Rectifiers and How They Are used in Electronic Circuits

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A rectifier is a device that allows current to flow in only one direction. This means in a practical circuit, when current thoughts that that circuit, if that current is alternating current, the device will block it, only allowing part of the current to go through. These devices are good in the following circuits:

• Half-wave circuits: A half-wave rectifier circuit has a transformer with one diode that acts as the rectifier. This circuit allows current to flow in one direction only. Half-wave circuits were used in the beginning when there wasn’t so much emphasis placed on having a clean output voltage to the system. Also, half-wave rectifiers were placed in power circuits to produce DC current, but not the kind that was pure. Filter circuits had to be connected to this output to make sure the voltage output was clean.
• Full-wave rectifier circuits: This type of circuit is designed with a transformer that has a center tap. There are two diodes connected to the secondary of the transformer, one on each end of the transformer. The difference between using one diode to two diodes is that when two diodes are used, it is to produce a more continuous flow of direct current than would be the case with a one diode circuit.
• Polyphase rectifier circuits: When large dc power is applied to a circuit, a polyphase rectifier circuit is most likely used. By this method expensive filters won’t have to be used. This is especially true for power supplies that provide power to the radio and audio states of TVs or large radio transmitters.
• Bridge rectifier circuits: Bridge rectifier circuits are good to use in power supplies when either a transformer has no center tap or no transformer is used at all. This assures that the current being sent into the system is DC current.

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