Fundamental of Electrical Engineering and Measurement Laboratory First year

Experiment NO.7
Thevenin’s and Maximum Power
Transfer Theorems

Objective:

To verify Thevenin and Maximum Power Transfer Theorems.

Theory:

A. Thevenin Theorem

Thevenin’s theorem is very important in circuit analysis, it helps simplify a

circuit. A large circuit may be replaced by a single independent voltage source
and a single resistor, this replacement technique is a powerful tool in circuit
design. As shown in Figure (1), a circuit can be replaced by an equivalent
circuit consisting of a voltage source 𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ in series with a resistor 𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ , where
𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ is Thevenin voltage or the open-circuit voltage (𝑣𝑣𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 ) at the terminals and
𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ is the input or equivalent resistance (𝑅𝑅𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 ) at the terminals when the
independent sources are turned off. The equivalent network behaves the
same way externally as the original one. Consider a linear circuit terminated
by a load 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 , as shown in Figure (1-a). The current 𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 through the load and
the voltage 𝑣𝑣𝐿𝐿 across the load are easily determined once the Thevenin
equivalent of the circuit at the load’s terminals is obtained. In another way:

𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ = 𝑣𝑣𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 = 𝑣𝑣𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 (1)

𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ = 𝑅𝑅𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 (2)

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𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ
𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 =
𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ +𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿
� 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 (3)
𝑣𝑣𝐿𝐿 = 𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 = 𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ
𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ +𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿

In summary, here some steps apply to find Thevenin equivalent circuit:

a. Remove the load 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 .

b. With the load disconnected and terminals a-b open-circuited, calculate
𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ by returning all the sources to their original position and finding
the open circuit voltage (𝑣𝑣𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 ) at the terminals a-b. See Figure (1-b).
c. Calculate 𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ by setting all the sources to zero (voltage source are
replace by short circuit and current source by open circuit), then find
the equivalent resistor (𝑅𝑅𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 ) between the terminals a-b. See Figure (1-
c).
d. Draw the equivalent circuit. See Figure (1-d).

Figure (1): A circuit with load. (a) Original circuit. (b) Finding 𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ . (c)
Finding 𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ . (d) Thevenin’s Equivalent Circuit.
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B. Maximum Power Transfer Theorem

The maximum power transfer theorem states the following: A load will
receive maximum power from a linear dc network when its equivalent
resistor (𝑅𝑅𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 ) value is exactly equal to the Thevenin resistance (𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ ) of the
network as “seen” by the load. Thus, to satisfy the condition of maximum
power transfer 𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ must be equal to 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 (𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ = 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 ).

𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ 2
𝑃𝑃 = 𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 2 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 = � � 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 (4)
𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ +𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿

𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ 2
𝑃𝑃𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 = for 𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ = 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 (5)
4𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ

To prove the maximum power transfer theorem, differentiate 𝑃𝑃 in Eq. (4)

with respect to 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 and set the result equal to zero.

𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 (𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ +𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 )2 −2𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 (𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ +𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 )

= 𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ 2 � (𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ +𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 )4
�
𝑑𝑑𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿

𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ +𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 −2𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿

0 = 𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ 2 � (𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ +𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 )3
�

This implies that:

𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ + 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 − 2𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 = 0 (6)

Yields:

𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ = 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 (7)

Sub Eq. (7) in Eq. (4), gets:

𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ 2 𝑣𝑣 2
𝑃𝑃𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 = �
𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ +𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ
� 𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ = �2𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ � 𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ
𝑇𝑇ℎ

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𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ 2
𝑃𝑃𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 = 𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ
4𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ 2

𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ 2
𝑃𝑃𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 =
4𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ

Equipment:

1. DC power supply (1).

2. Rheostat (1).
3. Resistor (5).
4. Bread board (1).
5. Digital Multi-Meter (DMM) (2).
6. Connection wire.

Procedure:

Part 1: (Thevenin Theorem).

1. Connect the circuit as shown in Figure (2), with 𝑅𝑅1 , 𝑅𝑅2 and 𝑅𝑅3 equal to
1kΩ, 2.2kΩ, and 3.3kΩ respectively.
2. Vary 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 as listed in Table (1), measure the load voltage 𝑣𝑣𝐿𝐿 and the load
current 𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 , then record the obtained result of each step as in Table (1).

Table (1)

𝒗𝒗𝑳𝑳 (𝐕𝐕) 𝒊𝒊𝑳𝑳 (𝐕𝐕) 𝒗𝒗𝑳𝑳 (𝒎𝒎𝐀𝐀) 𝒊𝒊𝑳𝑳 (𝒎𝒎𝐀𝐀)

𝑹𝑹𝑳𝑳 (𝛀𝛀)
(Theoretical) (Theoretical) (Practical) (Practical)

𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐

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Figure (2): Circuit diagram.

