De La Salle University

College of Engineering
Electronics and Communications Engineering

Experiment Number : 5
Experiment Title

: Rectification

Date Performed

: February 17, 2010

Date Submitted

: February 24, 2010

Instructor

: Engr. Roque

Subject/Section

: LBYEC13

Group Number

:2

Group Leader
Group Members

: Joseph Emil Aco

: Derrick Lim
Carlota Elauria
Patrick Jawili
Richard Vergara
Presentation
Data and Results
Analysis and Conclusion
Answers to Questions
Total

:_______________________
:_______________________
:_______________________
:_______________________
:_______________________

Remarks :___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Instructors Signature :______________________________

I. OBJECTIVES
* To be familiar with AC to pulsating DC conversion.
* To be familiar with different types of rectifiers namely: half-wave rectifier, bridge-type fullwave rectifier and center-tapped transformer full-wave rectifier.
* To observe the effect of simple capacitor filter connected at the output of the rectified circuit.
THEORY
Power companies find it easier to mass-produce and distribute electricity in alternating current
than direct current. Because of this, most electronic equipment gets their source from the AC
power line.
The AC power line delivers a sinusoid, which is 22OVac and
has a frequency of 60Hz. However, the average value or the
direct current voltage produced by a sinusoid is zero because
the positive alteration will
Figure 5.1 Sinusoid Signal

just cancel out with the negative alteration.

Since most electronic equipment requires DC, then, they should
be able to convert AC to DC. The process of converting AC to
pulsating DC is called rectification.
This concept can be further visualized by considering

Figure 5.2 Half-Wave

Rectified Signal

Figures 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3.

Notice that the average value or DC of the AC signal as shown
in Figure 5.1 is equal to the sum of the area of both positive
and negative alterations. Since both are of equal magnitude but
opposite directions, then the net

Figure 5.3 Full-Wave

Rectified Signal

sum is zero.

On the other hand, the signal shown in Figure 5.2 has its negative alteration removed. The
average or DC voltage of this signal is now equal to the area of the positive alteration distributed
over one period. The average voltage can be expressed as:
Vave(HWR) = VDC(HWR) = Vm / = 0.318 Vm

EQUATION 5.1

where: VM is the peak value of the rectified signal

If we can change the polarity of the negative alteration of the ac signal, then it will result in a full
wave rectified signal whose average voltage is twice that of the halfwave rectified signal.
Vave(FWR) = VDC(FWR) = 2 X Vm / = 0.318 Vm

EQUATION 5.2

where: VM is the peak value of the rectified signal

It is possible to reduce greatly the amplitudes of the ac components in the output voltage of a
rectifier by means of one or two sections of a smoothing filter. Smoothing filters used with
rectifiers hat supply power to electronic tubes and transistors are usually made of iron-core
inductances and capacitors. In circuits where the load currents are very small, or if the load
current need not be extremely smooth, only capacitors and resistors may be used in the filter. A
filter usually takes one of three forms: (1) shunt capacitor, (2) Lsection, and (3) section.

(a)

(b)
Figure 5.4

When the load voltage has only a small amount of ac voltage, its variation about the average
(DC) value, or the variation in the output voltage due to the charging and discharging, is called
ripple voltage or simply ripple. The smaller the ripple, the better the filtering action. Ripple
voltage can be m2asured graphically as shown in Figure 5.4-a for half-wave rectifier and Figure
5.4-b for full-wave rectifier.
A simple filter to remove the AC ripple components in the output of a rectifier is obtained by
shunting a capacitor across the load resistance. If the value of capacitance is chosen so that its
reactance at the fundamental frequency is much less than the value of load resistance, the AC
components will have a low-reactance path around the load resistor. Only a small AC current
flows through the load and produces a small ripple voltage. From Figure 5.4, the DC voltage
across the capacitor filter can be obtained graphically as:
Vdc = Vm [Vr(p-p) / 2]

EQUATION 5.3

where: Vm is the peak value of the filtered signal

Vr(p-p) is the ripple voltage across the capacitor filter in peak-to-peak
Ripple factor is an indication of the effectiveness of the filet and is defined as the ratio of the
ripple voltage in RMS value to the DC (average) value of the filter output voltage. The ripple
factor can be decreased by increasing the value of the filter capacitor.
r = Vr(rms) / Vdc

EQUATION 5.4

MATERIALS

1 -220:3-4.5-6-9-12 Vac Transformer

1 -Analog VOM

1 -Dual-Trace Oscilloscope

1 l00F Capacitor

1 -330F Capacitor

4 -1N4001 Diode

1 -lk Resistor

1 -Breadboard

Connecting Wires

II. DATA AND RESULTS

Half-Wave Rectifier
3. Connect CH1 (the input channel) across the input source and CH2 (the output channel) across
the 1k resistor. Set VERT MODE to DUAL. Set AC-GND-DC switch of CH1 to AC and ACGND-DC switch of CH2 to DC. Measure the value of the peak output voltage.
VM = 6.0 volts
4. Draw the input and output waveforms as seen from the oscilloscope in Graph 5.1.

