Equations in summary:

Transformer equations:
These are valid for al 3 rectifier types.
𝑉𝑃 𝑁𝑃 𝐼𝑆
= =
𝑉𝑆 𝑁𝑆 𝐼𝑃
𝑃𝑃 = 𝑃𝑆 (Assuming no losses)

𝑉𝑃 𝐼𝑃 = 𝑉𝑆 𝐼𝑆

Getting the ratios for the transformer spec:

𝑁𝑃 : 𝑁𝑆 = 𝑉𝑃 : 𝑉𝑆

Always in the format of 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒: 1

The VA rating:

𝑉𝐴 = 𝑉𝑃 𝐼𝑃 = 𝑉𝑆 𝐼𝑆
𝑉𝐴 = 𝑉𝑆 𝐼𝑑𝑐
This is the simplest to calculate the VA with a diode in the mix, there are other methods to calculate
the VA but tends to be more complex.

Halfwave rectifier:
The transformer part of the calculations you always work with RMS voltages. With the rectifiers we
will start to work with DC values too so convert the RMS to peak voltages. (𝑉𝑆 = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 𝑉𝑎𝑐 )

The peak before the diode:

𝑁𝑆
𝑉𝑆 = 𝑉𝑃 ×
𝑁𝑃

𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 = √2 × 𝑉𝑆

The peak after the diode (output peak):

𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑜 = 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 − 𝑉𝐷

Assume the diode voltage to be 0.7 V unless stated otherwise.

The average DC voltage. This equation is only valid without filtering or when you are not considering
the filter capacitor.

𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 0.318 × 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑜

𝑉𝑑𝑐
𝐼𝑑𝑐 =
𝑅𝐿
The peak inverse voltage should always be less than the breakdown voltage of a diode, this is why the
PIV is an important specification. It id the voltage that the diode sees when it is not conduction or in
reverse bias.

𝑃𝐼𝑉 = 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠

Frequency is defined as the time that it takes before a signal repeats.

1
𝑓=
𝑇
For the half wave the negative half of the signal is removed the time it takes to repeat is the same as
that of the input frequency.

𝑓𝑖𝑛 = 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 50𝐻𝑧

Rectifier efficiency:
This shows how efficient the AC is converted to DC. This equation is valid for all 3 rectifiers.
𝑃𝑑𝑐
𝜂= × 100%
𝑃𝑎𝑐
2
𝑉𝑑𝑐
𝑃𝑑𝑐 = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 𝐼𝑑𝑐 =
𝑅
2
𝑉𝑎𝑐
𝑃𝑎𝑐 = 𝑉𝑎𝑐 𝐼𝑎𝑐 =
𝑅
2
𝑉𝑑𝑐
𝜂= 2 × 100%
𝑉𝑎𝑐
(𝑉𝑆 = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 𝑉𝑎𝑐 )

Centre tapped full wave rectifier:

The transformer part of the calculations you always work with RMS voltages. With the rectifiers we
will start to work with DC values too so convert the RMS to peak voltages. (𝑉𝑆 = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 𝑉𝑎𝑐 )

The secondary turns indicates the total output across the transformer, only half of the voltage goes to
each diode.
𝑁𝑆
𝑉𝑆 = 𝑉𝑃 ×
𝑁𝑃
Remember to divide the secondary voltage by 2 to get the peak before the diode.
𝑉𝑆
𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 = √2 ×
2
The peak after the diode (output peak):

𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑜 = 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 − 𝑉𝐷

Only one diode conducts at a time.

 Assume the diode voltage to be 0.7 V unless stated otherwise.

The average DC voltage. This equation is only valid without filtering or when you are not considering
the filter capacitor. The average DC voltage for the full wave would be double the halfwave average.

𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 0.636 × 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑜

𝑉𝑑𝑐
𝐼𝑑𝑐 =
𝑅𝐿
The peak inverse voltage should always be less than the breakdown voltage of a diode, this is why the
PIV is an important specification. It id the voltage that the diode sees when it is not conduction or in
reverse bias.

The diode here would see the transformer output of both coils with an extra active diode.

