Analysis of parallel resonance circuits

Objective:

Study the phenomena of resonance in parallel RLC circuits. Determine the resonant
frequency and band width of the given network.

Equipment:

 Function generator
 oscilloscope
 bread board
 R(1k ohm)
 C(1µF, .01µF)
 Inductors (25 mH, 33mH).

Theory:

The difference this time however, is that a parallel resonance circuit is influenced by the
currents flowing through each parallel branch within the parallel LC tank circuit. A tank
circuit is a parallel combination of L and C that is used in filter networks to either select or
reject AC frequencies. Consider the parallel RLC circuit below. Parallel resonance circuit is
exactly the same as the series resonance circuit we looked at in the previous tutorial. Both are
3-element networks that contain two reactive components making them a second-order
circuit, both are influenced by variations in the supply frequency and both have a frequency
point where their two reactive components cancel each other out influencing the
characteristics of the circuit. Both circuits have a resonant frequency point.

Resonance occurs when XL = XC and the imaginary parts of Y become zero. Then:
As the total susceptance is zero at the resonant frequency, the admittance is at its minimum
and is equal to the conductance, G. Therefore at resonance the current flowing through the
circuit must also be at its minimum as the inductive and capacitive branch currents are equal
( IL = IC ) and are 180o out of phase.

We remember that the total current flowing in a parallel RLC circuit is equal to the vector
sum of the individual branch currents and for a given frequency is calculated as:

At resonance, currents IL and IC are equal and cancelling giving a net reactive current equal to
zero. Then at resonance the above equation becomes.

 Since the current flowing through a parallel resonance circuit is the product of voltage
divided by impedance, at resonance the impedance, Z is at its maximum value, (R ). 

Parallel Resonance circuits are similar to series resonance circuits. Resonance occurs in a

parallel RLC circuit when the total circuit current is “in-phase” with the supply voltage as the
two reactive components cancel each other out. At resonance the admittance of the circuit is
at its minimum and is equal to the conductance of the circuit. Also at resonance the current
drawn from the supply is also at its minimum and is determined by the value of the parallel
resistance.

In this tutorial about parallel resonance, we have assumed that the the two reactive
components are purely inductive and purely capacitive with zero impedance. However in
reality, the inductor will contain some amount resistance in series, RS with its inductive coil,
since inductors (and solenoids) are wound coils of wire, usually made from copper, wrapped
around a central core.

Therefore the basic equation above for calculating the parallel resonant frequency, ƒr of a
pure parallel resonance circuit will need to be modified slightly to take account of the impure
inductor having a series resistance.

Simulation and circuit diagram:

Procedure:

 Connect the respective parallel resonance circuit with the given R, L and C values
 Switch on the function generator and set its input to any convincement amplitude
sinusoidal waveform
 Connect the oscilloscope CH1 across the resistance to measure VR which is in phase
with the current in the circuit. The other CH2 probe is connected across VS.
 Now start increasing frequency from some particular range like 100Hz and start
increasing the frequency in different steps.
 Measure VR , phase angle, VL,VC,I. for every frequency setting calculate XL and XC.
  Determine the half power points, band width and Q point factor of the system as well
 Take another value of R and repeat the procedure
 Now change L and C and repeat the procedure again.

Observations and calculation table

Vin
F (Hz) XC(Ω) XL(Ω) R(Ω) IC(A) IR(A) IL(A) I(A)
20
100 1592.357 15.7 1000 0.01256 0.02 1.273885 1.306445
20
1000 159.2357 157 1000 0.1256 0.02 0.127389 0.272989
20
10000 15.92357 1570 1000 1.256 0.02 0.012739 1.288739

1.47
1.27
1.07
current (A)

0.87
0.67 I
0.47
0.27
100 1000 10000
frequency(Hz)

Now change the value of R

Vin
F(Hz) XC(Ω) XL(Ω) R(Ω) IC IR IL I(A)
20
100 1592.357 15.7 2000 0.01256 0.01 1.273885 1.296445
20
1000 159.2357 157 2000 0.1256 0.01 0.127389 0.262989
20
10000 15.92357 1570 2000 1.256 0.01 0.012739 1.278739
 1.56

1.3

1.04

Current(A)
0.78

0.52

0.26

0
100 1000 10000
frequency(Hz)

Change either L or C

Vin f(Hz) XC XL R IC IR IL I
20 100 1592.357 20.724 2000 0.01256 0.01 0.965065 0.987625
20 1000 159.2357 207.24 2000 0.1256 0.01 0.096506 0.232106
20 10000 15.92357 2072.4 2000 1.256 0.01 0.009651 1.275651

1.43

1.23

1.03
current (A)

0.83

0.63

0.43

0.23
100 1000 10000
frequency(Hz)
Conclusion

 This experiment introduced Parallel RLC circuits. We learned how to find the resonant
frequency of the circuit.
 We also found the frequencies that were 3dB below the resonant frequency. With these
three frequencies we derived the bandwidth and quality factor for each component in the
circuit. We also learned about mutual inductance, the effect of two or more inductors on
each other.
 I found that the mutual inductance and coupling coefficient decreases as the two inductors
are moved away from each other.
 In Part 1-3 the actual resonant frequencies were almost identical to the calculated
frequencies. In Part 10-12 we verified that mutual inductance varies cubically with the
inverse of the distance between the two inductors.