Fundamentals of Electrical

Engineering
Chapter 5 &6
Transient Circuit Analysis &
Introduction to Poly-Phase Systems

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 First-Order Circuits
• A circuit that contains only sources, resistors
and an inductor is called an RL circuit.
• A circuit that contains only sources, resistors
and a capacitor is called an RC circuit.
• RL and RC circuits are called first-order circuits
because their voltages and currents are
described by first-order differential equations.
R R

i i
v v
+ +
– L – C
s s
The Source-Free RC Circuit
• A first-order circuit is characterized by a first-order
differential equation.
• Consider a series combination of a resistor and an
initially charged capacitor, as shown in Fig.1.
• Since the capacitor is initially charged, we can
assume that at time t = 0, the initial voltage is

• Applying KCL at the top node of the circuit in Fig.1,

By KCL
v dv
iR  iC  0  C  0
R dt

Figure 1 Ohms law

Capacitor law
• Apply Kirchhoff’s laws to purely resistive circuit results in algebraic
equations. 3
• Apply the laws to RC and RL circuits produces differential equations.
v(t )  v(0) e t / RC

v(0)  V0

v(t )  V0 et / RC

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 The key to working with a source-free RC circuit is
finding:
t / 
v(t )  V0 e where RC

1. The initial voltage v(0) = V0 across the

capacitor.
2. The time constant  = RC.
• We find the equivalent resistance (R) or the Thevenin resistance at the capacitor
terminals.

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• The natural response of a circuit refers to the behavior
(in terms of voltages and currents) of the circuit itself,
with no external sources of excitation.

Time constant RC

Decays more slowly

Decays faster

• The time constant  of a circuit is the time required for the

response to decay by a factor of 1/e or 36.8% of its initial value.
• v decays faster for small  and slower for large .
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Example 1
Refer to the circuit below, determine vC, vx, and
io for t ≥ 0.
Assume that vC(0) = 30 V.

• Please refer to textbook for more detail elaboration.

Answer: vC = 30e–0.25t V ; vx = 10e–0.25t ; io = –2.5e–0.25t A
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Example 2
The switch in circuit below is opened at t = 0,
find v(t) for t ≥ 0.

• Please refer to textbook for more detail elaboration.

Answer: V(t) = 8e–2t V

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The Source-Free RL Circuit
• A first-order RL circuit consists of a inductor
L (or its equivalent) and a resistor (or its
equivalent)
By KVL vL  vR  0
di
L  iR  0
dt

Inductors law Ohms law

di R Rt / L
  dt i(t )  I 0 e
i L
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 A general form representing a RL

t / 
i (t )  I 0 e
L
where 
R

• The time constant  of a circuit is the time required for the response
to decay by a factor of 1/e or 36.8% of its initial value.
• i(t) decays faster for small  and slower for large .
• The general form is very similar to a RC source-free circuit. 10
The key to working with a source-free RL
circuit is finding:

t / L
i(t )  I 0 e where 
R

1. The initial voltage i(0) = I0 through the

inductor.
2. The time constant  = L/R.
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Example 4
For the circuit, find i(t) for t > 0.
• When t < 0, the switch is closed, and the
inductor acts as a short circuit to dc.

• Please refer to textbook for more example.

Answer: i(t) = 2e–2t A 13

Three-Phase Circuit
• It is a system produced by a generator consisting of
three sources having the same amplitude and
frequency but out of phase with each other by 120°.

Three sources
with 120° out
of phase
Four wired
system

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 cont
• A three-phase generator consists of a rotating
magnet (rotor) surrounded by a stationary
winding (stator).

A three-phase generator The generated voltages

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 cont

• Two possible configurations:

Three-phase voltage sources: (a) Y-connected ; (b) Δ-connected

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 Balance Three-Phase Voltages

• Balanced phase voltages are equal in magnitude and are out

of phase with each other by 120°.

• A balanced load is one in which the phase impedances are

equal in magnitude and in phase

• A balanced load is a load that draws the same current from

each phase of the three-phase system, while an unbalanced
load has at least one of those currents different from the rest

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Example 1
Determine the phase sequence of the
set of voltages.
van  200 cos(t  10)
vbn  200 cos(t  230 )
vcn  200 cos(t  110 )
The voltages can be expressed in phasor form as

Van  200 10 V

Vbn  200   230  V
Vcn  200   110  V
We notice that Van leads Vcn by 120° and Vcn in turn leads Vbn
by 120°.
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Hence, we have an acb sequence.
• Four possible connections

1. Y-Y connection (Y-connected source

with a Y-connected load)

2. Y-Δ connection (Y-connected source

with a Δ-connected load)

3. Δ-Δ connection

4. Δ-Y connection

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• A balanced Y-Y system is a three-phase system with a balanced y-connected
source and a balanced y-connected load.

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 VL  3V p , where
V p  Van  Vbn  Vcn
VL  Vab  Vbc  Vca

Applying KVL to each phase in previous Fig. above , we obtain the line
currents as

An alternative way of analyzing a balanced Y-Y system is to do so on a “per phase” basis.

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Example 2
Calculate the line currents in the three-wire Y-Y
system shown below:

Figure 12.13

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 • A balanced Y-Δ system is a three-phase system with a
balanced y-connected source and a balanced Δ-connected
load.
Assuming the positive sequence, the phase voltages
are again

I L  3I p , where
I L  I a  Ib  I c
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I p  I AB  I BC  ICA
25
Example 3
A balanced abc-sequence Y-connected source with
( Van  100 10 ) is connected to a Δ-connected load
(8+j4) per phase. Calculate the phase and line
currents.

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• A balanced Δ-Δ system is a three-phase system with a
balanced Δ -connected source and a balanced Δ -connected
load.

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Example 4
A balanced Δ-connected load having an impedance 20-
j15  is connected to a Δ-connected positive-sequence
generator having (Vab  330 0 V ). Calculate the phase
currents of the load and the line currents.

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• A balanced Δ-Y system is a three-phase system with a
balanced y-connected source and a balanced y-connected
load.

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