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Concept
Diode bridge
Summary
A diode bridge is a bridge rectifier circuit of four diodes that is used in the process of converting alternating current (AC) from the input terminals to direct current (DC, i.e. fixed polarity) on the output terminals. Its function is to convert the negative voltage portions of the AC waveform to positive voltage, after which a low-pass filter can be used to smooth the result into DC.
When used in its most common application, for conversion of an alternating-current (AC) input into a direct-current (DC) output, it is known as a bridge rectifier. A bridge rectifier provides full-wave rectification from a two-wire AC input, resulting in lower cost and weight as compared to a rectifier with a three-wire input from a transformer with a center-tapped secondary winding.
Prior to the availability of integrated circuits, a bridge rectifier was constructed from separate diodes. Since about 1950, a single four-terminal component containing the four diodes connected in a bridge configuration has been available and is now available with various voltage and current ratings.
Diodes are also used in bridge topologies along with capacitors as voltage multipliers.
The diode bridge circuit was invented by Karol Pollak and patented in December 1895 in Great Britain and in January 1896 in Germany. In 1897, Leo Graetz independently invented and published a similar circuit. Today the circuit is sometimes referred to as a "Graetz circuit" or "Graetz bridge".
According to the conventional model of current flow, originally established by Benjamin Franklin and still followed by most engineers today), current flows through electrical conductors from the positive to the negative pole (defined as positive flow). In actuality, free electrons in a conductor nearly always flow from the negative to the positive pole. In the vast majority of applications, however, the actual direction of current flow is irrelevant. Therefore, in the discussion below the conventional model is retained.
Official source
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