AC PARALLEL R – L CIRCUITS AC MACHINE

MODULE 7 AC PARALLEL R – L CIRCUITS

OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, you will;

1. Determine the current and voltage relationship in an alternating-current circuit

containing a resistor connected in parallel with inductance.
2. Make a vector analysis for an RL parallel circuit.
3. Calculate the impedance and current of RL circuit connected in parallel.

PROCEDURES: Try to read and understand the following:

INTRODUCTION

The combination of a resistor and inductor connected in parallel to an AC source, as

illustrated in Figure 1, is called a parallel RL circuit. In a parallel DC circuit, the voltage
across each of the parallel branches is equal. This is also true of the AC parallel circuit.

In RL parallel circuit resistor and inductor are connected in parallel with each other
and this combination is supplied by a voltage source, Ein. The output voltage of circuit is Eout.
Since the resistor and inductor are connected in parallel, the input voltage is equal to output
voltage but the currents flowing in resistor and inductor are different.

The parallel RL circuit is not used as filter for voltages because in this circuit, the
output voltage is equal to input voltage and for this reason it is not commonly used as
compared to series RL circuit.

The voltages across each parallel branch are:

• The same value.

• Equal in value to the total applied voltage ET.
• All in phase with each other.

Therefore, for a RL parallel circuit

ET = ER = EL

IT = I 1 + I2

FIGURE 1 (RL AC circuit connected in parallel)

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In parallel DC circuits, the simple arithmetic sum of the individual branch currents
equals the total current. The same is true in an AC parallel circuit if only pure resistors or only
pure inductors are connected in parallel.

However, when a resistor and inductor are connected in parallel, the two currents will
be out of phase with each other. In this case, the total current is equal to the vector sum
rather than the arithmetic sum of the currents.

INDUCTANCE IN PARALLEL CIRCUITS

Parallel circuits are more than series circuits because of the parallel or multiple
system of energy transmission and distribution. It is not difficult to calculate to calculate the
total current of multiple circuits connected in parallel. Remember that the current is the same
in all parts of a series circuit. When the components of a series circuit are fixed values of
resistance or reactance, the current is regarded as the reference points.

In a parallel circuit, each individual branch is connected directly across the line wires.
Therefore, the voltage is the same across each branch of the circuit and, because of this, it is
regarded as a fixed value or reference point in parallel circuit calculations.

CIRCUIT A: RESISTORS IN PARALLEL

Both currents shown in Figure 2 are in-phase with the voltage. The total current may
be determined by direct addition as in a DC circuit. Ω

IT = I1 + I2 = 10 A

FIGURE 2 (Analysis of circuit containing resistors in parallel)

Calculate current in each resistor:

I1 = ET / R1 I2 = ET / R2

I1 = 120 / 30 I2 = 120 / 20

I1 = 4 A I2 = 6 A

Then, for total current:

IT = I 1 + I2

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IT = 4 + 6

IT = 10 A

CIRCUIT B: RESISTORS AND INDUCTOR IN PARALLEL

The current in the resistive branch circuit in Figure 3 is in-phase with the line voltage,
and the current in the inductive branch lags the line voltage by 90⁰. The currents are out of
phase with each other. Therefore, the total current is the vector sum of the two quantities.

FIGURE 3 (Analysis of a parallel circuit containing resistor and inductor

The total current can be measured from a vector diagram drawn to scale, as shown in
Figure 4 or calculated with expression:

IT = √ IR2 + IL2

Calculate current in resistor and inductor for circuit B in Figure 3:

IR = ET / R IL = ET / XL

IR = 120 / 30 IL = 120 / 20

IR = 4 A IL = 6 A

For the total current:

IT = √ IR2 + IL2

IT = √ (4)2 + (6)2

IT = √ 16 + 36

IT = √ 52

IT = 7.21 A

FIGURE 4 (Vector diagram of currents in a parallel circuit)

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The impedance of the parallel RL circuit is determined by using Ohm’s Law:

Z = E / IT

Z = 120 / 7.21

Z = 16.6 Ω

the phase angle lag of the total current can be measured on the vector diagram or
calculated. The value of this angle is less than 90⁰. For circuit B, the angle is 56.3⁰.

