Fundamentals of

Electrical Engineering Electrical Engineering

Electronic & Communication Engineering
Danang University of Technology
Lecture 7
Response of First-Order
RL & RC Circuits RL & RC Circuits
(chapter 7)
Step Response for RL Circuit
Now let's look at a circuit with an inductor instead of a Now let's look at a circuit with an inductor instead of a
capacitor. We'll start with the simplest possible circuit
When the initial energy in the inductor is zero:
L tR
s s
e
R
V
I
R
V
t i
/
0
) (

+ =
L tR
s s
e
R
V
R
V
t i
/
) (

+ =
E
x
a
m
p
l
e

7
.
5
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x
a
m
p
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e

7
.
5
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a
m
p
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e

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.
5
E
x
a
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p
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e

7
.
5
A
s
s
.

P
r
o
.

7
.
5
A
s
s
.

P
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.

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A
s
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.

P
r
o
.

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A
s
s
.

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r
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.
5
General Solution: Review
ANY circuit with one capacitor and a resistor has a
solution of the form
( )
RC t
e v v v t v
/
) ( ) 0 ( ) ( ) (
+
+ = ( )
RC t
Be A t v
e v v v t v
/
) (
) ( ) 0 ( ) ( ) (

+ =
+ =
Calculating Procedure
1. Find the initial condition, v(0
+
), from v(0
-
).
2. Find the steady state solution, v(), using the fact that
the capacitor is an open circuit at t =
3. Find the value of RC. (This value is so useful it has a 3. Find the value of RC. (This value is so useful it has a
special name, time constant)
4. Write the solution:
5. Plug the two voltage values into the solution to find A
and B. Use v() first!
6. Make sure you answered the question being asked!
RC t
Be A t v
/
) (

+ =
Example
Given v(0
-
) = 0V, Find i(t) for 0 < t <
E
x
a
m
p
l
e

7
.
7
E
x
a
m
p
l
e

7
.
7
E
x
a
m
p
l
e

7
.
8
E
x
a
m
p
l
e

7
.
9
E
x
a
m
p
l
e

7
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1
0
Review of General Solution
Sequential Switching
More than one switching operation in sequence.
Time reference for all switchings can not be t = 0
Approach:
Treat each switching as a separate step response.
Derive v(t) & i(t) for a given position of switch or Derive v(t) & i(t) for a given position of switch or
switches and then use these solutions to determine the
initial conditions for the next switch positions
Remember that inductive currents and capacitive
voltages cannot change instantaneously
E
x
a
m
p
l
e

