{"id":2695,"date":"2023-03-24T12:35:50","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T07:05:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tutoroot.com\/blog\/?p=2695"},"modified":"2026-02-07T15:51:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T10:21:31","slug":"what-is-bridge-rectifier-circuit-diagram-working","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tutoroot.com\/blog\/what-is-bridge-rectifier-circuit-diagram-working\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Bridge Rectifier? Circuit Diagram, Working"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Bridge<\/a><\/h2>\n

Introduction to Bridge Rectifier<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A bridge rectifier<\/strong> is an electrical circuit that converts alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC).<\/p>\n

Rectifiers are widely explained in standard electronics textbooks<\/strong><\/a> and academic references.<\/p>\n

Therefore<\/strong>, rectifiers are widely used in power supplies to run electronic equipment. Among different rectifiers, this type of rectifier<\/strong> is the most effective and belongs to the full-wave rectifier category.<\/p>\n

This article explains the working of this rectifier circuit<\/strong>, along with its circuit diagram, waveform, and key characteristics.<\/p>\n

So, Rectifiers are classified based on their operation:<\/p>\n

Types of Rectifiers<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Half-wave rectifier<\/li>\n
  2. Full-wave rectifier<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    A full-wave rectifier converts both the positive and negative half cycles of an AC signal into a pulsating DC output.
    As a result<\/strong>, it is more efficient than a half-wave rectifier.<\/p>\n

    Full-wave rectifiers are in turn classified into two types:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Bridge rectifier<\/li>\n
    2. Centre-tapped full-wave rectifier<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Let us know more about full-wave bridge rectifiers before we attempt to get deeper into learning about bridge rectifiers.<\/p>\n

      A full wave rectifier is a rectifier that transforms both halves of each alternating wave cycle (alternating current) into a pulsing DC (direct current) signal.<\/p>\n

      Full-wave rectifiers are used for a smoother and more consistent supply of power. Full-wave rectifiers are used to convert a whole cycle of alternating current voltage (AC) to direct current voltage (DC).<\/p>\n

      The differentiation between these two types of full-wave rectifiers goes a long way in understanding effectively the full-wave rectifier working<\/p>\n

      A centre-tapped full-wave rectifier uses a centre-tapped transformer, two diodes, and a resistive load.<\/p>\n

      In contrast, this rectifier circuit<\/strong> uses four diodes arranged in a bridge configuration and does not require a centre-tapped transformer.<\/p>\n

      What is a Bridge Rectifier?<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

      A bridge rectifier is a full-wave rectifier that uses four diodes to create a close-loop bridge. The diodes operate in pairs during each positive and negative half cycle, resulting in no power waste.<\/p>\n

      A bridge rectifier does not require a center tap over the transformer\u2019s secondary winding. The input is sent through a transformer to the diode bridge\u2019s diagonal. Unlike the center tap rectifier, which consumes 50% of the transformer, the transformer in this circuit is constantly busy since it delivers power during both cycles of input AC.<\/p>\n

      Circuit Diagram<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      \"Bridge<\/p>\n

      Output Waveform<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      \"Bridge<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Working Principle<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      Typically, this circuit<\/strong> works as follows:<\/p>\n

      Step 1: Positive half cycle<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Terminal A becomes positive and terminal B becomes negative. Diodes D1 and D3 conduct, while D2 and D4 remain reverse-biased.<\/p>\n

      Step 2: Negative half cycle<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Terminal B becomes positive and terminal A becomes negative. Diodes D2 and D4 conduct, while D1 and D3 remain reverse-biased.<\/p>\n

      Thus, this full-wave rectifier<\/strong> enables the flow of the electric current during positive as well as negative half cycles of the input AC signal.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Formulae and Characteristics<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      Let us understand the characteristics of a bridge rectifier based on the following aspects:<\/p>\n

      Ripple Factor<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

      Definition:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

      Ripple factor measures the smoothness of the DC output signal.<\/p>\n

      The ripple factor mathematically is defined as the ratio of ripple voltage to pure DC voltage.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Formula:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

      \\(\\gamma = \\sqrt{ (\\frac{ V_{rms} }{ V_{dc} }) ^{2}-1}\\)<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Value:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

      The ripple factor of a bridge rectifier is 0.48.<\/p>\n

      Peak Inverse Voltage<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

      A peak inverse voltage is the greatest voltage that a diode can endure when biased in reverse. The diodes D1 and D3 are conducted during the positive half cycle, whereas D2 and D4 are not. <\/span><\/p>\n

      Similarly, during the negative half cycle, diodes D2 and D4 current whereas diodes D1 and D3 do not.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Efficiency<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      The efficiency of a rectifier influences how well it converts Alternating Current (AC) into Direct Current (DC).\u00a0A bridge rectifier’s highest efficiency is 81.2%.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \\(\\eta = \\frac{DC Output Power}{AC Output Power}\\)<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Pros and Cons of Bridge Rectifier<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

      Advantages of Full Wave Bridge Rectifier<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n