EXAMPLE: Determine the branch currents, the total current and circuit impedance for the
circuit shown in the Figure.

First, find XL..

XL = 2πfL

XL = 2(3.14)(60)(0.2)

XL = 75.4 Ω

Then, Find IL and IR

IL = ET / XL IR = ET / R

IL = 240 / 75.4 IR = 240 / 100

IL = 3.18 A IR = 2.4 A

Hence, total current is

IT = √ IR2 + IL2

IT = √ (2.4)2 + (3.18)2

IT = √ 5.76 + 10.11

IT = √ 15.87

IT = 3.98 A

The circuit impedance follows:

Z = ET / IT

Z = 240 / 3.98

Z = 60.3 Ω

SUMMARY

In a parallel RL circuit, the total current is equal to the vector sum of the branch
currents. The voltage across each branch is the same, and equal to the source voltage. The
impedance of the circuit may be found by using Ohm’s Law, that is, divide the total voltage
by the total current. As in a series RL circuit, the total current will lag the total voltage.
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ADDITIONAL READINGS

Websites: 1. https://bit.ly/2AmU7t9

2. https://bit.ly/30Bf3XM

3. https://bit.ly/3cWuEnp

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EVALUATION
Name: __________________________________________ Date: _________

Course/Year: _____________________________ Score: ________

In problems 1 through 9, select the best answer to make the statement true.

1. In an RL parallel circuit, the opposition to total current is called

a. Reactance
b. Resistance
c. Phase relationship
d. Vector sum
e. Impedance
2. A 30-ohm resistor and a 40-ohm inductive reactance are connected in parallel to a
120-volt, 60 Hz source. The current through the reactance, in amperes, is

a. 1.5
b. 1.71
c. 2.4
d. 3.0
e. 4.0
3. An RL parallel circuit connected to a 120 V source has the following currents: IR =
12A, IL = 16A, IT = 20A. the total circuit impedance, in ohms, is

a. 3.75
b. 4.28
c. 6.0
d. 7.5
e. 10.0
4. A circuit consists of a resistor in parallel with an inductor. The resistor and inductor
are connected across a 120-V, 60 Hz source. The current through the resistor has a
value of 8 A, and the current through the inductor has a value of 6 A. the value of the
total current, in amperes, is
a. 8
b. 10
c. 12
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d. 14
e. 16

5. In an RL parallel circuit, the

a. Total voltage and current are in-phase
b. Total voltage is in-phase with the resistive current
c. Inductive current is in-phase with the resistive current
d. Total current is 90⁰ out of phase with the total voltage
e. Total current and voltage are out of phase
6. If a circuit contains a resistor in parallel with an inductive reactance, the
a. Voltage across the resistor is in-phase with the voltage across the inductive
reactance
b. Total current lags the total voltage by 56.3⁰
c. Total voltage lags the total current
d. Total current and voltage are in-phase
e. Inductive current is in-phase with the total voltage
7. In a parallel RL circuit, the total voltage is
a. In-phase with the resistor current
b. In-phase with the inductor current
c. In-phase with the total current
d. Out of phase with the total voltage by 56.3⁰
e. Out of phase with the resistor current
8. A 6-ohm resistor is connected in parallel to an 8-ohm inductive reactance and a 120-
volt source. The value of the total current, in amperes, is

a. 8.57
b. 15.0
c. 20.0
d. 25.0
e. 60.0
9. A 6-ohm resistance is in parallel with a 4-ohm inductive reactance. If the resistor
current is 18 amperes, the value of the total voltage is
a. 36 volts
b. 72 volts
c. 108 volts
d. 180 volts
e. Impossible to determine
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10. Find the magnitude of total impedance in the circuit shown in the Figure.

11. Draw the current vector diagram for the circuit in problem 10.

12. For the circuit in problem 10, if R is changed to 20 ohms, find the total current.

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13. Change L to 0.1 H in problem 10 and find the total impedance.

14. Find the total circuit impedance from the vector diagram shown in the Figure if E
equals 240 volts.

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