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Introduction:
A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current (AC), which periodically reverses direction, to direct current (DC), which flows in only one direction. The process is known as rectification. Rectifiers have many uses, but are often found serving as components of DC power supplies and high-voltage direct current power transmission systems. Rectification may serve in roles other than to generate direct current for use as a source of power. As noted, detectors of radio signals serve as rectifiers. The simple process of rectification produces a type of DC characterized by pulsating voltages and currents (although still unidirectional). Depending upon the type of end-use, this type of DC current may then be further modified into the type of relatively constant voltage DC characteristically produced by such sources as batteries and solar cells. A device which performs the opposite function (converting DC to AC) is known as an inverter.

Rectifier Devices:
Before the development of silicon semiconductor rectifiers, vacuum tube diodes and copper(I) oxide or selenium rectifier stacks were used. With the introduction of semiconductor electronics, vacuum tube rectifiers became obsolete, except for some enthusiasts of vacuum tube audio equipment. For power rectification from very low to very high current, semiconductor diodes of various types (junction diodes, Schottky diodes, etc.) are widely used. Other devices which have control electrodes as well as acting as unidirectional current valves are used where more than simple rectification is required, e.g., where variable output voltage is needed. High power rectifiers, such as are used in high-voltage direct current power transmission, employ silicon semiconductor devices of various types. These are thyristors or other controlled switching solid-state switches which effectively function as diodes to pass current in only one direction. There are three main types of rectifier . they are as follows: 1. Half wave rectifier. 2. Full wave bridge rectifier. 3. Full wave center taped rectifier.

1. Half wave rectifier:

For half wave rectifier only a single diode is used to rectify ac current into dc current. The simplest type is the half-wave rectifier, which can be made with just one diode. When the voltage of the alternating current is positive, the diode becomes forward-biased and current flows through it. When the voltage is negative, the diode is reverse-biased and the current stops. The result is a clipped copy of the alternating current waveform with only positive voltage, and an average voltage that is one third of the peak input voltage. This pulsating direct current is adequate for some components, but others require a more steady current. This requires a full-wave rectifier that can convert both parts of the cycle to positive voltage. In half wave rectification of a single-phase supply, either the positive or negative half of the AC wave is passed, while the other half is blocked. Because only one half of the input waveform reaches the output, mean voltage is lower. Half-wave rectification requires a single diode in a single-phase supply, or three in a three-phase supply. Rectifiers yield a

unidirectional but pulsating direct current; half-wave rectifiers produce far more ripple than full-wave rectifiers, and much more filtering is needed to eliminate harmonics of the AC frequency from the output. A real rectifier will have a characteristic which drops part of the input voltage (a voltage drop, for silicon devices, of typically 0.7 volts plus an equivalent resistance, in general non-linear), and at high frequencies will distort waveforms in other ways; unlike an ideal rectifier, it will dissipate power.

When a single rectifier unit is placed in series with the load across an ac supply, it converts alternating voltage into uni-directional pulsating voltage, using one half cycles of the applied voltage, the other half cycles being suppressed because it conducts only in one direction. Unless there is an inductance or battery in the circuit, the current will be zero, therefore, for half the time. This is called half-wave rectification. As already discussed, diode is an electronic device consisting of two elements known as cathode and anode. Since in a diode electrons can flow in one direction only i.e. from cathode to anode so the diode provides the unilateral conduction necessary for rectification. This is true for diodes of all types-vacuum, gas-filled, crystal or semiconductor, metallic (copper oxide and selenium types) diodes. Semiconductor diodes, because of their inherent advantages are usually used as a rectifying device. However, for very high voltages, vacuum diodes may be employed.

Working of half wave rectifier:

The ac voltage across the secondary winding changes polarities after every half cycle. During the positive half-cycles of the input ac voltage i.e. when upper end of the secondary winding is positive w.r.t. its lower end, the diode is forward biased and therefore conducts current. If the forward resistance of the diode is assumed to be zero (in practice, however, a small resistance exists) the input voltage during the positive half-cycles is directly applied to the load resistance RL, making its upper end positive w.r.t. its lower end. The waveforms of the output current and output voltage are of the same shape as that of the input ac voltage.

During the negative half cycles of the input ac voltage i.e. when the lower end of the secondary winding is positive w.r.t. its upper end, the diode is reverse biased and so does not conduct. Thus during the negative half cycles of the input ac voltage the current through and voltage across the load remains zero if the reverse current, being very small in magnitude, is neglected. Thus for the negative half cycles no power is delivered to the load. Thus the output voltage developed across load resistance RL (VL) is a series of positive half cycles of alternating voltage, with intervening very small constant negative voltage levels, It is obvious from the figure that the output is not a steady dc, but only a pulsating dc wave. Since only half-cycles of the input wave are used, it is called a half-wave rectifier.

A diode is connected to a alternating voltage source and a parallel resistance as shown in the figure, when the top part of the transformer become positive, then the diode is in the forward bias condition. As a diode behave like a on switch when it is in forward bias condition, so it will be short circuited and the current will start to flow.

Again in the negative half cycle, the diode is in reverse bias. In reverse bias condition the diode act as a open switch and the current will not flow through the diode, that means that the negative half cycle of the input voltage is cut out. Again when the diode is in forward bias it will allow the current to pass and in reverse bias it will not conduct current.

Advantage and disadvantage of half wave rectifier: Advantage: 1. Simple circuit. 2. Low coast. Disadvantages:

1. The output current in the load contains, in addition to dc component, ac components of basic
frequency equal to that of the input voltage frequency. Ripple factor is high and an elaborate filtering is, therefore, required to give steady dc output. 2. The power output and, therefore, rectification efficiency is quite low. This is due to the fact that power is delivered only half the time. 3. Transformer utilization factor is low. 4. DC saturation of transformer core resulting in magnetizing current and hysteresis losses and generation of harmonics.

The type of supply available from a half-wave rectifier is not satisfactory for general power supply. This type of supply can be satisfactory for some particular purposes such as battery charging.