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EE201.

Nodal Analysis

Nov. 2006

Example #1 (based on #20, Chapter 17, Boylestads Circuit Analysis 2nd Canadian Ed.)

Q: Find the current through the capacitor. A nodal analysis would be quickest since we already have current sources (i.e. I is a known, V is unknown); well have to do a voltage subtraction to find the current through C, but we would have to do a subtraction of the 2 loop current from a mesh analysis anyway. i) Define some nodes: V1 above the left current source, V2 where the 6 R, 5 L and capacitor join, and V3 over the right current source. The bottom (ground) rail can be defined as the reference node, V = 0V. ii) Write the nodal equations using Kirchoffs Current Law: (define +ve I as out or the node, and ve I as into the node for all nodes) node 1: starting with a straight-forward approach

V1 ! Vref 4

V1 ! V2 V1 ! V3 + ! 4"0 o = 0 , then distribute the terms 6 8

V1 Vref V1 V2 V1 V3 ! + ! + ! = 4"0 o A , next, group like terms 4 4 6 6 8 8


! 1 1 1$ ! 1$ ! 1$ o # + + & V1 ' # & V2 ' # & V3 = 4(0 A , convert to admittances and move all polarity " 4 6 8% " 6% " 8% signs inside the parentheses yields our first equation
(.25 +.167 +.125)V1 +(-.167)V2 +(-.125)V3 = 40oA (.542)V1 +(-.167)V2 +(-.125)V3 = 40o A

Denard Lynch

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EE201.3

Nodal Analysis

Nov. 2006

node 2: (to the left of the capacitor) Similar to above

(-.167)V1 +(.167 +j.3)V2 +(-j.5)V3 = 0A node 3: (to the right of the capacitor): We can now save some time by i) treating the impedances as admittances, and ii) separating the superimposed currents from each nodal voltage:

Solving: V1 = 15.121.3oV,

V2 = 17.243.7oV,

V3 = 10.58-.1oV

IC (left to right flow) = V2 - V3 / 2-90 = 3.3699.80A Alternatively, if one converted the current sources to voltage sources and wrote loop equations: 1) 2) 3) (10 +j5)i1 (-6)i1 (-j5)i1 +(-6)i2 +(14 -j2)i2 +(j2)i2 + (-j5)i3 + (j2)i3 + (j7)i3 = 160 =0 = -240

Solving: i1 = .24-21.2oA, i2 = .574.5oA, i3 = 3.3590.1oA IC = i3 - i2 = 3.3699.80A

Denard Lynch

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EE201.3

Nodal Analysis

Nov. 2006

Example #2 (based on #15, Chapter 17, Boylestads Circuit Analysis 2nd Canadian Ed.) Determine the nodal voltages and the loop currents for the following network.

For nodal voltages, convert E to a current source, I = ______________ and use nodal analysis:
-j4 j.25S
4!90 A
o

node 1 (left of the capacitor):


-j.167S j6 .5S 2

(.2 +j.0833)v1 +(-j.25)v2 = 650 node 2 (right of the capacitor):

(-j.25)v1 +(.5 +j.25)v2 = 490 Solving: v1 = 19.3861.00V, v2 = 13.6597.20V I5 = (V1 - 3050V)/5 = ________________, (+ve = down through the resistor) I2 = V2/2 = __________________ (+ve = down through the resistor) Note: you cannot find the current through the 5 by simply dividing V1 by 5 as one might think! E.g. V1/5 = 3.8861.0oA (does not agree with above!!) Remember: once you do a source conversion, it might be a 5 resistor, but its not the same 5 resistor!

Denard Lynch

Page 3 of 4

EE201.3

Nodal Analysis

Nov. 2006

For the loop currents, convert the current source to a voltage source: Using the two loops in the circuit (clock-wise, left-to-right): loop 1:
30!50 V +
o

5 j6

-j4

(5 +j6)i1 + (-j6)i2 = 3050V loop 2:

Solving for the 2 unknowns: i1 = 2.3231.40A, i2 = _______________________A The current through the 5 resistor (+ve defined as rightleft to be consistent with above): I5 = -i1 = -2.3231.4oA or 2.32-148.6oA (as determined above, within rounding error). The current through the 2 resistor cannot be determined simply be saying it is i2, since the 2 resistor in the equivalent circuit is not the same resistor! I.e. I2 does not equal 2.90107.0oA as one might think. We must restore the original circuit, then i2 is leaving the capacitor and entering the node with the 490oA current source. Therefore I2 = i2 + 490oA = 6.8397.1oA (as determined above, within rounding error) If we had been interested in the current through the capacitor: IC = (V1 V2)/(-j4) = 2.90107.1oA = i2 (as expected, within rounding error)

Denard Lynch

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