Electrical Circuit Analysis

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,
Katubedda, Moratuwa
 Recommended Textbooks
• A. R. Hambley, Electrical Engineering –
Principles and Applications. Pearson
Education

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
 Electric Current

Electric current is the rate of flow

of electric charge through a
conductor or circuit element.

The unit is Amperes (A), which is

equivalent to Coulombs per
second (C/s).

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
Electric Current

dq(t )
i (t ) =
dt
t
q (t ) =  i (t )dt + q (t0 )
t0

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
* When there is a pressure difference,
water flows from high pressure point to
the low pressure point; WATER CURRENT
* When there is a pressure difference, air
flows from high pressure point to the low
pressure point; AIR CURRENT OR WIND
*When there is a charge pressure
difference (voltage difference), charges
flow from high voltage point to low voltage
point: ELECTRIC CURRENT
ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,
Katubedda, Moratuwa
 Just like moving water or moving air
has energy, moving charges or electric
current has energy.
For example, when electric current
flows through a electric iron (heating
coil), heating coil offers a resistance.
Moving charges have to spend energy
to overcome this resistance and keep
moving.
Due to this energy, the heating coil
heats up.
ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,
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Fluid Flow Analogy

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 Fluid Flow Analogy

Charged capacitor is analogous to a tank filled with

water. Switch to a valve and the resistors to a turbine.
Resistance of the resistor in an electrical circuit is
analogous to the friction of the turbine. Assume that the
capacitor is initially charged. Now, the switch is
suddenly closed at t = 0. Then, the capacitor will start to
discharge and the voltage across the capacitor will
gradually drop and finally become zero when the
capacitor is fully discharged. This is analogous to
dropping the water level to zero sometimes after a valve
is opened.
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 Fluid Flow Analogy
The equation of the capacitor voltage is an exponential function given by

At t = 0,

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 Interrelationships with other fields
An example of an mechanical/electrical/electronic
(mechatronic) system like a modern passenger car:
- Its design is based on mechanical principles such as
mechanics, mechanical structures, aerodynamics,
combustion engines.
- Its integrated circuits (ICs) control the voltages and
currents that operate its motors (CD drive, steering motors,
motorized throttle valves, wipers)
- ECU (engine control unit) optimizes power efficiency
of the engine
- Electrical power circuits with air-conditioning, lighting
etc. Power electronic circuits that step down 24 V dc to
lower voltages required by various dc loads
- Computer controlled safety and security systems such as
ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,
ABS, collision avoidance, cruise
Katubedda, Moratuwacontrol, anti-theft systems
 Interrelationships with other fields
An example of an mechanical/electrical/electronic
(mechatronic) system like a robot system:
- Its design is based on mechanical principles such as
mechanics, mechanical structures, dynamic balancing.
- It senses the environment using sensors such as video
cameras, radar, GPS systems
- Its brain is a digital computer that processes
information and control the motors using control, image
processing software
- It is powered by electrical motors. Electrical power.
Power electronic circuits that step down 24 V dc battery
pack voltage to lower voltages required by various motors
- Its sensors and motors communicates with the control
computer using dataESOFT
communication devices and protocols
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 Interrelationships with other fields
An example of a modern building, eg. defense headquarters:
- Its design is based on construction engineering
principles structural design, materials, geo-techniques
- HVAC: 25 chillers, 100s of pumps and fans, 10,000
hardware points (sensors, data communication devices,
microcontrollers, motors, valves, dampers)
- Fire and security systems: CCTV networks, access
control systems, fire detectors and control, automatic alarm
systems, exit lighting, backup battery systems
- Power transformers, capacitor banks, electrical
protection devices, control panels
- Mechanical services such as elevators, escalators and
their automatic control systems
- Lighting and lighting control. Occupancy sensors,
automatic light dimming, controllers and software
- BEMS: building energy management system software
that operates HVAC,ESOFTelectrical, mechanical
College of Engineering & Technology, services in most
energy efficient manner Katubedda,
that uses MoratuwaBIoT, cloudcomputing
 Electric Circuit
• Definition: An electric circuit is an
interconnection of electrical elements
• Importance: Many branches of electrical
engineering are built on electric circuit theory.
The knowledge of electrical circuit analysis is
essential for an electrical and electronics
engineer.
• DC Circuits – The voltage sources, currents
though circuit elements, voltages across
circuit elements are dc (direct current)

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
 Electric Circuit
• AC Circuits – The voltage sources, currents
though circuit elements, voltages across
circuit elements are ac (alternating current)

DC examples: any circuit powered by batteries such as

circuits in a car, van, lap-top computer (there is a power adapter
as well as a battery), desk-top computer (there is a power
adapter inside the computer housing), mobile phone
AC examples: domestic electric circuit, electrical power
system in Sri Lanka

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
Direct Vs Alternating Current

The direction of current alternates

periodically. Hence, alternating current

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZjMuIHoBeg
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 .

