Chapter 3
Diode Application
The Basic DC Power Supply
All active electronic devices require a source of constant dc
that can be supplied by a battery or a dc power supply.
The dc power supply converts the standard 120/220V, 60 Hz
ac voltage available at wall outlets into a constant dc voltage.
The voltage produced is used to power all types of electronic
circuits including consumer electronics (televisions, DVDs,
etc.), computers, industrial controllers, and most laboratory
instrumentation systems and equipment.
BASIC POWER SUPPLY CIRCUITS
The power supply is a group of circuits that convert the ac
energy provided by the wall outlet to dc energy for our daily
use.
Basic power supply Blocks
A basic linear power supply can be broken into three
circuit groups:
– Rectification
– Filtering
– Voltage regulation
TRANSFORMER
Transformer is not a solid-state device, but they are closely
related to the operation of power supply.
Transformers are made up of inductors that are in close proximity to
each other, yet are not electrically connected.
An alternating voltage applied to the primary induces an alternating
voltage in the secondary.
Thus, a transformer provides ac coupling from primary to secondary
while providing physical isolation between the two circuits.
Types of Transformers
Three types of transformer:
Step-up.
Step-down.
Isolation: the output voltage is equal to the input voltage
Turn Ratio
The turns ratio is the ratio of the number of turns in the
primary to the number of turns in the secondary.
The turns ratio is equal to the voltage ratio of the component
where NS = the number of turns in the secondary,
NP = the number of turns in the primary,
VS = the secondary voltage, and
VP = the primary voltage
Ideally, transformers are 100% efficient. This means 100%
of the input power is transferred to the output.
RECTIFIER
A rectifier is a diode circuit that converts the ac to pulsating
dc.
There are 3 basic types of rectifier circuits:
Half-wave rectifier
Full-wave center-tapped rectifier
Full-wave bridge rectifier (the most commonly used)
Half-Wave Rectifier
Figure illustrates the process called half-wave rectification
the diode is conducting during the positive half-cycles but is
nonconducting during the negative half-cycles.
We call a waveform like this a half-wave signal. This half-wave
voltage produces a unidirectional load current.
Current flows in only one direction
Ideal half wave: Vp(out) = Vp(in)
Half wave: fout = fin
The dc value of a signal is the same as the average value
Vdc ≈ 0.318Vp
half wave: Vp(out) = Vp(in) -- 0.7 V (Second Approximation)
Example
What are the peak load voltage and dc load voltage
Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV)
The peak inverse voltage (PIV) equals the peak value of the
input voltage, and the diode must be capable of
withstanding this amount of repetitive reverse voltage.
the maximum value of reverse voltage, designated as PIV
occurs at the peak of each negative alternation of the input
voltage when the diode is reverse-biased
A diode should be rated at least 20% higher than the PIV.
PIV =Vp(in)
The Full-Wave Rectifier
A center-tapped rectifier is a type of full-wave rectifier that
uses two diodes connected to the secondary of a center-
tapped transformer
Half of the total secondary voltage appears between the
center tap and each end of the secondary winding
DC or Average Value
Since the full-wave signal has twice as many positive cycles as
the half-wave signal, the dc or average value is twice as much
The rms value of a full-wave signal is Vrms = 0.707Vp, which is
the same as Vrms for a full sine wave.
Full wave: fout = 2fin
Vp(out) = Vp(sec)/2 -- 0.7 V (Second Approximation)
PIV = 2Vp(out) + 0.7 V(voltage across either diode)
Example
In the centre-tap circuit shown in Fig. 6.31, the diodes are
assumed to be ideal i.e. having zero internal resistance. Find(i)
d.c. output voltage(ii) peak inverse voltage
The Bridge Rectifier
The bridge rectifier is similar to a full-wave rectifier because it produces a
full-wave output voltage
The need for a centre tapped power transformer is eliminated in the
bridge rectifier.
It contains four diodes D1, D2, D3 and D4 connected to form bridge