UCK 372E: Experimental Engineering

Experiment I
RLC Circuit Experiment
Dr. smail Bayezit

In this experiment the students are supposed to conduct a series of serially connected RLC
circuit experiments and record the results. Considering the source, resistance and capacitance
the students will have analytically or numerically calculated response of the circuit.

Part I: Choosing the circuit elements

1) The students are supposed to choose three resistance.

Figure 1: Resistor Color Reading Guide.

Following the instructions above, the students will read the resistors and write their values
below.

1 = 2 = 3 =

2) The students are supposed to choose three capacitance.

1 = 2 = 3 =

3) There are two options for inductance:

1 = 100 2 = 150

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UCK 372E: Experimental Engineering

4) There are two options for the voltage source.

1 = 5 2 = 15

Part II
In the experiment the students will choose three possible configuration and conduct the
experiments.

They are expected to record the voltage response of the capacitance based on the readings on
multimeter and oscilloscope.

Table 1: Chosen Circuit Elements and Voltage Source.

Experimental Results:

1) Record the voltage response of the capacitance. The process of recording will be
conducted as follows: the students will take a video of the multimeter and afterwards
in finite time difference write down the voltage values on an excel sheet. The students
will take photographs of the oscilloscope and use a digitizer to convert the data to a
useful format.
2) What is the settling time based on readings?
3) In order to extend the settling time, which component of the circuit must be changed?
Should it be increased or decreased?
4) What is the final voltage of the capacitance?

Numerical Calculations:

1) What is the differential equation representing the system? Classify the equation.
2) Solve the differential equation analytically using the values of the circuit elements (V,
R, L, C) in the previous section.
3) Solve the differential equation numerically (You can use MATLAB or other tools).
4) What is the calculated time constant of the system?
5) What is the calculated settling time of the system?

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UCK 372E: Experimental Engineering

Comparison:

1) Do the responses match? Show your results graphically.

2) Is there any difference between the settling times? What is the amount of the
difference? What is the percentage of the difference?
3) Compare the experimental and analytical/numerical responses.

Comment on your results.

Additional Information on the RLC Circuit Analysis:

Serially connected RLC circuits are represented by a second order ODE

The ODE representing the system is as follows:

2 () () ()
2
+ + () =

Figure 2: RLC Circuit

Representation

Possible outcome of a RC circuit can be seen in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Voltage on the Capacitor in a RLC Circuit.

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UCK 372E: Experimental Engineering

However, the response of the system can vary with the values of R, L and C.

In the scope of this set of experiments the students are expected to graphically present the
measurements and the calculated response of the system in order to verify the mathematical
model and to have skillset to conduct a theortically well-learned subjects on the real systems.