Techniques of Circuit Analysis

• Node-Voltage  Method
• Mesh-Current  Method
• Source  Transforma:on
• Thévenin  and  Norton  Equivalents
• Maximum  Power  Transfer

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Some  Terms  for  Describing  Circuits
Name   Defini&on  
node   A  point  where  two  or  more  circuit  elements  join    
essen:al  node     A  node  where  three  or  more  circuit  elements  join    
A  trace  of  adjoining  basic  elements  with  no  elements  included  
path  
more  than  once  
branch   A  path  that  connects  two  nodes  
A  path  which  connects  two  essen:al  nodes  without  passing  
essen:al  branch  
through  an  essen:al  node    
loop   A  path  whose  last  node  is  the  same  as  the  star:ng  node  
mesh   A  loop  that  does  not  enclose  any  other  loops  
 

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 Example  #1
For  the  circuit  in  Fig.  4.3,  iden:fy:    
a)  all  nodes.  
b)  all  essen:al  nodes.  
c)  all  branches.  
d)  all  essen:al  branches.  
e)  all  meshes.
 

   

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 Solu;on  for  Example  #1

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 Example  #2
Four  essen:al  nodes:  
i1 i2
i6
i3 i4

i5
Three  meshes:  

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 Node-­‐Voltage  Method
• The first step is to select one of the essential nodes as a reference
node.
• Although theoretically the choice is arbitrary, practically the
choice for the reference node often is obvious.
• For example, the node with the most branches is usually a good
choice.
• The optimum choice of the reference node (if one exists) will
become apparent after you have gained some experience using this
method.
• After selecting the reference node, we define the node voltages on
the circuit diagram.
• A node voltage is defined as the voltage rise from the reference
node to a nonreference node.
• We are now ready to generate the node-voltage equations.
• We do so by first writing the current leaving each branch
connected to a nonreference node as a function of the node
voltages and then summing these currents to zero in accordance
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with Kirchhoff s current law.

 Node-­‐Voltage  Method
1 2

v1 v2

Reference  node

Node  1:  

Node  2:  

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ASSESSMENT PROBLEMS

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 Dependent  Sources
Use  the  node-­‐voltage  method  to  find  the  power  dissipated  in  the
 5Ω  resistor  in  the  circuit.

1 2

v1 v2

Node  1:  

Node  2:  

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ASSESSMENT PROBLEMS

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 Special  Case

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 Supernode
 When a voltage source is between two essential nodes, we can
combine those nodes to form a supernode.
 Obviously, Kirchhoff s current law must hold for the supernode.

Node  2:  

Node  3:  

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ASSESSMENT PROBLEMS

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 MESH CURRENT METHOD
Step 1: Identify and Label the Current Loops:
To do this, we must find at least one loop current passing through every
component in the circuit.

Step 2: Label the Voltage Drop Polarities:

The next step is to label all voltage drop polarities across resistors according
to the assumed directions of the mesh currents.

Step 3: Apply Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law to Each Loop:

Using Kirchhoff’s voltage law, we can now step around each of these loops,
generating equations representative of the component voltage drops and
polarities.

Step 4: Solve the Simultaneous Equations for the Unknown Currents:

Step 5: Redraw the Mesh Currents and Determine the Branch Currents:
Knowing that these solutions are values for mesh currents, not branch
currents, we must go back to our diagram to see how they fit together to give
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currents through all components.

 Mesh-­‐Current  Method

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 Dependent  Sources

Mesh  1:  
Mesh  2:  
Mesh  3:  
Constraint:  
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 Special  Case
Mesh  a:  
Mesh  c:  

Mesh  b:  

Constraint:    

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 Supermesh

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 Node-­‐Voltage  vs.  Mesh-­‐Current
• Does   one   of   the   methods   result   in   fewer   simultaneous
equa;ons  to  solve?    
• Does   the   circuit   contain   supernodes?   If   so,   using   the   node-­‐
voltage   method   will   permit   you   to   reduce   the   number   of  
equa:ons  to  be  solved.    
• Does  the  circuit  contain  supermeshes?  If  so,  using  the  mesh-­‐
current   method   will   permit   you   to   reduce   the   number   of  
equa:ons  to  be  solved.    
• Will   solving   some   por:on   of   the   circuit   give   the   requested  
solu:on?  If  so,  which  method  is  most  efficient  for  solving  just  
the  per:nent  por:on  of  the  circuit?    

