Simulation and Analysis of Series RL Circuit with DC
Supply is switched on at time t = 0 using MATLAB
Simulink
[Link] P Desai, Electrical Engineering Department, GDEC,Navsari
03-10-2025
Circuit Description
The circuit under consideration is a simple series RL circuit with the following parameters:
Resistance, R = 10 Ω
Inductance, L = 1 H
DC voltage source, V = 10 V
Switch is closed at t = 0
The simulation shown in Fig.1 was implemented in MATLAB Simulink, and the aim
is to analyze the transient response of current through the inductor.
Theoretical Analysis
Applying Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL) to the RL circuit:
di(t)
V =L + Ri(t)
dt
Substituting the given values:
di(t)
10 = 1 · + 10i(t)
dt
This simplifies to the first-order linear differential equation:
di(t)
+ 10i(t) = 10
dt
1
Dr. Ankur P Desai, Electrical Engineering Department, GDEC 2
Figure 1: Simulation of series R-L circuit with DC supply switched on at t = 0 s.
Dr. Ankur P Desai, Electrical Engineering Department, GDEC 3
Solution of the Differential Equation
The homogeneous solution is:
ih (t) = Ae−10t
The particular solution (steady-state) is:
V 10
ip = = =1
R 10
The general solution is:
i(t) = Ae−10t + 1
Using the initial condition i(0) = 0:
0 = A + 1 ⇒ A = −1
Therefore, the complete solution is:
i(t) = 1 − e−10t (Amps)
Time Constant
The time constant of the RL circuit is:
L 1
λ= = = 0.1 s
R 10
At key time points:
t = λ = 0.1 s ⇒ i(t) ≈ 0.632 A
t = 0.2 s ⇒ i(t) ≈ 0.864 A
t = 0.3 s ⇒ i(t) ≈ 0.950 A
t = 0.5 s ⇒ i(t) ≈ 0.993 A
Simulink Model Setup
The following blocks were used to simulate the circuit in Simulink shown in Fig.1:
DC Voltage Source: Set to 10 V
Series Resistor and Inductor: Using Simscape Electrical components
Switch: Circuit breaker block (closes at t = 0)
Current Sensor: To measure current through the inductor
Dr. Ankur P Desai, Electrical Engineering Department, GDEC 4
Scope: To visualize the current response
Solver Configuration and Electrical Reference: Required Simscape elements
Simulation Results and Interpretation
Figure 2: Simulation’s result of series R-L circuit with DC supply switched on at t = 0 s.
The output current observed in Fig.2 on the scope shows a smooth exponential rise from
0 A to 1 A, matching the theoretical equation:
i(t) = 1 − e−10t
It also shows that time constant t = λ s, the instantaneous current will be 63% of its peak
value (Im = 1A). This behavior confirms the expected transient response of an RL circuit:
The inductor resists sudden changes in current.
The current approaches its steady-state value of 1 A over time.
The system reaches 99% of its final value at approximately 5λ = 0.5 s.
Conclusion
The simulation results obtained from Simulink align very well with theoretical expectations.
The current in the RL circuit follows an exponential growth pattern, governed by the time
constant λ = 0.1 s. The final steady-state current is 1 A, and the inductor’s opposition to
change is clearly demonstrated in the transient behavior.
Dr. Ankur P Desai, Electrical Engineering Department, GDEC 5
References
[1] B. L. Theraja, A Textbook of Electrical Technology - Volume I (Basic Electrical Engi-
neering), S. Chand Limited, 2005.