𝑃𝐼𝑉 = 2𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑜 + 𝑉𝐷

Alternatively:

𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑜 = 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 − 𝑉𝐷

𝑃𝐼𝑉 = 2(𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 − 𝑉𝐷 ) + 𝑉𝐷 = 2𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 − 𝑉𝐷

𝑃𝐼𝑉 = 2𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 − 𝑉𝐷

Just stick to one method…

For the full wave rectifiers the negative half of the signal is made to be positive and equivalent of the
positive half, the time it takes to repeat after rectification is half the time. In other words double the
frequency.

𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 2𝑓𝑖𝑛 = 100𝐻𝑧

Bridge full wave rectifier:

The transformer part of the calculations you always work with RMS voltages. With the rectifiers we
will start to work with DC values too so convert the RMS to peak voltages. (𝑉𝑆 = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 𝑉𝑎𝑐 )

The secondary turns indicates the total output across the transformer, only half of the voltage goes to
each diode.
𝑁𝑆
𝑉𝑆 = 𝑉𝑃 ×
𝑁𝑃

𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 = √2 × 𝑉𝑆

The peak after the diodes (output peak):

𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑜 = 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 − 2𝑉𝐷 = 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 − 1.4

Two diodes conducts at a time.

Assume the diode voltage to be 0.7 V unless stated otherwise.

The average DC voltage. This equation is only valid without filtering or when you are not considering
the filter capacitor. The average DC voltage for the full wave would be double the halfwave average.

𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 0.636 × 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑜

𝑉𝑑𝑐
𝐼𝑑𝑐 =
𝑅𝐿
The peak inverse voltage should always be less than the breakdown voltage of a diode, this is why the
PIV is an important specification. It id the voltage that the diode sees when it is not conduction or in
reverse bias.

The diode here would see the transformer output with an extra active diode.

𝑃𝐼𝑉 = 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑜 + 𝑉𝐷

Alternatively:

𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑜 = 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 − 2𝑉𝐷

𝑃𝐼𝑉 = (𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 − 2𝑉𝐷 ) + 𝑉𝐷 = 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 − 𝑉𝐷

𝑃𝐼𝑉 = 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑠 − 𝑉𝐷

Just stick to one method…

For the full wave rectifiers the negative half of the signal is made to be positive and equivalent of the
positive half, the time it takes to repeat after rectification is half the time. In other words double the
frequency.

𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 2𝑓𝑖𝑛 = 100𝐻𝑧

Filters:
These are valid for al 3 rectifier types. The filtering is added by adding a capacitor in parallel with the
load resistor.

There are 2 equations to describe current flow in capacitors:

Starting with charge:

𝑄 = 𝐼𝑡
𝑄 = 𝐶𝑉
Thus:

𝐶𝑉 = 𝐼𝑡
A differential equation relating to the slope of the charging capacitor. This indicates change of voltage
and time.
𝑑𝑉 ∆𝑉
𝑖𝑐 = 𝐶 =𝐶
𝑑𝑡 ∆𝑡
∆𝑉 indicates the peak to peak ripple voltage

∆𝑡 is the time the capacitor discharges, can be related to the period of the signal T and thus the
frequency.

C is the capacitor size in Farads.

𝑖𝑐 is the discharge current or 𝐼𝑑𝑐 .

𝑉𝑟𝑝𝑝
𝐼𝑑𝑐 = 𝐶
𝑇
1
𝑓=
𝑇
𝐼𝑑𝑐 = 𝐶 × 𝑉𝑟𝑝𝑝 × 𝑓

𝐼𝑑𝑐 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑜
𝑉𝑟𝑝𝑝 = =
𝑓 × 𝐶 𝑓 × 𝐶 × 𝑅𝐿
Remember: f = 50 Hz for halfwave rectifiers.

f = 100 Hz for fullwave rectifiers.

The average or DC voltage would be more and smoother than that of the rectifier without the filter.
𝑉𝑟𝑝𝑝
𝑉𝑎𝑣𝑔 = 𝑉𝑝𝑘𝑜 −
2
The ripple factor describes the ratio of DC to ripple
𝑉𝑟𝑝𝑝
𝑟=
𝑉𝑑𝑐
The ripple factor can also be described as a percentage (r = 0.05 is 5% etc.).