7
.
1
1
E
x
a
m
p
l
e

7
.
1
2
E
x
a
m
p
l
e

7
.
1
2
Integrating Amplifier
For an ideal op amp, i
f
+ i
s
= 0 and v
n
= v
p
.
v
p
= 0, so i
s
= v
s
/R
s
and i
f
= C
f
dv
o
/dt
Thus dv
o
/dt = i
f
/C
f
= v
s
/R
s
C
f
Solution
Integrating Amplifier
In particular, if t
0
= 0 and at t
0
there is no energy stored
in C
f
:
Output v
o
(t) is the integral of the input signal, scaled by
-1/R C -1/R
s
C
f
Unbounded Response
In particular, if t
0
= 0 and at t
0
there is no energy stored
in C
f
:
Output v
o
(t) is the integral of the input signal, scaled by
-1/R C -1/R
s
C
f
Example
After a long time in position x, the switch is
a) Find the value of R that enables the shown circuit to a) Find the value of R that enables the shown circuit to
deliver the maximum power to the terminals a & b
b) Calculate the maximum power transferred to R
Abstable multivibrator
Monostable multivibrator
Study Guide Section 7.1 & 7.2
Define the following:
Natural response; Step response; First-order circuit; Time constant.
The process of determining the natural response of an RL circuit
can be broken down into the following steps:
Determine the initial value of the current in the inductor. This value
may be given to you in the problem statement. More often, you will
need to draw the circuit for t < 0 and use simple dc circuit analysis to
find the inductor current. Remember that in the circuit for t < 0 the find the inductor current. Remember that in the circuit for t < 0 the
inductor is replaced by a short circuit and the only other components
are resistors. You need to find the current through the short circuit.
Call this initial inductor current I
o
.
Determine the time constant = L/R. To do this, draw the circuit for t
> 0 and find the equivalent resistance seen by the inductor, using
series and parallel combinations of resistors if necessary.
Write the expression for the current in the inductor: i(t) = I
o
e
-t/
, t > 0.
Determine any other quantities of interest using the expression for i(t).
You may need Ohms law, current division, v = Ldi/dt, or other circuit-
analysis techniques.
Study Guide Section 7.1 & 7.2
Practice the technique for determining the inductor current in an
RL circuit on the following:
In Example 7.1, draw the circuit for t < 0 and calculate I
o
. Then draw
the circuit for t > 0 and calculate the time constant. Write the
expression for the inductor current.
In the circuit for Assessment Problem 7.1, draw the circuit for t < 0
and calculate I
o
. Then draw the circuit for t > 0 and calculate the time and calculate I
o
. Then draw the circuit for t > 0 and calculate the time
constant. Use this analysis to complete Assessment Problem 7.1.
In the circuit for Assessment Problem 7.2, draw the circuit for t < 0
and calculate I
o
. Then draw the circuit for t > 0 and calculate the time
constant. Use this analysis to complete Assessment Problem 7.2.
In the circuit for Chapter Problem 7.1, draw the circuit for t < 0 and
calculate I
o
. Then draw the circuit for t > 0 and calculate the time
constant. Use this analysis to complete Chapter Problem 7.1.
Read Chapter Problem 7.2. What is a make-before-break switch?
When must you use a make-before-break switch in a circuit?
Study Guide Section 7.1 & 7.2
The process for determining the natural response of an RC circuit
is analogous to determining the natural response of an RL circuit.
To summarize:
Determine the initial value of the voltage drop across the capacitor.
This value may be given to you in the problem statement. More
often, you will need to draw the circuit for t < 0 and use simple dc
circuit analysis to find the capacitor voltage. Remember that in the
circuit for t < 0 the capacitor is replaced by an open circuit and the circuit for t < 0 the capacitor is replaced by an open circuit and the
only other components are resistors. You need to find the voltage
drop across the open circuit. Call this initial capacitor voltage V
o
.
Determine the time constant = RC. To do this, draw the circuit for t
> 0 and find the equivalent resistance seen by the capacitor, using
series and parallel combinations of resistors if necessary.
Write the expression for the voltage across the capacitor: v(t) = V
o
e
-t/
,
t > 0.
Determine any other quantities of interest using the expression for
v(t). You may need Ohms law, current division, i = Cdv/dt, or other
circuit-analysis techniques.
Study Guide Section 7.1 & 7.2
Practice the technique for determining the capacitor voltage for an
RC circuit on the following:
In Example 7.3, draw the circuit for t < 0 and calculate V
o
. Then draw
the circuit for t > 0 and calculate the time constant. Write the
expression for the capacitor voltage.
In the circuit for Assessment Problem 7.3, draw the circuit for t < 0 In the circuit for Assessment Problem 7.3, draw the circuit for t < 0
and calculate V
o
. Then draw the circuit for t > 0 and calculate the
time constant. Use this analysis to complete Assessment Problem
7.3.