Graph 5.1
5. What can you say about the input and output waveforms?
It clips the negative cycle of the wave.
6. Connect the VOM across the 1k load resistor and measure the DC voltage.
VDC = 1.86 volts
7. Calculate the average or DC signal content of the half-wave rectified signal using Equation
5.1. Then, compute for the percent error.
VDC = 1.98 volts
% Error = 2.67%
Half Wave Rectifier with Capacitor Filter
10. Connect CH1 (the input channel) across the input source and CH2 (the output channel)
across the parallel combination of the 1k resistor and the 100F capacitor. Set VERT MODE to
DUAL. Set AC-GND-DC switch of CH1 to AC and AC-GND-DC switch of CH2 to DC.
Measure the value of the peak output voltage.
VM = 6.0 volts
11. Draw the input and output waveforms as seen from the oscilloscope in Graph 5.2.

Graph 5.2

12. Compare the output waveforms in Graph 5.1 with the output waveform in Graph 5.2. What is
your observation?
In graph 5.1 the negative half cycle of the output voltage is clipped while in the graph 5.2, the
output voltage is clamped up and the voltage peak became smaller.
13. Measure the peak-to-peak ripple voltage using the oscilloscope.
Vr (p-p) = 1 volts
14. Connect the VOM across the parallel combination of the 1k resistor and the 100F
capacitor then measure the DC voltage.
VDC = 5.47 volts
Compare the DC voltage obtained from step 6 with the DC voltage obtained from step 14. Note
down your observation.
The Vr (p-p) of the output voltage in graph 5.2 is smaller and clamped up compared to the output
voltage peak in graph 5.1.
15. Calculate the average or DC signal content of the filtered signal using Equation 5.3. Then,
compute for the percent error.
VDC = 5.5 volts
% Error = 0.55%
18. Connect CH1 (the input channel) across the input source and CH2 (the output channel)
across the parallel combination of the 1k resistor and the 330F capacitor. Set VERT MODE to
DUAL. Set AC-GND-DC switch of CH1 to AC and AC-GND-DC switch of CH2 to DC.
Measure the value of the peak output voltage.
VM = 6 volts
19. Draw the input and output waveforms as seen from the oscilloscope in Graph 5.3.

Graph 5.3
20. Compare the output ripple voltage in Graph 5.2 with the output ripple voltage in Graph 5.3.
What is your observation? The ripple voltage of graph 5.3 is much smaller than the ripple
voltage of graph 5.2.
Measure the peak-to-peak ripple voltage using the oscilloscope.
Vr (p-p) = 0.5 volts
22. Connect the VOM across the parallel combination of the 1k resistor and the 330F
capacitor. Then, measure the DC voltage.
VDC = 5.72 volts
23. Calculate the average or the DC signal content of the filtered signal using Equation 5.3.
Then, compute for the percent error.
VDC = 5.75 volts
% Error = 0.52%
Full-Wave Rectifier
26. Connect CH1 across the input AC source. Set VERT MODE to CH1. Set AC-GND-DC
switch of CH1 to AC. Draw the input waveform in Graph 5.4.

Graph 5.4
NOTE: AT this point, you should only use one oscilloscope probe. You cannot connect the two
probes of the oscilloscope, which has no common ground. At least one diode will burn if you try
to connect the probe at the same time.
27. Now, connect CH1 across the 1k resistor. Set VERT MODE to CH1. Set AC-GND-DC
switch of CH! to DC. Measure the value of the peak output voltage.
VM = 5.5 volts
28. Draw the rectified output waveform in Graph 5.4.
29. What can you say about the input and output waveforms?
The output waveform has a smaller Vr (p-p).
30. Connect the VOM across the 1k load resistor and measure the DC voltage.
VDC = 3.20 volts
31. Calculate the DC voltage using Equation 5.2. Then, compute for the percent error.
VDC = 3.5 volts
% Error = 9.38%

Full-Wave Rectifier with Capacitor Filter

34. Connect CH1 across the input AC source. Set VERT MODE to CH1. Set AC-GND-DC
switch of CH1 to AC. Draw the waveform in Graph 5.5.

