ELECTRICAL

TRANSIENTS
 This course covers the transient state of currents and
voltages in an RL, RC, and RLC circuits supplied by either DC
or AC power. It deals with the mathematical expressions for
currents and voltages in a transient or short duration being
damped out by certain damping factors for which depend for
the values upon the circuit parameters.
INDUCTOR

An inductor, also called a coil or reactor, is a passive two-

terminal electrical component which resists changes in electric
current passing through it. It consists of a conductor such as a wire,
usually wound into a coil. Energy is stored in a magnetic field in the
coil as long as current flows. When the current flowing through an
inductor changes, the time-varying magnetic field induces
a voltage in the conductor, according to Faraday’s law of
electromagnetic induction.
 According to Lenz's law the direction of induced electromotive
force (or "e.m.f.") is always such that it opposes the change in
current that created it. As a result, inductors always oppose a
change in current, in the same way that a flywheel opposes a
change in rotational velocity. Care should be taken not to confuse
this with the resistance provided by a resistor.
 An inductor is characterized by its inductance, the ratio of
the voltage to the rate of change of current, which has units
of henries (H). Inductors have values that typically range from
1 µH (H) to 1 H. Many inductors have a magnetic core made
of iron or ferrite inside the coil, which serves to increase the
magnetic field and thus the inductance.
 Inductance (L) results from the magnetic
field around a current-carrying conductor; the electric
current through the conductor creates a magnetic
flux. Mathematically speaking, inductance is
determined by how much magnetic flux φ through
the circuit is created by a Lgiven
= current.

Inductors that have ferromagnetic cores

are nonlinear; the inductance changes with the
current, in this more general case inductance is
defined as L=
 Any wire or other conductor will generate a magnetic field
when current flows through it, so every conductor has some
inductance. The inductance of a circuit depends on the
geometry of the current path as well as the magnetic
permeability of nearby materials. An inductor is
a component consisting of a wire or other conductor shaped to
increase the magnetic flux through the circuit, usually in the
shape of a coil or helix. Winding the wire into a coil increases
the number of times the magnetic flux lines link the circuit,
increasing the field and thus the inductance. The more turns,
the higher the inductance.
 Any change in the current through an inductor creates a
changing flux, inducing a voltage across the inductor.
By Faraday's law of induction, the voltage induced by any change
in magnetic flux through the circuit is

V=

V = () from L = v=

-> voltage induced in

v=L
inductors
Lenz's law

The polarity (direction) of the induced voltage is given by Lenz's

law, which states that it will be such as to oppose the change in current.
For example, if the current through an inductor is increasing, the induced
voltage will be positive at the terminal through which the current enters and
negative at the terminal through which it leaves, tending to oppose the
additional current. The energy from the external circuit necessary to
overcome this potential "hill" is being stored in the magnetic field of the
inductor; the inductor is said to be "charging" or "energizing". If the current
is decreasing, the induced voltage will be negative at the terminal through
which the current enters and positive at the terminal through which it
leaves, tending to maintain the current. Energy from the magnetic field is
being returned to the circuit; the inductor is said to be "discharging".
RL Circuits

Inductors have the exact opposite characteristics of

capacitors. Whereas capacitors store energy in
an electric field (produced by the voltage between two plates),
inductors store energy in a magnetic field (produced by the
current through wire). Thus, while the stored energy in a
capacitor tries to maintain a constant voltage across its
terminals, the stored energy in an inductor tries to maintain a
constant current through its windings
Because of this, inductors oppose changes in current, and act
precisely the opposite of capacitors, which oppose changes in
voltage. A fully discharged inductor (no magnetic field), having
zero current through it, will initially act as an open-circuit when
attached to a source of voltage (as it tries to maintain zero
current), dropping maximum voltage across its leads. Over
time, the inductor’s current rises to the maximum value
allowed by the circuit, and the terminal voltage decreases
correspondingly. Once the inductor’s terminal voltage has
decreased to a minimum (zero for a “perfect” inductor), the
current will stay at a maximum level, and it will behave
essentially as a short-circuit.
 When the switch is first closed, the voltage across
the inductor will immediately jump to battery voltage (acting as
though it were an open-circuit) and decay down to zero over
time (eventually acting as though it were a short-circuit).
Voltage across the inductor is determined by calculating how
much voltage is being dropped across R, given the current
through the inductor, and subtracting that voltage value from
the battery to see what’s left
 When the switch is first opened, the current is zero,
then it increases over time until it is equal to the battery
voltage divided by the series resistance of 1 Ω. This behavior
is precisely opposite that of the series resistor-capacitor
circuit, where current started at a maximum and capacitor
voltage at zero.
TIME BATTERY INDUCTO CURRENT
(sec) (voltage) R (amps)
(voltage)
0 15 V 15 V 0
0.5 15 V 9.098 V 5.902 A
1 15 V 5.518 V 9.482 A
2 15 V 2.030 V 12.97 A
3 15 V 0.747 V 14.25 A
4 15 V 0.275 V 14.73 A
5 15 V 0.101 V 14.90 A

6 15 V 37.181 14.96 A
mV
10 15 V 0.681 mV 14.99 A
DC Source
RL Circuits
The Transient Period
- when a circuit is to be switched on, it does not
directly attain a steady-state response instead passes through
a transition period wherein the currents or voltages adjust
themselves to their steady-state response. This transition
period is called the transient period.