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 Source  Transforma:ons

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SOLUTION:

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 Example  #4
Use  source  transforma:ons  to  find  the  voltage  vo  in  the   circuit.

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 Solu;on  for  Example  #4

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EXAMPLE: (a)Find voltage v in the circuit below.
(b) Find the power associated with 120 V voltage source.

AP 4.15 [a] Rcclra\v thc circuit ,vith a hclpful voltagc ancl currcnt labclccl:
1.60
200 .• 60V
+ +
36A t 60 va 80 V

120V '. 50

n
Transforn1 the 120 V source in series with the 20 resistor into a 6 A
n
sourcc in parallcl ,vith thc 20 rcsistor. Also transfonn thc -60 V sourcc
n
in series with the 5 resistor into a -12 A source in parallel ,vitlı the 5 n
rcsistor. Thc rcsult is thc follo,ving circuit:
..
1.60
+
200 · 12A-!, 50- 36A t 60, V
a so· V
-
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 Thévenin  and  Norton  Equivalents
 At times in circuit analysis, we want to concentrate on what
happens at a specific pair of terminals.
 For example, when we plug a toaster into an outlet, we are
interested primarily in the voltage and current at the
terminals of the toaster.
 We have little or no interest in the effect that connecting the
toaster has on voltages or currents elsewhere in the circuit
supplying the outlet.
 We can expand this interest in terminal behavior to a set of
appliances, each requiring a different amount of power.
 We then are interested in how the voltage and current
delivered at the outlet change as we change appliances.
 In other words, we want to focus on the behavior of the circuit
supplying the outlet, but only at the outlet terminals. 47
 Thévenin  and  Norton  Equivalents
• Thévenin   and   Norton   equivalents   are   circuit   simplifica:on  
techniques   that   focus   on   terminal   behavior   and   thus   are  
extremely  valuable  aids  in  analysis.  
   
• Thevenin   equivalent   circuit:   an   independent   voltage   source  
VTh   in   series   with   a   resistor   RTh,   which   replaces   an  
interconnec:on  of  sources  and  resistors.    
• Norton  equivalent  circuit:  consists   of   an   independent   current  
source  in  parallel  with  the  Norton  equivalent  resistance,    

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 Thévenin  Equivalent

voc VTh = voc

Thévenin  voltage  VTh equals  to

 the  open-­‐circuit  voltage  in  the
 original  circuit.

isc RTh = VTh/isc = voc/isc

Thévenin resistance RTh is the

ratio of the open-circuit voltage
to the short-circuit current.

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 Example  #5

VTh = v1 = 32 V

RTh = VTh/isc = 8 Ω

Thévenin  Equivalents
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 Norton  Equivalent

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 More  on  Thevenin  Equivalent  

A  voltage  source  is  deac:vated  by

 replacing  it  with  a  short  circuit.    
A  current  source  is  deac:vated  by
 replacing  it  with  an  open  circuit.

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 Maximum  Power  Transfer
Power Transfer: We discuss power transfer in terms of two
basic types of systems:

l The first emphasizes the efficiency of the power transfer.

u Power utility systems are a good example of this type because they are
concerned with the generation, transmission, and distribution of large
quantities of electric power.
l The second basic type of system emphasizes the amount
of power transferred. ✔
l Communication and instrumentation systems are good examples
because in the transmission of information, or data, via electric signals,
the power available at the transmitter or detector is limited

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p is maximized when the derivative is zero, thus we have

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EXAMPLE

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 Summary
• Basic   terms:   node,   essen:al   node,   path,   branch,  
essen:al  branch,  mesh,  and  planar  circuit.    
• Node-­‐voltage  and  mesh-­‐current  methods    
• Source  transforma:ons  
• Thévenin  and  Norton  equivalents    
• Maximum  power  transfer    
• superposi:on

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EXAMPLE:

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