Experiment 4 – Verification of Maximum

Power Transfer Theorem

-21BEC0361(Satvik Jain)

Aim: To verify Maximum Power Transfer Theorem using

OrCad Pspice.

Components Required:
OrCAD / Capture CIS → Analog Library – R,
Source Library – Vdc
Ground(GND) – 0 (zero)
Special Libary – PARAM/SPECIAL
Theory:
The Maximum Power Transfer theorem deals with
transfer of maximum power from a source to load and
may be stated as under:
“In d.c. circuits, maximum power is transferred from a
source to load when the load resistance is made equal
to the internal resistance of the source as viewed from
the load terminals with load removed and all e.m.f.
sources replaced by their internal resistances.”

Some applications of Maximum Power Transfer

theorem are:
1.In communication circuits, maximum power
transfer is usually desirable. For instance, in a
public address system, the circuit is adjusted for
maximum power transfer by making load (i.e.
speaker) resistance equal to source (i.e. amplifier)
resistance. When source and load have the same
resistance, they are said to be matched.
Simulation Procedure:

• Create the required circuit on the Pspice

workspace.

• From the library → Place part → ‘PARAM/Design

Cache’ and place it near the circuit.

• On double clicking it a Property Editor tab will

open. Create a new property and name it as the
variable resistor. Tick the Display [ON/OFF] option.
Apply.
• On clicking Apply, a new dialog box opens. Set
Value = 1 and set Display Format to ‘Value Only’.

• Next, under the Pspice tab create a new simulation

profile and give it a appropriate name.
• Set analysis type to ‘DC Sweep’. Under Sweep
Variable, Select the Global Parameter option and
type Parameter Name as ‘variable’.
• Set sweep type to ‘Linear’. Start value = 0.2, End
Value = 20, Increment = 1. Apply and click ok.
• Run the simulation. If successful, a new window
with a blank graph will pop up and display ‘100%’
at the bottom right.
• Right click anywhere on the blank graph and click
‘Add Trace’.
• To view the power dissipated across the variable
resistor. Select W(R2) and click OK.
• The following graph is obtained.

• To view maximum power dissipated, from the

toolbar select Toggle Cursor → Cursor Peak

• The maximum power dissipated is highlighted by

the intersection of the two red lines.
Calculations:
Inference:
The Maximum Power Transfer Theorem is not so much
a means of analysis as it is an aid to system design.
Simply stated, the maximum amount of power will be
dissipated by a load resistance when that load
resistance is equal to the Thevenin/Norton resistance
of the network supplying the power. If the load
resistance is lower or higher than the Thevenin/Norton
resistance of the source network, its dissipated power
will be less than the maximum.

Result:
The maximum power transferred to the load resistor
is equal to 5W.