Supermesh analysis is the advanced method of 

mesh current analysis.

Have you learned about mesh analysis completely? Is it easy or hard to

understand? If you think the previous post about mesh current method or mesh
analysis is quite hard, try to read it one more time.

Like we stated in that post, we have limited the use of the current source in a
circuit if we want to use mesh analysis. Applying mesh analysis to an electrical
circuit containing current sources (dependent or independent) may appear
complicated.

Is mesh analysis can’t analyze an electric circuit containing current sources?

Of course not, we only limited the current source to give you the basic principle
with the easiest approach.

Supermesh Mesh Analysis

If the current source is found just in a single branch then it is easy to solve, we
can use the mesh analysis directly.

We will need another version of mesh analysis if we found the current source in a
branch where two meshes intersect.

Now we will use current sources in a circuit and analyze it with mesh analysis or
we may call it Supermesh Analysis.

There are some understanding you need to follow:

 A supermesh is formed by the presence of a current source between two

meshes.
 A supermesh is created in the condition where a current source exists
between two meshes.
 Supermesh analysis is used in case a current source is found between two
meshes and we insist on using Mesh Analysis.
What is supermesh? In short, supermesh is where we make a mesh current path
where there is no current source included.

Supermesh Analysis Problems with

Solutions
Even if we need to modify the mesh current method analysis a little bit, let me be
honest with you about the good thing about it.
The current sources will reduce the number of equations, making it easier to
solve. Let us take a look at two possibilities.

CASE 1 – When a current source exists only in one mesh: Consider the circuit
below for example,

Figure.(1)
we set i2 = -5 A and write equation for the other mesh in the usual ways; that is,

(1) 

CASE 2 – When a current source exists between two meshes: Consider the
circuit below, for example.

Figure.(2)
We use the supermesh technique where we make a supermesh by excluding the
current source and any elements connected in series with it (in the circle), as
shown below.
 Figure.(3)
Supermesh definition:

A supermesh results when two meshes have a (dependent or

independent) current source in common.
As shown in Figure.(3), we create a supermesh as the periphery of the two
meshes and treat it differently. (If a circuit has two or more supermeshes that
intersect, they should be combined to form a larger supermesh).

Why treat supermesh differently? Because mesh analysis applies KVL – which

requires that we know the voltage across each branch – and we do not know the
voltage across the current source in advance.

However, a supermesh must satisfy KVL like any other mesh, this is also known
as KVL supermesh. Therefore, applying KVL to the supermesh in Figure.(3)
gives

(2) 

We apply KCL to a node in the branch where the two meshes intersect. Applying
KCL to node 0 in Figure.(2) gives

(3) 

Solving Equations.(2) and (3), we get

(4) 

Note the following properties of a supermesh :

  The current source in the supermesh provides the constraint equation
necessary to solve for the mesh currents.
 A supermesh has no current of its own.
 A supermesh requires the application of both KVL and KCL.
Procedure of Supermesh Current Analysis
This is the summary of how to solve supermesh step by step:

 Make sure the circuit is planar.

 Redraw the circuit if we can simplify it.
 Make meshes in every loop you can find and assign the labels. It is easier
to draw the meshes in the clockwise direction (it is up to you, though).
 Form a supermesh circuit if you find a current source between two
meshes.
 Use KVL and maybe some KCL to the supermesh branch. One KCL is
needed for each supermesh branch.
 Solve all the math equations including the supermesh equation.
Supermesh Analysis Solved Problems
If there is a current source in the circuit, we have to treat it as a “supermesh”. In a
supermesh, the analysis route will avoid the current source since the voltage
across the current source is unknown.

Examples

1. Find the value of i with supermesh analysis!

Solution:
Circuit above is a supermesh with current source.

Observe loop I1:

  

Observe loop I2 and I3:

(1) 

Observe supermesh path:

(2) 

Substitute Equation.(1) and (2):

  

Then

  

2. Find the value of V with supermesh analysis!

Solution:

Observe that the circuit above has a supermesh with a dependent voltage
source, voltage source, and a current source.

Observe loop I1 and I2:

(1) 

Where
  

Observe the supermesh with voltage source and resistor path:

(2) 

Substitute Equation.(1) and (2):

  

Thus

  

3. Find the value of i with supermesh analysis!

Solution:
Observe loop I1:

(1) 

Observe loop I2 and I3:

(2) 

Observe supermesh path:

(3) 

Using Cramer’s method:
  

Thus

  

Supermesh Analysis Examples

For better understanding, let us review the example below :

1. Observe the circuit below and find i1 to i4 using supermesh analysis.
Solution :

We can see that the circuit above has a supermesh with a dependent current
source.

Note that meshes 1 and 2 form a supermesh since they have an independent
current source in common.

Also, meshes 2 and 3 form another supermesh because they have a dependent
current source in common.

The two supermeshes intersect and form a larger supermesh as shown.

Applying KVL to the larger supermesh,

(1) 

For the independent current source, we apply KCL to node P :

(2) 

For the dependent current source, we apply KCL to node Q :

  

But Io = – i4 , thus,

(3) 

Applying KVL in mesh 4,

(4) 

From (1) to (4),