Principles of Electrical

Engineering
(EPE 111)
DR: SAEID HELMY DR: YARA A. SULTAN
 Chapter 3
D.C. transients
understand the term ‘transient’
 When a d.c. voltage is applied to a capacitor C and resistor R connected
in series, there is a short period of time immediately after the voltage is
connected during which the current flowing in the circuit and voltages
across C and R are changing

 Similarly, when a d.c. voltage is connected to a circuit having inductance L

connected in series with resistance R, there is a short period of time
immediately after the voltage is connected, during which the current
flowing in the circuit and the voltages across L and R are changing

 These changing values are called transients.

Charging a Capacitor
 When switch S is closed then by Kirchhoff’s voltage law
𝑉 = 𝑣𝑐 + 𝑣𝑅
 The battery voltage V is constant. The capacitor voltage 𝑣𝑐 is given by q/C,
where q is the charge on the capacitor.
 The voltage drop across R is 𝑣𝑅 given by iR
𝑞
𝑉 = + 𝑖𝑅
𝑐
Charging a Capacitor
 At the instant of closing S, (initial circuit condition),
assuming there is no initial charge on the
capacitor, 𝑞0 is zero, hence 𝑣𝐶0 is zero.
𝑉 = 0 + 𝑣𝑅0
𝑣𝑅0 = 𝑉
 This shows that the resistance to current is solely due
to R, and the initial current flowing,
𝑉
𝑖𝑜 = 𝐼 =
𝑅
Charging a Capacitor

 A short time later at time 𝑡1 seconds after closing S, the capacitor is

partly charged to, say 𝑞1 coulombs because current has been flowing.
𝑞1
 The voltage 𝑉𝑐1 is volts.
𝑐
 If the current flowing is 𝑖1 amperes, then the voltage drop across R has
fallen to 𝑖1 𝑅 volts.
𝑞1
𝑉 = + 𝑖1 𝑅
𝑐
 Charging a Capacitor

 A short time later still, say at time 𝑡2 seconds after closing the switch, the
𝑞2
charge has increased to 𝑞2 coulombs and 𝑉𝑐 has increased to volts.
𝑐
 Since 𝑉 = 𝑣𝑐 + 𝑣𝑅 and V is a constant then 𝑉𝑅 decreases to 𝒊𝟐 𝑹, Thus 𝑉𝑐 is
increasing and i and 𝑉𝑅 are decreasing as time increases.
 Ultimately, a few seconds after closing S, (i.e. at the final or steady state
condition), the capacitor is fully charged to, say, Q coulombs, current no
longer flows, i.e. i =0, and hence 𝑉𝑅 = 𝒊𝑹 = 𝟎.
Charging a Capacitor

 Curves showing the changes in 𝑉𝑐 , 𝑉𝑹 and I with time

 The curve showing the variation of 𝑉𝑐 with time is called an exponential
growth curve and the graph is called the ‘capacitor voltage/time’
characteristic.
 The curves showing the variation of 𝑉𝑹 and I with time are called
exponential decay curves, and the graphs are called ‘resistor
voltage/time’ and ‘current/time’ characteristics respectively.
 (The name 'exponential’ shows that the shape can be expressed
mathematically by an exponential mathematical equation
Charging a Capacitor
Time constant for a C–R circuit
 If a constant d.c. voltage is applied to a series connected C–R
circuit, a transient curve of capacitor voltage 𝑉𝑐 is as shown in Fig.
Transient curves for a C–R
Discharging a capacitor
➢ Initially, at the instant of moving from A to
B, the current flow is such that the
capacitor voltage 𝑽𝒄 is balanced by an
equal and opposite voltage 𝑽𝑹 = 𝑰𝑹
➢ Since initially 𝑽𝒄 = 𝑽𝑹 = 𝑽, then

𝑽
𝒊=𝑰=
𝑹
➢ During the transient decay, by applying
Kirchhoff’s voltage law
𝑽𝒄 = 𝑽 𝑹
➢ Finally the transients decay exponentially
to zero
𝑽𝒄 = 𝑽𝑹 = 𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐨
Discharging a capacitor
Thank you