Instrumentation & Measurement Systems

C ONTENTS

I Rectifier-Type Instruments 1
I-1 Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
I-2 Working Principle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1
 I. R ECTIFIER -T YPE I NSTRUMENTS
Rectifier-type instrument measures the alternating voltage and current with the help of
rectifying elements and PMMC instruments. This method has an advantage because a dc
movement has a higher sensitivity than either the electrodynamometer or moving-iron instru-
ment. However the primary function of rectifier type of instruments work as voltmeter.
1) Construction: The rectifier type instruments generally use a PMMC movement in
combination with some rectifier arrangement. Bridge rectifier consists of four diodes in a
bridge configuration providing full wave rectification. Diodes having high inverse voltage
rating and current rating are normally used as rectifier elements (i.e. germanium or a silicon
diodes). An ac voltmeter circuit constituting of a multiplier, a bridge rectifier, and a PMMC
movement is given in figure.

2) Working Principle: The bridge rectifier-type instrument is used to convert ac into a

unidirectional dc and then to use a dc movement (PMMC) to indicate the value of the rectified
ac over the complete cycle of the input voltage. The meter indicates the steady deflection
proportional to the average value of the current. Since alternating currents and voltages are
usually expressed in rms values, the meter scale is calibrated in terms of the rms value of
a sinusoidal waveform.
Im
Irms = √
2
2
Iavg or Idc = Im
π