After the transient period, the current stop rising up

and remains constant to its final value, this is called steady-
state condition in the circuit.
 In a electric circuits the inductance property
manifests itself through the creation or induction of an
opposing voltage whose value generally changes from instant
to instant. At the instant a switched is closed in a highly
inductive dc circuit, the opposing induced emf is practically
equal to the impressed voltage. Practically the current is zero,
As the current rises to its ultimate value, the counter voltage,
i.e the induced voltage diminishes.
Current Decay

Just as the current rises exponentially to its E/R value

when an RL circuit is energized, so does the current decay
exponentially when a similar circuit is de-energized. Current
cannot rise or fall suddenly when a circuit possesses inductive
properties.
The Time Constant of an RL Circuit

The time constant (tau or of an RL circuit is the time

required for the current to rise up to 63.2 % of its steady –
state value and it takes about 5 time constants to reach the
steady – state value of the current.

𝐿
𝜏=
𝑅
RL – DC Circuit 𝒕 =𝟎 𝑹
+𝑬 𝑹 −

𝑬 𝒊 𝑳

KVL:
linear D.E.
 General solution

Where:
C = Arbitrary constant whose value is obtained by
substituting the initial conditions (t = 0) of the circuit.
@t=0 ;i=0

Thus,
INSTANTANEOUS VOLTAGE DROP ACROSS RESISTOR
V

ER

t
INSTANTANEOUS VOLTAGE DROP ACROSS INDUCTOR
V

EL

t
INSTANTANEOUS POWER DISSIPATED
INSTANTANEOUS POWER DISSIPATED
INSTANTANEOUS POWER DISSIPATED
TRANSIENT DECAY
 Source Free
KVL: 𝐼𝑜
 General solution

@ t = 0; i =

Thus,
or
SUMMARY: RL TRANSIENT CIRCUIT (DC CIRCUIT)
𝑹
𝑬 −
𝑳
𝒕
Instantaneous Current 𝒊= (𝟏 − 𝒆 )
𝑹
Instantaneous Voltage Drop 𝑹
− 𝒕
𝑳
across Resistor
𝑬 𝑹 =𝑬 (𝟏 −𝒆 )

Instantaneous Voltage Drop −

𝑹
𝒕
𝑳
across Inductor 𝑬 𝑳=𝑬 𝒆
SUMMARY: RL TRANSIENT CIRCUIT (DC CIRCUIT)
𝟐 𝑹
𝑬 − 𝒕
𝑳 𝟐
Instantaneous Power Dissipated 𝑷 𝑹= (𝟏− 𝒆 )
across Resistor 𝑹

𝟐 𝑹 𝟐𝑹
Instantaneous Power 𝑬 −
𝑳
𝒕 −
𝑳
𝒕

Dissipated across Inductor

𝑷 𝑳= (𝒆 −𝒆 )
𝑹
𝟐 𝑹
Total Instantaneous Power 𝑬 −
𝑳
𝒕
𝑷𝑻= (𝟏 − 𝒆 )
Dissipated 𝑹
SUMMARY: RL TRANSIENT CIRCUIT (DC CIRCUIT)

𝐿
Time Constant
𝜏=
𝑅
𝑹 𝑹
Transient Current Decay 𝑬 −
𝑳
𝒕 −
𝑳
𝒕
𝒊= 𝒆 =𝑰𝒐 𝒆
𝑹
Ex 1. A relay has a resistance of 240 and an inductance of 0.6
Henry. When 48 volts is suddenly impressed across the
device, determine (a) the equation of the current-growth curve
(b) the initial rate of current increase (c) the time constant (d)
the current at 0.00125 sec from the closing of the switch (e)
the current at the instant corresponding to the time constant.

Ans. (a) (e) i = 0.1264 A

(b) 80 A/s
(c) 0.0025 sec
(d) i = 0.0786 A
Solution:
Given: R = 240 L = 0.6 H E = 48 V

a)

b)
Solution:
Given: R = 240 L = 0.6 H E = 48 V

c)

d) i = ? @ t = 0.00125 sec
Solution:
Given: R = 240 L = 0.6 H E = 48 V
e) i = ? @ t = sec
Ex 2. The initial rate of current rise in an RL Circuit is 300 A/s
when 120 volts is suddenly impressed. What is the inductance
of the circuit?
Ans. L = 0.4 H
Solution:
Given: E = 120 V
Ex 3. If the circuit resistance of the previous prob. is 30 ohms,
calculate the rate of current change when the current is 2.6 A.

Ans. di/dt = 105 A/s

Solution:
Given: i = 2.6 A E = 120 V
Ex 4. In the circuit shown. R = 12 ohms, L = 0.8 H and E = 24
V. (a) Write the equation for current decay after the switch is
closed. Calculate: (b) the time constant and the current at t =
(c) the current at t = 0.022 sec (d) Determine the initial rate of
current change.
𝐹𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑹

𝑬 𝒕 =𝟎
𝑳
Solution:
Given: R = 12 ohms L = 0.8 H E = 24 V
a) −𝟏𝟓 𝒕
𝒊=𝟐 𝒆

b)
c) i = ? @ t = 0.022 sec

d)
Ex 5. The same problem above. With the circuit elements
arranged as the figure shown. With R = 6 ohms, Rs = 6 ohms,
L = 0.8 H, and E =24 V
𝑹𝒔
Solution:
Given: R = 6 ohms Rs = 6 ohms L = 0.8 H
E = 24 V −𝟕 .𝟓 𝒕
𝒊=𝟐 𝒆
a)

b)
c) i = ? @ t = 0.022 sec

d)
Key points in determining the initial conditions;

1. Carefully handle the direction of the current through

inductor;
2. The inductor current is always continuous so that

where denotes the time before the a switching event and

the time just after the switching event, assuming the switching
event takes place at
Ex 6. The switch in the circuit of fig. 7.16 has been closed for a long
time. At t = 0, the switch is opened. Calculate i(t) for t > 0.
Solution:
@ t < 0 (before the switch is open)
Solution:
@ t < 0 (before the switch is open)
@ t > 0 (after the switch is open)