Rectifiers
S. A. Naqvi
Rectification – is the process of changing alternating current into
direct current.
The device that produce the changes is called rectifier.
Rectifier is a device which change an alternating current into a
direct current.
The high voltage transformer provide alternating voltage for the
x-ray tube.
One side if the transformer is connected with the cathode and
the other to the anode of the x-ray tube.
When cathode is negative with respect to the anode, electrons
flow at high speed from cathode to the anode and x-rays are
produced.
An alternating current can be defined as a current that changes its
magnitude and polarity at regular intervals of time. It can also be
defined as an electrical current that repeatedly changes or reverses its
direction opposite to that of Direct Current or DC which always flows in
a single direction as shown below.
From the graph, we can see that the charged particles in AC tend to
start moving from zero. It increases to a maximum and then decreases
back to zero completing one positive cycle. The particles then reverse
their direction and reach the maximum in the opposite direction after
which AC again returns to the original value completing a negative
cycle. The same cycle is repeated again and again.
Circuit diagram
When cathode is negative with respect to the anode, electrons flow at
high speed from cathode to the anode and x-rays are produced.
During the next half of the electrical cycle the target of the x-ray
tube is negative and the filament is positive so electrons, if they
are available would flow away from the target towards the
filament . This is highly undesirable;
Such electrons would not produce useful x-rays
Such electrons would further heat the filament and reduce its
lifetime.
Thus by blocking the current flows in the inverse half of the
electrical cycle, the x-ray tube changes an alternating current in
to a direct current and is functioning as rectifier.
Conversion of an alternating current to a unidirectional one is
called rectification.
Only the upper half of the each electrical cycle is used to produced
x-rays.
When the x-tube itself serves as a rectifier the circuit is called self
rectified.
Disadvantages of self rectification-
Half of the available electrical cycle is not utilize to produce x-
rays, so exposure times must increased.
Repeated and prolonged exposure heat the anode, and anode
itself emit electrons. These electrons would bombarded the
filament and eventually destroy it.
Therefore to protect the x-ray tube and to improve the efficiency
of x-ray production, special rectifiers are used.
Rectifiers- a rectifier is a device that allows an electrical current
to flow in one direction but does not allow current to flow in the
other direction.
High voltage rectifiers can be of the vacuum-tube type often
called thermionic diode tubes or they can be of solid state
composition.
Solid state rectifiers are smaller, more reliable and have a longer
life.
Selenium was the first material used for solid state rectifiers.
In 1965 high voltage silicon rectifiers were introduced and today
most x-ray generators use silicon rectifiers.
P-N junction Diode- when N-type and P-type crystals are joined a
P-N junction is created. The N-type material is rich in electrons
and the P-type crystals are rich in holes.
When the junction is formed, electrons diffuse across the junction.
An electrostatic barrier is created that limits the diffusion.
When electrons leave the N-type material, the junction area is left
with a net positive charge.
Similarly P-type material acquire a negative charge. This create a
layer b/t N-P junction called depletion layer.
The device formed by a P-N junction is called a diode.
Forward Bias - If the polarity of the applied voltage is opposite that
of the junction, negative pole of the battery is connected to the N-
type material and positive pole is connected to the P-type material,
electrons will flow from the N-type material across the junction
barrier to the P-type material and current will flow.
Reverse Bias – when the polarity of the applied voltage were
reversed, with the negative pole of a battery is connected to the P-
type material and positive pole is connected to the N-type
material, no current will flow
. This is called reverse bias.
Diode as a half wave rectifier- a diode valve can work as an excellent
rectifier.
When the target plate is positive electrons will flow from the cathode to
the anode, and when the plate is negative there is no electron flow.
Thus if an AC supply is applied across the plate and the cathode through
the load resistance R, during the first half positive cycle when P is
positive the electrons will flow from cathode to anode, but in the next
half-negative cycle when the P becomes negative electron flow stopped.
A single diode is known as a half-wave rectifier.
The direction of the current is always the same known as unidirectional
or intermitted
Diode as a full wave rectifiers- A full wave rectifier is defined as a type
of rectifier that converts both halves of each cycle of an alternating
wave (AC signal) into a pulsating DC signal.
Full-wave rectifiers are used to convert AC voltage to DC voltage,
requiring multiple diodes to construct.
Full wave rectification is the process of converting an AC signal to a
DC signal.
Circuits that convert alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC)
are known as rectifiers.
If such rectifiers rectify both the positive and negative half cycles of
an input alternating waveform, the rectifiers are full-wave rectifiers.
We can classify rectifiers into two types:
Half Wave Rectifier
Full Wave Rectifier
When we use a half-wave rectifier, a significant amount of power
gets wasted as only one half of each cycle passes through, and
the other cycle gets blocked.
Moreover, the half-wave rectifier is not efficient (40.6%), and we
can not use it for applications that need a smooth and steady DC
output.
For a more efficient and steady DC output, a full wave rectifier is
used.
We can further classify full wave rectifiers into:
Centre-tapped Full Wave Rectifier
Full Wave Bridge Rectifier
A centre-tapped full-wave rectifier system consists of:
Centre-tapped Transformer
Two Diodes
Resistive Load
We apply an AC voltage to the input transformer. During the positive
half-cycle of the AC voltage, terminal 1 will be positive, center tap will
be at zero potential, and terminal 2 will be negative potential. This
will lead to forwarding bias in diode D1 and cause current to flow
through it. During this time, diode D2 is in reverse bias and will
block current through it.
During the negative half-cycle of the input AC voltage, terminal 2
will become positive relative to terminal 1 and centre-tap. This
will lead to forwarding bias in diode D2 and cause current to flow
through it. During this time, diode D1 is in reverse bias and will
block current through it.
During the positive cycle, diode D1 conducts, and during the
negative cycle, diode D2 conducts and during the positive cycle.
As a result, both half-cycles are allowed to pass through. The
average output DC voltage here is almost twice the DC output
voltage of a half-wave rectifier.
Output Waveforms
Full Wave Bridge Rectifier
Construction of Full Wave Bridge Rectifier
A full wave bridge rectifier is a rectifier that will use four diodes or
more than that in a bridge formation. A full wave bridge rectifier
system consists of;
Four Diodes
Resistive Load
We use the diodes, namely A, B, C and D, which form a bridge circuit.
Principle of Full Wave Bridge
Rectifier
We apply an AC across the bridge.
During the positive half-cycle,
terminal 1 becomes positive, and
terminal 2 becomes negative.
This will cause the diodes A and C to
become forward-biased, and the
current will flow through it.
Meanwhile, diodes B and D will
become reverse-biased and block
current through them. The current
will flow from 1 to 4 to 3 to 2.
During the negative half-cycle,
terminal 1 will become negative, and
terminal 2 will become positive.
This will cause the diodes B and D to
become forward-biased and will
allow current through them. At the
same time, diodes A and C will be
reverse-biased and will block the
current through them. The current
will flow from 2 to 4 to 3 to 1.
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