Rectification
Rectification Graphs
Rectification is defined as:
The process of converting alternating current and voltage into direct current and voltage
Rectification is used in electronic equipment which requires a direct current
o For example, mains voltage must be rectified from the alternating voltage produced
at power stations
There are two types of rectification:
o Half-wave rectification
o Full-wave rectification
For half-wave rectification:
o The graph of the output voltage Vout against time is a sine curve with the positive
cycles and a flat line (Vout = 0) on the negative cycle
o This is because the diode only conducts in the positive direction
For full-wave rectification:
o The graph of the output voltage Vout against time is a sine curve where the positive
cycles and the negative cycles are both curved ‘bumps’
The difference between the graphs of full-wave and half-wave rectification
Half-Wave Rectification
Half-wave rectification consists of a single diode
o An alternating input voltage is connected to a circuit with a load resistor and diode
in series
The diode will only conduct during the positive cycles of the input alternating voltage,
o Hence there is only current in the load resistor during these positive cycles
The output voltage Vout across the resistor will fluctuate against against time in the same way
as the input alternating voltage except there are no negative cycles
Half-wave rectification requires a single diode and the graph is represented by only the positive
cycles
This type of rectification means half of the time the voltage is zero
So, the power available from a half-wave rectified supply is reduced
Full-Wave Rectification
Full-wave rectification requires a bridge rectifier circuit
o This consists of four diodes connected across an input alternating voltage supply
The output voltage Vout is taken across a load resistor
During the positive cycles of the input voltage, one terminal if the voltage supply is positive
and the other negative
o Two diodes opposite each other that are in forward bias will conduct
o The other two in reverse bias will not conduct
o A current will flow in the load resistor with the positive terminal at the top of the
resistor
During the negative cycles of the input voltage, the positive and negative terminals of the
input alternating voltage supply will swap
o The two diodes that were forward bias will now be in reverse bias and not conduct
o The other two in reverse bias will now be in forward bias and will conduct
o The current in the load resistor will still flow in the same direction as before
When A is positive and B is negative, diodes 2 and 3 will conduct and 1 and 4 will not. When A is
negative and B is positive, diodes 1 and 4 will conduct and diodes 2 and 3 will not. The current in
the load resistor R will flow downwards
In both the positive and negative cycles, the current in the load resistor is the same
Each diode pair is the same as in half-wave rectification
o Since there are two pairs, this equates to full-wave rectification overall
The main advantage of full-wave rectification compared to half-wave rectification is that
there is more power available
o Therefore, a greater power is supplied on every half cycle
