Alright, so I THINK I know what they do, but I am not quite sure.
As far as I'm concerned, a half-wave rectifier only creates an output voltage half of the time, which basically makes the ouput voltage look like a sinusoidal waveform, with the negative end cut off.
Similarly, the full-wave rectifier converts the positive and negative ends of the AC waveform into output voltages, which basically would make the output voltage look like a sinusoidal wave with the negative half flipped upward with respect to the x-axis making it look like a series of identical bumps.
Is this correct? If not can someone further explain to me how they work?
2007-02-28 04:54:24 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
You seem to have the concept down pretty well. If you have doubts, have a look at this link. This document gives a good explanation along with circuits and waveforms examples:
http://www.st.com/stonline/products/literature/an/1707.pdf
2007-02-28 05:04:37 · answer #1 · answered by DrewD 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In a full wave rectifier, when one diode is conducting, the other diode is cut off and is not conducting. When the top half of the transformer reverses polarity, (of a center tapped transformer) the other half begins to go positive, and the second diode is forward biased and begins to conduct. The negative portion of the sine wave is never "flipped" anywhere, it is, however clipped off because the diodes do not conduct during the negative side of the sine wave. You were half right, you might want a bit better study manual. The ARRL Handbook is a great place for beginning, as well as for more advanced study of electronics. Malvino's book, "Electronic Principles" is also a good book to have.
2007-02-28 17:43:52 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only thing I would add is that you will also have to subtract off the forward voltage drop of the diode. For the half wave rectifier this is usually about 0.7 volts. For the full wave rectifier there is 1.4 volts.
2007-02-28 06:45:29 · answer #3 · answered by deken_99 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes these statements can be assumed to be true, however the
fullwave rectifier (without a center tapped transformer) requires
four diode junctions. The halfwave rectifier can be accomplished
with only a singular diode junction. There is one variation of the
fullwave rectifier that can be accomplished with a center tapped
transformer. This variation requires only two diode junctions.
2007-02-28 05:14:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are correct.
2007-02-28 06:05:38 · answer #5 · answered by Randy G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