Diode Rectifiers

(Uncontrolled)

Learning Objectives
To understand the characteristics and
operation of the diode rectifiers
To learn types of diode rectifiers
To understand the performance
parameters
To learn the techniques for analyzing
and design of diode rectifiers

Uncontrolled Rectifiers
Rectifier
Circuit that converts an AC signal into
unidirectional signal (DC)
Used diodes for conversion
Two types (depending on input)
Single phase
Three phase
Assumptions
Diodes used are ideal
i.e. trr = 0 and VD=0
4

Performance Parameters
In order to access the performance of a
diode rectifier, the following components
must be taken into account:
Average value of the output (load) voltage,
Vdc
Average value of the output (load) current,
Idc
Need to understand
Output dc power
HOW the parameters

Pdc =VdcIdc

being used in analyzing

the waveform
5

Performance Parameters
The root-mean-square of the output voltage, Vrms
The root-mean-square of the output current, Irms
Output ac power

Pac(1 ph) = VrmsI rms

Pac(3 ph) = 3VrmsI rms

Efficiency

Po , dc
Pin , ac

V o , dc I o , dc
V s , rms I s , rms
6

Performance Parameters
The effective (rms) value of the ac component of output
voltage is

V ac(rms) =

The form factor (a measure of the shape of the

output voltage)

FF =

2
V rms
V dc2

rms
V
dc

The ripple factor (a measure of ripple content)

V ac
RF =
V dc

 The dc component

Average (or dc) value: denoted by UPPER CASE with
the subscript ( dc ) or ( ave. )
t2

X dc

1
= x(t) dt
T t1

For the example function

shown (x), we can show
that:
2Xm

Xdc =

Where general equation

yield to:
t2

1
X dc = Xm sin(t) d(t )
T t1

Given X(t) = X m sin( t),

2 pulses per cycle

X o = X ave = X DC
X DC =
X DC =
X DC =
X DC =

2
X m sin( t) d t

2 0

2X m

cos( t) 0
2
Xm
[cos(0) cos( ) ]

2X m

 RMS Component, (evaluation of the rms components

are depends on the shape of the waveform but for the
RECTIFIER we are normally having a instantenous
sinusoidal waveform as the input and output)

INPUT supply (ex: Vs) is given as in figure below. (by using
Figure 1.17 (pg 25)) Thus, The RMS value for Vs(rms) =
Vm/sqrt(2)

OUTPUT waveform, as the figure below, is a pulsed sinusoidal,

which lead to Vo(rms) = Vm/2
10

 AC Component

11

Performance Parameters
power factor,

2
I o,
P
rms R
pf = =
S Vs, rms I s, rms

is the displacement angle, between fundamental input

current (is1)and input voltage (Vs)

Displacement factor (DF)

DF = cos

12

Single-Phase Half Wave

Rectifier With R-Load

13

Single-Phase Half Wave Rectifier

With R-Load

From the name itself, the input should be 1phase, conduct half of the cycle and have a
RESISTIVE load

RESISTIVE load -> Current and voltage output
waveform should be in phase.

The word Half means the circuit is conducted for
half of the cycle (T) or in simple word during
positive region ONLY

14

Single-Phase Half Wave Rectifier

With R-Load

Simplest type
not used in industry
Only one diode
Resistive load R
Input is single phase AC
15

Single-Phase Half Wave Rectifier

With R-Load
Given v s (t) = V s sin( t),
V o = V ave = V DC

1
Vo =
Vm sin( t) d t

2 0

Vm

Vo =
cos( t) 0
2
Vm
[cos(0) cos( ) ]
Vo =
2
Vm
Vo =
= 0.318Vm

16

Example 1 : Half wave rectifier with Rload

For the half-wave rectifier of Fig. 3.1a, the source is a
sinusoidal of 120Vrms at a frequency of 60Hz. The load
resistor is 5. Determine
a) The average load current
b) The average power absorbed by the load
c) The power factor of the circuit

17

Solution Example 1:
wave rectifier with R-load
Solution
(i) The average load current
Vm = 2(120)= 169.7V
and,
Vs 169.7
Io =
=
= 10.8A
R (5)

