Mesh Analysis

Mesh current analysis is technique used to find the currents around a loop or a mesh in
any closed path. A loop is any closed path around a circuit. A loop can go through an element
just one time. A mesh is a restricted kind of loop. A mesh is a loop that contains no other loops.

Procedure
The first step in the mesh analysis is to identify the loops within the circuit encompassing
all components. For example, the figure 1.a, the loop formed by B1, R1, and R2 will be the first
loop while the loop formed by B2, R2, and R3 will be the second loop.

Figure 1.a

Figure 1.b
 The choice of each current’s direction is entirely arbitrary; the resulting equations are
easier to solve if the currents are going in the same direction through intersecting components. If
the resulting current had a negative value, then the assumed direction of the mesh current is
wrong.
The next step is to label all voltage drop polarities across each resistor according to the
assumed direction of the mesh currents. The upstream end of a resistor will always be negative
and the downstream of a resistor will always be positive with respect to each other. The battery
polarities are dictated by their symbol orientations.

Figure 1.c
After labeling the voltage drop polarities, the next step is to trace the loops of the circuit
with equations.
28−4 I 1−2 ¿

28−4 I 1−2 I 1 −2 I 2=0

6 I 1+2 I 2=28

2 ( I 1 + I 2 )−7+ I 2=0

2 I 1 +3 I 2=7

I 1=5 A I 2=−1 A

The solution for I2 is negative, it means that the assumed direction of the current was
wrong. I2 should be flowing in a counterclockwise direction.
 Conclusion
Mesh analysis is defined as a method that is used to solve planar circuits for the currents
at any place in the electric circuits. In accordance with mesh analysis, Kirchhoff’s law was used
to arrive at a system of equations. An advantage of using mesh analysis is that it generally allows
for the solution of a large network with fewer unknown values and fewer simultaneous
equations.

References:

Mesh Current Method and Analysis: DC Network Analysis: Electronics Textbook. (n.d.).
Retrieved June 25, 2020, from https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/direct-
current/chpt-10/mesh-current-method/

Mesh Current Analysis - DC Circuit Theory. (2019, October 14). Retrieved June 25, 2020, from
https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/dccircuits/dcp_5.html

Network Theory - Mesh Analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved June 25, 2020, from
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/network_theory/network_theory_mesh_analysis.htm