SKEE1043

Circuit & Systems

Energy

Storage Elements

(Capacitors and Inductors)

Introduction
After completing this module, you should able to:
Define capacitance

and state its symbol and unit of measurement.

Analyze how a capacitor

Define inductance

and state its symbol and unit of measurement.

Analyze how an inductor

Solve series

stores energy

stores energy.

- parallel for inductor and capacitor

Passive Element

Resistor: a passive element which dissipates energy only

Two important passive linear circuit elements:

1)Capacitor
2)Inductor

Capacitor and inductor can store energy only and they can neither
generate nor dissipate energy.

Capacitors

A capacitor is a passive element designed to store energy in its

electric field.
Plate
+ + ++ + + + + +

dielectric

- - - -- - - - Plate

A capacitor consists of two conducting plates separated by an

insulator (or dielectric).

Capacitors

Capacitors

Capacitance C:
Is a measure of a capacitors ability to store charge and is define as
C = q/V
Q charge accumulate on the plate
V - the voltage across the plate

is the ratio of the charge q on one plate of a capacitor to the voltage

difference v between the two plates, measured in farads (F).

Capacitors

qC v

and

q A
C
V
d

Where is the permittivity of the dielectric material

between the plates, A is the surface area of each plate,
d is the distance between the plates.

Unit: F, pF (1012), nF (109), and F (106)

Therefore, capacitance depend on the type of dielectric used.

The higher the value of r the higher will be the electric flux
density which result in higher value charge accumulate on the
plate.

Capacitors

If i is flowing into the +ve terminal of C

Charging

=> i is +ve
Discharging => i is ve

The current-voltage relationship of capacitor according to above

convention is

dq d (Cv(t ))
dv(t )
i(t )

C
dt
dt
dt

Example 1

An initially uncharged 1-mF capacitor has the current shown below

across it.
Calculate the voltage across it at t = 2 ms and t = 5 ms.

Answer:

v(2ms) = 100 mV
v(5ms) = 500 mV

10

Capacitors
Energy store in capacitance

The energy, w, stored in thet capacitor from time - to t is

w pt dt

dvc
dvc
Cvc
where pt vc ic vc C
dt
dt
if vc 0 and vc t V
1
V
2
1
2
w

C
v
w C vc dvc CV
2
0
2

Energy is stored in between the plates in the form of electric field.

11

Capacitors
From current-voltage relationship, it can be observed that:
1.

When voltage across a capacitor is not changing with time (i.e

dc voltage), the current through capacitor is zero, i=0.
Capacitor behaves as an open circuit.
ic = 0

ic = 0
R

Vs

+
-

+
Vs

Vs

+
-

+
Vs

12

Capacitors
2.

Voltage across C, Vc cannot change instantaneously

(discontinuous). Vc must continuous.
Vc

Vc

discontinuous Vc

Vc

continuous Vc

continuous Vc

3. Vc can be obtain from

1
v
C

i d t v(t )
t0

Example 2

13

Under DC condition,
find the energy stored
in the capacitors.

14

Parallel Capacitors

The equivalent capacitance of N parallel-connected capacitors is the

sum of the individual capacitances.
For every capacitor in parallel,
iN C N

dv
dt

Where N = 1, 2, 3 and 4.
For resultant capacitor:

dv
i Ceq
dt

Parallel Capacitors

Using Kirchhoffs current law (KCL),

i = i1 + i2 + i3 + +iN

dv
dv
i Ceqv
(C1 C2 C3 ...... CN )
dt
dt
Ceq C1 C2 ... CN
In general if there are N capacitors connected in parallel,
N

Ceq C N
N 1

15

16

Series Capacitors

The equivalent capacitance of N series-connected capacitors is the

reciprocal of the sum of the reciprocals of the individual capacitances.

Voltage equation of every capacitor CN

1
vN t
CN

it dt v t
t

t0

where N = 1,2,.. (capacitors

number), and vN(t0) is initial voltage of
capacitor N

17

Series Capacitors

Voltage equation of resultant capacitance,

Ceq
1
vt
Ceq

it dt vt
t

t0

where v(t0) is total initial voltage of

capacitor in series (equivalent initial
voltage of resultant capacitance Ceq.

18

Series Capacitors

Using Kirchhoffs voltage law (KVL)

V(t) = V1(t) + V2(t) + V3(t) + V4(t) + + VN(t)

1 t
vt
it dt vt0

t
Ceq 0
1
1
1
1

...
CN
C1 C2 C3

Therefore:

t
it dt v1 t0 v2 t0 v3 t0 .... vN t0
t0

1
1
1
1

...
Ceq C1 C2
CN

OR

1 N 1
Ceq N1 C

Series connection capacitors is similar to parallel connection of R.

