Thevenin equivalent circuits

We have seen the idea of equivalency same

IS1 IS2 IS1 +IS2
used in several instances already. as

R1
VS1 +

same + R2 R3 same = +
VS1 +VS2
as as
VS2 +

R1

VS IS
+ V same R1
same same S IS
0V 0A as
as as

=
EE 201 Thevenin 1
 The behavior of any circuit, with respect to a pair of terminals (port)
can be represented with a Thevenin equivalent, which consists of a
voltage source in series with a resistor.

load

some two terminals some +

circuit (two nodes) = circuit RL vRL
port

RTh RTh load

Thevenin +
VTh +
VTh + RL vRL
equivalent

Need to determine VTh and RTh so that the model behaves just like the
original.
EE 201 Thevenin 2
 Norton equivalent

load load

some + +
vRL IN RN vRL
circuit

Ideas developed independently (Thevenin in 1880s and Norton in

1920s). But we recognize the two forms as identical because they are
source transformations of each other. In EE 201, we wont make a
distinction between the methods for finding Thevenin and Norton.
Find one and we have the other.

RTh
=
VTh +
IN RN =

EE 201 Thevenin 3
 Example
R1 1.5 k! RTh 1 k!

VS + R2 IS RL + RL
VTh
9V 3 k! 6 mA
12 V

Attach various load resistors to the R v i P

original circuit. Do the same for 1! 11.99 mV 11.99 mA 0.144 mW
the equivalent circuit. For each
load resistance, calculate the load 10 ! 118.8 mV 11.88 mA 1.41 mW
voltage (and current and power)
for each of the circuits. The results 100 ! 1.091 V 10.91 mA 11.90 mW
are identical. In terms of the load
1 k! 6.0 V 6.0 mA 36 mW
that is attached at the port, the two
circuits are indistinguishable. 10 k! 10.91 V 1.09 mA 11.9 mW
Check it yourself. 100 k! 11.88 V 0.119 mA 1.41 mW
EE 201 Thevenin 4
 Determining the Thevenin (or Norton) components
How to find VTh and RTh?
Need two components, so two measurements or calculations should
suffice. Use two different load resistors.
load RTh load

unknown + +
circuit R1 v1 VTh +
R1 v1 =
+

load RTh load

unknown + +
R2 v2 VTh +
R2 v2 =
+
circuit

( ) ( )
2 equations, 2 unknowns: = =
EE 201 Thevenin 5
 More directly: open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current
1. Leave port open-circuited. (RL , iL = 0) Measure open-circuit voltage.

RTh
+ + voc = VTh
unknown
circuit
voc VTh +
voc open-circuit voltage is a
direct measure of VTh.

2. Short the output port. (RL = 0, vL = 0) Measure short-circuit current.

RTh

unknown =
circuit
isc VTh +

isc
= =

Note, that isc can also be interpreted as a direct measurement of IN: isc = IN.
EE 201 Thevenin 6
 Calculating Thevenin equivalent
The open-circuit voltage / short-circuit current approach can be used to
calculate the Thevenin equivalent for a known circuit.
R1 1.5 k!

Consider the circuit from slide 4: VS + R2 IS

9V 3 k! 6 mA

Open-circuit voltage Use whatever method you prefer. Well use

node voltage in this case.
R1 va =
+
VS + R2 IS voc + =


+ +( . )( )
= = .
= 12 V
+ + .

VTh = voc = 12 V.
EE 201 Thevenin 7
 Short-circuit current Use whatever method you prefer. Well use
node voltage in this case. But proceed carefully the short circuit
introduces some unusual wrinkles into the circuit analysis.

R1 va
a: Because of the short circuit, va = 0!
VS + R2 IS isc
b: Because of the short, vR2 = 0 and iR2
= 0. So R2 plays no role and can be
removed.
R1 va
isc = iR1 + IS
VS + IS isc
= +

= +

= + =
= = = .
EE 201 Thevenin 8
 Thevenin Norton
RTh 1 k!

VTh + IN RN
12 V 12 mA 1 k!

