Chapter 3

Rectifier
Rectifier Circuits
➢ A DC power supply is required to bias all electronic circuits.
➢ A diode rectifier forms the first stage of a DC power supply.

Diagram of an Electronic Power Supply

➢ Rectification is the process of converting an alternating (ac) voltage

into one that is limited to one polarity.
➢ Rectification is classified as half-wave or full-wave rectifier.
Rectifier Parameters
Relationship between the number of turns of a
step-down transformer and the input/output
voltages - transformer ratio

𝑣𝑃 𝑁1
=
𝑣𝑆 𝑁2

The peak inverse voltage (PIV) of the diode is the peak value of the voltage
that a diode can withstand when it is reversed biased

Duty Cycle: The fraction of the wave cycle over which the diode is
conducting.
Half Wave Rectifier
• vs< V, diode off, open circuit, no
current flow, Vo = 0V

•vs ≥ V, diode conducts, current flows,

v = vs – V
o D

V

Equation of VO and current when diode is conducting

𝑣𝑂 = 𝑖𝐷 𝑅 = 𝑣𝑆 − 𝑉𝐷

𝑣𝑆 − 𝑉𝐷
𝑖𝐷 =
𝑅
• vs < V, diode off, open circuit, no current flow, vo = 0V
• vs > V, diode conducts, current flows and vo = vs – V D

Consider a sine wave where vs = v m sin t and v

m is the peak value

v m
Notice that the
peak voltage of Vo
V is lower

vs > V
Example
Consider the rectifier circuit in the figure below. Let R = 1 k, and the diode
has the properties of V = 0.6 V and rf = 20 .

Assume v = 10 sin t (V)

s

i. Determine the peak value of the diode current

ii. Sketch vO versus time, t. Label the peak value of vO.

vs
 SOLUTION
0.6 + IDrf + IDR – 10 = 0
ID = (10 – 0.6) / 1020 = 9.22 mA
• Peak Inverse Voltage is also known as Maximum
Reverse Biased Voltage
• The objective is to know whether the diode can withstand
a certain voltage when it is reversed and to avoid damaging
the diode – each diode has PIV rating.
We know that the diode is
reversed biased during
negative cycle

Diode is off, open circuit

vR

No current flow, Using KVL

hence, Vo = 0 V -vR + 0 + vs peak = 0
vR = vs peak

Hence, for the example just now, the PIV for the diode is 10 V
• Duty cycle is the fraction of the wave cycle over which the diode
is conducting with respect to the full wave of the cycle

Hence for this example:

0.6 = 10 sin (1 )

1 = sin -1 (0.6/10) = 3.44

At second quadrant for sine wave: 176.56

θ2 − θ1
Duty cycle = 𝑋 100% = 48%
2π
 iD

A half-wave rectifier circuit is connected to a 2 kΩ load as shown in the figure. Assume

that the input of the transformer is connected to a 120 V(rms), 60 Hz power supply, the
turns ratio of the step-down transformer is 10:1, the diode cut-in voltage Vγ = 0.7 V
i. Calculate the peak output voltage, vo
ii. Determine the peak diode current, iD
iii. Determine the fraction of conduction angle of a cycle when diode is conducting.

vo = 16.27 V
iD = 16.27 / 2 = 8.135 mA
Duty cycle = 48.69%
Full Wave Rectifier

• Center-Tapped
• Bridge
 Full-Wave Rectification – circuit
with center-tapped transformer
➢ Positive cycle, D2 off, D1 conducts;
v o – vs + V D = 0
vo = vs - VD

➢ Negative cycle, D1 off, D2 conducts;

v o– v s + V D = 0
vo = vs - VD

➢ Since a rectified output voltage occurs during

both positive and negative cycles of the input
signal, this circuit is called a full-wave rectifier.
➢ Also notice that the polarity of the output
voltage for both cycles is the same
 v =v
s m sin t

vm

V

-V

Notice again that the peak voltage of Vo is lower

since vo = vs - VD

• vs < V, diode off, open circuit, no current flow, vo = 0V

For center tapped, at each cycle, there off
will one diode off and one diode on and
vo will have a value

