CHAPTER 4 : DC EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT AND NETWORK THEOREMS NODE AND

MESH ANALYSIS

4.1 METHODS OF ANALYSIS FOR RESISTIVE CIRCUIT

4.1.1 Node And Mesh Analysis

Terms and definition are used:

NAME DEFINATION
Circuit A circuit is a closed loop conducting path in which an electrical
current flows.
Node - A point where two or more branches meet
- A node is a junction, connection or terminal within a circuit
were two or more circuit elements are connected or joined
together giving a connection point between two or more
branches.
- A node is indicated by a dot.
Essential node A node where three or more branches combine
Path - A patch that connects two nodes and contains a single
element such as voltage source or resistor.
- A line of connecting elements or sources with no elements or
sources included more than once.
Branch - A branch is a single or group of components such as resistors
or a source which are connected between two nodes.

Essential Branch Path that connects two nodes without passing through an
essential node.
Loop - A closed path in a circuit.
- A loop is a simple closed path in a circuit in which no circuit
element or node is encountered more than once.

Mesh - A loop that does not contain any other loops.

- A mesh is a single open loop that does not have a closed
path. No components are inside a mesh.

The term can be described with the circuit below:

1
NODE ANALYSIS

The node analysis uses the voltages at the nodes as circuit variables. This is a
convenient alternative compared to using element voltages as it reduces the number of
simultaneous equations required to solve the circuit.

Steps to Determine Node Voltages:

1. Select a node as the references node. Assign voltages v1, v2, v3….vn-1 to remaining n-1
nodes. The voltages are referenced with respect to the references node.

2. Apply KCL to each of the n-1 nonreference nodes. Use Ohm’s law to express the currents
in terms of node voltages.

3. Solve the resulting simultaneous equations to obtain the unknow node voltages.

Example : I1 1 I3 2 I5

I2 I4
V1 V2

Figure 1

Solution :

According to Kirchoff’s Current Law, the total current leaving each branch is equal to zero.

Therefore the node voltage equation :

At node 1 :

I1 = I 2 + I 3

B1 − V1 V1 V1 − V2
= +
R1 R2 R3
V1 − B1 V1 V1 − V2
+ + =0
R1 R2 R3
V1 − 10 V1 V1 − V2
+ + =0
1 5 2

2
At node 2 :

I 4 = I3 + I5

V2 V1 − V2
= +2
R4 R3
V2 V2 − V1
+ −2=0
R4 R3
V2 V2 − V1
+ −2=0
10 2

Solve the simultaneous equations :

Answers : v1 = 9.09 V , v2 = 10.91 v

Exercise:

Obtain the node voltages, V1 and V2 in the circuit shown:

1.

(Answer : V1 = 5 V and V2 = 2.5 V)

2.
V1 6Ω V2

2Ω 7Ω 4A
1A

(Answer : V1 = -2 V and V2 = -14 V)

3.
1 10Ω 2

V1 V2
100V 25 Ω 50 5A

(Answer : V1 = 100V and V2 = 125 V)

3
MESH ANALYSIS

Mesh analysis provides another general produce for analyzing circuits, using mesh
currents as the circuit variables. Using mesh currents instead of element currents as circuit
variables is convenient and reduces the number of equations that must be solved
simultaneously.

Steps to Determine Mesh currents:

1. Assign mesh currents i1,i2,i3… in to the n mesh.

2. Apply KVL to each of the n meshes. Use Ohm’s law to express the voltages in terms of the
mesh currents.

3. Solve the resulting n simultaneous equations to get the mesh currents.

Example :

From the circuit in figure 2, find the branch current I1, I2 and I3 using mesh analysis.

I1 I2

I3 R3
6

i1 i2

Figure 1

Solution :

Mesh currents using KVL,

mesh 1:

VR1 + VR2 = B1 - B2

VR1 + VR2 - B1 + B2 = 0

5 i1 + 10 (i1 – i2 ) - 15 + 10 = 0 or 3 i1 - 2 i2 = 1

15 i1 + 10 i2 - 5 = 0

4
mesh 2:

VR2 + VR3 + VR4 = B2

VR2 + VR3 + VR4 - B2 = 0

6 i2 + 10 (i2 –i1) + 4 i2 - 10 = 0 or i1 = 2 i2 -1

-10 i1 + 20 i2 - 10 = 0

Solve the simultaneous equations :

Answer : I1 = i1 = 1A , I2 = i2 = 1A , I3 = i1 – i2 = 0

Exercise :

1. Refer to the network circuit below, determine the current flow by using mesh analysis.

(Answer : I1 = 6 A and I2 = 4 A)

2. Find the current flowing in the 40Ω Resistor, R3

(Answer : IR3 = 0.286A)