Rectifier

A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current to direct current. Alternating current, also known as AC, periodically reverses direction. For instance, an electrical charge would move forward, then backward, then forward, then backward, over and over. A direct current, or DC, charge would only move in one direction. Batteries and solar cells are some examples of DC usage. Businesses and residences receive electricity in AC. Audio and radio waves also travel on electrical wires in alternating current. An inverter does exactly the opposite as a rectifier, changing DC to AC.

So, how does a rectifier work?
In a processes known as rectification, the rectifier redirects the alternating current to one single direction, or direct current, so it's not bouncing back and forth. The rectifier is a component in power supplies and used as a detector of radio and audio signals. Solid-state diodes are one example of how rectifiers are made. A transistor is a solid-state component and is usually used to amplify electronic signals. It is made of a solid piece of a semiconductor material, usually silicon but there are many other materials that can be used, and has at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. The current flowing through one pair of terminals is changed as it passes through another pair of transmitters. A diode is the internal component that prevents the electrical flow from bouncing back again. In other words, the diode works like a one-way door, only letting the current pass through, but not back out. The transistor amplifies the signal because the power being emitted can be much larger than the power input. Transistors are used in many modern electronic devices.

The radio, television, and computers are three very common electronic devices that use transistors as the rectifier. Many believe that the invention of the transistor is one of the most important technological breakthroughs in human history, and is also thought to be the the greatest achievement of the 20th century. In the 1930s the first solid-state device known as the "cat's whisker" ditector was used. It got the name because a whisker-like wire was moved around on a crystal to detect radio signals. In 1947 the first transistor was invented, thus opening the door for more innovative and efficient solid-state devices.

Rectifiers can also be non-solid-state electrical components, such as vacuum tubes, cathode ray tubes, and mercury arc valves. These devices were used before solid-state devices, but the solid-state devices are used today primarily because they are more efficient and cheaper to produce and use. The vacuum tube is used for much the same reason as a solid-state device, only by different means. An electrical signal is created by controlling the movement of electrons in a low-pressure space. A tubular heat-resistant envelope, usually glass but can be ceramic or metal, contains an airtight vacuum containing the electrodes. These electrodes are attached to leads that pass through the envelope. The exposed lead is what is usually plugged into a tube socket. An incandescent light bulb is the simplest form and great example of a vacuum tube. Most vacuum tubes are created from this same basic design. Vacuum tubes were the building blocks of modern technology. They made communication via telephone, radio, and television more accessible and practical.

Cathode ray tubes are still used today, but are being weened out by higher technology. They can still be found in televisions, computer monitors, and oscilloscopes. The magnetron is a specialized electron tube used in microwave ovens and some radar systems.

The mercury arc valve, or mercury vapor rectifier, is obsolete today, but played an important role in electrical rectification. This type of rectifier was used to supply power for industries such as electric railways, streetcars, and electric locomotives. They were also used as rectifiers for high-voltage direct current power transmission and in static inverter stations. But by 1975 high-voltage solid-state devices were making their debuts and taking over.

The journey that the rectifier has taken has consistantley improved technology and made our lives easier. All of these inventions have lead to bigger and better inventions, and is still going strong. Without this simple piece of technology we would still be relying on mail as our main source of communication, and a very limited supply of electricity to our homes. We cannot thank one single person for these accomplishments, but many scientist and engineers for their diligence and perserverance.

DCPowerSupplies.org