Heaven’s Light is Our Guide

Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology

Rajshahi-6204, Bangladesh

Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering

LAB REPORT
Course No.: EEE 3204
Course Title: Power Electronics Sessional
Experiment No.: 02
Name of the Experiment: Experimental Investigation of Controlled Half-Wave
Rectifier Circuit for Resistive and Inductive Load

Submitted by Submitted to

Name : Md. Din Islam Md. Ariful Islam

Roll No. : 2101059 Lecturer
Dept. of EEE, RUET
Department : EEE
Year /Sem. : 3rd year/even sem.
Section :A

Date of Experiment: 18-10-2025 Date of Submission: 22-11-2025

Obtained Marks Signature Comments

Marking Breakdown:
Criteria CO PO Assigned Marks Obtained Marks
Objectives, Theory, Circuit
- - 4
Diagram, Required Apparatus
Data Table / Data Sheet CO3 PO(e) 3
Software Simulation CO3 PO(e) 3
Results CO2 PO(d) 3
Discussion and Conclusions CO2 PO(d) 3
Citations and References - - 1
Report Organization - - 3
Total Marks 20
Rubrics:
4 Marks (2-3) Marks 1 Mark 0 Marks (Not
Criteria
(Excellent) (Satisfactory) (Needs Improvement) Submitted / Missing)
Objectives clear, specific, Objectives and theory are Objectives and theory Objectives, theory,
concise; Theory not totally clear; circuit are mostly vague; circuit diagram and
Objectives,
Theory, comprehensive and diagram mostly correct circuit diagram has required apparatus are
Circuit accurate with equations; with minor errors or significant errors; incomplete or
Diagram, Circuit diagram neat, missing labels; apparatus incomplete or incorrect missing.
Required correct, fully labeled; listed, some details apparatus list.
Apparatus Apparatus list complete missing.
and appropriate.
3 Marks 1 Mark 0 Marks(Not
Criteria 2 Marks (Satisfactory)
(Excellent) (Needs Improvement) Submitted /Missing)
Well-organized, complete, Data provided but Incomplete, Not provided.
Data Table /
neat; correct units and unclear, some missing disorganized, or major
Data Sheet
labels. units/labels. errors.
Properly implemented Done but with errors, Attempted but Not done or missing.
Software with correct setup, neat unclear representation, or incorrect, incomplete,
Simulation diagrams, expected incomplete outputs. or missing results.
outputs.
Accurate, consistent with Results provided but Incomplete, inaccurate, Not provided.
theory/simulation; clear minor errors, or missing results.
Results
tables/graphs. inconsistencies, or poor
presentation.
Logical, critical discussion Some discussion but Very brief, unclear, or Not attempted or
Discussion & linking theory, results, lacks depth or misses key missing. missing.
Conclusion implications; clear points.
conclusion.
Well-structured, logical Some structure but lacks Poorly organized, Not submitted.
Report
flow, proper formatting, clarity/flow; minor errors. unclear, many errors.
Organization
minimal errors.
1 Mark 0.5 Mark (Needs 0 Marks(Not
Criteria
(Excellent) Improvement) Submitted / Missing)

Citations & Properly cited in standard Few/no references; Not provided.

References format (IEEE); relevant incorrect or irrelevant
and credible sources. citations.
Experiment No: 02
Experiment Name: Experimental Investigation of Controlled Half-Wave Rectifier Circuit for Resistive
and Inductive Load.

2.1 Objectives: The objectives of this experiment are

1. To analyze the operation of a controlled half-wave rectifier with a resistive load.

2. To investigate the behavior of a controlled half-wave rectifier with an inductive load.
3. To compute and evaluate key performance parameters.

2.2 Theory
Rectification is the process of converting alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC). A controlled
half-wave rectifier is a type of rectifier circuit that uses a thyristor (SCR) or similar controlled device to
control the flow of current during specific portions of the AC cycle. By varying the firing angle of the
thyristor, the output waveform and performance can be adjusted, making this circuit versatile for various
applications.

