College of Engineering

Electrical Engineering Department

ELEC201: Thevenin and Maximum Power Transfer Theorem

Group Number in the Blackboard: ____

SEMESTER
(Fall 2021/ Spring 2021)

Lab#: 5

Section : B51
Students : Asmaa aslam 201705096
Noora alkuwari 201508667
Fatma Alsaei 201702953

Instructor : Najla AL-Thani; Hasan Mehrjerdi;

Date Performed: 2021 /10/18

Date Submitted:2021 /10/25
Lab 5: Thevenin and Maximum Power Transfer Theorem [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

1. INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this lab is to obtain the Thevenin's Equivalent circuit and to use this circuit to find
the maximum power transferred to the load.
Thevenin's Equivalent circuit consists of Thevenin's Equivalent voltage in series with Thevenin's
Equivalent resistance as seen from the terminals where Thevenin's Equivalent circuit is required.
Thevenin's equivalent voltage is obtained by opening the terminals and finding the voltage
across the terminals. Thus, Thevenin's voltage is open circuit voltage across the given terminals.
Similarly, Thevenin's equivalent resistance is obtained by opening the given terminals and
turning off all the independent voltage or current sources. A voltage source is turned off by
replacing it by a short wire. A current source is turned off by replacing it by an open circuit. Once
all the independent sources are off, the Thevenin's Resistance can be determined as seen from
the given terminals.
Maximum power transformer theorem says that a circuit with a given load absorbs maximum
power only when its resistance is equal to the Thevenin's Equivalent resistance. The maximum
power transferred at this point is calculated as:
2
𝑉𝑡ℎ
𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝐸𝑞. 5.1
4𝑅𝑡ℎ
In this experiment, the Thevenin's equivalent voltage and equivalent resistance will be
determined. These two values will help to construct Thevenin's equivalent circuit. The load
resistance will be varied and power will be computed for each load. The maximum power will be
determined when load is equal to Thevenin's equivalent resistance.

2. PRE-LAB
Part 1: Maximum Power Transfer Theorem

For this load:

0.8512
𝑃𝐿 = = 1.448 𝑚𝑊
500

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Lab 5: Thevenin and Maximum Power Transfer Theorem [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

Part 2: Thevenin’s Equivalent Circuit

1.
𝑰𝑳 = 𝟏. 𝟕𝟕𝒎𝑨

2.
𝑽𝑻𝑯 = 𝟒. 𝟖𝑽

3.
𝑰𝒔𝒄 = 𝟐. 𝟎𝟔𝟗𝒎𝑨

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Lab 5: Thevenin and Maximum Power Transfer Theorem [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

𝑽𝑻𝒉 𝟒.𝟖
4. 𝑹𝑻𝑯 = = 𝟐.𝟎𝟔𝟗∗𝟏𝟎−𝟑 = 𝟐. 𝟑𝟏𝟗𝟗 𝒌Ω
𝑰𝒔𝒄

5.
𝑹𝑻𝒉 (𝑫𝑴𝑴) = 𝟐. 𝟑𝟐 𝒌𝑶𝒉𝒎

6. .
𝑰𝑳 (𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏 𝑬𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒗. ) = 𝟏. 𝟕𝟕𝒎𝑨

3. EQUIPMENT, INSTRUMENTS AND MATERIALS

• Decade Resistance Box
• Resistors (390, 1k, 2.2k, 3.3k)
• DC Power Supply
• DMM
• Breadboard

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Lab 5: Thevenin and Maximum Power Transfer Theorem [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

4. PROCEDURES
Part 1 of the experiment was to investigate the Maximum Power Transfer Theorem. The
resistances R1, R2 and R3 were measured by connecting DMM (Ohmmeter) across each of
them separately. These resistances were used to implement the circuit of Figure 7.3 on
breadboard. Load resistance was a decade resistance which was varied according to the values
listed in Table 7.2. The current in the load was measured for each load by placing Ammeter in
series with the load. Power was calculated for each value of load current.
Part 2 of the experiment was to implement the Thevenin's Equivalent circuit. The circuit of Figure
7.4 was implemented on breadboard and current through load was measured using ammeter.
The load resistance was then removed and DMM was placed across the open circuited output
terminal. In this way open circuit voltage and short circuit current was measured. The Thevenin's
Resistance was calculated by using these two measured values. Thevenin's Equivalent voltage
and current were used to implement Thevenin's Equivalent circuit. The load was placed in this
circuit and current through the load was measured.

