How Does a Rectifier Work?
Rectifier, device that converts alternating electric current into direct current. It may be an electron tube (either a vacuum or a gaseous type), vibrator, solid-state device, or mechanical device. Direct current is necessary for the operation of many devices such as laptop computers, televisions, and certain power tools.
If only one polarity of an alternating current is used to produce a pulsating direct current, the process is called half-wave rectification. When both polarities are used, producing a continuous train of pulses, the process is called full-wave rectification.
You may wonder how power lines send electric currents across long distances for different purposes. And there are different "types" of electricity. The electricity that powers electric railway systems may not be appropriate for household appliances like phones and television sets. Rectifiers help by converting between these different types of electricity.
Bridge Rectifier and Rectifier Diode
AC DC rectifier lets you convert from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC). AC is current that switches between flowing backwards and forwards at regular intervals while DC flows in a single direction. They generally rely on a bridge rectifier or a rectifier diode.
All rectifiers use P-N junctions, semiconductor devices that let electric current flow in only a single direction from the formation of p-type semiconductors with n-type semiconductors. The "p" side has an excess of holes (locations where there are no electrons) so it is positively charged. The "n" side is negatively charged with electrons in their outer shells.
Many circuits with this technology are built with a bridge rectifier. Bridge rectifiers convert AC to DC using its system of diodes made of a semiconductor material in either a half wave method that rectifiers one direction of the AC signal or a full wave method that rectifies both directions of the input AC.
Semiconductors are materials that let current flow because they're made of metals like gallium or metalloids like silicon that are contaminated with materials like phosphorous as a means of controlling current. You can use a bridge rectifier for different applications for a wide range of currents.
Bridge rectifiers also have the advantage of outputting more voltage and power than other rectifiers. Despite these benefits, bridge rectifiers suffer from having to use four diodes with the extra diodes compared to other rectifiers, causing a voltage drop that decreases the output voltage.