Graph 5.5
35. Now, connect CH1 across the parallel combination of the 1k resistor and the 100F
capacitor. Set VERT MODE to CH1. Set AC-GND-DC switch of the CH1 to DC. Measure the
value of the peak output voltage.
VM = 6 volts
36. Draw the output waveform in Graph 5.5.
37. Compare the output waveform in Graph 5.4 with the output waveform in Graph 5.5. What is
your observation?
The output waveform of Graph 5.5 has a bigger Vr (p-p) value than in Graph 5.4.
38. Measure the peak-to-peak ripple voltage using the oscilloscope.
Vr (p-p) = 1 volts
39. Connect the VOM across the parallel combination of the 1k resistor and the 100F
capacitor. Then, measure the DC voltage.
VDC = 5.12 volts

Compare the DC voltage obtained from step 30 with the DC voltage obtained from step 39. Note
down your observation.
The output Vr (p-p) is smaller and clamped up.
40. Calculate the average or DC signal content of the filtered signal using Equation 5.3. Then,
compute for the percent error.
VDC = 5.5 volts
% Error = 7.42%
43. Connect CH1 across the input AC source. Set VERT MODE to CH1. Set AC-GND-DC
switch of CH1 to AC. Draw the waveform in Graph 5.6.

Graph 5.6
44. Now, connect CH1 across the parallel combination of the 1k resistor and 330F capacitor.
Set VERT MODE to CH1. Set AC-GND-DC switch of CH1 to DC. Measure the value of the
peak output voltage.
VM = 5.5 volts
45. Draw the output waveform in Graph 5.6.
46. Compare the output ripple voltage in Graph 5.5 with the output ripple voltage in Graph 5.6.
What is your observation?

The output Vr (p-p) is small and clamped up in the Graph 5.6.

47. Measure the peak-to-peak ripple voltage using the oscilloscope.
Vr (p-p) = 0. 5 volts
48. Connect the VOM across the parallel combination of the 1k resistor and the 330F
capacitor. Then, measure the DC voltage.
VDC = 5.12 volts
49. Calculate the average or DC signal content of the filtered signal using Equation 5.3. Then,
compute for the percent error.
VDC = 5. 25 volts
% Error = 2.54%
Computer Simluation
50. Turn on the computer.
51. Using Electronic Workbench MULTISM 8, simulate the full-wave bridge-type rectifier in
Figure 5.7.
52. Set vertical resolution of CH1 of the oscilloscope to 5 volts/div. Set the horizontal resolution
to 5 ms/div. Connect CH1 of the oscilloscope across the 1k resistor. Set AC-GND-DC switch
of CH1 to AC and the AC-GND-DC switch of CH2 to DC. Set X-position and Y-position to 0.
Measure the value of the peak output voltage.
VM = 5 volts

53. Draw the full-wave rectified signal as seen from the oscilloscope in Graph 5.7.

54. Connect the VOM across the 1k load resistor and measure the DC voltage.
VDC= 2.949 volts

55. Compare the output waveform in Graph 5.4 with the output waveform in Graph 5.7. Note
down your observation. They are very similar, both are graphs of full-wave rectifiers.
56. Connect a 100F capacitor across the 1k resistor as shown in Figure 5.8 then simulate the
circuit using Electronic Workbench MULTISM 8.
57. Set vertical resolution of CH1 of the oscilloscope to 5 volts/div. Set the horizontal resolution
to 5 ms/div. Connect CH1 of the oscilloscope across the 1k resistor. Set AC-GND-DC switch
of CH1 to AC and the AC-GND-DC switch of CH2 to DC. Set X-position and Y-position to 0.
Measure the value of the peak output voltage.

VM = 5.008 volts

58. Draw the filtered waveform as seen from the oscilloscope in Graph 5.8.

59. Measure the peak-to-peak ripple voltage using the oscilloscope.

Vr(p-p) = 0 volts (approximately)

60. Connect the VOM across the parallel combination of the 1k resistor and the 100F
capacitor. Then, measure the DC voltage.

VDC= 4.943 volts

61. Compare the output waveform in Graph 5.5 with the output waveform in Graph 5.8. Note
down your observation. They are very similar, both are pulsating DC graphs.

V. GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. Discuss the importance of rectification.
The first element of an electronics power supply that any incoming power will meet is the
transformer and AC rectifier circuits. This element of any electronics power supply converts the
incoming power to a form which can be accepted by the smoothing and regulator circuits.

