The ripple factor (RF) is a measure of the AC component in a signal compared to its DC component, typically in a rectifier circuit. It is given by the formula:
\[ \text{Ripple Factor} = \frac{I_{AC}}{I_{DC}} \]
where \( I_{AC} \) is the root mean square (RMS) value of the AC component of the current, and \( I_{DC} \) is the DC component of the current.
In practice, this can also be calculated using:
\[ \text{Ripple Factor} = \frac{\sqrt{I_{RMS}^2 - I_{DC}^2}}{I_{DC}} \]
where \( I_{RMS} \) is the RMS value of the total current (both AC and DC components).