3
Diode Applications

Dr. Mohamed A. El-Shimy

Electrical Engineering Department
Alexandria University
Diode Applications
1. DC Power Supply

2. Half-Wave Rectifiers

3. Full-Wave Rectifiers

4. Capacitor-Input Filters

5. Limiting Circuits

6. Clamping Circuits

7. Exercises

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1. DC Power Supply
⚫ It converts the line AC voltage at wall outlets into a constant
DC voltage.
⚫ It is used as adaptors to power all types of electronic devices
(computers, radios, etc.).

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2. Half-Wave Rectifiers
⚫ It converts the ac input to a pulsating dc output.

Average Value
⚫ The value measured on a dc voltmeter.
T
1
Vav =  v(t )dt
T 0
Vp
= = 0.318V p


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2. Half-Wave Rectifiers
A. Ideal Model
⚫ During the positive input half cycle – Diode is ON

⚫ During the negative input half cycle – Diode is OFF

Note that if the direction of the current matches that of the arrow,
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then the diode is ON else it is OFF.
2. Half-Wave Rectifiers
B. Practical Model
⚫ The effect of barrier potential is taken into account which
reduces the peak input voltage Vp(in) by VD(on) = 0.7 V for Si.

PIV is voltage to use in design of diode

Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV) to avoid break
⚫ It the maximum voltage across the diode when it is off.
⚫ For half-wave rectifier, PIV = Vp(in)

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3. Full-Wave Rectifiers

⚫ Most commonly used type in dc power supplies.

⚫ It allows unidirectional current through the load during the
full input cycle.
⚫ The output frequency is twice the input frequency
Average Value
⚫ FW rectifier has a twice that of HW rectifier
2V p ( out )
Vav = = 0.637 V p


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3. Full-Wave Rectifiers
3.1. Center-Tapped Rectifier
⚫ It uses two diodes connected to the secondary of a center-
tapped transformer that conduct on alternating half-cycles.

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3. Full-Wave Rectifiers
3.1. Center-Tapped Rectifier
⚫ During positive half cycle – D1 is forward and D2 is reverse

⚫ During negative half cycle – D1 is reverse and D2 is forward

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3. Full-Wave Rectifiers
3.1. Center-Tapped Rectifier
Peak Inverse Voltage
⚫ Ideal Model : PIV = 𝑉𝑝 𝑠𝑒𝑐 = 2 𝑉𝑃 𝑜𝑢𝑡
⚫ Practical Model : PIV = 𝑉𝑝 𝑠𝑒𝑐 − 0.7 V = 2 𝑉𝑃 𝑜𝑢𝑡 + 0.7 V

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3. Full-Wave Rectifiers
3.2. Bridge Rectifier
⚫ It uses four diodes connected as shown.

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3. Full-Wave Rectifiers
3.2. Bridge Rectifier
⚫ During positive half cycle – (D1, D2) → ON and (D3, D4) → OFF

⚫ During negative half cycle – (D1, D2) → OFF and (D3, D4) → ON

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3. Full-Wave Rectifiers
3.2. Bridge Rectifier
Output Voltage
⚫ Ideal Model : 𝑉𝑝 𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑉𝑝 𝑠𝑒𝑐
⚫ Practical Model : 𝑉𝑝 𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑉𝑝 𝑠𝑒𝑐 − 1.4 V

Peak Inverse Voltage

⚫ Ideal Model : 𝑃𝐼𝑉 = 𝑉𝑝 𝑜𝑢𝑡
⚫ Practical Model : 𝑃𝐼𝑉 = 𝑉𝑝 𝑜𝑢𝑡 + 0.7 V

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4. Capacitor Input Filter
⚫ Electronic circuits require a constant source of dc voltage
and current to provide power and biasing for proper
operation.
⚫ It eliminates the fluctuations in the output voltage of a
rectifier and produces nearly a constant-level dc voltage.
⚫ The small amount of fluctuation in the output voltage is
called ripple.

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4. Capacitor Input Filter
4.1. With Half-Wave Rectifier
⚫ Initial charging of the capacitor happens only when power is
turned on where the diode is forward-biased.

⚫ At the peak of +ve cycle, the capacitor starts to discharge

through RL. Then, 𝑉𝐶 > 𝑉𝑖𝑛 − 𝑉𝑜𝑛 and the diode becomes off.

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4. Capacitor Input Filter
4.1. With Half-Wave Rectifier
⚫ The time for capacitor to discharge depends on time
constant RLC.
⚫ The capacitor charges back to peak of input when the diode
becomes forward-biased.

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4. Capacitor Input Filter
4.2. With Full-Wave Rectifier

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4. Capacitor Input Filter
Ripple Voltage
⚫ It is a variation in the voltage due to charging and
discharging. The smaller the ripple, the better the filtering.
⚫ The FW rectifier has a shorter time between peaks
compared to HW rectifier. Thus, it has a smaller ripple.

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5. Limiting Circuits
⚫ Diode clips off portions of signal voltages above or below
certain levels.
⚫ HW-rectifier is an example of a simpler clipper.
⚫ Positive Limiter

⚫ Negative Limiter

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6. Clamping Circuits
⚫ Add a dc level to an ac voltage.
⚫ Positive Clamper

⚫ Negative Clamper

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7. Exercises
Ex 7.1 – Center-Tapper FW Rectifier
a) Show the waveforms across each half of the sec winding and
across 𝑅𝐿 . Use practical diode model of 𝑉𝑜𝑛 = 0.7 𝑉
b) What minimum PIV rating must the diodes have?

Ans.
a) b) PIV = 49.3 V

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7. Exercises
Ex 7.2 – Bridge FW Rectifier
The transformer has a 12 V rms secondary voltage for a 120 V
across the primary. Assuming the practical model.
a) Determine the peak output voltage for the bridge rectifier.
b) What PIV rating is required for the diodes?

Ans.
a) Vp sec ≅ 17 V, Vp out = 15.6 V
b) PIV = 16.3 V

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8. Exercises
Ex 7.3 – Diode Limiters
⚫ The circuit is a combining a positive limiter with a negative
limiter. Determine the output voltage waveform.

Ans.

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8. Exercises
Ex 7.4 – Diode Clampers
⚫ What is the output voltage that you would expect to observe
across 𝑅𝐿 in the clamping circuit. Assume that RC is large
enough to prevent significant capacitor discharge.

Ans.

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