When running from an AC source, a transformer is used to transform the incoming mains voltage
to the correct value required for the power supply electronics circuitry. The resulting voltage
waveform is an alternating current. This must be rectified to enable the power to be smoothed
and regulated for use by electronics circuitry. To achieve this an AC rectifier circuit is used.
While the rectifier circuit may appear to be very simple at first sight, there are several different
forms of AC rectifier circuit that can be used. The choice of the actual AC rectifier circuit chosen
will depend upon a number of factors, and it could impact upon the type of transformer used as
well.

2. Define ripple factor. What is the ripple factor for all the experimental circuits?
Ripple factor () may be defined as the ratio of the root mean square (rms) value of the ripple
voltage to the absolute value of the dc component of the output voltage, usually expressed as a

percentage. However, ripple voltage is also commonly expressed as the peak-to-peak value. This
is largely because peak-to-peak is both easier to measure on an oscilloscope and is simpler to
calculate theoretically. Filter circuits intended for the reduction of ripple are usually called
smoothing circuits.

3. Discuss the importance of the bleeder resistor.

A bleeder resistor is a resistor placed in parallel with a high-voltage supply for the purposes of
discharging the energy stored in the power source's filter capacitors or other components that
store electrical energy when the equipment is turned off.

4. Discuss the importance of the shunt capacitor.

Is a capacitor or group of capacitors which are placed across an Electric Power line or Electric
Appliance to provide a voltage increase or to improve the power factor of the circuit.

5. Discuss the effect and importance of an RC filter.

It is used to filter a signal waveform that changes the relative amounts of low-frequency and
high-frequency information in their output signals relative to their input signals. It is used to
select wanted signals and reject the signals which are not necessary.

6. Compare the performance of a full-wave rectifier with that of a half-wave rectifier in five
important respects. Discuss its advantages.

In half wave rectification, 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, it is very inefficient if used for power transfer. Half-wave rectification can be
achieved with a single diode in a one phase supply, or with three diodes in a three-phase
supply. Ripple factor is .

Full-wave rectification converts both polarities of the input waveform to DC (direct

current), and is more efficient. Ripple factor is /2.

7. Discuss the operation of the half-wave and full-wave rectifier circuits when the shunt
capacitor is connected.
During the positive half cycle of the ac input, the diode of the rectifier is forward biased and so it
conducts. This quickly charges the capacitor C to peak value of the supply voltage VSmax
because of almost zero charging time constant. After being fully charged, the capacitor holds the
charge till input ac supply to the rectifier goes negative. During the negative half cycle, the diode
gets reverse biased and so stops conduction. So the capacitor C discharges through load
resistance RL and loses charge. Voltage across RL (VL) or across C (vc), both being equal,
decreases exponentially with time constant CRL along the curve.
In Full wave with shunt capacitor, capacitor discharges twice in one cycle. Because both the
diodes conduct, non-conducting period has reduced. The result is that ripple voltage Vr has been
reduced to half and Vdc has been increased relative to half wave rectifier. Voltage regulation in
this case is better than that in half-wave rectifier.

8. Discuss briefly the applications of half-wave rectifiers.

Most half-wave rectifiers are suitable in audio circuits. It can be used to obtain the desired level
of dc voltage (using step up or step down transformers). It provides isolation from the power
line.
9. Answer the computer simulation problems in Exercise 5: Design of Rectifier with Capacitor
Filter.

Exercise 5
DESIGN OF RECTIFIER WITH CAPACITOR FILTER
A. Simulate the center-tapped transformer full-wave rectifier circuit shown in Figure 1 using
MULTISIM 8 software and determine the following:

1. Sketch of the rectified signal across RL as seen from the oscilloscope.

2. Reading of the DC voltmeter connected across the RL.

-607.417 pA
3. Reading of the DC ammeter connected in series with the RL.
-1.248 uV
4. If a 330uF capacitor is connected across the R sketch the filtered signal as seen from the
oscilloscope.

5. Reading of the DC voltmeter connected across the parallel combination of RL and 330F
capacitor.
-1.32nV

B. Design a bridge-type full-wave rectifier with capacitor filter with an input of 22OVrms, 60Hz
to the transformer and requires a maximum output voltage of 26V and a minimum output voltage
of 22V across a 500 load. Determine the circuit configuration of the power supply, rating of the
transformer, value of the filter capacitor and the PRV rating of the Silicon diode. Simulate your
circuit using MULTISIM 8 software.