The Half-Wave Rectifier（半波整流器）

Most electronic systems, like TVs, audio systems, and computers, need a DC voltage to work properly. Since the line voltage is alternating, we need to convert it to a relatively constant DC output voltage. The circuit that converts the alternating voltage (AC) into a continuous voltage (DC) is called Rectifier.

As you know, a diode only conducts current in one direction from the anode to its cathode. This feature makes them ideal for Rectification.

The diodes are connected together to form various types of rectifier circuits such as “Half-wave”, “Full-wave” or “Bridge” rectifiers.

The simplest of all rectifiers is a Half-wave rectifier.

[!NOTE]

大多数电子系统，如电视、音频系统和计算机等，都需要直流电才能正常工作。由于线路电压是交流电，我们需要将其转换为相对恒定的直流电。将交流电压（AC）转换为连续电压（DC）的电路称为整流器。

如你所知，二极管只从阳极到阴极单向传导电流。这一特性使它们成为整流的理想选择。

二极管连接在一起形成各种类型的整流电路，例如“半波”、“全波”或“桥式”整流器。

所有整流器中最简单的是半波整流器。

The Half-Wave Rectifier（半波整流器）

Following image shows a half-wave rectifier circuit.

[!NOTE]

下图为半波整流电路。

When an alternating voltage is applied across a diode, the positive half-cycle of source voltage will forward-bias the diode. In this case, the diode will appear as a closed switch, and the positive half-cycle of source voltage will appear across the load resistor.

[!NOTE]

当交流电压施加在二极管上时，电源电压的正半周将使二极管正向偏置。在这种情况下，二极管将表现为闭合的开关，电源电压的正半周将出现在负载电阻上。

During the negative half-cycle, the diode is reverse biased. In this case, the diode will appear as an open switch, and no voltage appears across the load resistor.

[!NOTE]

在负半周期内，二极管反向偏置。在这种情况下，二极管将表现为断开的开关，并且负载电阻两端不会出现电压。

In the half-wave rectifier, the diode conducts during the positive half-cycles and not during the negative half-cycles. Because of this, the half-wave rectifier clips off negative half-cycles. Such waveform is called a half-wave signal.

[!NOTE]

在半波整流器中，二极管在正半周导通，而在负半周不导通。因此，半波整流器会截断负半周。这种波形称为半波信号。

If the diode is reversed, it will become forward biased when the input voltage is negative. As a result, the output pulses will be negative.

This half-wave voltage produces a load current that flows in only one direction making the circuit unidirectional.

[!NOTE]

如果二极管反向，当输入电压为负时，它将变为正向偏置。因此，输出脉冲将为负。

该半波电压产生仅沿一个方向流动的负载电流，从而使电路单向流动。

DC Value of a Half-Wave Signal（半波信号的直流电压值）

The DC value of a half-wave signal is the same as the average value.

[!NOTE]

半波信号的直流电压值与平均电压值相同。

The average value of the signal over one cycle is calculated with the below formula:

[!NOTE]

单个周期内信号的平均电压值通过以下公式计算：

$$\begin{gathered} V_{dc}=\frac{V_p}{\pi } \\ {V}_{dc}\approx 0.318V_p\left(\text{Since }\frac{1}{\pi }\approx 0.318\right) \end{gathered}$$
This equation tells us that the DC value of a half-wave signal is about 31.8% of the peak value. For example, if the peak voltage of the half-wave signal is 10V, the DC voltage will be 3.18V.

[!NOTE]

这个公式说明了半波信号的直流值约为峰值的 31.8％。例如，如果半波信号的峰值电压为 10V，则直流电压为 3.18V。

[!NOTE]

When you measure the half-wave signal with a DC voltmeter, the reading will equal the average DC value.

当用直流电压表测量半波信号时，读数将等于平均直流值。

A Second-order Approximation（二阶逼近）

In reality, we do not get a perfect half-wave voltage across the load resistor.

Because of the barrier potential, the diode does not turn on until the source voltage reaches about 0.7V. So, the output voltage is 0.7V lower than the peak source voltage.