(ii) The effective power, Po,rms

absorbed by the load
Vrms =

Half

(iii) Power Factor

Po, rms
Po, rms
PF =
=
=
Si
V s, rms I s, rms
=

1440
2 (120)
(120)
2(5)

P
V
V s, rms m
2R

= 0.707

Vm
2(120)
=
= 84.9V
2
2

and
2
Vrms
84.92
P=
=
= 1440W
R
5

18

Example 2 : Half wave rectifier with

R-load
Consider the half-wave rectifier circuit with a
resistive load of 25 and a 60Hz ac source of
110Vrms.
Calculate the average values of Vo and Io. Justify
the significant value of Vo and Io.
Calculate the rms values of Vo and Io.
Calculate the average and effective power (Po,dc,
Po,rms) and efficiency delivered to the load.
Calculate the converter efficiency
19

Solution Example 2 :Half

wave rectifier with R-load
(i) The average values of Vo
and Io are given by
Vo =

Vm
2(110)
=
= 49.52V

and,
Vo 49.52
Io =
=
= 1.98A
R
25

(ii) The rms value of the of Vo

and Io
Vrms = Vm

(iii) Po,dc, Po,rms and efficiency

Po,rms = Vo ,rms * I o,rms
Po,rms = 77.78* 3.11= 242W
Po,dc = Vo ,dc * I o,dc
Po,dc = 49.52* 1.98= 98W
(text book definition )
Po,dc
98
=
X100 =
X100 = 40%
Po,rms
242

T0 Vm
2(110)
=
=
= 77.78V
2T
2
2

and,
I o,rms =

Vo,rms
R

77.78
= 3.11A
25

20

Single Phase Half-wave

rectifier with RL-Load

Single-Phase Half Wave Rectifier

With RL-Load

From the name itself, the input should be
1-phase, conduct half of the cycle and
having RESISTIVE & INDUCTIVE load

RL load -> Current and voltage output
waveform are not in phase. They are
lagging each other.

The word Half means the circuit is
conducted for half of the cycle (T) or in
simple word during positive region ONLY
22

Half-wave rectifier with RL-Load

A circuit with a single diode and an RL load is shown above.
The source vs is an alternating sinusoidal source. If Vs = Vmsin
(t), Vs is positive when 0 < t < pi, and Vs is negative when pi <
t <2pi.
When Vs starts becoming positive, the diode starts conducting and
the source keeps the diode in conduction till the source voltage is
greater than the voltage across the load resistor. Before t reaches
pi radians, the source voltage equals the voltage across the load
resistor at some instant. At this instant, there is still current through
the load circuit t reaches pi radians and there is some energy
stored in the inductor.
Since the energy stored in a system cannot change
instantaneously, the current through the inductor does not fall to
zero immediately. Let be the instant at which the source voltage
is equal to the voltage across the load resistor. Then, for the period
defined by < wt < pi radians, the load inductor acts as a source
and the inductor supplies the potential difference between voltage
across the load resistor and the source voltage.
23

Half-wave rectifier with RL-Load

Until certain time (<), Vs>VR (hence VL=
Vs-VR is positive), the current builds up and
inductor stored energy increases.
At maximum ( )of VR, Vs=VR hence, VL
=0V.
Beyond this point, VL becomes negative
(means releasing stored energy), and
current begins to decrease.
After T=, the input, Vs becomes negative
but current still positive and diode is still
conducts due to inductor stored energy. The
load current is present at certain period, but
never for the entire period, regardless of the
inductor size.
This will results on reducing the average
output voltage due to the negative segment.
The larger the Inductance, the larger
negative segment

VL = L

di
dt

24

Half-wave rectifier with RL-Load

The diode remains ON

as long as there is a +ve
current through it.
The diode turns OFF at the
instant which its
current reaches zero.
(t=+)
25
25

Determination of the turn OFF angle

(+)
It is important to determine the turn OFF angle (+) as it affects the
load average voltage and therefore-the performance parameters.
Where:

To determine this angle we need to determine the current expression first.

