What is Ripple: Definition and 71 Discussions

Ripple (specifically ripple voltage) in electronics is the residual periodic variation of the DC voltage within a power supply which has been derived from an alternating current (AC) source. This ripple is due to incomplete suppression of the alternating waveform after rectification. Ripple voltage originates as the output of a rectifier or from generation and commutation of DC power.
Ripple (specifically ripple current or surge current) may also refer to the pulsed current consumption of non-linear devices like capacitor-input rectifiers.
As well as these time-varying phenomena, there is a frequency domain ripple that arises in some classes of filter and other signal processing networks. In this case the periodic variation is a variation in the insertion loss of the network against increasing frequency. The variation may not be strictly linearly periodic. In this meaning also, ripple is usually to be considered an incidental effect, its existence being a compromise between the amount of ripple and other design parameters.
Ripple is wasted power, and has many undesirable effects in a DC circuit: it heats components, causes noise and distortion, and may cause digital circuits to operate improperly. Ripple may be reduced by an electronic filter, and eliminated by a voltage regulator.

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  1. S

    Calculating the ripple factor from oscilloscope

    Hello fellow physicists! I have a lab about rectifying and filtering circuits and I was asked to calculated the ripple factor using an oscilloscope. I managed to get the ripple waveform shown on the oscilloscope, but the thing is there are so many values to read off I have no idea which to...
  2. H

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  3. F

    Calculating Voltage Ripple in a Full Wave Rectifier Circuit

    http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/5329/unledtw.png So its basically a power supply with a voltage regulator LM317T at the end. The question asked to find the voltage ripple across the capacitor. So I basically solved the peak voltage found which would be 12V * SQRT(2) = 17 volts...
  4. F

    Interference of Waves: Two Point Sources in a Ripple Tank

    Homework Statement Two point sources in a ripple tank are generating waves with the same wavelength \lambda. They are placed a distance apart d = 5.5\lambda: --------------------------- | | | * | | ^ | |...
  5. R

    What is the best way to estimate the current ripple in a 12-pulse power supply?

    Hi, I am trying to, roughly, calculate the current ripple associated with a 12-pulse power supply. I have managed to workout an (idealised) voltage ripple from the rectified signal and I heard that there is a way to work out the current ripple from that. I'm a physicist not an electrical...
  6. S

    Half wave rectifier Ripple Voltage

    Homework Statement A capacitor of capacitance C is connected in parallel with a resistor of R ohms impedance. Calculate the size of the peak to peak voltage of the ripple produced relative to the peak output voltage Vp. Homework Equations Q=CV dQ/dt = I V=IR Vc=Vpe-t/RC (am i allowed to use...
  7. N

    Difference between ripple and harmonics

    what is the difference between ripple and harmonics?? particularly please explain harmonics... how it actually is harmfull .. and what is the reason of its origin?
  8. B

    Wavelengths in a ripple tank experiment

    In a ripple tank experiment, students generate water waves at a speed of 4.0 cm/s and a wavelength of 0.5 cm. If the waves are refracted into shallower water where their speed decreases to 3.0 cm/s, what is their new wavelength? What would the formula be for this question?
  9. D

    Solving Mod 13 Ripple Counter with D Flip Flop

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  10. B

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  11. marcus

    Ripple deSitter universe-Randono cannonball analog

    Ripple deSitter universe---Randono cannonball analog Look at Figure 2 in this paper (scroll to page 9 of the PDF download) http://arxiv.org/abs/0805.2955 the size of the universe ripples down to a state of maximum concentration and then re-expands, again in quasi-stepwise ripples. What...
  12. Chandra214

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  13. B

    Mod-11 Ripple Counter Homework: Solve Error w/T Flip-Flops

    Homework Statement Create a mod-11 ripple counter using Flip flops and standard logic gates. Only usable flipflops are T,D, and JK. I've used T.Homework Equations Using Quartus II simulation softwareThe Attempt at a Solution I have the block diagram all done and the simulation. Everything...
  14. P

    Engineering Analysing a Filter Rectifier Circuit: Solve for VDC, Vr and Ripple %

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  15. R

    Electrical Engineering Question: MOD 4 Ripple Counter

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  16. M

    Explaining the Ripple Effect in a Circular Wave Pulse

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  17. T

    What Is the Name of the Curve Traced by a Ball on a Ripple Wave?

    Do you know if there is any name for the equation that describes the shape of a ripple wave? An example of that kind of wave can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Elliptical_trajectory_on_ripples.png. My question is: what would you call the curve traced by the ball rolling along...
  18. S

    Why do ripples on water appear circular?

    Why are ripples on water only circular in shape? Why arent they of the shape of the object dropped in them? Like triangular or square?
  19. C

    Demonstrate diffraction in a ripple tank

    When we demonstrate diffraction in a ripple tank, why does shallower water slow the passage of the water wave down? Also, are there any other ways to demonstrate when refraction happens without light nor water waves? Thanks. :smile:
  20. J

    Deja vu is a ripple in space-time

    alright i have an understanding that deja vu is a ripple in space-time because of maybe a star going super nova or whatever, is that a creditable claim?
  21. D

    How are space and time related in the space-time ripple-nipple phenomenon?

    In the space - time ripple - nipple the space and the time are related i.e. for every position in one coordinate system there is corresponding time. I believe that even statically the space - time ripple - nipple is affected by contraction and dilation. But how are space and time actually...
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