ON RECTIFICATION AND DETECTION RECTIFICATION AND POWER PACK DESIGN

Abstract

The theory of the mercury arc rectifier is applied to the problem of rectification and detection of alternating currents by vacuum tubes, in radio work, and the meaning of the conventional detector formula is discussed in terms of this theory. For comparison the rectifying action produced in discharge tubes by virtue of their falling characteristic is calculated. The design of filters for smoothing out the rectified current is treated by making use of the results obtained from telephonic transmission lines. By means of the formulæ given for the different cases a comparison can be made between the filters with capacitance input used since 1925, and the type of filters which should be used in order to prevent temporary overloading of the power tubes. The chief experimental methods for testing the theory, and for examining the rectified current, are indicated; the advantages of the glow discharge tube oscillograph are pointed out, and its use in testing work is proposed in place of the methods hitherto followed.