NODAL AND MESH ANALYSIS

Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: The Concept.
Every circuit has n nodes with one of the nodes being
designated as a reference node.
We designate the remaining n 1 nodes as voltage nodes
and give each node a unique name, v
i
.
At each node we write Kirchhoffs current law in terms
of the node voltages.
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Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: The Concept.
We form n-1 linear equations at the n-1 nodes
in terms of the node voltages.
We solve the n-1 equations for the n-1 node voltages.
From the node voltages we can calculate any branch
current or any voltage across any element.
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Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Concept Illustration:
reference node
v
1
v
2
v
3
R
2
R
1
R
3
R
4
I
- -
Figure 1: Partial circuit used to illustrate nodal analysis.
I
R
V V
R
V
R
V
R
V V
=

+ + +

4
3 1
3
1
1
1
2
2 1
Eq 1
3
Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Concept Illustration:
Clearing the previous equation gives,
I V
R
V
R
V
R R R R
=
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ + +
3
4
2
2
1
4 3 2 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
Eq 2
We would need two additional equations, from the
remaining circuit, in order to solve for V
1
, V
2
, and V
3
4
Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 1
Given the following circuit. Set-up the equations
to solve for V
1
and V
2
. Also solve for the voltage V
6
.
R
2 R
3
R
1
R
4
R
5
R
6
I
1
v
1
v
2
+
_
v
6
- -
Figure 2: Circuit for Example 1.
5
Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 1, the nodal equations.
R
2 R
3
R
1
R
4
R
5
R
6
I
1
v
1
v
2
+
_
v
6
- -
0
6 5
2
4
2
3
1 2
1
3
2 1
2 1
1
=
+
+ +

+
+
R R
V
R
V
R
V V
I
R
V V
R R
V
Eq 3
Eq 4
6
Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 1: Set up for solution.
0
6 5
2
4
2
3
1 2
1
3
2 1
2 1
1
=
+
+ +

+
+
R R
V
R
V
R
V V
I
R
V V
R R
V
0
1 1 1 1
1 1 1
2
6 5 4 3
1
3
1 2
3
1
3 2 1
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
+ + +
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
+
+
V
R R R R
V
R
I V
R
V
R R R
Eq 3
Eq 4
Eq 5
Eq 6
7
Galgotias University
Nodal Analysis: Example 2, using circuit values.
v
1
v
2
10 O
5 O
20 O
4 A
2 A
- -
Figure 3: Circuit for
Example 2.
Find V
1
and V
2.
At v
1
:
2
5 10
2 1 1
=

+
V V V
At v
2
:
6
20 5
2 1 2
= +
V V V
Eq 7
Eq 8
Basic Circuits
8
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Nodal Analysis: Example 2: Clearing Equations;
From Eq 6.7:
V
1
+ 2V
1
2V
2
= 20
or
3V
1
2V
2
= 20
From Eq 6.8:
4V
2
4V
1
+ V
2
= -120
or
-4V
1
+ 5V
2
= -120
Eq 9
Eq 10
Solution: V
1
= -20 V, V
2
= -40 V
Basic Circuits
9
Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 3: With voltage source.
R
1
R
3
I
v
2
v
1
+
_
R
2
R
4
E
Figure 4: Circuit for
Example 3.
At V
1
:
I
R
V V
R
V
R
E V
=

+ +

3
2 1
2
1
1
1
At V
2
:
I
R
V V
R
V
=

+
3
1
2
4
2
Eq 11
Eq 12
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Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 3: Continued.
Collecting terms in Equations (11) and (12) gives
1
2
3
1
1
3
1
2
1
1
1
R
E
I V
R
V
R R R
+ =
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ +
I
V
R R
V
R
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ +
|
|
.
|

\
|

2
4
1
3
1
1
2
1
Eq 13
Eq 14
11
Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 4: Numerical example with voltage
source.
v
2
v
1
6 O
4 O
10 O
5 A
+
_
10 V
- -
Figure 5: Circuit for Example 4.
What do we do first?
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Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 4: Continued
v
2
v
1
6 O
4 O
10 O
5 A
+
_
10 V
- -
At v
1
:
5
4
2
10
1
10
1
=
+
+
V V V
At v
2
:
0
4
1
10
2
6
2
=

+
V V V
Eq 15
Eq 16
13
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Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 4: Continued
Clearing Eq 6.15
4V
1
+ 10V
1
+ 100 10V
2
= -200
or
14V
1
10V
2
= -300
Clearing Eq 6.16
4V
2
+ 6V
2
60 6V
1
= 0
or
-6V
1
+ 10V
2
= 60
Eq 17
Eq 18
V
1
= -30 V, V
2
= -12 V, I
1
= -2 A
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Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 5: Voltage super node.
Given the following circuit. Solve for the indicated nodal voltages.
+
_
6 A
5 O
4 O
2 O
10 O
v
1
v
2
v
3
10 V
x
x
x
x
Figure 6: Circuit for Example 5.
When a voltage source appears between two nodes, an easy way to
handle this is to form a super node. The super node encircles the
voltage source and the tips of the branches connected to the nodes.
super node
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Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 5: Continued.
+
_
6 A
5 O
4 O
2 O
10 O
v
1
v
2
v
3
10 V
At V
1
6
2
3 1
5
2 1
=

+
V V V V
At super
node
0
2
1 3
10
3
4
2
5
1 2
=

+ + +
V V V V V V
Constraint Equation
V
2
V
3
= -10 Eq 19
Eq 20
Eq 21
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Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 5: Continued.
Clearing Eq 19, 20, and 21:
7V
1
2V
2
5V
3
= 60
-14V
1
+ 9V
2
+ 12V
3
= 0
V
2
V
3
= -10
Eq 22
Eq 23
Eq 24
Solving gives:
V
1
= 30 V, V
2
= 14.29 V, V
3
= 24.29 V
17
Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 6: With Dependent Sources.
Consider the circuit below. We desire to solve for the node voltages
V
1
and V
2
.
10 O
2 O
4 O
5 O
2 A
+
_
10 V
5V
x
- -
v
1 v
2
V
x
+
_
Figure 6: Circuit for
Example 6.
In this case we have a dependent source, 5V
x
, that must be reckoned
with. Actually, there is a constraint equation of
0
1 2
= V V V
x
Eq 25
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Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 6: With Dependent Sources.
10 O
2 O
4 O
5 O
2 A
+
_
10 V
5V
x
- -
v
1 v
2
V
x
+
_
At node V
1
2
2 5 10
10
2 1 1 1
=

+ +
V V V V
At node V
2
2
4
5
2
2 1 2
=

x
V V V V
The constraint equation:
2 1
V V V
x
=
19
Galgotias University
Basic Circuits
Nodal Analysis: Example 6: With Dependent Sources.
Clearing the previous equations and substituting
the constraint V
X
= V
1
- V
2
gives,
8 8 7
30 5 8
2 1
2 1
= +
=
V V
V V
Eq 26
Eq 27
which yields,
V V V V 03 . 5 , 9 . 6
2 1
= =
20
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