LECTURE 3: DIODE RECTIFIERS II

Application of a half wave diode rectifier as a battery charger

A half-wave rectifier circuit can be used as a battery charger as shown in Figure 1. R is the internal
resistance of the battery while E is the battery voltage.

Fig. 1: Half wave rectifier battery charger circuit

The single-phase supply voltage is given as
Vs = Vm sin(ωt)
The diode begins to conduct only when it is forward biased. This condition happens at Vs ≥ E. To obtain
the angle α when the diode starts conducting, we let:
Vm sin α = E
E
α = sin−1
Vm
The diode will continue to conduct until vs < E i.e., ωt = β, where β = π − α.

Fig. 2: Waveforms
Example
The battery voltage in Fig. 1, (E) is 12V, while its capacity is 100Wh. The average charging current (Idc)
is 5A. The primary input voltage Vp = 120V, 60Hz and the transformer has a turns ratio of 2:1. Calculate:
i. The conduction angle δ of the diode
ii. The current limiting resistance R

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 iii. The power rating of resistance R
iv. The charging time in hours
v. Rectifier efficiency
vi. PIV of the diode
Solution
i. Conduction angle
Vp 120
Vs = = = 60V Vm = Vs √2 = 60√2 = 84.85V
n 2
At ωt = α, Vm sin α = E
E 12
α = sin −1 ( ) = sin −1 ( ) = 8.130
Vm 84.85
β = 180 − 8.13 = 171.870
Conduction angle δ = β − α = 171.870 − 8.130 = 163.740
ii. Current limiting resistance R
Vdc
R=
Idc
β β β
1 Vm sin ωt − E 1
R= ∫( ) dωt = [∫ Vm sin ωt − ∫ E dωt]
2π Idc 2πIdc
α α α
π−α π−α
1 1
R= [ ∫ Vm sin ωt − ∫ E dωt] = {[−Vm cos ωt]π−α
α − [Eωt]π−α
α }
2πIdc 2πIdc
α α
1
R= [{−Vm (cos(π − α) − cos α)} − Eπ + 2Eα]
2πIdc
We use the identity: 𝐜𝐨𝐬(𝛑 − 𝛂) − 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝛂 = −𝟐 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝛂
1
R= (2Vm cos α + 2Eα − πE)
2πIdc
1
R= (2Vm cos α + 2Eα − πE) α in rad
2πIdc
1
R= (2 x 84.85 cos 8.13 + 2 x 12 x 0.1419 − π x 12) = 4.26Ω
2π x5
iii. Power rating of R
2
PR = Irms R
β
2 1 Vm sin ωt − E 2
Irms = ∫( ) dωt
2π R
α
π−α π−α π−α
1
Irms 2 = [∫ Vm
2
sin2
ωt dωt − ∫ 2EVm sin ωt dωt + ∫ E 2 dωt]
2πR2 α α α
π−α
2 2
Vm 2 π−α Vm 2 sin 2ωt π−α
∫ Vm sin ωt dωt = ∫ (1 − cos 2ωt)dωt = [ωt − ]
α 2 α 2 2 α

2
 Vm 2 1
= [(π − 2α) − (sin 2(π − α) − sin 2α)]
2 2
We use the identity: 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐(𝛑 − 𝛂) − 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝛂 = −𝟐 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝛂
Thus
𝛑−𝛂
𝟐 𝟐
𝐕𝐦 𝟐
∫ 𝐕𝐦 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝛚𝐭 𝐝𝛚𝐭 = [(𝛑 − 𝟐𝛂) + 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝛂] (𝟏)
𝛂 𝟐
π−α
∫ −2EVm sin ωt dωt = 2EVm [cos ωt]π−α
α = 2EVm (cos(π − α) − cos α)
α
We use the identity: 𝐜𝐨𝐬(𝛑 − 𝛂) − 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝛂 = −𝟐 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝛂
Thus
𝛑−𝛂
∫ −𝟐𝐄𝐕𝐦 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝛚𝐭 𝐝𝛚𝐭 = −𝟒𝐄𝐕𝐦 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝛂 (𝟐)
𝛂
𝛑−𝛂
∫ 𝐄𝟐 𝐝𝛚𝐭 = [𝐄𝟐 ]𝛑−𝛂
𝛂 = 𝐄𝟐 (𝛑 − 𝟐𝛂) (𝟑)
𝛂
Combining (1 – 3) gives
1 Vm 2 Vm 2
Irms 2 = [( + E 2 (π
) − 2α) + sin 2α − 4Vm E cos α] = 67.4
2πR2 2 2
PR = Irms 2 R = 67.4 x 4.26 = 286.4W
iv. Charging time
Power delivered to the battery
Pdc = Idc E = 5 x 12 = 60W
Energy (capacity) =Pdc Tcharging = 100Wh
100Wh
Tcharging = = 1.667h
60W
v. Rectifier efficiency
power delivered to the battery Pdc 60
η= = = = 17.32%
total input power Pdc + PR 60 + 286.4
vi. PIV of the diode
PIV = Vm + E = 84.85 + 12 = 96.85V

Assignment 1 Due on 18th January 2019

A DC battery of a constant emf of 150V is charged through a resistor. For source voltage of 230V, 50Hz
and a current limiting resistor of 8Ω, find the:
i) Value of average charging current
ii) Power supplied to the battery
iii) Power dissipated in the resistor
iv) Charging time, given the battery capacity is 1000Wh
v) Rectifier efficiency
vi) PIV of the diode.

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Half wave diode rectifier with RL load
Consider a half wave diode rectifier circuit with an RL load as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3: Circuit diagram

The diode conducts during the positive half cycle of the source voltage i.e. 0 < ω t < π. At ωt = π, the
current in the circuit is not zero since there is some energy stored in the inductor. The diode continues to
conduct till the energy stored in the inductor becomes zero, say at ωt = π + σ. After that, the diode
blocks conduction. The waveforms are shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4: Waveforms
Task: Draw the waveform of Vdc.