[!NOTE]

事实上，我们并没有在负载电阻上得到完美的半波电压。

由于势垒电位的原因，二极管只有在源电压达到大约 0.7V 时才会导通。因此，输出电压比峰值源电压低 0.7V。

$$V_{p(out)}=V_{p(in)}-0.7V$$
For example, If the peak source voltage is only 10V, the load voltage will have a peak of only 9.3V.

Therefore the more accurate formula to calculate the DC value of a half-wave signal is:

[!NOTE]

例如，如果峰值源电压仅为 10V，则负载电压峰值仅为 9.3V。

因此计算半波信号的直流电压值更准确的公式是：

$$V_{dc}=\frac{V_{p(in)}-0.7V}{\pi }$$

Output Frequency（输出频率）

The variation of the rectified output waveform during positive and negative half cycles produces a waveform with a large amount of Ripple (the fluctuating part).

The resulting ripple has the same frequency as the input AC supply.

Therefore, we can write:

[!NOTE]

整流输出波形在正负半周期间的变化会产生带有大量纹波（波动部分）的波形。

产生的纹波与输入交流电源的频率相同。

因此，我们得到：

$$f_{out}=f_{in}$$

Filtering the Output of a Rectifier（滤波整流器的输出）

The output we get from a half-wave rectifier is a pulsating DC voltage that increases to a maximum and then decreases to zero.

We do not need this kind of DC voltage. What we need is a steady and constant DC voltage, free of any voltage variation or ripple, as we get from the battery.

To obtain such a voltage, we need to filter the half-wave signal. One way to do this is to connect a capacitor, known as a smoothing capacitor, across the load resistor as shown below.

[!NOTE]

半波整流器的输出是脉动直流电压，它先增加到最大值，然后减小到零。

我们不需要这种直流电压。我们需要的是稳定恒定的直流电压，没有任何电压变化或纹波，就像我们从电池获得的那样。

为了得到这样的电压，我们需要对半波信号进行滤波。一种方法是将一个电容（称为平滑电容）连接到负载电阻上，如下所示。

Initially, the capacitor is uncharged. During the first quarter-cycle, the diode is forward biased, so the capacitor starts charging. The charging continues until the input reaches its peak value. At this point, the capacitor voltage equals Vp.

[!NOTE]

起初，电容器未充电。在第一个四分之一周期内，二极管正向偏置，此时电容器开始充电。当充电持续到达到峰值，此时，电容电压等于Vp。

After the input voltage reaches its peak, it begins to decrease. As soon as the input voltage is less than Vp, the voltage across the capacitor exceeds the input voltage which turns off the diode.

As the diode is off, the capacitor discharges through the load resistor and supplies the load current, until the next peak is arrived.

[!NOTE]

输入电压到达峰值后开始下降。一旦输入电压低于 Vp，电容器两端的电压就会超过输入电压，从而使二极管关断。

当二极管关断时，电容器通过负载电阻放电并提供负载电流，直到到达下一个峰值。

When the next peak arrives, the diode conducts briefly and recharges the capacitor to the peak value.

[!NOTE]

当下一个峰值到来时，二极管短暂导通并将电容器充电至峰值。

Limitations（局限性）

If the load resistor is small for a given capacitor value, a high current will flow through the load which discharges the capacitor more quickly (Because of the RC time constant) and results in increased ripples. As long as the RC time constant is much greater than the period, the capacitor remains almost fully charged, and we get a perfect DC output voltage. To have a greater RC time constant, we need a larger value capacitor. This is not practical because there are limits on both the cost and size of the capacitor.

Also there is no output during the negative half cycle hence half of the power is wasted which results in lower output amplitude.

Because of their major disadvantages the half-wave rectifiers are rarely used. It would be more practical to use a full-wave rectifier as discussed in the next tutorial.

[!NOTE]

如果负载电阻对于给定的电容值较小，则高电流将流过负载，从而使电容更快地放电（由于 RC 时间常数），并导致纹波增加。只要 RC 时间常数远大于周期，电容就会几乎保持完全充电状态，并且我们会得到完美的直流输出电压。要获得更大的 RC 时间常数，我们需要更大的电容。但这并不实用，因为电容的成本和尺寸都有限制。

此外，在负半周期内没有电压输出，因此一半的功率被浪费，导致输出幅度较低。

由于其主要缺点，半波整流器很少使用。使用全波整流器会更实用，下一个教程中会描述。