5. RESULTS
Measured values of resistances 𝑅1 , 𝑅2 , 𝑅3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅𝐿 are listed in Table 5.1 below:
Table 5.1
𝑅1 (kΩ) 𝑅2 (kΩ) 𝑅3 (kΩ) 𝑅𝐿 (kΩ)
3.274 2.193 0.9 0.386

The measured, simulated and calculated results for Part-1: Maximum Power Transfer theorem
are given in Table 5.2 below:

Table 5.2: Results for Maximum Power Transfer Theorem

Load Resistor Voltage across load VL (V)
Calculated power PL (mW)
R L ( ) (Multisim) (Practical)
500 0.851 0.940V 1.767
1000 1.446 1.540V 2.372
2000 2.222 2.321V 2.694
3000 2.707 2.801V 2.615
4000 3.038 3.131V 2.451
5000 3.279 3.367V 2.267
6000 3.462 3.546V 2.096

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 Lab 5: Thevenin and Maximum Power Transfer Theorem [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

Table 5.3 for Part-2: Thevenin’s Equivalent circuit is given below:

Table 5.3: Results for Thevenin’s Equivalent Circuit

Value Multisim (A) Lab Work (B) Post Lab (C) Error %
A&C B&C
IL (Through the load) (mA) 1.77 1.83 1.771 0.056 3.33
Isc (Short circuit voltage) (mA) 2.069 2.15 2.069 0.000 3.91
VTh (Open circuit voltage) (V) 4.8 4.83 4.8 0.000 0.63
RTh (by VTh & ISC) (kOhm) 2.3199 2.25 2.32 0.004 3.02
RTh (by DMM ) (kOhm) 2.32 2.307 2.32 0.000 0.56
IL|Th (Thevenin’s Network) (mA) 1.77 1.79 1.771 0.056 1.07

6. POST LAB TASKS.

1. Calculate the theoretical Thevenin’s resistance, Thevenin’s voltage for Figure 7.3 and
draw the equivalent circuit. Also, calculate the current through the load and record it in
Table 7.3. (Show your calculations)

𝑅𝑇𝐻 = 3.3𝑘 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 2.2𝑘 + 1𝑘

3.3 ∗ 2.2
𝑅𝑇𝐻 = + 1 = 𝟐. 𝟑𝟐 𝒌𝑶𝒉𝒎
3.3 + 2.2
Using voltage divider rule:
2.2
𝑉𝑇𝐻 = ∗ 12 = 𝟒. 𝟖𝑽
2.2 + 3.3
Thevenin’s Equivalent circuit is:

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Lab 5: Thevenin and Maximum Power Transfer Theorem [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

Current IL is:
4.8
𝐼𝐿 = = 1.771 𝑚𝐴
2.32 ∗ 103 + 390
𝑉𝑇ℎ 4.8
𝐼𝑠𝑐 = = = 2.069 𝑚𝐴
𝑅𝑇𝐻 2.32𝑘

2. Plot a graph of PL Vs RL using Excel with the readings obtained in Table 7.2 and mark
the point where the plot shows the peak value for power.

Maximum Power Transfer Plot

3

2.5

2
PL (mW)

1.5

0.5

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000
RL (Ohm)

3. What is the maximum power point value and under which load resistance value?
The maximum power occurs at 𝑅𝐿 = 2.3 𝑘𝑂ℎ𝑚 and power is 2.75mW.

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Lab 5: Thevenin and Maximum Power Transfer Theorem [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

7. DISCUSSION
The power in the maximum power transfer theorem was measured for each variation of load.
The Measurements for Multisim as well as breadboard were presented in Table 5.2. The plot of
RL on x-axis and PL on y-axis was obtained. It was observed that the graph reached a peak
value the power was decreasing before and after that peak value. This peak value was close to
2.75mW and was occurred at load resistance of 2.3 kOhm approximately.
The practical, calculated and simulated results were tabulated in Table 5.3. All of these
measurements were. Also compared. The comparison was done in the form of %errors. Method
of computing %errors is given in appendix. All of the %errors were less than 5%. Therefore, the
measurements followed the allowed deviation of 5% margins
The current through the load and that of obtained from Thevenin’s Equivalent circuit can be
compared using %difference method [3] as given below:

1.83 − 1.79
%𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = ( ) ∗ 100 = 2.21%
1.83 + 1.79
2
The %difference between the current obtained from the original circuit and that of from
Thevenin’s equivalent circuit is very small i.e., just 2.2%. It proved that the Thevenin's Equivalent
circuit provided same value of the load current as measured in the Figure 7.2 of the manual.
This proved the validation of application of Thevenin's equivalent circuit.

8. CONCLUSION
Maximum Power Transfer theorem stated that power will be maximum only for a certain value
of load. It was expected that the load resistance at maximum power should equalize the
Thevenin's equivalent resistance seen from the load terminals. The Power vs RL curve obtained
from Table 5.2 showed that the maximum power was obtained at RL = 2.3k Ohm approximately.
This was almost same as the Thevenin's Equivalent Resistance (𝑅𝑇𝐻 = 2.32𝑘 𝑂ℎ𝑚). In this way
the Maximum Power Transfer Theorem was verified practically. The second objective of the lab
was to implement and verify Thevenin's Equivalent circuit. The value of the load current was
1.83mA and that of obtained from Thevenin's Equivalent circuit was 1.79mA. Both of these
values are almost same. This proved the Thevenin's equivalent circuit theorem. The %errors
between measured, simulated and calculated values were too small i.e., less than 4%.
Therefore, measurements were done perfectly. In this way all the objectives of the lab were
achieved.

9. REFERENCES

[1] E. E. Department, "ELEC201 Lab Manual," Qatar University, 2021.

[2] https://www.vedantu.com/maths/percentage-error.
[3] https://byjus.com/percent-difference-formula/.

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Lab 5: Thevenin and Maximum Power Transfer Theorem [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

APPENDICES
%Error method [2]:

%Difference Method [3]:

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