4
An expression for the current through the diode can be obtained by solving the differential equation
describing the circuit. Current only flows for 0 < ωt < β, where β = π + σ (β is the conduction angle).
The following differential equation defines the circuit:
di
L + Ri = Vm sin(ωt) , 0 ≤ ωt ≤ β (1)
dt
The total solution to the first order DE comprises of two parts – complementary and particular solution:
1. The complimentary solution (natural or transient response In ) to equation (1) is obtained by setting Vs
to 0 i.e.,
di
L + Ri = 0 (2)
dt
The solution to equation (2) is given in equation (3):
R
In (ωt) = Ae−ωLωt (3)
2. A particular solution to the steady-state response (forced response If ). This is the current that would
flow in a circuit that contains only a source and the impedance shown in the circuit.
Vm
If (ωt) = ( ) sin(ωt − ϕ)
Z
ωL
where ϕ = tan−1 ( ) ; Z = √R2 + (ωL2 ) (4)
R
The total solution becomes:
Vm R
i(ωt) = sin(ωt − ϕ) + Ae−ωLωt (5)
Z
Equation (5) can be written as:
Vm ωt
−
i(ωt) = sin(ωt − ϕ) + Ae tan ϕ ; tan ϕ = ωL/R (6)
Z

The value of A can be obtained using initial conditions. Since the diode starts conducting at ωt = 0 and
the current starts building up from zero, i(0) = 0. A is obtained from (6) as:
Vm
A= sin(ϕ)
Z
An expression for the instantaneous value of current through the load is:
Vm ωt
−
i(ωt) = (sin(ωt − ϕ) + sin(ϕ) e tan ϕ ) (7)
Z
Starting from ωt = π, as ωt increases, the current would keep decreasing. For some value of ωt , say β,
the current would be zero and the diode stops conducting. β can be obtained by substituting i(ωt) =
0|ωt=β into (7):
Vm β
−
i(β) = (sin(β − ϕ) + sin(ϕ) e tan ϕ ) = 0 (8)
Z
The value of β can be obtained from (8) using numerical analysis.

The average voltage across the inductor is zero, therefore the average voltage across the resistor is:

5
 β
Vm Vm
Vdc = ∫ sin ωt dωt = (1 − cos β)
2π 2π
0

β
1 Vm
Vrms = √ ∫(Vm sin ωt)2 dωt = √β − 0.5 sin 2β)
2π 2√π
0

Example
The half wave diode rectifier shown in Fig. 5 has a voltage supply VS = 220 √2 sin314t, R=10Ω,
L=20mH.
i. Obtain an expression for the instantaneous load current
ii. Determine the conduction angle β
iii. Obtain values of average and rms voltage

Fig. 5
Solution
The expression for instantaneous value of current through the load is:
Vm ωt
−
i(ωt) = (sin(ωt − ϕ) + sin(ϕ) e tan ϕ ) (1)
Z
ωL 314 x 20m
ϕ = tan −1 = tan −1 ( ) = 0.561 rad (32.1290 ), tan ϕ = 0.6283
R 10

Z = √R2 + (ωL)2 = √102 + (314 x 20m)2 = 11.808Ω

220√2
i(ωt) = [sin(ωt − 32.129) + 0.532e−1.5915ωt ]
11.808
i(ωt) = 26.3479 sin(ωt − 32.129) + 14.0171e−1.5915ωt

β can be obtained by substituting that i(ωt) = 0|ωt=β in (1):

0 = 26.3479 sin(β − 32.129) + 14.0171e−1.5915β

The simplest method to determine β is using iteration technique. We substitute different values for β in
the region π < β < 2π till we get the minimum value of change.

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We assume:
Δ = 26.3479 sin(β − 32.129) + 14.0171e−1.5915β

The following table shows the relation between β and Δ:

β β (degrees) β (radians) 26.3479 sin(β − 32.129) 14.0171e−1.5915β Δ
1.1π 198 3.4558 6.4316 0.05729 6.4889
1.12π 201.6 3.5186 4.8146 0.05184 4.8664
1.14π 205.2 3.5814 3.1785 0.04691 3.2250
1.16π 208.8 3.6442 1.5299 0.04245 1.5724
1.18π 212.4 3.7071 -0.1247 0.03841 -0.0863
1.2π 216 3.7699 -1.7789 0.03475 -1.7441

We can approximate β = 2120

The average voltage across the inductor is zero, therefore the average voltage across the resistor is:
β
1 Vm
Vdc = ∫ Vm sin ωt dωt = (1 − cos β) = 91.5V
2π 2π
0

β
1 Vm
Vrms = √ ∫(Vm sin ωt)2 dωt = √β − 0.5 sin 2β) = 158.24V
2π 2√π
0

Half wave diode rectifier with RL load and freewheeling diode

The average voltage (and current) can be increased by making σ = 0, which is possible by adding a
freewheeling diode Dm as shown in Fig. 6 with dashed lines. The effect of this diode is to prevent a
negative voltage appearing across the load.

Fig. 6: Circuit diagram

During the positive half-cycle, the diode D1 is forward biased while the freewheeling diode Dm is reverse
biased. The output voltage is the same as the source voltage. At ωt = π, the current from D1 is transferred
to Dm. Thus during the negative half-cycle, Dm is forward biased while the diode D1 is reverse biased. The
output voltage is zero. The waveforms are shown in Fig. 7.

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 Fig. 7: Waveforms
π
1 Vm Vm
Vave(dc) = ∫ Vm sin(ωt) dωt = − [cos(ωt)]π0 =
2π 2π π
0