Mechanics Practice Exam

For a 3-phase rectifier, the output voltage is derived from the input line-to-line voltage divided by the square root of 3, multiplied by a factor of 1.732 (approximately). This means that the output DC voltage is typically greater than the average input voltage due to the nature of rectification and the utilization of multiple phases.

When considering the output factor in relation to the input voltage, the 3-phase rectifier produces a DC output that is approximately 1.33 times the input voltage in terms of line-to-line RMS voltage. This factor arises because the 3-phase rectification process allows for a better voltage conversion efficiency and higher resultant DC voltage than single or two-phase systems, helping to minimize ripple and improve the smoothness of the output.

This value reflects the relationship between the input and output characteristics of a three-phase system under ideal conditions, where losses due to resistance and other factors are negligible. Thus, a 3-phase rectifier effectively harnesses the available input voltage to deliver a higher output, affirming that the output factor is 1.33 times the input voltage.