Rectifiers:
● AC to DC converters
● Single phase rectifiers, center tapped and bridge
● Three phase bridge rectifiers
● Uncontrolled, Controlled and Half-controlled
Center Tap Transformer:
● An extra winding/tapping is connected at
the midpoint of secondary winding.
● Secondary winding is divided into two
equal halves.
● Voltages across each half are equal in magnitude but opposite
in phase.
● Advantage is there are two voltages available at the secondary
winding.
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Single Phase Center tapped Uncontrolled Rectifier:
● From o to π, 𝑉𝐴 is positive, 𝑉𝐵 is negative.
● 𝐷1 is F.B and 𝐷2 is R.B.
● Current flows through 𝐷1 , 𝑅𝐿 and
through the center tapping goes to the
upper half of the secondary.
● From π to 2π, 𝑉𝐴 is negative, 𝑉𝐵 is positive.
● 𝐷1 is R.B and 𝐷2 is F.B.
● Current flows through 𝐷2 , 𝑅𝐿 and
through the center tapping goes to the
lower half of the secondary.
2
DC output voltage:
𝑉𝑇𝐴1/2 2𝐸𝑚
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑤
𝑉𝑑𝑐 = = π = π
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑑 𝑤 𝑤
DC output power:
𝑃𝑑𝑐 = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 X 𝐼𝑑
where 𝐼𝑑 is dc output current of the rectifier
Practice problem: A single phase center-tapped uncontrolled rectifier is operated
from a 120V, 60Hz supply and carries a load current of 50A. Calculate the dc output
voltage and dc output power (in KW) for the rectifier.
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Single Phase Uncontrolled Bridge Rectifier:
● Instead of using a center-tapped transformer,
we could use four diodes in bridge configuration.
● From 0 to π, when the positive cycle of the
input voltage comes, upper terminal of the
secondary winding becomes positive and the
lower terminal becomes negative.
● Upper terminal positive causes 𝐷1 to be F.B
and 𝐷4 to be R.B.
● Lower terminal negative causes 𝐷2 to be F.B
and 𝐷3 to be R.B.
● Current flows through 𝐷1 , 𝑅𝐿 , 𝐷2 and
secondary winding.
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● From π to 2π, when the negative cycle of the input voltage comes, upper
terminal of the secondary winding becomes negative and the lower terminal
becomes positive.
● Upper terminal negative causes 𝐷1 to be R.B and 𝐷4 to be F.B.
● Lower terminal positive causes 𝐷2 to be R.B and 𝐷3 to be F.B.
● Current flows through 𝐷3 , 𝑅𝐿 , 𝐷4 and secondary winding.
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Single Phase Controlled Bridge Rectifier:
● From 0 to π, during positive half cycle,
𝑇1 and 𝑇2 are F.B, 𝑇3 and 𝑇4 are R.B.
● 𝑇1 and 𝑇2 will start conduction when fired
simultaneously at wt = α.
● From π to 2π, during negative half cycle,
𝑇1 and 𝑇2 are R.B, 𝑇3 and 𝑇4 are F.B.
● 𝑇1 and 𝑇2 will continue to conduct even after
wt = π due to the inductive load until 𝑇3 and 𝑇4
are fired at wt = π+α.
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DC output voltage:
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑉𝑑𝑐 = = π
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑑 𝑤
Total area = A = 𝐴1 + 𝐴2
2𝐸𝑚 2𝐸𝑚 α
𝐴1 = 𝑉𝑇𝐴1/2 − 𝑉𝑇𝐴α = − 𝑠𝑖𝑛2
𝑤 𝑤 2
2𝐸𝑚 α
𝐴2 = 𝑉𝑇𝐴α = − 𝑠𝑖𝑛2
𝑤 2
2𝐸𝑚 2𝐸𝑚 α 2𝐸 α
A = 𝐴1 +𝐴2 = − 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 − 𝑚 𝑠𝑖𝑛2
𝑤 𝑤 2 𝑤 2
2𝐸𝑚 α 2𝐸
A= (1 − 2𝑠𝑖𝑛2 ) = 𝑚 cosα
𝑤 2 𝑤
𝐴 2𝐸𝑚
𝑉𝑑𝑐 = π = cosα
𝑤 π
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(i) For 0 < α < 900
+ve area > -ve area, so net area is +ve
𝑉𝑑𝑐 is positive, 𝐼𝑑 is positive, so 𝑃𝑑𝑐 = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 𝐼𝑑 is positive.
Converter is in “Rectification Mode”
(ii) For α = 900
+ve area = -ve area, so net area is zero
𝑉𝑑𝑐 is zero, so 𝑃𝑑𝑐 = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 𝐼𝑑 is also zero
(iii) For 900 < α < 1800
+ve area < -ve area, so net area is -ve
𝑉𝑑𝑐 is negative, 𝐼𝑑 is positive, so 𝑃𝑑𝑐 = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 𝐼𝑑 is negative.
Converter is in “Inversion Mode”
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Plot of 𝑉𝑑𝑐 vs α:
For 0 < α < 900 : Rectification mode
For 900 < α < 1800 : Inversion Mode
Single Phase Center tapped Controlled Rectifier:
(The students are encouraged to study this
circuit themselves)
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Some Practice Problems:
1. A single phase fully controlled bridge converter is operated from a 120V
rms supply and feeds a highly inductive load with resistance R = 10Ω. The
firing angle is 450 and the load current is 20A. Find the average power
supplied to the load.
2. A single phase fully controlled bridge converter supplies power to a highly
inductive load with resistance R = 10Ω from a 240V rms 50 Hz AC source with
a load current of 15A. Find the firing angle α so that the average power
supplied to the load is 1200W.
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