Mesh Analysis

Another general procedure for analyzing circuits is to use the

mesh currents as the circuit variables.
• A mesh is a loop that does not contain any other loop within it.

Mesh analysis uses KVL to find unknown currents.

Mesh analysis is limited in one aspect: It can only apply to
circuits that can be rendered planar.
A planar circuit can be drawn such that there are no crossing
branches.

1
Planar versus Nonpalanar

The figure on the left is a nonplanar The figure on the right is a planar
circuit: The branch with the 13Ω circuit: It can be redrawn to avoid
resistor prevents the circuit from being crossing branches
drawn without crossing branches

1
Mesh Analysis Steps
Mesh analysis follows these steps:
1. Assign mesh currents i1,i2,…in to the n
meshes.
2. Apply KVL to each of the n mesh currents.
3. Solve the resulting n simultaneous
equations to get the mesh currents.

1
Mesh Analysis Example

• The above circuit has two paths that are meshes (abefa and bcdeb).
• The outer loop (abcdefa) is a loop, but not a mesh.
• First, mesh currents i1 and i2 are assigned to the two meshes.
• Applying KVL to the meshes: −V1 + R1i1 + R3 ( i1 − i2 ) = 0 R2i2 + V2 + R3 ( i2 − i1 ) = 0
 
( R1 + R3 ) i1 − R3i2 = V1 − R3i1 + ( R2 + R3 ) i2 = −V2
Note:
i1 and i2 are mesh current (imaginative, not measurable directly)
I1, I2 and I3 are branch current (real, measurable directly)
I1 = i1; I2 = i2; I3 = i1 - i2
1
Mesh Analysis with Current Sources
• The presence of a current source makes the mesh
analysis simpler in that it reduces the number of equations.
• If the current source is located on only one mesh, the
current for that mesh is defined by the source.
• For example:

• Here, the mesh current i2 is equal to −5A.

1
2
Ex8:
Obtain v0 using mesh analysis in the circuit below

Solution

30 V + 20 V + +
– i1 – i2 v0
– 4 kΩ
2 kΩ 5 kΩ

Assume that i1 and i2 are in mA. We apply mesh analysis.

For mesh 1,
-30 + 20 +2i2+ 5(i1 – i2) = 0 or 7i1 – 5i2 = 10 (1)
For mesh 2,
-20 + 5(i2 – i1 )+4i2= 0 or -5i1 + 9i2 = 20 (2)
Solving (1) and (2), we obtain, i2 = 5.
v0 = 4i2 = 20 volts.

2
Ex9:
Use mesh analysis to obtain branch currents i1 , i2, and i3 in the circuit below.

10 V
4Ω
Solution i1 +–
i2 i3

12 V +
I1 I2
6Ω 2Ω I1=-i1
–
I2=i3
Applying mesh analysis gives,
i2 = I1 – I2 for mesh 1
For mesh 1
i2 = I2 – I1 for mesh 2
-12+4I1+6 (I1 – I2)= 0  10I1 -6I2 = 12  I1= (12 +6I2)/10
For mesh 1
10+2I2+6 (I2 – I1)= 0 –6I1 + 8I2 = –10 (eq2)
Put I1 into eq2
-6(12 +6I2)/10 +8I2 = –10  -72-36I2+80I2+100=0 44I2=-28  I2 =i3=-0.64A
Put I2 into eq2
–6 I1 + 8 *(-0.64) = –10  I1 =0.81A  I1=-i1 =-0.81A
i2 = I1 – I2 =0.81-(-0.64)=1.45A

2
Ex10: Solution
Apply mesh analysis to find i

2
Ex11:
Determine the mesh currents in the circuit below.

Solution

For mesh 1,

− 12 + 50I 1 − 30I 2 = 0 
→ 12 = 50I 1 − 30I 2 (1)
For mesh 2,

− 8 + 100 I 2 − 30 I 1 − 40 I 3 = 0 
→ 8 = −30 I 1 + 100 I 2 − 40 I 3 (2)
For mesh 3,

− 6 + 50 I 3 − 40 I 2 = 0 
→ (6 + 40 I 2 ) / 50 = I 3 (3)
Put eqs. (3) into (2) , then solve eq1 and eq2 together
we get
I1 = 480 mA, I2 = 400 mA, I3 = 440 mA

2
Supermesh
• If current sources (dependent or independent) that are shared by more
than one mesh, they need special solution.
• The two meshes must be joined together, resulting in a supermesh.
• The supermesh is constructed by merging the two meshes and
excluding the shared source and any elements in series with it.
• A supermesh is required because mesh analysis uses KVL.

2
Creating a Supermesh

• In this example, a 6A current course is shared between

mesh 1 and 2.
• The supermesh is formed by merging the two meshes.
• The current source and the 2Ω resistor in series with it are
removed.

2
Supermesh Example
• Using the previous circuit, apply KVL to the supermesh.

− 20 + 6i1 + 10i2 + 4i2 = 0 or 6i1 + 14i2 = 20

• We next apply KCL to the node in the branch where the two meshes
intersect.

i2 = i1 + 6

• Solving these two equations we get:

i1 = −3.2A i2 = 2.8A

• Note that the supermesh required using both KVL and KCL.

2
Ex12:
Use mesh analysis to find mesh currents i1, i2, and i3 in the circuit below

Solution

+
i2
v0 2 Ω 8Ω
– 3A i2
VS +
– i1 i3

4Ω i3 + 2V0
–

For mesh 1,
2(i1 – i2) + 4(i1 – i3) – 12 = 0 which leads to 3i1 – i2 – 2i3 = 6 (1)
For the supermesh,
2(i2 – i1) + 8i2 + 2v0 + 4(i3 – i1) = 0
But v0 = 2(i1 – i2) which leads to -i1 + 3i2 + 2i3 = 0 (2)
Apply KCL for the independent current source, i3 = 3 + i2 (3)
Put i3 into (1) and (2) and solve (1) (2) we obtain,
i1 = 3.5 A, i2 = -0.5 A, i3 = 2.5 A.

2
Ex13:
Use mesh analysis to find the current io in the circuit below.

35 V

Solution

4Ω i1 2Ω
For loop 1, i3
16i1 – 10i2 – 2i3 = 0 which leads to 8i1 – 5i2 – i3 = 0 (1)
10 Ω
For the supermesh,
–35 + 10i2 – 10i1 + 10i3 – 2i1 = 0 or –6i1 + 5i2 + 5i3 = 17.5 (2)
8Ω
Also, 3i0 = i3 – i2 and i0 = i1 which leads to 3i1 = i3 – i2 (3)
35 V +
– i2

Solving (1), (2), and (3), we obtain i1 = 1.0098 and 3i0

i2 i3
i0 = i1 = 1.0098 A

2
Ex14:
Find vo and io in the circuit below.

For the supermesh in figure (a),

3i1 + 2i2 – 3i3 + 27 = 0 (1)

27 V At node V0, i2 – i1 = 2i0 and i0 = –i1 which leads to

i2 = –i1 (2)

3Ω For loop 3, –i1 –2i2 + 6i3 = 0 which leads to

6i3 = –i1 (3)
i3

1Ω 2Ω Solving (1) to (3), i1 = (–54/3)A, i2 = (54/3)A, i3 =

(27/9)A
2Ω i1 i2 27 V +
– i0 = –i1 = 18 A, from fig. (b), v0 = i3–3i1 = (27/9) + 54 =
2i0
57 V.
i i
0
1 2
(a)
1Ω 2Ω

27V
2Ω + + +
i1 v0 v0 i2 –
or –
–

(b) 3