Electric Circuits and Networks 13-08-2018

Lecture 7: Nodal Analysis

With initial condition

LiL (0− )
L sL

+
−
iL

Example 1:

12 Ω 12 Ω

3s
4
v (t) = 4u (t) +
− 3H V (s) =
+
−
s
+
− 12

iL (0− ) = −4A

4
= 12I (s) + 3sI (s) + 12
s
4 1 4
I (s) = −
s 4+s 4+s
| {z } |{z}
Input Initial condition
1 
i (t) = 1 − e−4t u (t) − 4e−4t
3 |{z}
| {z }
zero state solution zero input solution

So, the above circuit is linear w.r.t. input and state respectively, But as a complete system
it is not linear
Exercise :

v (t) = 4u (t) 12 Ω 3H
V (s) = −Li (0− ) + sLI (s)
i (0− ) 1
I (s) = + V (s)
s sL

iL (0− ) = −4A

1
 [Hint: It is more convenient to replace the inductor by an inductor and a current source
in parallel]

Example 2:

1 5Ω 2

3A 2Ω 2Ω 1A

KCL

E1 : i1 + i2 − 3 = 0 (1)
E2 : −i2 + i3 + 1 = 0 (2)
E3 : 3 − i1 − i3 − 1 = 0 (3)

Notice that 3k=1 Ek = 0 So, the equations are linearly dependent i.e. no new information is
P
contained by E3 . Hence remove E3

E1 : i 1 + i 2 − 3 = 0
E2 : −i2 + i3 + 1 = 0

One can check that E2 can not be derived from E1 . This is not something specific to this cir-
cuit. In any circuit having N nodes there will be only N − 1 linearly independent equation.

N −1 when KCL is written for these nodes,there will be a node

iR

atleast one branch going from the set of nodes to the node R
R

2
 KCL, KVL, branch relation

E1 : i1 + i2 − 3 = 0
E2 : −i2 + i3 + 1 = 0

1 5Ω 2
+ −
V1 − V2
+ +

3A V1 2Ω V2 2Ω 1A

− −

0 Reference node

w.r.t to the reference node , volatge at node 1 is equal to V1

Consider the following circuit in order to understand that by taking the voltage w.r.t. to
reference node will automatically satisfy the KVL

3
+ +

V + V1 − V2
V
−
−
KVL will give this branch voltage
1 − 2
+ +
V1 − V2 + as a difference of node volatges

V1 V2

− −

node voltage at node 3 = V1 + V .

Now come back to example 2, assign node voltages (Volatge of a node w.r.t. the reference
node). KVL will be automatically satisfied.

V1 5Ω V2
+ −
V1 − V2
+ +

3A V1 2Ω V2 2Ω 1A

− −

3
 At node 1
−3 + i1 + i2 = 0
V V − V2
i1 = 1 , i 2 = 1
2 5
V1 V1 − V2
+ =3
2 5
Similarly,at node 2
V2 − V1 V2
+ = −1
5 2
Above two equations can be written in matrix form as follows:
" #" # " #
1/2 + 1/5 −1/5 V1 3
=
−1/5 1/2 + 1/5 V2 −1
where

" #
1/2 + 1/5 −1/5
G=
−1/5 1/2 + 1/5
is known as conductance (in general admittance) matrix. Note that the diagonal terms are
the sum of the conductances incident at a node and the off-diagonal term is the negative
of the conductance between the two nodes. Now solve for node voltages. This method is
known as Nodal analysis
Note: Reference node can be any node but it makes sense to take the node with the largest
number of branches, as reference node.

Example 3: circuit with dependent current source

V1

2Ω 2Ω

5A V2
2Ω
2i1

V1 V1 − V2
−5 + + =0
2 2
V2 V2 − V1
+ − 2i1 = 0
2 2
and
V1 − V2
i1 =
2
Write it in the matrix form and solve to get V1 &V2

4
 Example 4: circuit with voltage source in loop

V1 2V V2
super node

+
−
3A 2Ω 2Ω 1A

Assume current through node 1 and 2 is iv

V1
−3 + + iv = 0
2
V
1 + 2 − iv = 0
2
Add above equations then we get KCL at super node as

V1 V2
+ =2
2 2
and the equation for the voltage source as

V1 − V2 = 2

Solve for V1 &V2

The equations can also be written using modified nodal analysis. Here the unknowns
are all the node voltages and currents through voltage sources.

V1
−3 + + iv = 0
2
V
1 + 2 − iv = 0
2
V1 − V2 = 2

In the matrix form, it can be wriiten as

0.5 0 1  V1   3 
    
 0 0.5 −1 V  −1
   2  =  
1 −1 0 iV 2
    