Electronics Lab: Bridge Rectifier
Introduction:
The lab is based on half-wave and full-wave rectifiers and taking that knowledge to build a bridge rectifier.
Materials and Equipment:
Materials:
• Simulated Parts (Multisim):
o A 30/3 Vrms center-tapped transformer
o Two diodes 1N4001
o Two 2.2 kΩ resistors
o One 100 μF, 50 V electrolytic capacitor (any voltage rating is fine since is simulation only)
o One fuse (any rating is fine since is simulation only)
Equipment:
Virtual Instruments (Multisim):
o Tektronix Oscilloscope
o Agilent Multimeter
o Agilent Function generator
Procedure:
3. Construct the bridge rectifier circuit shown in Figure 1. Notice that no terminal of the transformer secondary is at ground potential (some simulation software will not run if it is not connected to the ground, check yours). The input voltage to the bridge, VSEC, is not referenced to ground. Make sure to include resistor tolerance of 5%.
4. Use a function generator to provide VAC and run the simulation.
5. Use a multimeter to measure VSEC (rms) and then use the oscilloscope to measure the peak output voltage (VLOAD) without a filter capacitor. Tabulate all data gathered.
Figure 1
Connect the 100 μF capacitor in parallel with the load resistor. Measure VLOAD, the peak-to-peak ripple voltage VRIPPLE, and the ripple frequency. Tabulate all data gathered and compare the results with and without the filter capacitor.
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Without the capacitor
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With the capacitor
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Output load voltage VLOAD
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Peak-to-peak ripple voltage VRIPPLE
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Ripple frequency
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5. Choose a diode among the four connected to the bridge and open it. Simulate an open diode in the bridge and explain what happens to the output voltage, the ripple voltage and the ripple frequency?
6. Investigate the effect of the load resistor on the ripple voltage by connecting a second 2.2 kΩ, 5% tolerance, and load resistor in parallel with RL and C1 in the full-wave circuit of Figure. Measure the ripple voltage. Captures a screenshot.
Review questions:
7. Compare a bridge rectifier circuit with full-wave rectifier center-tapped circuit which you did in Lab 2. Which circuit has the higher output voltage?
8. Explain how you could measure the ripple frequency to determine if a diode were open in a bridge rectifier circuit.
9. What is the maximum dc voltage you could expect to obtain from a transformer with a 3 Vrms secondary using a bridge circuit with a filter capacitor?
Deliverables:
10. Measure the voltage VSEC and the output load voltage, VLOAD without a filter capacitor. Capture the screenshots of your measurements.
11. Measure the output load voltage, VLOAD, with the capacitor and the peak-to-peak ripple voltage, VRIPPLE, in the output. Capture the screenshots of your measurements. Also, measure the ripple frequency. Table with all the data gathered for the circuit with and without the capacitor.
12. Follow the template "Lab Report Template" to compile the report and make sure to check the report against the grading rubric below. The template can be found in the "Tools and Templates" link in the navigation center.
13. Make sure to include the table, calculations, screenshots of the measurements and the answer to the questions.