Because diode D2
on is on, there is
Diode is off, open circuit current in R, and
vo = vs - VD
- vR +
Using KVL
-vR + vo + vs peak = 0

-vR + (vspeak - VD) + vs peak = 0

vR = 2vspeak - VD
• A full-wave center-tapped rectifier circuit is shown in the figure below.
Assume that for each diode, the cut-in voltage, V = 0.6 V and the diode
forward resistance, rf is 15. The load resistor, R = 95 . Determine:
i. peak output voltage, vo across the load, R
ii. Sketch the output voltage, vo and label its peak value.

25: 1

125 V (peak
voltage)
( sine wave )
• SOLUTION
i. peak output voltage, Vo
vs (peak) = 125 / 25 = 5V
VD+ ID (95) - vs (peak) = 0
V +ID(15) + ID (95) - vs (peak) = 0
ID = (5 – 0.6) / 110 = 0.04 A
vo (peak) = 95 x 0.04 = 3.8V
ii.

3.8V
V

-V
Full-Wave Rectification –Bridge Rectifier
➢ Positive cycle, D1 and D2 conducts, D3 and D4 off;
VD + vo + VD – vs = 0
vo = vs - 2VD

➢ Negative cycle, D3 and D4 conducts, D1 and D2 off

VD + vo + VD – vs = 0
vo = vs - 2VD

➢Also notice that the polarity of the output voltage for both cycles is the same
For bridge rectifier, at each cycle, there
will two diodes off and two diodes on off
and vo will have a value on

off
on
Diode is off, open circuit Because diode D3 and D4
is on, there is current in
R, and vo = vs - 2VD
Using KVL
-vR + vo - vR + vs peak = 0

-2vR + (vspeak - 2VD) + vs peak = 0

2vR = 2vspeak - 2VD

vR = vspeak - VD
 Summary of PIV

Type of Rectifier PIV

Half Wave Peak value of the input secondary voltage, vs (peak)
Full Wave : 2vs (peak)- VD
Center-Tapped

Full Wave: vs (peak) - VD

Bridge
• DUTY CYCLE FOR FULL WAVE

1 2

𝜃2 − 𝜃1
𝐷𝑢𝑡𝑦 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 = 𝑋 100%
2𝜋

Multiply by 2
EXAMPLE – Half Wave Rectifier Battery Charger
Determine the currents and voltages of the half-wave rectifier circuit. Consider the
half-wave rectifier circuit shown in Figure.
Assume VB = 6V, R = 120 Ω , V = 0.6 V and vs(t) = 18.6 sin t.
Determine the peak diode current, maximum reverse-bias diode voltage, the fraction
of the wave cycle over which the diode is conducting.

-VR + VB + 18.6 = 0
VR = 24.6 V
- VR +
- A simple half-wave battery charger circuit

+
This node must be
at least 6.6V 6V
 Filters
➢ A capacitor is added in parallel with the
load resistor of a half-wave rectifier to
form a simple filter circuit. At first there
is no charge across the capacitor
➢ During the 1st quarter positive
cycle, diode is forward biased, and C
charges up.
➢ VC = VO = VS - VD
➢ As VS falls back towards zero, and
into the negative cycle, the
capacitor discharges through the
resistor R. The diode is reversed
biased ( turned off)
➢ If the RC time constant is large, the
voltage across the capacitor
discharges exponentially.
Filters

➢ During the next positive cycle of the input

voltage, there is a point at which the input
voltage is greater than the capacitor
voltage, diode turns back on.

