Aim

The aim of this lab is to understand how diodes operate and how their configuration in a
circuit can alter the output of the circuit and how it can be used to rectify waveforms.

Method/Circuit diagram
The operation and configuration of diode and their effects will be observed through 3 main
circuits. Turning an AC power supply waveform into a constant DC voltage.
1. The voltage-current characteristic curve of diode.
Connect the positive terminal of a 240 V, 50Hz, AC power supply to the anode of the diode.
Connect the cathode of the diode to a 240-ohm resistor, connecting it back to the negative
terminal of the AC supply. Use Voltmeters across the voltage source and the diode, to
measure the source voltage and rectified output voltage. An Ammeter should be connected in
series with the diode, between the diode and resistor, to measure the current travelling
through the cathode end of the diode.

240 V 240 Ohms

2. Single-phase half-wave rectifier

Connect the circuit as seen in the diagram, use a 240 V AC power supply and 240 Ohms
resistor in the circuit. It is the same circuit as the diode, with the only difference being the
there is a voltmeter connected across the resistor instead of the diode.
3. Single-phase full-wave (bridge) rectifier

Connect the circuit as shown to create a full-wave rectifier. Voltmeters should be connected
across the diodes, instead of across the resistor. Ammeters should be connected before the
resistor and after the voltage source and before the first diode. There are three different states
for the voltage source, DC with positive terminal at anode of diode 1, DC with negative
terminal at anode of diode 1 and AC power supply.

Results
8. Characteristics of a diode

Based on the displayed result, the diode only works in one direction as seen in the yellow
ch.1 curve. The ch.1 curve displays the voltage across the diode and is only shown in the
positive half of the ac sine wave. Therefore, proving that a diode acts as a switch, when the
diode is forward biased it acts as a closed switch allowing the current to travel across the
diode; when in negative bias the diode acts as an open switch and no current flows through
the diode.

12. Single-phase half-wave rectifier

The source voltage, Es, can be seen in the purple wave which is the ac sine wave that is being
supplied to the circuit. The waveforms of the rectified output current Io and voltage Eo, as
seen in blue and yellow respectively, only display half the waveform. Neglecting any voltage
drop across the diode, the amplitude of the output Eo is equal to the amplitude of the source
Es.
The diode used in the rectifier has a conduction angle of 180o, as it conducts only during half
of the whole cycle.
The ripple frequency is 49.9 Hz, which is the residual AC voltage after it’s been rectified.
The average rectified output voltage, Eo, avg is 107.2 V.
The average rectified output current, Io, avg is 0.44 A.
Rectified output power is 117.2 W.
The source voltage, Es is 239 V.
The rectified output voltage, Eo, avg is equal to 0.45Es.
21. Single-phase full-wave (bridge) rectifier

ED1,dc = -0.89 V Io,dc = 1.146 A

ED2,dc = 276.7 V Is,dc = 1.142 A

ED3,dc = -0.29 V

ED4,dc = 274.7 V

In this case diode 2 and diode 4 were in the “on” state and diode 1 and diode 3 were in the
“off” stage. This is as expected as the diodes in a bridge rectifier operate in pairs only
conducting in half-cycles.
The rectified output voltage, Eo = Io x R = 273V.
25.

ED1,dc = -275.4 V Io,dc = 1.142 A

ED2,dc = 0.645 V Is,dc = -1.143 A

 ED3,dc = -277.3 V

ED4,dc = 0.89 V

Converse to the prior case, in this situation diode 1 and diode 3 were in the “on” state and
diode 2 and diode 4 are in the “off” state and not conducting.
The rectified output voltage, Eo = Io x R = 273.4 V.
No matter the polarity of the voltage source, Eo and Io are always positive.

33.

As seen in the diagram, during the positive half diode 1 and diode 4 conduct together; in the
negative half diode 2 and diode 3 conduct together. They swap on and off states every 180o.
The ripple frequency is 100 Hz, which is twice the ripple frequency of the half wave rectifier
at 50 Hz.
The average rectified output voltage, Eo, avg is 216 V.
The average rectified output current, Io, avg is 0.9 A.
Rectified output power is 195 W.
The source voltage, Es is 240.1 V.
The rectified output voltage, Eo, avg is equal to 0.9Es.
The average output voltage of single-phase full-wave rectifier is double the average output
voltage of a single-phase half-wave rectifier.

Discussion
The results obtained through the experiments are as expected through the theoretical
knowledge provided. The results for experiment-1 show that the diode only allows the
positive half of the AC power cycle through, which is as anticipated as the voltage at the
anode is higher than the voltage at the cathode. During the negative cycle the anode had a
lower voltage than the cathode, therefore the diode became reverse biased and acted as a
closed switch.
In experiment-2, the single-phase half-wave rectifier results display that only half the AC
waveform passed through the diode. By comparing the rectified output voltage and current to
the source voltage, we can see that the source voltage is an AC sine wave, but the rectified
waveform only shows for half cycle (180o). In our experiment we had the polarities switched
on the diode, and that this why in our diagram we had the ‘negative’ half of the cycle.
In experiment-3, the single-phase full-wave rectifier results had three displays, one for DC
with positive polarity toward diode 1, DC with negative polarity towards diode 1 and AC
supply. The first display shows that as diode 1 and 4 are “on” the create a waveform with
only positive amplitude repeating every pi degrees. The second display shows that diode 2
and 3 are on due to the reverse polarity and the waveform has negative amplitude every pi
degrees. The AC supply displays both waveforms as the pairs of diode switch from “on” to
“off” every pi degrees. Half-wave rectifier was observed to have half the ripple frequency
and output voltage of full-wave rectifiers. Full-wave rectifier also has no dc component to the
waveform unlike the half-wave rectifier.

Answers to review questions

Ans 1. When the voltage at the anode is higher than the voltage at the cathode, the diode
behaves like a closed switch and is in forward bias, therefore the current travels through as
intended.
Ans 2. When the current stops flowing through the diode, the diode switch is open and it
doesn’t conduct.
Ans 3. In a single-phase half-wave rectifier, the rectified output voltage and current have the
same shape as the source voltage during the positive bias of the diode. If the voltage at the
anode is higher than the voltage at the cathode, the diode allows the waveform to pass. The
rectified waveforms are null when the diode is in reverse bias and not conducting. For
example, In a sine wave with a period of 2pi, if the rectified waveform is “on”(same
amplitude as source) from 0 to pi, it would be null for pi to 2pi.
Ans 4. A bridge rectifier is used to convert AC to DC power in solid state devices. It uses 4
diodes working in pairs to convert the AC supply to DC, using bi-directional alternating
supply to have pairs alternate from forward to reverse bias every half cycle. The AC voltage
source would be a sine wave with amplitude, the rectified output voltage would only have the
positive half of the cycles.
Ans 5. The half-wave rectifier has half the ripple frequency and rectified output voltage of
full-wave rectifier. The half-wave rectifier still has a dc component whereas the full-wave
doesn’t have any dc component.