Ripple Voltage Calculator
Calculate ripple voltage in rectifier circuits using load current, capacitor, and frequency. Includes formulas, examples, tables, and troubleshooting tips.
smoothing capacitor calculator
Calculation of ripple voltage can be done by using the value of capacitor and load current. In the case of a full-wave rectifier with capacitor filter, the equation is V r = I load/f C. In case of a half-wave rectifier, the ripple voltage is doubled: V r = I load /2fC. In this case, the load current that is used is denoted as I load, frequency as f and capacitance as C.
Formula & Table Summary:
Full-wave: Vr = I/(fC)
Half-wave: Vr = I/(2fC)
Ripple factor: γ = Vr/Vdc
Converter Table
rectifier ripple formula
Ripple voltage: Remaining AC wave across a rectifier or DC supply after filtering. It is the consequence of the partial suppression of alternating current in the DC waveform, which is usually suppressed with smoothing capacitors or regulators. Ripple is given in volts (Vr) and can be in the form of peak-peak voltage or percentage of DC level (ripple factor). In the capacitor-filtered rectifiers, the ripple is dependent on the load current, capacitor size, and supply frequency. Reduced ripple enhances efficiency and lessens the stress of the delicate electronics. This calculator computes full-wave and half-wave rectifiers with capacitive filtering, and therefore allows easy estimates of ripple voltage.
calculate ripple voltage
Formula & Table Summary:
Full-wave: Vr = I/(fC)
Half-wave: Vr = I/(2fC)
Ripple factor: γ = Vr/Vdc
Converter Table
| Scenario | Inputs | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-wave | I=0.5A, f=50Hz, C=1000µF | Vr=0.5/(50×1000e-6) | Vr=10V |
| Half-wave | I=0.5A, f=50Hz, C=1000µF | Vr=0.5/(100×1000e-6) | Vr=5V |
| Ripple factor | Vr=2V, Vdc=20V | γ=2/20 | γ=10% |
| Inputs | Formula | Output |
|---|---|---|
| I, f, C | Vr=I/(fC) | Vr full-wave |
| I, f, C | Vr=I/(2fC) | Vr half-wave |
| Vr, Vdc | γ=Vr/Vdc | Ripple factor |
