BASICS OF ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS

- Methods of Analysis-

Based on “Fundamentals of Electric Circuits”

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by C. Alexander & M. Sadiku
Overview
• With Ohm’s and Kirchhoff’s law established, they may now be applied to circuit analysis.
• Two techniques will be presented in this chapter:
• Nodal analysis, which is based on Kichhoff current law (KCL)
• Mesh analysis, which is based on Kichhoff voltage law (KVL)
• Any linear circuit can be analyzed using these two techniques.
• The analysis will result in a set of simultaneous equations which may be solved by Cramer’s rule
or computationally (using MATLAB for example)
• Computational circuit analysis using PSpice will also be introduced here.
Nodal Analysis
Nodal analysis provides a general procedure for analyzing circuits using nodes.
Steps to determine node voltages are:
reference nodes
1) Select a node as the reference node. Assign v1, v2,…, vn-1.
The voltages are referenced with respect to the reference node.

2) Apply KCL to each n-1 non-reference node.

Use Ohm’s law to express branch currents in terms of node voltages

3) Solve the resulting simultaneous equations to obtain the unknown node voltages

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Exercise
Determine the node voltages in the below circuit.

(2)

(1)

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 Exercise
Determine the node voltages in the below circuit.
Node 2

(x 12)
(2)

Using Equations 1 & 2

Node 1

(x 4)
(1)
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 Exercise
Determine the node voltages in the below circuit.
Node 2

(x
8)

Node 3
Node 1

3 equations, 3 unknowns
(x
4)
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 Nodal Analysis with Voltage Sources

CASE 1:
If connected between reference
and non-reference node, set the CASE 2:
voltage of the non-reference If connected between two non-
node equal to the voltage of the reference nodes, the two non-
voltage source reference node forms a
“supernode”.

KCL must be satisfied at the

supernode
***remember that KCL is not
only applicable to nodes but
also to closed surfaces

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Nodal Analysis with Voltage Sources
Determine the node voltages in the below circuit.
KCL at the supernode

KVL at the supernode

Solution: v1 is allready known

v2 and v3 are dependent
1 KCL equation, 1 unknown

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Nodal Analysis with Voltage Sources
Determine the node voltages in the below circuit.

KCL at the supernode

(1)

KVL at the supernode

(2)

From 1 & 2:

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 Nodal Analysis with Voltage Sources
Determine the node voltages in the below circuit.
2 supernodes!
1) KCL @ Supernode 1-2:

(re-arrange)

3)KVL for 3 independent loops

2) KCL @ Supernode 3-4:

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 Nodal Analysis with Voltage Sources
Determine the node voltages in the below circuit.
3)KVL for 3 independent loops
i)

ii)

iii)

4 unknowns, 5 equations (2 equations from KCL, 3 from KVL)

1 equation is redundant / dependent
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Nodal Analysis with Voltage Sources
A bigger supernode, including 3 nodes

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Mesh Analysis
Mesh analysis provides another general procedure for analyzing circuits,
using mesh currents as the circuit variable.

-> nodal analysis applied KCL to find unknown voltages

-> mesh analysis applies KVL to find unknown currents
mesh analysis is only applicable to PLANAR circuits!

STEPS:
1. Assign mesh currents i1,i2,…,in to the n meshes
2. Apply KVL to all meshes.
Use Ohm’s law to express voltages in terms of
mesh currents
3. Solve the resulting n simultaneous equations
to get mesh currents Non-planar circuit: A circuit that can not be
drawn on a single planar surface, without
branches crossing each other.

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Exercise
Find mesh and branch currents for the below circuit

KVL for each mesh:

(1)

(2)
2 equations, 2 unknowns

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Exercise
Find mesh and branch currents for the below circuit

KVL mesh 1:

KVL mesh 2:

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 Exercise
Find mesh currents for the below circuit

KVL mesh 1:

KVL mesh 2:

KVL mesh 3:

3 equations, 3 unknowns
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 Solving 3 equations using Cramer’s rule:

Obtain determinant

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 Mesh Analysis with current sources
CASE 1: CASE 2:
When a current source exists only in one When a current source exists between
mesh: two meshes (supermesh!):

KVL

KCL

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 Exercise
For the below circuit, find mesh currents
KVL on supermesh

Meshes 1,2,3 form a supermesh!

(1)

KCL at node P,Q

(2)

(3)

KVL on mesh 4

(4)
4 equations, 4 unknowns

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Nodal vs. Mesh Analysis

Circuits containing many series-connected elements -> mesh analysis

Circuits containing many parallel-connected elements -> nodal analysis

Circuits with fewer nodes than meshes -> nodal analysis

Circuits with fewer meshes than nodes -> mesh analysis

If one needs to find voltage -> nodal analysis

If one needs to find branch or mesh currents -> mesh analysis

IT IS BEST TO BE FAMILIAR WITH BOTH METHODS

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PSPICE
A freeware, with which you can observe the voltages, currents (and many other features that you’ll
be learning in future courses) within a circuit. Some tutorial links are listed below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yozqAC2TyM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwukY3FLy2s

http://www.hkn.umn.edu/resources/files/spice/PSpiceTutorialHKN.pdf

And many others available online..

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DC Transistor Circuits

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 DC Transistor Circuits
A transistor is the most widely used circuit element in personal computers and customer electronics.
Two types: bipolar junction transistors (BJT) and field-effect transistors (FET).

Asst. Prof. Onur Ferhanoğlu Methods of Analysis/ BASICS OF ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS 23

 DC Transistor Circuits

KCL

KVL

Equivalent DC model for the active mode

BJT transistor has 3 modes -> active, saturation, cut-off

When active:

Where, α and β are known as common-based current gain, and common-emitter current gain
α takes values between 0.98-0.999 , and β takes values between: 50-1000
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Exercise: applying methods of analysis to transistor circuits
For the circuit below, find IB, IC, vo. Assume active mode of operation, and β = 50.
KVL at input loop:

KVL at output loop:

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Exercise: Solve using mesh analysis
For the circuit below, find vo. Assume active mode of operation, and β = 150.
KVL at loop 1:

(1)
KVL at loop 2:

(2)
From 1 & 2

KVL at loop 3:

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Exercise: Solve using nodal analysis
For the circuit below, find vo. Assume active mode of operation, and β = 50.
KCL at node 1

KCL at node 2

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