A power rectifier transforms AC power into DC power for small household devices. It can be a single diode for half-wave rectification or a diode bridge for full-wave rectification. A smoothing circuit or filter is needed to produce a stable DC signal.
A power rectifier is a device used to transform alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC). A rectifier is the opposite of a power inverter, which transforms direct current into alternating current. Many small appliances such as laptops, televisions and video game systems use these devices to create usable energy.
There are two basic types of electricity. AC power periodically reverses direction from negative to positive and vice versa. Direct current does not reverse direction.
Because AC power can be transferred over wires with minimal losses, the energy that passes from the electric utility to the average home is AC power. The problem is that most small household devices run on DC power. A power rectifier must be used to enable these devices to operate when plugged into a common wall outlet.
It can be as simple as a single diode. A diode is a small glass and wire component that conducts electricity in only one direction. The single diode can act as a rectifier by blocking either negative or positive AC current.
A power rectifier using a single diode performs half-wave rectification. This means that only half of the wave reaches the exit. It’s cheap and easy, but very inefficient.
Efficiency can be increased by using more diodes. A full-wave power rectifier converts the entire AC signal to DC power. This method requires four diodes in a formation called a diode bridge.
A full wave rectifier similar to the diode bridge can be made using one transformer and two diodes. The transformer shall have a centre-tapped secondary winding. This means that a connection is made in the middle of the transformer. This is more efficient than the single diode but more expensive than the diode bridge method. There are other forms of rectifiers, but these are the most used.
The main problem with any rectifier is that AC power has peaks and troughs. The DC produced by this type of power does not have a constant voltage. This can cause complications with electrical equipment.
To produce a stable DC signal, the power rectifier must be coupled with some sort of smoothing circuit or filter. The simplest of these is a spare capacitor placed at the output of the power rectifier. The larger the capacitor, the greater the ripple attenuation. The downside is that a large capacitor will create higher peak currents.
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