Tutorial Questions-Chapter 2
Rectifier:
1. Assume the input to the circuit in Figure 1 is a triangular wave of 20V peak-
to-peak amplitude with a zero time-average value. Let R = 1kΩ and
assume piecewise linear diode parameters of Vγ = 0.6 V and rf = 20Ω.
Sketch the output voltage versus time over one cycle and label all
appropriate voltages.
Fig. 1
2. Consider the half-wave rectifier circuit in Figure 2. The input voltage is v I
= 80 sin[2π(60)t] V and the transformer turns ratio is N1/N2 = 6. If Vγ = 0
and rf = 0, determine (a) the peak diode current, (b) the value of PIV, (c)
the average value of the output voltage, and (d) the fraction (percent) of
a cycle that vO > 0.
Fig. 2
3. Consider the circuit shown in Figure 3. Assume VB = 12 V, R = 100, and Vγ
= 0.6 V. Also assume vS(t) = 24 sin ωt. Determine the peak diode current,
maximum reverse-bias diode voltage, and the fraction of the cycle over
which the diode is conducting. Determine the currents and voltages in a
half-wave rectifier circuit.
Fig. 3
4. The input signal voltage to the full-wave rectifier circuit in Figure 4 is vI =
160 sin[2π(60)t] V. Assume Vγ = 0.7 V for each diode. Determine the
required turns ratio of the transformer to produce a peak output voltage
of (a) 25 V, and (b) 100 V. (c) What must be the diode PIV rating for each
case?
Fig. 4
5. Consider two rectifier circuits as shown in Fig. 5. Assume the input voltage is from a 120 V (rms), 60
Hz ac source. The desired peak output voltage vO is 9 V, and the diode cut-in voltage is assumed to be
Vγ = 0.7 V. Compare the output voltages and the transformer turns ratio in two full-wave rectifier
circuits.
Fig. 5
6. Consider a full-wave rectifier circuit with a 60 Hz input signal and a peak output voltage of VM = 10 V.
Assume the output load resistance is R = 10 kΩ. Determine the capacitance required to yield a ripple
voltage Vr = 0.2 V.
7. The circuit in Fig. 6 is used to rectify a sinusoidal input signal with a peak
voltage of 120 V and a frequency of 60 Hz. A filter capacitor is connected in
parallel with R. If the output voltage cannot drop below 100 V, determine
the required value of the capacitance C. The transformer has a turns ratio
of N1:N2 = 1:1, where N2 is the number of turns on each of the secondary
windings. Assume the diode cut-in voltage is 0.7 V and the output
resistance is 2.5 kΩ.
Fig. 6
Diodes, Ripple Voltage, Diode Currents:
1. A full-wave rectifier is to be designed using the center-tapped transformer configuration.
The peak output voltage is to be 12V, the nominal load current is to be 0.5 A, and the
ripple voltage is to be limited to 3 percent. Assume V γ = 0.8 V and let vI = 120 √2 sin [2π
(60)t] V. (a) What is the transformer turns ratio? (b) What is the minimum value of C
required? (c) What is the peak diode current? (d) Determine the average diode current.
(e) What is the PIV rating of the diodes?
2. A full-wave rectifier is to be designed using the bridge circuit configuration. The peak
output voltage is to be 0.9 V, the nominal load current is to be 100 mA, and the ripple
voltage is to be limited to Vr = 0.2 V. Assume V γ = 0.8 V and let vI = 120 √2 sin [2π (60)t]
V. (a) What is the transformer turns ratio? (b) What is the minimum value of C required?
(c) What is the peak diode current? (d) Determine the average diode current. (e) What is
the PIV rating of the diodes?
Zener Diode Circuits:
3. A voltage regulator is to power a car radio at VL = 9V from an automobile battery whose
voltage may vary between 11 and 13.6 V. The current in the radio will vary between 0 (off)
to 100 mA (full volume). The equivalent circuit is shown in Figure 1. Design the voltage
regulator.
Figure 1.
4. Determine the source regulation and load regulation of the voltage regulator circuit given
in problem 3. Consider the circuit described in Figure 1 and assume a Zener resistance of
rz= 2Ω.
5. The secondary voltage in the circuit in Figure 2 is vs = 12sin ωt V. The Zener diode has
parameters Vz = 8V at Iz = 100 mA and rz = 0.5 Ω. Let V γ = 0 and Ri = 3Ω. Determine the
percent regulation for load currents between IL = 0.2 and 1 A. Find C such that the ripple
voltage is no larger than 0.8 V.
Figure 2.
Clipper and Clamper Circuits:
6. Consider the circuits shown in Figure 3. Each diode cut-in voltage is V γ = 0.7 V. (a) Plot vo
versus vI over the range -10 ≤ vI ≤ +10 V for the circuit in Figure 3(a) for (i) VB = 5V and (ii)
VB = -5V. (b) Repeat part (a) for the circuit in Figure 3(b).
Figure 3.
7. Sketch the steady-state output voltage vo versus time for each circuit in Figure 4 with the
input voltage given in Figure 4 (a). Assume V γ = 0 and the RC time constant is large.
Figure 4.
8. Design a diode clamper to generate a steady-state output voltage vo from the input voltage vI
in Figure 5 if V γ = 0.
Figure 5.