Module 3 Monitoring of Apparent,

True, & Reactive Power

Lesson
Lesson
Solving RCL Circuit
6

Solving RCL Circuits

The techniques used to solve RC and RL circuits can be combined to solve RCL circuits
such as in Fig. 13-17(a). However, RCL circuits have some unusual characteristics. For instance,
a reactive voltage or current can be higher than the source voltage or current.
 Figure 13-17 Series RCL Circuit

Series RCL Circuits

Refer to the phasors in Fig. 13-17(b). Notice that the inductive and the capacitive voltage
are 180° out of phase with each other. Adding these two voltage phasors results in V X, which
is the net reactive voltage. VX is then added to VR in order to determine the total, or source,
voltage. The reactance and resistance phasors [Fig. 13-17(c)] are added in the same sequence
to determine the impedance.

In Fig. 13-17(b) you can see that VL is greater than VT. At first glance this may look like
an exception to Kirchhoff’s voltage law; however, it is not. At any instant the sum of the
instantaneous voltages of the resistor, the capacitor, and the inductor equals the source
voltage.

In other words, the three voltages are never of the same polarity at the same instant.
This idea is illustrated in Fig. 13-18. Notice the voltage drops across each component (L, C, and
R) in Fig. 13-18(a). These voltage drops are a result of the series current passing through each
component. The voltage across L, however, is 180° out of phase with the voltage across. C. This
means that the two voltages are directly opposing one another. The result is the net reactive
voltage shown in Fig. 13-18(b) across the combination of L and C.
Figure. 13-18 Voltmeter readings in a series RCL circuit. Notice that both the
inductive and the capacitive voltage in (a) exceed the voltage.
 Notice in Fig. 13-18(a) that both the inductive voltage and the capacitive voltage are
greater than the source voltage. If the individual voltages exceed the source voltage, then the
individual reactance exceed the impedance. This is common in series RCL Circuits.

Impedance and total voltage in a series circuit can be calculated with the aid of the
following formulas:

Z = √(𝑋𝐿 − 𝑋𝑐)2 + 𝑅 2
𝑉𝑇
Z=
𝐼𝑇
VT = √(𝑉𝐿 − 𝑉𝑐)2 + 𝑉𝑅 2

In these formulas VL – VC is the same as VX in Fig. 13-17(b), and XL – XC is the same as

X.

The power factor (cos ꝋ) and angle ꝋ of the series RCL circuits can be found by using
the same formulas used for series RL and RC circuits. These formulas are PF = cos ꝋ = R/Z
and PF = cos ꝋ = VR/VT. For any combination of R, C, L circuits, the general formula PF = cos
ꝋ = P/Papp is appropriate.

Notice from example 13-9 that XL is greater than XC. This causes the circuit to be
inductive. The circuit produces a lagging power factor.

Let’s have an example:

EXAMPLE no.1 Problem:

Find the impedance and the voltage across the resistance for the circuit in Fig. 13-17(a).

Given: VT = 10 V

f = 50 kHz
 L = 5 mH

C = 0.005 uF

R = 1000 Ω

Find: Z and VR

Known: Ohm’s law

Z = √(𝑋𝐿 − 𝑋𝑐)2 + 𝑅 2
XL = 6.28fL
1
XC =
6.28𝑓𝐶

Solution:

XL = 6.28 x 50 x 103 x 5 x 10 -3

= 1570 Ω
1
XC =
6.28 𝑥 50 𝑥 103 𝑥 0.005 𝑥 10−6
= 637 Ω

Z = √(1570 − 637)2 + 10002

= 1368 Ω

10 𝑉
IT = = 0.0073 A = 7.3 mA
1368 Ω
VR = 0.0073 A x 1000 Ω = 7.3 V

Answer: The impedance is 1368 Ω, and the voltage across the resistance is 7.3 V.