19

Example 3
Find the equivalent capacitance seen at the terminals of the circuit in the
circuit shown below:

Answer:
Ceq = 40F

20

Inductors

An inductor is a passive element designed to store energy in its

magnetic field.

An inductor consists of a coil of conducting wire.

21

Inductors

An inductor consists of a coil of conducting wire.

Inductance is the property whereby an inductor exhibits the

opposition to the change of current flowing through it, measured in
henrys (H).

What is the relationship between

vN

d d ( N )

dt
dt

and

vL

di d ( Li)

.
dt
dt

REMINDER!!!
This is one aspect of Lenzs
lawinduction opposes
any change in flux.

22

Inductors
REMINDER!!!
This is one aspect of Lenzs
lawinduction opposes
any change in flux.
+ve

- ve

Remember: induced voltage opposed

the change of current

Inductors

23

Flux, is a quantity which is difficult to measured and current is a

quantity that is easy to measured. So it is better to express voltage in
term of quantity that is easy to measured, that is current. Since is
proportional i, therefore we express the flux linkage in term current as
(N) =(Li) where L is a constant of proportionality which we called
inductance

Hence

d ( N ) d ( Li)
di
v

L
dt
dt
dt

24

Inductors

The current-voltage relationship of an inductor:

1 t
i v (t ) d t i (t 0 )
L t0

and

di
vL
dt

1) If iL is constant i.e. i does not change with time, then VL = 0.

Inductor acts like a short circuit to dc.
iL = VS/R

iL = VS/R

VS

+
-

+
VL

VS

+
-

+
VL

25

Inductors

2) iL cannot change instantaneously (discontinuous). iL must be

continuous).
IL

IL
discontinuous IL

3)

IL
continuous IL

iL can be obtained from

1 t
iL vL t dt iL t0
L t0

continuous IL
i

Power absorbed by inductance:

p v L iL L

diL
iL
dt

+
VL
-

26

Inductors

Energy stored in inductance from t = - to t = t is given by

iL t
iL t
diL
w pt dt L
.iL dt i L.iL diL L i iL .diL

L
L
dt
t

If iL 0

and

iL t I

then

1 2
w L iL .diL LI
0
2
I

Energy stored in inductor in the form magnetic field.

27

Example

Determine vc, iL, and the energy stored in the capacitor and inductor in the
circuit of circuit shown below under dc conditions.
Answer:
iL = 3A
vC = 3V
wL = 1.125J
wC = 9J
Exercise: PP 6.10

28

Series Inductors

The equivalent inductance of series-connected inductors is the sum

of the individual inductances.
di
V LS
dt

Using Kirchhoffs voltage law (KVL):

V= VL1 + VL2 + VL3 + VL4 + VL5
V L1

di
di
di
di
L2 L3 ... LN
dt
dt
dt
dt

Leq L1 L2 ... LN
In general, if there are N inductors
N
connected in series Leq LN
j 1

29

Parallel Inductors

The equivalent capacitance of parallel inductors is the reciprocal of

the sum of the reciprocals of the individual inductances.
Using KCL, i = i1 + i2 + i3 + i4 + i5
1
it
Leq

vt dt it
t

t0

i
t

branch current is N
LN

and

vt dt i t
t

t0

where N = 1, 2, .5.

1
1
1
1

...
Leq L1 L2
LN

In general, if there are N inductors connected

in parallel, N
1
1

Leq j 1 LN

30

Example

Calculate the equivalent inductance for the inductive ladder network in

the circuit shown below:

Answer:
Leq = 25mH

31

Current and voltage relationship for R, L, C

,P

At DC
condition

/Energy, W

same

1 2
Li
2

1
C v2
2

Looks
like
short
circuit

Looks
like
open
circuit

Summary of Capacitors and Inductors

32

Exercises

33

P6.13 pg: 243

Find 1 and 2 under

dc conditions.

P6.46 pg: 246

Find c and iL under

dc conditions. Hence
energy stored in the
capacitor and
inductor.

Exercises

34

P6.48 pg: 247

Find and i under dc

conditions. Hence
energy stored in the
capacitor and inductor.
P6.47 pg: 247

Find R and i that will

make the energy stored
in the capacitor the
same as the stored in
the inductor under dc
condition.

Example Test 1

35

Tutorial Q1

36

37

Tutorial Q2

38

Tutorial Q3

39

Tutorial Q4