3. Disconnect 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 and measure the terminal voltage 𝑣𝑣𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 , i.e. (𝑣𝑣𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 = 𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ ).
4. Set 𝑣𝑣𝑠𝑠 to zero (i.e. replace by short circuit), measure 𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ , then record
their values as in Table (2). Note: Take the direction from 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 side.

Table (2)

𝑹𝑹𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻 (𝛀𝛀) 𝒗𝒗𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻 (𝐕𝐕) 𝑹𝑹𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻 (𝛀𝛀) 𝒗𝒗𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻 (𝐕𝐕)

(Theoretical) (Theoretical) (Practical) (Practical)

5. Connect the circuit as shown in Figure (3).

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Figure (3): circuit diagram.

6. Connect and vary 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 as listed in Table (3), measure the load voltage
𝑣𝑣𝐿𝐿 and the load current 𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 , then record the obtained result of each step
as in Table (3).

Table (3)

𝒗𝒗𝑳𝑳 (𝐕𝐕) 𝒊𝒊𝑳𝑳 (𝐕𝐕) 𝒗𝒗𝑳𝑳 (𝒎𝒎𝐀𝐀) 𝒊𝒊𝑳𝑳 (𝒎𝒎𝐀𝐀)

𝑹𝑹𝑳𝑳 (𝛀𝛀)
(Theoretical) (Theoretical) (Practical) (Practical)

𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐

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Part 2: (Maximum Power Transfer Theorem).

 𝟏𝟏𝒔𝒔𝒔𝒔 Scenario: With the existance of Rheostat.

1. Connect the circuit as shown in Figure (3), with 𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ = 1.5kΩ and 𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ =
3𝑣𝑣.
2. Vary 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 in a step and measure 𝑣𝑣𝐿𝐿 and 𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 then record the results as in
Table (4).

Table (4)
𝒗𝒗𝑳𝑳 (𝐕𝐕) 𝒊𝒊𝑳𝑳 (𝒎𝒎𝐀𝐀) 𝑷𝑷 (watt) 𝒗𝒗𝑳𝑳 (𝐕𝐕) 𝒊𝒊𝑳𝑳 (𝒎𝒎𝐀𝐀) 𝑷𝑷 (watt)
𝑹𝑹𝑳𝑳 (𝛀𝛀)
(Theoretical) (Theoretical) (Theoretical) (Practical) (Practical) (Practical)

𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐

 𝟐𝟐𝒏𝒏𝒏𝒏 Scenario: Without the existance of Rheostat.

1. Connect the circuit as shown in Figure (3), with 𝑅𝑅𝑇𝑇ℎ = 4.7kΩ and 𝑣𝑣𝑇𝑇ℎ =
1𝑣𝑣.
2. Vary 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 in a step and measure 𝑣𝑣𝐿𝐿 and 𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 then record the results as in
Table (5).

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Table (5)
𝒗𝒗𝑳𝑳 (𝐕𝐕) 𝒊𝒊𝑳𝑳 (𝒎𝒎𝐀𝐀) 𝑷𝑷 (watt) 𝒗𝒗𝑳𝑳 (𝐕𝐕) 𝒊𝒊𝑳𝑳 (𝒎𝒎𝐀𝐀) 𝑷𝑷 (watt)
𝑹𝑹𝑳𝑳 (𝐤𝐤𝐤𝐤)
(Theoretical) (Theoretical) (Theoretical) (Practical) (Practical) (Practical)

𝟏𝟏
𝟐𝟐. 𝟐𝟐
𝟑𝟑. 𝟑𝟑
𝟒𝟒. 𝟕𝟕
𝟓𝟓
𝟕𝟕. 𝟓𝟓
𝟗𝟗

Discussion:

1. Verify the results obtained theoretically, then compare the

experimental results with the theoretical ones and find the percentage
of error.
2. Discuss the results obtained.
3. Plot the curve of 𝑃𝑃 versus 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 , then comment on the obtained graph.
4. Plot the curve of 𝑣𝑣𝐿𝐿 , 𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 versus 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 , then comment on the obtained graph.
5. Using Thevenin’s theorem, find the equivalent circuit to the left of the
terminals in the circuit shown in Figure (4) below, with 𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 =
1.5Ω, 3Ω, 6Ω. Then find 𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 .

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Figure (4): Circuit diagram for Q3.

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