Lab No: 03

Single phase full wave rectifier

Objective:

To become familiar with single phase full wave rectifier.

To observe the waveforms and check out the characteristics of single phase full wave rectifier at three
different loads.

Apparatus: -The following apparatus used in this task.

o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Power diode
Voltage Source
Resisters (220 ohm)
Inductor (0.8H)
Voltmeters and Ammeters
Connection cables
LV-DEC software for analysis.

Introduction: - The process of converting alternating voltage to direct voltage at the output is known as
rectification. So, it is carried out for both negative and positive half cycles which are converted
into positive side of the x-axis. In this lab we are doing rectification by two methods in 1stmethod we are
using bridge rectifier, and in 2nd method we used center tapped transformer. The working & operation of a full wave
bridge rectifier is pretty simple. The circuit diagrams and wave forms are mentioned below.
Efficiency:
Now to calculate the efficiency of the system, we need input power in numeric values and the output power delivered
to the load in numeric values. To get these values , we have to calculate the average value (or equivalent D.C. value )
of the input voltage and the r.m.s value of the output voltage at the load end. Both these values will give us
respectively the input and output powers of the system.
1)-Average output voltage and output Power Pdc:
This is calculated by using the formula of average value for a periodic waveform.
Vave=

Vmsin (wt ) dwt

0

----------------

(1)

After solving this equation, we got the result of the output D.C. voltage for the half cycle as equal to:
Vave=

2 Vm
=Vdc

---------------

(2)

So equation.(2) is our desire input average voltage for one cycle of the periodic waveform.
And the output power of the system can be easily calculated as:

(Vdc)2
Pdc=
R
2Vm 2

4 Vm2
> Pdc=
= 2
R
R

( )

---------------

(3)

This equation represents the output D.C. power of the system to the load end.
2)-R.M.S input voltage:
The output voltage waveform is calculated by taking the root, than mean and finally the root of the waveform as
shown by the equation below:

1
Vr . m. s= (Vmsin ( wt ))2 dwt
0

---------------

(4)

After solving this equation, we got the result of the input r.m.s. voltage to the system as:
Vr . m. s =

Vm
2

----------------

(5)

So equation.(5) represent the value of input r.m.s. voltage.

Pin=

Vrms 2 Vm 2
=
R
2R

-----------------

(6).

As, the %age efficiency % of the system is given by the equation:

age =

4 Vm2
2 R

( )

Pout
Pdc
100 =
100 =
Pin
Pac
Vm2
2R

( )

( )

100

This gives us:

%age =
81.06%

Procedure: o Install the power supply, the resistive loads, the DC voltmeter/ammeter and the power diodes module in the
workstation.
o Make sure that the main power switch of the power supply is set to 0. Set the voltage control knob to 0.
Connect the power supply to a three-phase wall receptacle.

o Plug the Power supply line cord into a wall receptacle. Set the rocker switch of the power supply to the 1(on
position).
o Make sure that the toggle switches on the resistive Load are all set to the 0.

By using Bridge rectifier: A bridge rectifier is an arrangement of four or more diodes in a bridge circuit
configuration which provides the same output polarity for either input polarity. It is used for converting an
alternating current (AC) input into a direct current (DC) output. A bridge rectifier provides full-wave rectification. In
the circuit diagram, we connected four diodes in a manner that diode D1 and D2 are in series and D3 and D4 and then
D1& D2 parallel with D3& D4. We connect the positive terminal of the power source between D1& D2 and negative
terminal among D3& D4. Now when positive pulse come the diode D3 and D2 become in active region mean forward
bias, and D4 and D1 become reverse bias. When polarity of the signal change the diode D4 and D1 forward bias and
the remaining become reverse bias.

Circuit diagram in case of resistive load:-

Following are the wave form across the resistive load.

 Circuit diagram in case of inductive load:-

Output Waveforms in case of Resistive Inductive Load:-

By using center-tapped transformer: In this method we use two diodes connected to the secondary of
the center-tapped transformer as shown in fig. The input is coupled through the transformer to the center tap and each
end of the secondary winding as shown. For a positive half cycle of the input voltage, the polarities of the secondary
voltages are as shown in fig. this condition forward biases diodes D1 and reverse-biases diode D2. The current path
is through D1 and load resister RL, as indicated. For a negative half-cycle of the input voltage, the voltage polarities
on the secondary so, in this condition D1 is reversed biased and D2 become forward biased. The current path is
through D2 and RL, because the output current during both the positive and negative portions of the input cycle is in
the same direction through the load, the output voltage developed across the load resistor is a full-wave rectified dc
voltage.

Output wave form across the resistive load and table are indicated below.

Circuit diagram (inductive load)

Output wave form across the resistive inductive load and table are indicated below.

Conclusion: In this exercise we demonstrated the operation of rectification. We studied the effect of resistive and
inductive load on output voltages and current .We see that inductive load increases the current value because it does
not change the current value abruptly.