Full Wave Rectifier
A Rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current (AC), which periodically reverse direction, to direct current (DC), which flows in only one direction. The process is known as Rectification.
What is a Full Wave Rectifier?
A full wave rectifier is a device which is used to rectify all the alternating current components in an alternating supply and make it purely a direct current. The two alternating halves of an alternation current are rectified in a full wave rectifier which is an advantage over a half wave rectifier. Most electronic devices cannot withstand very high voltage or alternating current due to its intense high power. The use of batteries in all devices is not practical as their replacement and durability is a huge problem as the device has to be dismantled each time for such a replacement. So, these rectifiers are used in most of the electronic devices like TV’s, Radios, Chargers, and Lightings etc. These are several stages in a rectifier. Based on their rectification they are classified into two. The single staged and multi staged.
Full Wave Rectifier Circuit: Full wave rectifier utilizes both halves of each a.c input. When the p-n junction is forward biased, the diode offers low resistance and when it is reversing biased it gives high resistance. The circuit is designed in such a manner that in the first half cycle if the diode is forward biased then in the second half cycle it is reverse biased and so on.
Full wave rectifier is preferable than the half wave rectifier as the former increases efficiency in a shorter time and we get continuous output. However, a filter circuit is used to make it smoother.