Mesh Analysis

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Steps

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Example

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Example

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Find the three mesh currents in the
circuit below.

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

THEVENIN’S THEOREM:
Thevenin's Theorem states that it is possible to simplify any
linear circuit, no matter how complex, to an equivalent
circuit with just a single voltage source and series resistance
connected to a load.
Consider the
following: A
Networ • Networ
k B k
1 • 2

Figure 1: Coupled
networks.
For purposes of discussion, at this point, we consider that
both networks are composed of resistors and independent
voltage and current sources
THEVENIN’S
THEOREM:
Suppose Network 2 is detached from Network 1
and
we focus temporarily only on Network 1.

•A
Networ
k •B
1
Figure 2: Network 1, open-
circuited.
Network 1 can be as complicated in structure as
one
can imagine. Maybe 45 meshes, 387 resistors, 91
voltage sources and 39 current sources.
THEVENIN’S
THEOREM:
•A
Networ
k •B
1
Now place a voltmeter across terminals A-B and
read the voltage. We call this the open-circuit voltage.
No matter how complicated Network 1 is, we read one
voltage. It is either positive at A, (with respect to B)
or negative at A.
We call this voltage VOC and we also call it VTHEVENIN = VTH
THEVENIN’S
THEOREM:
Steps to find thevenin equivalent circuit:
Find the open circuit voltage – disconnect the load
from the circuit and calculate the voltage looking in
to the circuit.
Find the open circuit equivalent resistance looking
back in to the circuit
Remove all independent current sources
Replace all independent voltage sources with
wires.
Rth is then that equivalent resistance and Vth is just the
voltage that you found.
THEVENIN’S
THEOREM:
calculate the thevenin resistance of the following circuit .

I2
V3
_+ A
R1 R3
R2
R4
_+ V1 _ I1
V2 +
B
Figure 3: A typical circuit with independent
sources
THEVENIN’S
THEOREM:
When the sources are deactivated the circuit
appears
as in Figure 3
A
R1 R3
R2 R4

B
Figure 4: Circuit of Figure 3 with sources deactivated
Now place an ohmmeter across A-B and read the
resistance.
If R1= R2 = R4= 20 Ω and R3=10 Ω then the meter reads 10 Ω.
THEVENIN’S
THEOREM:
We call the ohmmeter reading, under these
conditions,
RTHEVENIN and shorten this to RTH. Therefore, the
important results are that we can replace Network 1
with the following network.
A
•
RTH
+
_ VTH

B
•
Figure 5: The Thevenin equivalent
structure.
THEVENIN’S
THEOREM:
We can now tie (reconnect) Network 2 back to
terminals A-B. A
•
RTH
+ Network
_ VTH
2

•
B
Figure 6: System of Figure 1 with Network 1
replaced by the Thevenin equivalent circuit.

We can now make any calculations we desire within

Network 2 and they will give the same results as if
we
still had Network 1 connected.
THEVENIN’S
THEOREM:
It follows that we could also replace Network 2 with a
Thevenin voltage and Thevenin resistance. The results
would be as shown in Figure 7.

A
•
RTH 1 RTH 2
+
_ VTH 1 VTH 2 _+

•
B
Figure 7 : The network system of Figure 1 replaced by Thevenin
voltages and resistances.
THEVENIN’S THEOREM:
Example 1.

Find VX by first finding VTH and RTH to the left of A-B.

12 Ω 4Ω A
•
+

30 V +_ 6Ω 2Ω VX
_
•
B
Circuit for Example 1.

First remove everything to the right of A-B.

THEVENIN’S THEOREM:
12 Ω 4Ω A
•

30 V +_ 6Ω

•
B
Circuit for finding VTH for Example 1.

(30)(6)
VAB = = 10V
6 + 12
Notice that there is no current flowing in the 4 Ω
resistor
(A-B) is open. Thus there can be no voltage across the
resistor.
THEVENIN’S
THEOREM:
We now deactivate the sources to the left of A-B and
find
the resistance seen looking in these terminals.
12 Ω 4Ω A
•
RT
6Ω H

•
B
Circuit for find RTH for Example
1.

We see,
RTH = 12||6 + 4 = 8 Ω
THEVENIN’S
THEOREM:
After having found the Thevenin circuit, we connect
this
to the load in order to R
find VX.
TH A
•
8Ω +
VTH + 10 V VX
_ 2Ω
_
B
•
Circuit of Example 1 after
connecting Thevenin circuit.

(10)( 2)
VX = = 2V
2+8