➢ The diode remains on until the input

reaches its peak value and the
capacitor voltage is completely
recharged.
 Vpeak
VM

Quarter cycle; Capacitor discharges Input voltage is greater

capacitor through R since diode than the capacitor
charges up becomes off voltage; recharge before
discharging again
VC = VMe – t / RC

NOTE: Vm is the peak value of the output voltage

Since the capacitor filters out a large portion of the sinusoidal signal, it is called a
filter capacitor.
Ripple Voltage, and Diode Current

➢Vr = ripple voltage

Tp ➢Vr = VM – VMe -T’/RC

where T’ = time of the
T’ capacitor to discharge to its
lowest value
Vr = VM ( 1 – e -T’/RC )
Expand the exponential in
series,
Vr = ( VMT’) / RC

Figure: Half-wave rectifier with smoothing capacitor.

• If the ripple is very small, we can approximate T’ = Tp
which is the period of the input signal
• Hence for half wave rectifier
Vr = ( VMTp) / RC

⚫ For full wave rectifier

Vr = ( VM 0.5Tp) / RC
Example
Consider a full wave center-tapped rectifier. The capacitor is connected in
parallel to a resistor, R = 2.5 k. The input voltage has a peak value of 120 V
with a frequency of 60 Hz. The output voltage cannot be lower than 100 V.
Assume the diode turn-on voltage, V = 0.7 V. Calculate the value of the
capacitor.

VM = Vo peak = 120 - VD
120 – 0.7 = 119.3 V
Vr = 119.3 – 100 = 19.3 V

19.3 = 119.3 / (2*60*2500*C)

C = 20.6 F
Example
Consider a full wave bridge rectifier. The capacitor C = 20.3 F is connected in
parallel to a resistor, R = 10 k. The input voltage, vs = 50 sin (2(60)t).
Assume the diode turn-on voltage, V = 0.7 V. Calculate the value of the ripple
voltage.

Frequency = 60 Hz
VM = Vo peak = 50 – 2 VD
50 – 1.4 = 48.6 V

Vr = 48.6 / (2*60*10x103*20.3x10-6)
Vr = 2 V
The full-wave rectifier circuit is shown in the figure below. The output peak
current of the circuit is 200 mA when the peak output voltage is 12 V. Assume
that input supply is 120 V(rms), 60 Hz and diode cut-in voltage Vγ = 0.7 V. Find
the required value of C for limiting the output ripple voltage, Vr = 0.25 V.

Answer: C = 6.67 mF
Clipper Circuit
• Clipper
– is used to eliminate portion of a signal that are
above or below a specified level i.e the clip value
• Step #1: Determine the clip value
• Step #2: Set the conditions
● Clipper circuits, also called limiter circuits, are used to eliminate portion
of a signal that are above or below a specified level – clip value.
● The purpose of the diode is that when it is turn on, it provides the clip
value
● Clip value = V’. To find V’, use KVL at L1
● The equation is : V’ – VB - V = 0 → V’ = VB + V

Vi

V’ = VB + V
L1

➢ Then, set the conditions

➢ If Vi > V’, diode conducts, hence Vo = V’
➢ If Vi < V’, diode off, open circuit, no current flow, Vo = Vi
Clippers
➢ Other clipping circuits can be constructed by reversing the diode, the
or the polarity of the voltage VB.

• V’ = VB - V
• conditions: Vi > V’ → off, Vo = Vi
Vi < V’ → conducts, Vo = V’

• V’ = - VB + V
• conditions: Vi > V’ → conducts, Vo = V’
Vi < V’ → off, Vo = Vi

• V’ = - VB - V
• conditions: Vi > V’ → off, Vo = Vi
Vi < V’ → conducts, Vo = V’
Parallel Based Clippers

➢ Positive and negative clipping can be performed simultaneously by

using a double limiter or a parallel-based clipper.

➢ The parallel-based clipper is designed with two diodes and two

voltage sources oriented in opposite directions.
➢ This circuit is to allow clipping to occur during both cycles; negative
and positive
Example 1
• Consider the parallel clip circuit shown below.
Assume the VZ1 = 6V and VZ2 = 4V and V = 0.7V.
Given Vi = 10 sin t, sketch VO