Applications of rectifier diodes

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 Block diagram of a DC power supply

Transformer
Voltage
AC line Rectifier Filter Load
regulator

230V/50Hz
or
110V/60Hz t t t t

sine wave: 50Hz – frequency (period: 0.02s = 20ms) and 230V – RMS voltage

an equivalent DC voltage value that will produce the same root mean square
heating effect (power dissipation) as this AC voltage
Vm
=
T
1 VRMS
VRMS =  V 2
( t )dt => for sine wave voltage:
T0 2

Vm = 2 ⋅ VRMS = 2 ⋅ 230V ≈ 325V

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 Primary Secondary
windings windings
NP turns NS turns

VS N S
=
Primary
VP N P
voltage VP Secondary
voltage VS

A transformer - an electrical device that transfers electrical energy between two

(or more) circuits through electromagnetic induction. AC current in one coil of the
transformer produces a varying magnetic field, which induces a voltage in a
second coil. Power is transferred between the two coils through the magnetic field,
without a metallic connection. Transformers are used to increase or decrease the
AC voltages in electric power applications.
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 Applications of rectifier diodes

Vin Vout

half-wave rectifier half-wave rectifier

with capacitor filter

Vin = Vin(t)  voltage applied to the input of the rectifier (secondary

winding of the transformer)
Vout = Vout(t)  output voltage (voltage drop on the load resistor R)

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Half-wave rectifier (diode 1N4004, R=330Ω) – „small” amplitude (V2m)
of the input voltage (on the secondary winding of the transformer):

Vin

Vout

V
VF

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Half-wave rectifier (diode 1N4004, R=330Ω) – „large” (V2m>>Vd) amplitude
of the input voltage (on the secondary winding of the transformer):

Vout

Vin

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Half-wave rectifier :

 maximum reverse voltage applied to the diode

VR max ≈ V2 m
 peak-to-peak output ripple voltage:

Vripple = Vout max − Vout min = Vout max = V2 m − VD ≈ V2 m

 to reduce output ripple voltage:
capacitor in parallel with load resistor
(Low Pass Filter) if V2m >> VD

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 Half-wave rectifier with capacitor filter
(diode 1N4004, R=330Ω, C=22μF) – „small” amplitude (V2m)

Vout

Vin

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 Half-wave rectifier with capacitor filter
C=22μF and C=220μF (diode 1N4004, R=330Ω)

Vout

Vout

Vin

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20V

-20V
Vout
19,1V
C=2200u

18,6V

If peak-to-peak output ripple voltage Vripple << V2m than:

 maximum reverse voltage applied to the diode VR max ≈ 2 ⋅ V2 m
 time of the charge of the capacitor << T (period)
 time of the discharge ≈ T
 almost linearly falling voltage
dVC ( t ) ∆Vout Vripple I0
IC (t) = C ≈ C⋅ ≈ C⋅ ≈ C ⋅ f ⋅ Vripple ≈ I 0 Vripple ≈
dt ∆t T C⋅f
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Full-wave rectifiers

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 a) Bridge rectifier (Graetz bridge rectifier) with capacitor filter
or smoothing capacitor

~
+

I0
Vripple ≈
C⋅2⋅f full-wave rectifier
ripple frequency – 100 Hz (f = 50 Hz)

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Bridge rectifier - IC

~
+

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 Full-wave rectifier without filter (R = 330Ω)

Vin

Vout

Vout_max = V2m - 2VD

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 Full-wave rectifier with capacitor filter (R = 330Ω, C = 220uF)

Vin

Vout

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b) Centre-tap full-wave rectifier with capacitor filter

Full-wave rectifier
utilizing a transformer with a center-tapped secondary winding

+ +
V2m
+
+
+
+

Vout_max = V2m - VD

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Full-wave voltage doubler (rectifier)

Vout

Vout ≈ 2V2m

V2m >> VD and RC1, RC2 >> T

time constant

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 Full-wave split supply rectifier

1
+ +

+
D1  C1  gnd and gnd  C2  D4
-
-
D3  C1  gnd and gnd  C2  D2
+
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Zener diodes

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Zener diode  p-n junction (silicon) diode with low
(pre – determined) breakdown voltage.

