Full Wave Rectifier Using Center Tap Transformer

Full wave rectifier

• The full wave rectifier conducts during positive and negative half cycle of input a.c supply
• In order to rectify both the half cyles of a.c input, two diodes are used in this circuit
• The diode feed a common load Rl with the help of a center tap transformer
• The a.c voltage is applied through a suitable power transformer with proper turns ratio
The full wave rectifier circuit


Opearation of the circuit

• consider the positive half cycle of the a.c input voltage in which terminal(A) is posive terminal (B) negative due to center tap transformer

• The diode D1 will be forward biased and hence will conduct; while diode D2 will be reverse biased and will act as open circuit and will not conduct. The diode D1 supplies the load current, i.e. il=id1
• In next half cycle of a.c voltage, polarity reverse and terminal (A) becomes negative and terminal (B) is positive. The Diode D2 conducts, being forward biased, while D1 does not, being reverse biased. The diode D2 supplies the load current, i.e. il=id2

• The load current flows in both the half cycles of a.c voltage and in the same direction through the load resistance. Hence we get rectified output across the load
• The load current is sum of individual diode currents flowing in corrensponding half cycles. It is also noted that the two diodes do not conduct simultaneously but in alternate half cycle
• The output load current is still pulsating d.c and not pure d.c
The individual diode currents and the load currents