Half Wave Rectifier :-

Half wave rectifier is a rectifier which converts AC voltage into a pulsating voltage using only one half cycle of the applied voltage and the process of this voltage conversion is known as Half wave rectification. Half wave rectifier circuit goes like this,

Half wave rectification :-

In half wave rectification, the rectifier conducts current only during positive half cycles of input AC supply. During negative half cycles, there is no current and hence, no voltage drop across the load.Therefore, current always flows in one direction through the load i.e. in above diagram, through R with base as L.

Equation for calculating output DC voltage is V(peak) = V(rms) * square root of 2.

Operation of Half wave rectifier :-

1.

The primary of the transformer is connected to the AC power supply (in above diagram, the left hand side of two vertical lines). and then AC voltage is induced across the secondary transformer (in above diagram, the right hand side of two vertical lines).

2.

During the positive half cycle of AC input voltage, diode is forward biased and conducts for all instantaneous voltage.

3.

While conducting, the diode acts as short circuit so that the current flows and produces voltage across load resistor R with base as L.

4.

During negative half cycle, the diode is reverse biased and hence it does not conduct any current.

5.

Hence, there is no current flow or voltage drop through load resistor.

6.

As a result, only positive half cycle is utilized to deliver DC power and the output voltage is same as the Input voltage. Waveforms looks something like this,

7. As the circuit uses only half cycle of AC input voltage, it is known as Half wave rectifier and process of conversion into DC power is known as Half wave rectification.

Full Wave Rectifier :-

A Full wave rectifier is a circuit which allows a unidirectional current to flow through the load during the entire period of input voltage cycle. Circuit for full wave rectifier goes like this,

In above circuit diagram, D1 and D2 are the two diodes and R to the base L (RL) is load resistor.

Working of Full wave Rectifier :-

1.

During the positive input half cycle of secondary voltage, diode D1 is forward biased and diode D2 is reverse biased.

2.

As a result, diode D1 conducts some current whereas diode D2 does not conduct i.e. it is OFF

3.

The conventional current flows through the diode D1, load RL and the upper half of the circuit diagram, i.e. path A-D1RL-C-A.

4.

During the negative input half cycle of secondary voltage, diode D2 is forward biased and diode D1 is reverse biased.

5. 6.

As a result, diode D2 conducts some current whereas diode D1 does not conduct any current Thus, the conventional current flows through diode D2, load resistor RL and the lower part of th circuit i.e. follows path of B-D2-RL-C-B.

7.

The output waveforms are shown in the above figure.

8.

It may also be noted that current through load RL flows towards the same direction during both positive and negative half cycles of AC input voltage.

9.

Therefore, output voltage developed across load RL is full wave rectified.

Advantages :1. 2. 3. The DC output voltage and DC load current values are twice than those of the half wave rectifier. The Ripple factor is much less (0.482) than that of half wave rectifier. The rectification efficiency is twice than that of half wave rectifier. For full wave rectifier, maximum rectification efficiency is 81.2% and that for half wave rectifier is 40.6% Disadvantages:1. 2. Output voltage is half of the secondary voltage Peak inverse voltage of diode is twice of the diode used in half wave rectifier. So, diodes used must have high peak inverse voltages. 3. It is expensive to manufacture a center tapped transformer.