In the circuit for Chapter Problem 7.22, draw the circuit for t < 0 and
calculate V
o
. Then draw the circuit for t > 0 and calculate the time
constant. Use this analysis to complete Chapter Problem 7.22.
Study Guide Section 7.3 & 7.4
Determining the step response of an RL or RC circuit is very
similar to determining the natural response, but one additional
task is required finding the final value of the variable of interest.
That is, you must find the value of the variable as t . The
steps are as follows:
Find the initial value from the circuit for t < 0; Find the initial value from the circuit for t < 0;
Find the final value from the circuit for t ;
Find the time constant from the circuit for t > 0;
Write the step-response expression using the initial value, the final
value, and the time constant.
Study Guide Section 7.3 & 7.4
Practice these steps on the following circuits:
Figure 7.19;
The circuit described in Assessment Problem 7.5;
Figure P7.34;
Figure 7.22;
Figure 7.22, but now assume that the switch is at position 2 for t < 0
and switches to position 1 at t = 0;
Figure P7.47, where the behavior of the sources is described in the Figure P7.47, where the behavior of the sources is described in the
problem statement.
What is the final value of the inductor current in a first-order RL
circuit that has a natural response, not a step response? (See
Fig. 7.4). What is the final value of the capacitor voltage in a first-
order RC circuit that has a natural response, not a step response?
(See Fig. 7.11). Show that for these final values, the equation for
the step response (Eq. 7.35 for the RL circuit, Eq. 7.51 for the RC
circuit) reduces to the equation for the natural response (Eq. 7.6
for the RL circuit, Eq. 7.22 for the RC circuit).
Study Guide Section 7.3 & 7.4
In a circuit with a switch whose position changes at t = 0, what is
the difference between t = 0
-
and t = 0
+
?
If this circuit contains an inductor, what is true about the inductor
current at t = 0
-
and t = 0
+
? Is this also true of the inductor
voltage? Why or why not?
Suppose a circuit with a switch whose position changes at t = 0
has a capacitor. Make observations about the capacitor voltage has a capacitor. Make observations about the capacitor voltage
and current at t = 0
-
and t = 0
+
similar to those made about the
circuit with the inductor.
Study Guide Section 7.5
Define sequential switching.
To solve a sequential switching problem, we follow the solution
technique developed for the natural and step response of the first-
order RL and RC circuits for the first switching time, t
1
. That is,
we use one circuit for t < t
1
to determine the initial value of the
current in the inductor or the voltage drop across the capacitor.
We use a second circuit for t > t to determine the final value and We use a second circuit for t > t
1
to determine the final value and
the time constant. Note that if the circuit does not have an
independent source for t > t
1
the final value is 0. Then we write
the equation for the inductor current or the capacitor voltage using
the initial value, the final value, and the time constant. We then
evaluate the equation at t = t
2
to determine the initial value of the
variable for the next time interval.
Study Guide Section 7.5
We repeat the process by drawing the circuit for t > t
2
to
determine the final value and the time constant for the next time
interval and write the equation for inductor current or capacitor
voltage using the initial value, final value, and time constant for
the new interval. If there is a third time interval starting at t
3
we
evaluate the last expression at t
3
, draw the circuit for t > t
3
and
repeat the process. Review Example 7.12 and draw the circuits repeat the process. Review Example 7.12 and draw the circuits
for t < 0, 0 t < 15 ms, and t 15 ms to assist you in
understanding this example.
Solve Assessment Problem 7.7 and Chapter Problem 7.70. Be
sure to draw circuits for the relevant time intervals to assist you.
Study Guide Section 7.6 & 7.7
Define the term unbounded response.
How could you tell that a response is unbounded by looking at the
equation for a voltage or a current?
Why is a circuit with only an independent source incapable of exhibiting
an unbounded response?
What is unusual about the Thevenin-equivalent resistance in a circuit
with an unbounded response?
If a real circuit has an unbounded response, what normally happens to If a real circuit has an unbounded response, what normally happens to
the circuit after some time has elapsed?
The circuit in Fig. 7.40 is an integrating amplifier. Define integrating.
Define amplifier. The circuit might more accurately be called an
inverting integrating amplifier why?
What determines the time interval for which the circuit in Fig. 7.40
behaves as an inverting amplifier? What happens after that time
interval?
If you want the circuit in Fig. 7.40 to integrate but not amplify, what must
be true about the values of R
s
and C
f
?
Solve Assessment Problems 7.9 and 7.10.