Full Wave Rectifier:

A full wave rectifier converts both positive and negative half cycles of the AC (alternating
current) into DC (direct current). It provides double output voltage compared to the half wave
rectifier
A full wave rectifier is made up of more than one diode.
There are two types of full wave rectifier.
1. Bridge Rectifier
2. Center-Tap Rectifier
Bridge Rectifier
A bridge rectifier uses four diodes to convert both half cycle of the input AC into DC output.
In this type of rectifier, the diodes are connected in a specific form as given below.

Positive Half Cycle:

During input positive half cycle, the diode D1 & D2 becomes forward bias while D3 & D4 becomes
reverse bias. The diode D1 & D2 form a closed loop that provides a positive output voltage across the
load resistor RL
Negative Half Cycle:
During the negative half cycle, the diode D3 & D4 becomes forward bias while D1 &
D2 becomes reverse bias. But the polarity across the load resistor RL remains the
same and provides a positive output across the load.

Advantages of a Bridge Rectifier:

1. Low ripples in the output DC signal
2. High rectifier efficiency
3. Low power loss
Disadvantages of Bridge Rectifier:
1. Bridge rectifier is more complex than a half-wave rectifier
2. More power loss compared to center tapped full wave rectifier

Center-Tap Rectifier
This type of full-wave rectifier uses a center-tap transformer & two diodes.

A center-tap transformer is a dual-voltage transformer that has two inputs (I1 & I2) and three
output terminals (T1, T2, T3). The T2 terminal is connected to the center of the output coil
which acts as a reference ground (o volt reference). The T1 terminal produces positive
voltage and the T3 terminal produces negative voltage with respect to the T2.

The design of the center-tap rectifier is given below:

Positive Half Cycle:

During the input positive half cycle, the T1 will produce positive and T2 will produce a
negative voltage. The diode D1 will become forward bias & diode D2 will become
reverse bias. This makes a close path from T1 to T2 through the load resistor RL as
shown below.
Negative Half Cycle:
Now during the input negative half cycle, T1 will generate negative cycle & T2 will
generate a positive cycle. This will put the diode D1 into reverse bias & diode D2 in
forward bias. But the polarity across the load resistor RL is still the same as the current
takes the path from T3 to T1 as shown in the figure below.

Controlled Rectifier:
A type of rectifier whose output voltage can be varied or changed is called controlled
rectifier.
The need for a controlled rectifier is apparent when we look into the shortcomings of an
uncontrolled bridge rectifier. To make an uncontrolled rectifier into a controlled one we
use current-controlled solid-state devices such as SCRs, MOSFETs, and IGBTs. We
have the full control when SCRs are switched ON or OFF based on the gate pulses we
apply to it. These are generally more preferred than their uncontrolled counterparts.
It is composed of one or more than one SCR (Silicon Controlled Rectifier).
An SCR, also known as thyristor is a three-terminal diode. These terminals
are Anode, Cathode & a control input known as Gate.
Just like a simple diode an SCR conduct in forward bias and blocks current in reverse
bias but it only starts forward conduction when there is a pulse at the gate input. So the
output voltage can be controlled using the gate input.

Types of controlled rectifier

There are two types of controlled rectifier.

Half Wave Controlled Rectifier

The half wave controlled rectifier is made up of a single SCR (Silicon Controlled
Rectifier).
Half wave controlled rectifier has the same design as the half wave uncontrolled rectifier
except we replace the diode with an SCR as shown in figure down below.

An SCR does not conduct in reverse bias, so it will block the negative half cycle.
During the positive half cycle, the SCR will conduct current on one condition when a
pulse is applied to the gate input. The gate input is, of course, a periodic pulse signal
which is designed to activate the SCR at each positive half cycle.
In this way, we can control the output voltage of this rectifier

Full Wave Controlled Rectifier

A type of rectifier that converts both positive and negative half cycle of the AC into DC
as well as controls the output amplitude is known as a full wave controlled rectifier.
Just like uncontrolled rectifier, controlled full wave rectifier has two types.

Controlled Bridge Rectifier

In this rectifier, the diode bridge is replaced by an SCR (Thyristor) bridge with the same
configuration as shown in the figure below.

Positive Half Cycle:

During the positive cycle, the SCR (thyristor) T1 & T2 will conduct when the gate pulse
is applied. T3 & T4 will be reversed bias, so they will block the current. The output
voltage will be established across the load resistor RL as shown below
Negative Half Cycle:
During the negative half cycle, the thyristor T3 & T4 will become forward bias
considering the gate input pulse & the T1 & T2 will become reverse bias. The output
voltage will appear across the load resistor RL.

Controlled Center-Tap Rectifier:
Just like center-tap uncontrolled rectifier, this design uses two SCR replacing the two
diodes.
Both of these SCR switchings will be timed differently according to the
input AC frequency.
Its operation is the same as the uncontrolled rectifier & its schematic design is given
below
Single Phase and Three Phase Rectifiers
This classification is based on the type of input a rectifier works on. The naming is pretty
straightforward. When the input is single phase, the rectifier is called a single phase
rectifier and when the input is three phase, it is called a three phase rectifier.
The single phase bridge rectifier consists of four diodes, whereas a three phase rectifier
uses six diodes arranged in a particular fashion to get the desired output. These can be
controlled or uncontrolled rectifiers depending on the switching components used in
each rectifier such as diodes, Thyristors, and so on.
Applications Of Rectifiers
Basically, almost all electronic circuits operated on DC voltages. The main purpose of
using rectifier is for rectification which means converting AC voltages to DC Voltages.
Its mean, rectifiers are used in almost all power rectification and electronics appliances.
Below is the list of common applications and uses of different Rectifiers.
 Rectification i.e. converting DC Voltages to AC Voltages.
 Rectifiers are used in electric welding to provide the polarized voltage.
 It is also used in traction, rolling stock and three phase traction motors used for running
trains.
 Half wave rectifiers are used in mosquito repellent and soldering iron.
 Half wave rectifier also used in AM Radio as a detector and signal peak detector.
 Rectifiers also used in modulation, demodulation and voltage multipliers.