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
It is periodic or cyclic and alternating between +ve and –ve.

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 Direct Vs Alternating
amplitude

time

(direction alternates periodically)

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Typical Eelectrical Circuits

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 Voltages
The voltage associated with a circuit element is
the energy transferred per unit of charge that
flows through the element. The units of
voltage are Volts (V), which are equivalent to
joules per coulomb (J/C).

Power: P = VI
J/C C/s

J/s = W
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Energy (Supply/Absorption)

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Katubedda, Moratuwa
ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,
Katubedda, Moratuwa
Sign Convention/Notation

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Katubedda, Moratuwa
Sign Convention/Notation

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
POWER AND ENERGY

p (t ) = v (t )i (t )
t2

w =  p (t )dt
t1
Power [J/s = W] is energy in
one second. If you want the
total energy during a
period, 𝑡2 − 𝑡1 , you have to
integrate the power.

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26Katubedda, Moratuwa t
Fig 1.14 shows that current reference enters the
positive polarity of voltage. This means that the
element absorbs energy, therefore p = +vi (positive
value).

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Consider the circuit element given below. Calculate the
power for each element. State whether the element
supplies or absorbs energy.

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 KIRCHHOFF’S CURRENT LAW

• The net current entering a node is zero.

• Alternatively, the sum of the currents

entering a node equals the sum of the
currents leaving a node.

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
See figure below. Using KCL, at node 1: 𝑖𝑎 = 𝑖𝑏 , at
node 2: 𝑖𝑏 = 𝑖𝑐 , thus we have 𝑖𝑎 = 𝑖𝑏 = 𝑖𝑐

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
Exercise 1.7 Use KCL to determine the values of the
unknown currents shown in Fig 1.21

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Series and parallel connection of circuit elements

If in series, the current is the same

If in parallel, the voltage is the same

Exercise 1.8 Consider the circuit of fig.1.22. Identify the

groups of circuit elements that are connected in series

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Parallel Circuits

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ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,
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Use KVL to find the value of Vc and Ve for the circuit shown below

Exercise 1.10: Identify those elements that are (a) in series (b) in
parallel

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ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,
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 KIRCHHOFF’S VOLTAGE LAW
(KVL)
The algebraic sum of the voltages equals
zero for any closed path (loop) in an
electrical circuit.

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
By applying KVL to the loop on the left bottom
+5 − 𝑣𝑎 − 10 = 0 𝑣𝑎 = −5𝑉
By applying KVL to the loop on the right bottom
+10 − 15 − 𝑣𝑏 = 0 𝑣𝑏 = −5𝑉
By applying KVL to the loop on the top
−𝑣𝑐 + 15 + 𝑣𝑎 = 0 𝑣𝑐 = 10𝑉
ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,
Katubedda, Moratuwa
ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,
Katubedda, Moratuwa
From the circuit in Fig.1.24, write down the equations
for the followings using KVL:

Loop 1: 𝑣𝑎 − 𝑣𝑏 − 𝑣𝑐 = 0

Loop 2: 𝑣𝑐 + 𝑣𝑑 − 𝑣𝑒 = 0

Loop 3: 𝑣𝑒 − 𝑣𝑑 + 𝑣𝑏 − 𝑣𝑎 = 0

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 Electrical Power Sources

Two Types:
1] Voltage source: The source maintains its
supply voltage at desired values. Current
depends on the load.

2] Current Source: The source maintains its

supply current.

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Katubedda, Moratuwa
Electrical Power Sources

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
 This is a Li-Ion battery

Output voltage: 12V

Current depends on the

load

Currents shown (120 A)

is the maximum
current the battery can
supply (motorbike
engine start current)

This is a 12V DC voltage

source
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Energy = 24 Wh
 AC-DC adapter

Input: 100-240 V ~ 50/60 Hz

Output: 12V

Current depends on the load

Currents shown are the maximum

currents that the device can handle

This is a 12V DC voltage source

Power rating: 12𝑉 × 5𝐴 = 60 𝑊

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa
Diesel power generator is an AC voltage source; 230 V (1-phase), 400 V (3-phase)

Standby power: Limited duration during a power outage

Prime power: Long hours as the prime source with no or limited grid access

ESOFT College of Engineering & Technology,

Katubedda, Moratuwa