For a purely resistive load, the controlled rectifier operates by allowing current to flow only when the
input AC voltage is positive and the thyristor is triggered (fired) at a specific angle, denoted as α. The
output waveform is a clipped sine wave, with the clipping point determined by the firing angle. Fig. 2.1(a)
shows half-wave rectifier circuit with resistive load and corresponding input-output waveform is shown in
Fig. 2.1(b). The expressions of the average output voltage and rms voltage are

𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 𝑉𝑚/𝜋(1+𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛼)

𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠

Fig. 2.1: Rectifier with resistive load. (a) Circuit diagram. (b) Input-output waveform.
 Fig. 2.2: Rectifier with inductive load. (a) Circuit diagram. (b) Input-output waveform.
When the load includes an inductive component, the behavior of the circuit changes significantly due to
the energy storage property of the inductor. The inductor opposes changes in current, leading to a lag in
the output current compared to the output voltage. This can result in current flowing even after the input
voltage drops to zero. Fig. 2.1(a) shows half-wave rectifier circuit with inductive load and corresponding
inputoutput waveform is shown in Fig. 2.2(b).

Performance parameters are used to measure the quality of rectification. A practical rectifier contains
harmonics and ripple components that degrade the output quality. These amounts of degradation can be
analyzed using performance parameters. The performance parameters of a rectifier are evaluated in terms
of following parameter.

1. Efficiency
2. Form Factor (FF)
3. Ripple Factor (RF)
4. Crest Factor (CF)
5. Transformer Utilization Factor (TUF)

The output dc power of a rectifier can be expressed as,

𝑃𝑑𝑐 =𝑉𝑑𝑐𝐼𝑑𝑐
And the output ac power of a rectifier can be expressed as,
𝑃𝑎𝑐 =𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠
where,
Vdc and Idc are the average value of the output voltage and current, respectively. Vrms and Irms are the
Root-mean-square value of the output voltage and current, respectively.

The efficiency (or rectification ratio) of a rectifier, which is a figure of merit and permits us to compare
the effectiveness, is defined as

𝜂 = 𝑃𝑑𝑐/𝑃𝑎𝑐
The form factor is a measure of the shape of the output voltage. It is defined as

𝐹𝐹 = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠/𝑉𝑑𝑐

The ripple factor is a measure of the ripple content in the output voltage. It is defined as

𝑅𝐹
𝑉𝑎𝑣𝑔 𝑉𝑑𝑐

Crest factor (CF), which is a measure of the peak input current Is(peak) as compared with its rms value Is,
is often of interest to specify the peak current ratings of devices and components. CF of the input current
is defined by
𝐶𝐹 = 𝐼𝑠(𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘)
𝐼𝑠
Transformer utilization factor (TUF) is used to determine the transformer rating to get required output
power.
𝑇𝑈𝐹 = 𝑃𝑑𝑐/𝑉𝑠(𝑟𝑚𝑠)𝐼𝑠(𝑟𝑚𝑠)
Where, Vs(rms) and Is(rms) are the Root-mean-square value of transformer secondary voltage and
current, respectively

2.4 Circuit Diagram

Fig. 2.3: Circuit diagram of half wave rectifier with resistive load.

Fig. 2.4: Circuit diagram of half wave rectifier with inductive load.
2.5 Required Apparatus
Table 2.1: Required Equipment and Specifications

SN Name of the Equipment Specification Quantity

1 Transformer Input: 220V, 50 Hz Output: 12 V × 2, 1000 mA 02
2 Power Diode (10A10) 10 A, 1000 V 01
3 Thyristor (TYN612) 12 A, 600 V 01
4 Resistors 1 kΩ, 560 Ω, 470 Ω, 200 Ω, 100 Ω 05
5 Connecting Wires — 10
6 Project Board — 01
7 Oscilloscope — 01
8 Probe — 02

2.6 Experimental Procedure

• Assemble the circuit for the controlled half-wave rectifier with a resistive load as shown in the
provided circuit diagram.
• Use the required components, including a transformer, diode, thyristor and resistors, as specified
in the "Required Apparatus" section.
• Connect the oscilloscope probes across the resistive load and input power supply.
• Power on the circuit and observe the input and output waveforms on the oscilloscope.
• Record the peak voltage (Vp), average voltage (vdc), and rms voltage (vrms) of the output
waveform for different firing angle by changing 5kΩ potentiometer.
• Replace the resistive load with an inductive load (e.g., a resistor in series with an inductor) as per
the second circuit diagram.
• Use transformer secondary side as an inductor.
• Observe and record the output waveform for the inductive load on the oscilloscope.
• Note the differences in the waveform compared to the resistive load.
• Using the recorded measurements, calculate the following parameters for both load types: 1.
Efficiency (η)
2. Form Factor (FF)
3. Ripple Factor (RF)
4. Crest Factor (CF)
5. Transformer Utilization Factor (TUF)
• Take screenshots or sketches of the input and output waveforms for both resistive and inductive
loads.
• Note the differences between theoretical and experimental results.
• Turn off the power supply and disconnect the circuit components.
• Safely store all equipment and components for future use.
2.7 Results
2.7.1 Experimental Data
Table 2.2: Experimental Data

