Rectifiers may be classified into the following two categories depending upon the period of conduction,
- Half wave rectifier
- Full wave rectifier
Half wave rectifier :
A half wave rectifier is one which converts an AC voltage into a pulsating voltage using only one half cycle of the applied AC voltage. The rectifying diode conducts during one-half cycle only.
Full wave rectifier :
A full wave rectifier is one which converts an AC voltage into a pulsating voltage using only one half cycles of the applied AC voltage. The rectifying diodes conduct during positive as well as negative half cycle of AC voltage. The following two circuits are commonly used for full-wave rectification.
- Centre-tap full wave rectifier.
- Full-wave bridge rectifier.
Vacuum diode rectifiers are no longer used and have been suspended by semiconductor diode rectifiers. We shall discuss the study of semiconductor diode as rectifiers.