Determination of the current expression:
-when the diode is ON the circuit satisfies the equation:

26

Determination of the turn OFF angle

(+)
-the solution of this DE has the following form:

The load angle

-to determine the constant A, consider the initial condition:

27

Determination of the turn OFF angle (+)

-the current equation becomes

-To determine the turn off angle substitute the condition: [at t=+, is=0]

The above nonlinear equation can be solved iteratively for ().

The
load
angle

28

Single Phase Half-wave

rectifier with RL-Load &
Freewheeling Diode

29
29

Half-wave Rectifier With RL Load

RL load the half wave rectifier has very poor quality-mainly

due to the negative voltage appears across the load.
Freewheeling diode can be applied to eliminate the negative
load voltage, and hence improve the quality.
30

Half-wave Rectifier With RL Load and

Freewheeling Diode

For a negative cycle

voltage source, D is off,
Dm is on
The voltage across the RL
load is zero.
However, the inductor
contains energy from
positive cycle. The load
current still circulates
through the RL path.

Note that both D1and D2 cannot be

turned on at the same time.
For a positive cycle voltage source,
D is on, Dm is off
The voltage across the RL load is the
same as the source voltage.

31

Half-wave Rectifier With RL Load and

Freewheeling Diode

Vm
Vo,dc =
;

Vo,dc
I o,dc =
;
R
Po,dc =V o,dc*I o,dc
32

Single Phase Halfwave rectifier with

RLE-Load

33
33

34

Half wave rectifier with RLELoad

The output current will only be able to
flow if the input supply is higher than
the emf source (E)
Requirement for diode to conduct
the diode must be forward biased.
If E is higher than the instantaneous
values of input voltage, the diode will be
reversed biased hence diode will not
conduct, therefore output current will be
zero.

35

Diode Conduct

Diode OFF

36

vo
E

io
60 90 120 150 180 210 240
Turn ON angle Turn OFF angle
0

30

270

300

330

360

390

420

450

480

510

540

570

600

630

660

690

37

720

Vm sin = E ,
Vm sin t = Ri (t) + L
i(t) = i f (t) + i n (t)

= sin -1 (

E
) ,
Vm

Diode ON

di (t)
+E
dt

i f (t) is determined using superposition for the two source (

i f (t) =

Vm
E
sin( t - ) Z
R

i n (t) = Ae

-t

- t
E
Vm
t
Ae
sin(

)
+
Z
R

i ( t) =
otherwise
0

Vm
E
i ( ) = 0 A = (sin( - ) + )e
Z
R
i ( ) = 0 = ?

Vmsint , E

Half wave rectifier with RE-Load

Output
Voltage
For RE- Load

39

EXAMPLE:
HALF-WAVE
WITH RL
Example:
Half-wave
RectifierRECTIFIER
With RL Load
LOAD
Determine the performance parameters of the circuit shown
D1

10 Ohms
220V
50Hz
20mH

Solution

When the currents touches zero, i.e.

p+s <w t<2 p D 1 turns OFF, the current
remains zero

When the diode current is positive, i.e.

0<w t<p+s D 1 turns ON
D1
10 Ohms
220V
50Hz
20mH

10 Ohms
220V
50Hz
20mH
40

Determination of turn OFF

angle, by iteration:

for 0 t < +

at t = 200 is = 5.594 A
t = 220 is = 3.57 A

v s = Vm sin t = 220 2 sin 314t

Vm sin (t )
+ Ae tan
is =
Z

2
Z = 10 2 + (0.02 *100 ) = 11 .8132.14

is = 26.344 sin(t 32.14) + Ae

at t = 0 is = 0

t
tan

0 = 26.344 sin(0 32.14) + A A = 14

is = 26.344 sin(t 32.14) + 14e

t = 210 is = 1.025 A
t = 212 is = 0.103 A
t = 212.2 is = 0.01A
Very small!

+ = 212.2

5 t

Alternatively, As (L/R<<1/f),
+ can be approximates to
(+ ) =212.2
41

Load voltage and current

waveforms

42

Example 3.2 cont.

