UNCONTROLLED RECTIFIER TUTORIAL

Example 3.1: Finding the Performance Parameters of a Full-Wave Rectifier with a Center-
Tapped Transformer
If the rectifier in Figure 3.2(a)(from notes) has a purely resistive load of R, determine (a) the
efficiency, (b) the FF, (c) the RF, (d) the TUF, (e) the PIV of diode 𝐷1 , (f) the CF of the input
current, and (g) the input power factor PF.

Solution
The average output voltage is

and the average load current is

The rms values of the output voltage and current are

𝑃𝑑𝑐 = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 𝐼𝑑𝑐 = 0.6366𝑉𝑚 2 𝑅 , and from 𝑃𝑎𝑐 = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 0.707𝑉𝑚 2 𝑅 .
a. The efficiency 𝜂 = 𝑃𝑑𝑐 𝑃𝑎𝑐 = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 𝐼𝑑𝑐 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 0.6366𝑉𝑚 2 0.707𝑉𝑚 2 = 81%.
b. The form factor 𝐹𝐹 = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 0.707𝑉𝑚 0.6366𝑉𝑚 = 1.11.
c. The ripple factor 𝑅𝐹 = 𝐹𝐹 2 − 1 = 0.482 𝑜𝑟 48.2%.
d. The rms voltage of the transformer secondary 𝑉𝑠 = 𝑉𝑚 2 = 0.707𝑉𝑚 . The rms value
of transformer secondary current 𝐼𝑠 = 0.5𝑉𝑚 𝑅 . The volt-ampere rating (VA) of the transformer,
𝑉𝐴 = 2𝑉𝑠 𝐼𝑠 = 2 × 0.707𝑉𝑚 × 0.5𝑉𝑚 𝑅 .

𝑃𝑑𝑐 𝑉𝑑𝑐 𝐼𝑑𝑐

𝑇𝑈𝐹 = =
𝑉𝐴 2𝑉𝑠 𝐼𝑠

e. The peak reverse blocking voltage, 𝑃𝐼𝑉 = 2𝑉𝑚

𝐼𝑠(𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘 )
f. 𝐼𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘 = 𝑉𝑚 𝑅 and 𝐼𝑠 = 0.707𝑉𝑚 𝑅 . The CF of the input current is 𝐶𝐹 = =
𝐼𝑠
1 0.707 = 2.
g. The input PF for a resistive load can be found from

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Note: 1/TUF = 1/0.81064 = 1.136 signifies that the input transformer, if present, must be 1.75
times larger than that when it is used to deliver power from a pure ac sinusoidal voltage. The
rectifier has an RF of 48.2% and a rectification efficiency of 81%.

Example 3.2 Finding the Performance Parameters of a Three-Phase Star Rectifier

A three-phase star rectifier has a purely resistive load with R ohms. Determine (a) the efficiency,
(b) the FF, (c) the RF, (d) the TUF factor, (e) the PIV of each diode, and (f) the peak current
through a diode if the rectifier delivers 𝐼𝑑𝑐 = 30𝐴 at an output voltage of 𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 140 𝑉.

Solution
For a three-phase rectifier q = 3 in

and

a. 𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 0.827𝑉𝑚 and 𝐼𝑑𝑐 = 0.827𝑉𝑚 /𝑅. From Eq. (3.26), 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 0.84068𝑉𝑚 and
𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 0.84068𝑉𝑚 /𝑅. 𝑃𝑑𝑐 = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 𝐼𝑑𝑐 = 0.827𝑉𝑚 2 𝑅 ; 𝑃𝑎𝑐 = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 0.84068𝑉𝑚 2 𝑅
The efficiency 𝜂 = 𝑃𝑑𝑐 𝑃𝑎𝑐 = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 𝐼𝑑𝑐 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 0.827𝑉𝑚 2 0.84068𝑉𝑚 2 = 96.77%.

b. The form factor 𝐹𝐹 = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 0.84068𝑉𝑚 0.827𝑉𝑚 = 1.0165 𝑜𝑟 101.65%.

c. The ripple factor 𝑅𝐹 = 1.01652 − 1 = 0.1824 𝑜𝑟 18.24%.
d. The rms voltage of the transformer secondary 𝑉𝑠 = 𝑉𝑚 2 = 0.707𝑉𝑚 . The rms current of the
transformer secondary,
1 𝜋 1 2𝜋 1/2
𝐼𝑠 = 𝐼𝑚 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛
2𝜋 𝑞 2 𝑞

The VA rating of the transformer for q = 3

𝑃𝑑𝑐
𝑇𝑈𝐹 =
𝑉𝐴

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e. The peak inverse voltage of each diode is equal to the peak value of the secondary line-to-line
voltage. The line-to-line voltage is 3 times the phase voltage and thus 𝑃𝐼𝑉 = 3𝑉𝑚 .