Load Type Output Average Voltage Output RMS Peak

(V) Voltage (V) Voltage (V)
Transformer Output -1.099 13.94 40.80
Resistive load 5.61 9.196 18.80
Resistive with Inductive load 5.396 9.226 35.20

Table 2.3: Summary of Experimental Results

Load Type η FF RF CF TUF

Resistive 0.37 1.67 1.325 2 0.16
Resistive with 0.34 1.67 1.33 1.237 0.25
Inductive

2.7.2 Input-output Waveform

Fig. 2.5: Transformer secondary side voltage waveform.

 Fig. 2.6: Output voltage waveform with resistive load of 1kΩ for two different firing angles.

Fig. 2.7: Output voltage waveform with inductive load with 1kΩ resistor for two different firing angles.

Fig. 2.7: Output voltage waveform with inductive load with 1kΩ resistor for two different firing angles
after freewheeling.
2.8 Simulation Result

Fig. 2.9: Controlled Half-Wave Rectifier Simulation with Resistive Load Input-Output Waveform

Fig. 2.9: Controlled Half-Wave Rectifier with Resistive and Inductive Load Simulation Input-Output
Waveform

2.9 Discussion
A controlled half-wave rectifier regulates DC output voltage by adjusting the thyristor’s firing angle (α),
unlike an uncontrolled rectifier that provides a fixed output. This control makes it suitable for
applications such as DC motor speed control, light dimming, and heating.

With a resistive load, the current waveform mirrors the voltage and stops instantly at the end of the
positive half-cycle. For an inductive load, stored energy in the inductor extends conduction into the
negative half-cycle, distorting the output waveform and affecting performance.

Increasing the firing angle reduces the average output voltage, current, and power. However, with
inductive loads, current lag causes more complex effects. Efficiency and transformer utilization decrease
at higher firing angles due to reduced conduction time and waveform distortion.
Reducing circuit resistance increases the time constant, resulting in smoother current flow but poorer
voltage regulation. Errors may arise from oscilloscope triggering, component tolerances, and gate
synchronization issues. Improvements include using a freewheeling diode to limit voltage spikes, adding
filter capacitors to reduce ripple, and enhancing gate control circuits for better performance.

2.10 Conclusion
The experiment verified that adjusting the firing angle effectively controls the DC output of a half-wave
rectifier. Resistive loads showed a clean waveform, while inductive loads displayed extended conduction
due to energy storage. Performance parameters such as efficiency, ripple factor, and transformer
utilization varied with load and firing angle. The study highlights the importance of controlled rectifiers
for applications requiring smooth, adjustable DC output and shows that careful design and error reduction
can improve overall performance.

2.11 Precautions
• Ensure that all components, such as diodes, thyristors (SCR), resistors, and the transformer, meet
the specified voltage and current ratings to prevent damage due to overcurrent or overvoltage.
• Verify all circuit connections before powering on the system to avoid short circuits, incorrect
configurations, or damage to components.
• Always switch off the power supply before making any changes to the circuit connections or
components to prevent electric shocks or equipment damage.
• Ensure proper alignment of the gate pulse with the input voltage waveform to achieve the desired
firing angle. Misalignment can lead to unexpected circuit behavior.
• Observe the temperature of components such as the thyristor and resistors during operation.
Overheating may indicate improper circuit conditions or component stress.
• Use the oscilloscope probes correctly, ensuring the ground clips are connected to the appropriate
ground point to avoid ground loops or inaccurate readings.
• When working with inductive loads, be cautious of high-voltage spikes during power-down.
• While varying the firing angle with the potentiometer, make gradual adjustments to prevent abrupt
changes in circuit operation.
• Conduct the experiment in a clean, dry, and well-ventilated environment to minimize risks of
accidental short circuits or electrical hazards.
• Immediately note down all measurements and observations to avoid errors or data loss.
• Turn off the power supply before disassembling the circuit to prevent accidental shocks or
component damage.

2.10 References

Muhammad H. Rashid, Power Electronics Devices, Circuits, and Applications, 4th edition, Upper
Saddle River, NJ, USA: Pearson Education Limited., 2014