Determination of performance parameters
-The DC output voltage

Vdc =

220 2 [
1 cos(212.2)]= 91.42V
2

-The RMS of the output voltage

V rmsVrms
=

1
2

3.7

1
2

(
)
V
sin(

t
d

t
=
0 m

4

The dc current

I dc =

1
2

V m2 t 1sin2( t) 3.7
+ sin (2 ) = 158.22V
2
4
2 2
0

Vm

tan
sin (t )+ sin e
dt
Z

alternatively, and much simpler, since the inductor voltage aver age is zero

Vdc = VR ,dc

Vdc
= I dc R I dc =
= 9.142 A
R

43

Example 3.2 cont.

To

determine Irms, assume

is = i1 + i2 =

Vm (
V
sin t )+ m sin e
Z
Z

t
tan

where :
t

Vm (
V
m
i1 = sin t )and i2 = sin e tan
Z
Z

(220 2 )
2

I1,rms =

I 2 ,rms

2 *11.812

212.2

2
(
)

sin(
t
)
dt = 13.29 A

1 220 2
=
sin

2 11.81

3.7

t10

dt = 3.05 A

2
2
I rms = I1, rms + I 2,rms = 13.63A

44

Example 3.2 cont.

Vrms
158
=
= 1.728
V dc 91.42

The Form Factor

FF =

The ripple Factor

RF = FF 2 1 = 1.41

The transformer utilization factor

The conversion efficiency

TUF =

Pdc
= 0.2767
Vs I s

Pdc
= 0.3852
Pac

From the above results it can be noted that with RL load the half wave rectifier
has very poor quality-mainly due to the negative voltage appears across the
load.
Freewheeling diode can be applied to eliminate the negative load voltage, and
hence improve the quality. To verify this determine the performance
parameters of the freewheeling diode circuit.
45

Example3.3: Half wave Rectifier With RL Load and

Freewheeling Diode

Please refer to the above figure, on the same time scale, please draw the
expected output waveform for voltage and current , input current (Is) and
FWD current. Calculate the Vo,rms, Vo,dc and Io,dc . Prove that the circuit
above has improved the quality of circuit in example Half-wave rectifier with
RL load. (Given that frequency = 50Hz, R=10, L=20mH).

Example3.3: Half-wave Rectifier With RL Load and

Freewheeling Diode

vD

Solution

is

It has been found that:

vp
vs

vs = 220 2 sin t for 0 t <

v0 =
for t < 2
0

Dm

vo
L

and

26.344 sin(t 32.14) + 14e 500 t for 0 t <

5 (t )
io =

14.1e
for t < 2
47

Freewheeling Diode
15
10
5
0

30

60

90

120

150

180
I supply

210

240

270

300

330

360

30

60

90

120

150
180
210
Output Current

240

270

300

330

360

30

60

90

120

150
180
210
Output Voltage

240

270

300

330

360

30
20
10
0
40
20
0
400
200

48
0

30

60

90

120

150

180

210

240

270

300

330

360

Example3.3, cont.
The voltage waveform is identical to that of the pure resistive load case, therefore

Vdc =

Vm

= 99V ,

FF = 1.57

Vm
= 155.6V
2
RF = 1.21
Vrms =

Notice that the load (io) current is different than the supply current (is),
the average of (io)

I o ,dc

Vo ,dc
R

99
= 9.9 A
10

49

Example3.3, cont.
To determine Is,rms

Vm
Vm
is = i1 + i2 = sin (t )+ sin e tan
Z
Z

(220 2 )

2 180

I1,rms =

I 2,rms

2 *11.812

2
(
)

sin(
)
t
dt = 13.17 A

1 220 2
=
sin

2 11.81

t10

dt = 3.046 A

2
2
I s ,rms = I1,rms + I 2,rms = 13.518 A

The rms of the load current is given by

2
2
I o , rms = I s ,rms + I D ,rms
2

I D ,rms =

1
2
14.1 e

10 (t )

dt = 3.152 A

I o , rms = 13.5182 + 3.152 2 = 13.88 A

50

Example3.3, cont.

Pdc = I o,dcVdc = 980.1W

TUF =

Pdc
980.1
=
= 0.329
Vs I s 13.518 * 220

Pac
13.882 *10
=
= 0.648
PF =
S ac 220 *13.518

= Pdc =
Pac

980.1
980.1
=
= 0.509
2
Vo ,rms I o ,rms 13.88 *10

As compared to example 3.2 the performance parameters are improved

in this case

51