Suppose the frequency in Fig. 13-17(a) were reduced to 25 kHz. This would cause XL to be 50
percent of its former value, and XC twice its former value (785 Ω and 1274 Ω, respectively).
Now the circuit would be capacitive; IT would lead VT, and the power factor would be leading.
Parallel RCL Circuits
Figure 13-19 shows a parallel RCL circuit and its current phasor diagram. From the
phasor diagram it is obvious that a branch current (IC) can exceed the total current. (This is
because the inductive current and the capacitive currents are 180° out of phase.) In fact, both
capacitive and inductive currents can exceed the total current. For example, if L in Fig. 13-19(a)
were halved, the inductive current would double. Both IX and IT would decrease; then IL and IC
would exceed IT.

Figure. 13-19 Voltmeter readings in a series RCL circuit. Notice that both the
inductive and the capacitive voltage in (a) exceed the voltage.
 The formulas for working with parallel RCL circuits are

IT = √(𝐼𝐿 − 𝐼𝑐)2 + 𝐼𝑅 2
𝐼𝑅 𝑃
cos ꝋ = =
𝐼𝑇 𝑃𝑎𝑝𝑝

Notice that the formulas for determining cos ꝋ are the same as the ones used for
parallel RC and RL circuits.

EXAMPLE no. 2 Problem:

Calculate the values of IT and Z for the circuit in Fig. 13-19. (Note: XL and XC have the
same values as in example No.1.)

Given: VT = 10 V

R = 1000 Ω

XL = 1570 Ω

Z = 637 Ω

Known: Ohm’s law

IT = √(𝐼𝐿 − 𝐼𝑐)2 + 𝐼𝑅 2

10𝑉
Solution: IC =
647 Ω
= 0.0157 A
= 15.7 mA

10𝑉
IL =
1570 Ω
= 0.0064 A

= 6.4 mA
 10𝑉
IR =
1000 Ω
= 0.0010 A
= 10 mA

IT = √(0.0064 − 0.0157)2 + 0.012

= 0.0137 A
= 13.7 mA
10𝑉
Z=
0.0137 Ω

= 730 Ω
Answer: The impedance is 730 Ω, and the current is 13.7 mA.

The impedance of example no. 2 can also be calculated directly from the values of R,
C, and L using the formula given below:

Z = RXLXC /√(𝑅𝑋𝐿 − 𝑅𝑋𝑐)2 + 𝑋𝐿2 𝑋𝑐 2

The parallel RCL circuit of Fig. 13-19 and the series RCL circuit of Fig. 13-17 have the
same component values. They also have the same source voltage, frequency. As expected, the
parallel circuit has less impedance and draws more current than the series circuit does.
Inspection of the phasor diagrams for the two circuits shows another difference between series
and parallel RCL circuits: one of them is inductive and the other is capacitive. Notice in Fig. 13-
17(b) that the source current lags the source voltage. Thus, this series RCL circuit is inductive.
In Fig. 13-19(b), the source current leads the voltage. Therefore, this parallel circuit (with the
same components as the series circuit) is capacitive. In Fig. 13-17 and 13-19, XL is greater than
XC. If XC were greater than XL, the series circuit would be capacitive and the parallel circuit
would be inductive (Fig. 13-20).
Figure 13-20 Capacitive and inductive RCL circuits. Diagrams (b) and (c) are for capacitive
circuits.
 SELF-CHECK ASSESSMENT

Answer the following questions and shows your solutions. Take a photo of your answer and
submit it in our g-classroom

1. True or False. The reactance in a series RCL circuit can exceed the impedance

2. True or false. The resistance in a series RCL circuit can exceed the impedance

3. True of false. The reactive current in a parallel RCL circuit cannot exceed the total current.

4. Find the impedance and the voltage across the resistance for the circuit in Fig. 13-17(a) if F=
60 Hz and V = 230, R = 500 ohms, L = 30 mH, and C = 0.10 uF

5. Refer to figure 13-19(a). Calculate the values of IT and Z if given are: F= 60 Hz and V = 230,
R = 500 ohms, L = 30 mH, and C = 0.10 uF