A single-phase, full-wave rectifier with current source load is shown
in Figure 5.2a. This circuit is an idealized model of systems where the
load draws approximately constant current.1 Figure 5.2b shows the line
current. In this simplified model, the line current is a square wave. In
Figure 5.2c, we see the spectrum of the line current, where the first harmonic
has amplitude 1.0, the third harmonic has amplitude 1/3, the fifth
harmonic has amplitude 1/5, and so on. Note that the line current drawn
by this rectifier circuit is very harmonic-rich, with a THD of 48.3 percent.