Alternate method for RTh

If the circuit consists of independent sources and resistors only, then
the Thevenin resistance can also be found by de-activating the
independent sources and finding the equivalent resistance as seen from
the port.
De-activate the sources
R1

R2 RTh = =( . ) ( )=

EE 201 Thevenin 9
 Summary
To measure VTh and RTh
1. Use a voltmeter to measure the open-circuit voltage at the port of the
circuit: voc = VTh.
2. Connect a short circuit across the output and use an ammeter to
measure the short-circuit current: isc = IN.
3. Calculate RTh = VTh / IN.
Note that shorting the output may not always be practical. For
example, some devices may have over-current protection circuitry that
prevents large short-circuit currents from flowing. Or the device might
not be able to handle the large current that might flow when the output
is shorted without being damaged. In those cases:
1. Use a voltmeter to measure the open-circuit at the port of the circuit: voc
= VTh.
2. Attach a load resistance, RL that is small enough so that an appreciable
current is flowing. Measure the resulting load voltage, vL.
3. Calculate =
EE 201 Thevenin 10
 Summary
To calculate VTh and RTh
1. Using whatever techniques are appropriate, calculate the open-
circuit voltage at the port of the circuit: voc = VTh.
2. Connect a short circuit across the output. Using whatever techniques
are appropriate, calculate the short-circuit current: isc = IN.
3. Calculate RTh = VTh / IN.

Alternate method (for circuits that consist only of independent sources

and resistors).
1. Using whatever techniques are appropriate, calculate the open-
circuit voltage at the port of the circuit: voc = VTh.
2. De-activate all independent sources. Calculate the equivalent
resistance as seen from the port. (If dependent sources are present in
the circuit, the test generator method can be used to find equivalent
resistance. See the equivalent resistance notes to review the test
generator technique.)
EE 201 Thevenin 11
 Example 1 R2 1 k!
Find the Thevenin and Norton +
equivalents of the circuit at IS R1 R3 voc
6 k!
right, with the port as shown. 24 mA 3 k!

Find voc. Start with a current divider.

+ +
= = ( )= .
+ + + +

= =( . )( )= . VTh = voc = 43.2 V

R2
Find isc. Note that R3 is shorted out.
Use a current divider again. R1
IS isc
=
+

= ( )= . IN = isc = 20.57 mA
+
EE 201 Thevenin 12
 .
= = = .
.

RTh 2.1 k!

VTh +
IN RN
43.2 V 20.57 mA 2.1 k!

Alternatively, we could use the short-cut method to find RTh.

De-activating the current source:
R2

R1 R3 Req = ( + )
=( ) ( + )= .

EE 201 Thevenin 13
 Example 2
R1 1.5 k! R4 3.3 k!

Find the Thevenin and Norton

VS + equivalents of the circuit at
R2 R5
20 V 4.7 k!
left, with the port as shown.
4.7 k!

R3 1.5 k! R6 3.3 k!

R1 R4 Find voc. Use mesh current method.

+ =
=
VS + voc
ia R2 ib R5
( ) =
( ) =
R3 R6
( + + ) =
Insert values and solve: ib = 0.930 mA.
( + + + ) =
EE 201
voc = ib R5 = 4.37 V. Thevenin 14
 R1 R4 Find isc. Note that R5 is shorted out
by the short circuit.

iS Use equivalent resistance to find iS.

VS + isc
R2
= + + ( + )= .

= = .
R3 R6

Use current divider to find isc. RTh 3.27 k!

VTh +
+
=
+ +
4.37 V
isc = 1.45 mA

.
= = = .
. IN RN
1.45 mA 3.27 k!

EE 201 Thevenin 15
 Alternatively, we can use the short-cut method to find RTh.
R1 R4

R2 R5 RTh

R3 R6

= [ + + ( + )]

= 3.02 k!

EE 201 Thevenin 16
 R5 15 !
Example 3
IS 4A
Find the Thevenin and Norton
equivalents of the circuit at R1 30 ! R3 30 !
right, with the port as shown.
VS + R2 R4
30 V 20 ! 15 !

Find voc. Use node voltage. = + = +

R5 + + =
IS + + =

R1 a R3 b + + =
+
VS + R2 R4 + + + = +
voc

solve: va = 20 V, vb = 40 V. "
EE 201 voc = vb = 40 V Thevenin 17
 Find isc. Use node voltage, again. Note that R4 is shorted out (so ignore it)
and node b is shorted to ground, vb = 0.
= + +
R5
IS = + +

R1 a R3 b = + +

VS + R2 isc .
= + + = .

= = .
.
Need va.
= +
RTh 6.36 !

= + 40 V
VTh +

IN RN
6.28 A 6.36 !
= = 8.57 V
+ +
EE 201 Thevenin 18
 Maximum power transfer
Now that we have the ability to model any circuit using a simple Thevenin
(or Norton) equivalent, we can answer another important question: How
much power can a given circuit supply to an attached load?
Start with the Thevenin equivalent and determine the load resistance
that would lead to the maximum amount of power being dissipated in
the load.
RTh load
= =
+ ( + )
VTh + vRL
RL

In the usual way, find the max by setting the derivative to zero and solving.

= =
( + ) ( + )
For maximum
+ = =
power to the load
EE 201 See slide 4 for an example look at power column in the table. Thevenin 19