f. The average current through each diode is

Example 3.3: Finding the Performance Parameters of a Three-Phase Bridge Rectifier

A three-phase bridge rectifier has a purely resistive load of R. Determine (a) the efficiency, (b)
the FF, (c) the RF, (d) the TUF, (e) the peak inverse (or reverse) voltage (PIV) of each diode, and
(f) the peak current through a diode. The rectifier delivers 𝐼𝑑𝑐 = 60𝐴 at an output voltage of
𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 280 𝑉 and the source frequency is 60 Hz.

Solution
a. From

𝐼𝑑𝑐 = 1.654𝑉𝑚 𝑅

From

𝐼𝑜(𝑟𝑚𝑠 ) = 𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 1.6554𝑉𝑚 𝑅

2 2
𝑃𝑑𝑐 = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 𝐼𝑑𝑐 = 1.654𝑉𝑚 𝑅 ; 𝑃𝑎𝑐 = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 1.654𝑉𝑚 𝑅
2 2
The efficiency 𝜂 = 𝑃𝑑𝑐 𝑃𝑎𝑐 = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 𝐼𝑑𝑐 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 1.654𝑉𝑚 1.6554𝑉𝑚 = 99.83%.

b. The form factor 𝐹𝐹 = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 1.6554𝑉𝑚 1.654𝑉𝑚 = 1.0008 𝑜𝑟 100.08%.

c. The ripple factor 𝑅𝐹 = 1.00082 − 1 = 0.04 𝑜𝑟 4%.

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d. The rms voltage of the transformer secondary, 𝑉𝑠 = 𝑉𝑚 2 = 0.707𝑉𝑚 . The rms current of
the transformer secondary,

The VA rating of the transformer,

𝑃𝑑𝑐
𝑇𝑈𝐹 =
𝑉𝐴

The input power factor is

e. From 𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 1.654𝑉𝑚 , the peak line-to-neutral voltage is 𝑉𝑚 = 280.7 1.654 = 169.7𝑉. The
peak inverse voltage of each diode is equal to the peak value of the secondary line-to line voltage,
𝑃𝐼𝑉 = 3 × 𝑉𝑚 = 3 × 169.7 = 293.9𝑉.

f. The average current through each diode is

Note: This rectifier has considerably improved performances compared with those of the
multiphase rectifier with six pulses.

Example 3.4: Finding the Diode Ratings from the Diode Currents
A three-phase bridge rectifier supplies a highly inductive load such that the average load current
is 𝐼𝑑𝑐 = 60𝐴 and the ripple content is negligible. Determine the ratings of the diodes if the line-
to- neutral voltage of the Y-connected supply is 120 V at 60 Hz.

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Solution
The currents through the diodes are shown in Figure 1. The average current of a diode 𝐼𝑑 =
60 3 = 20𝐴. The rms current is

Figure 1 Current through diodes.

Example 3.5: Finding the Effect of Diode Recovery Time on the Output Voltage of a
Rectifier
The diodes in the single-phase full-wave rectifier has a reverse recovery time of 𝑡𝑟𝑟 = 50𝜇𝑠 and
the rms input voltage is 𝑉𝑠 = 120𝑉. Determine the effect of the reverse recovery time on the
average output voltage if the supply frequency is (a) 𝑓𝑠 = 2𝑘𝐻𝑧 and (b) 𝑓𝑠 = 60𝑘𝐻𝑧.

Solution
The reverse recovery time would affect the output voltage of the rectifier. In the full-wave
rectifier, the diode 𝐷1 is not off at ωt = π; instead, it continues to conduct until 𝑡 = 𝜋 𝜔 + 𝑡𝑟𝑟 .
As a result of the reverse recovery time, the average output voltage is reduced and the output
voltage waveform is shown in Figure 2.

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 Figure 2 Effect of reverse recovery time on output voltage.

If the input voltage is 𝑣 = 𝑉𝑚 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔𝑡 = 2𝑉𝑠 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔𝑡, the average output voltage reduction is

(4)

Without any reverse recovery time, the average output voltage 𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 0.6366𝑉𝑚 = 108.03𝑉.

a. For 𝑡𝑟𝑟 = 50𝜇𝑠 and 𝑓𝑠 = 2000𝐻𝑧 , Eq. (4) gives the reduction of the average output voltage
as

b. For 𝑡𝑟𝑟 = 50𝜇𝑠 and 𝑓𝑠 = 60000𝐻𝑧, Eq. (4) gives the reduction of the output dc voltage