Typical applications: Zener diode I-V characteristic

 Zener diode voltage regulator I

 voltage limitting circuits (clipping circuits)

reverse bias V

forward bias

A C

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Parameters: I
 VZ – Zener voltage:
voltage drop on the diode
at IZT (test current); „knee”
Pmax
 Pmax or IZmax I Z max = -VZ V
VZ
IZT2 (or IZK)
 rZ – dynamic resistance
slope: f(rz)

dV ∆V IZT1 (or IZT)

rZ = ≈ rZ  0 ?
dI ∆I test current

Pmax
 TC – temperature IZmax
coefficient of Zener voltage
1 dV
TC = ⋅ VZ (T + ∆T) = VZ (T ) ⋅ (1 + TC ⋅ ∆T )
VZ dT

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Typical nominal values: VZ = (3 ... 100) V

 VZ = 3 ... 5 V (the Zener breakdown dominates)

 VZ > 7V (the avalanche breakdown dominates)

 VZ = 5 ... 7 V (both)
Zener diodes with VZ < 3V  p-n junctions connected in
series (forward biasing)
=> for example VZ = 1.2 V, VZ = 1.8 V, VZ = 2.4 V

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 BZP 630 – C6V8

Si Zener diode series tolerance Zener voltage

Tolerance:
BZX 55 – C8V2 A – 1% ; B – 2% ;
C – 5% ; D – 10%

Series of nominal values:

E6: 1 1.5 2.2 3.3 4.7 6.8

E12: 1 1.2 1.5 1.8 2.2 2.7 3.3 3.9 4.7 5.6 6.8 8.2
E24:
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 rZ versus VZ

r Z, Ω
100  rZ values (10 times !)

80  min rZ  VZ = (5 ... 7) V

(Zener breakdown and

60
avalanche breakdown
40 => almost vertical
I-V characteristic
20  „small” VZ and „large” VZ
V Z, V => large dynamic
0
resistance
0 4 8 12 16 20

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 TC versus VZ
1
TC,
K

V Z, V
0
4 8 12 16 20

VZ = 5 ... 6 V

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 26
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 I

„knee”

-VZ V

IZT2 (or IZK)

slope: f(rz)

IZT1 (or IZT)

test current

Pmax
IZmax

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 Zener diode - piecewise linear model

a) reverse bias
+ V > VZ
rZ
I V V
rF VZ
_
-VZ V
VF b) forward bias
rZ
+ V > VF
rF
V V

_ VF

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 Find currents (piecewise linear model and:
VZ = 5.6 V ; VF = 0.7 V ; rZ  0 ; rF  0)

no current limit !!!

V3 − VZ 10V − 5.6V
I≈ = = 44mA
R3 100Ω

V 4 − VF 10V − 0.7V
I≈ = = 93mA
R4 100Ω

V5 < VZ  I≈0

V6 < VF  I≈0

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 Graphical analysis of the circuit
R
I Vin V Vout
IZmax
R1 < R
Vin = I ⋅ R + V
Vin
Vin
R
V=0 => I=
R
R I=0 => V = Vin

IZK
V

Vin ∆Vin

Vin + ∆Vin

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 Vin > VZ IZ
R R
rZ
Vin Vout Vin Vout
VZ

Vin − VZ
IZ = ; Vout = VZ + I Z ⋅ rZ
R + rZ
Vin − VZ
=> Vout = VZ + ⋅ rZ R
R + rZ ΔVin rZ ΔVout
Vin + ∆Vin − VZ
Vout + ∆Vout = VZ + ⋅ rZ
R + rZ
∆Vout r
k st = = Z
subtracting by sides: ∆Vin R + rZ
rZ
∆Vout = ⋅ ∆Vin
R + rZ k st => R
voltage stability factor
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