EEE 1001: Elecrical Circuits 1

DC circuits
Lecture 5

Prepared by
M. Rezwan Khan and Sadia Anjum
Topics covered
• Review of mesh current method
• Example of mesh current method with current sources
• Concept of super mesh
• Equations for Super Mesh
• Examples
 Mesh current method : Review
R4 • We assign a mesh current for each elemental mesh and
assume that all the voltages, currents and power in the
I3 circuit elements can be found out by using the mesh
B R3
A● ● ●C
currents.
R1 • We are free to choose the direction of the mesh
+

V1 I1 I2 currents, but in our lectures we will choose mesh

R2 IS
currents in the clockwise direction
-

● • Current in any circuit element is considered as the

D superposition of the mesh currents associated with the
circuit element.
• We apply KVL in each elemental mesh to write the mesh
equations
 Example: Mesh Current
R4 Let us solve the circuit shown in the diagram using
mesh current method.
I3
B R3 Mesh 1 (ABDA)
A● ● ●C
R1 R1(I1 – I3) + R2(I1 – I2) – V1 =0 ….(1)
+

V1 I1 I2 In mesh 2, we know the current I2 as

- R2 IS
I2 = -Is …….(2)
●
D Mesh 3 (ACBA)
R4(I3) + R3(I3 – I2) +R1(I3 – I1) = 0 …(3)
We have 3 unknows and 3 equations and we can
now solve the circuit by evaluating I1 , I2 and I3.
 Example…..
R4
Q: Find voltage across the current source IS
I3 Let us assume that the voltage across the current
B R3 source IS be VCD . Write KVL in the loop BCDB
A● ● ●C
R1
R3(I2 – I3) + VCD + R2(I2 – I1) = 0
+

V1 I1 I2
- R2 IS In this equation we know all the quantities except
VCD. So, we can write
●
D VCD = -R3(I2 – I3) - R2(I2 – I1)
Can you calculate the power delivered by the
source IS ?
 Super Mesh
R4 • There are certain situations when there is a
current source common to two meshes, we
I3
B IS face difficulty in writing the mesh equations.
A●
R1
● ●C Let us take the example of the circuit in the
diagram. Let us try to write the mesh equation
+

V1 I1 I2
- R2
R3
for mesh 2 (BCDB)
● B→C C→D D→B
D
?? + R3(I2) + R2(I2 – I1) =0 ……(1)
From B to C, there is a current source and we do
not know the voltage of the current source
 Super Mesh …….
R4 • In a KVL we can choose any closed path to
find a voltage. So, to know the voltage VBC,
I3
B IS we can choose an alternative path B→A→C
A●
R1
● ●C and we can write
+

V1 I1 I2 VBC = VBA + VAC = R1(I3 – I1)+R4(I3)

- R2
R3
So, we put this value in mesh 2,
●
D B→C (B→A→C) C→D D→B

[R1(I3 – I1)+R4(I3)] + R3(I2) + R2(I2 – I1) =0

……(1)
 Super mesh……
The equation we have written involves both mesh 2 and mesh 3 and is
called a super mesh. We try to write the mesh equations again
R4
Mesh 1:
A→B B→D D→A
I3
B IS R1(I1 – I3) + R2(I1 – I2) – V1 =0 ……(1)
A● ● ●C
R1 Super mesh 2&3 (BACDB)
+

B→C (B→A→C) C→D D→B

V1 I1 I2
- R2
R3 [R1(I3 – I1)+R4(I3)] + R3(I2) + R2(I2 – I1) =0 …(2)
There are only 2 equations and we need another equation to solve the
●
circuit. The 3rd equation will be obtained from the current source
D
connected between B and C
IS = I 2 – I 3 ……..(3)
I2 is +ve as it is in the direction of IS and I3 is -ve as it is opposite to IS
Now we have 3 unknowns and three equations to solve.
 Super mesh ……..
R4 • Let us try the circuit in the diagram. As there is a
current source between B and C, we need to use
B
I3 super mesh 1&2 in stead of mesh 1
R2
A● ● ●C Super mesh 1&2 (A→B→C→D→A)
R1
+

V1 I2
R1(I1-I3)+ R2(I2 –I3) + R3(I2) –V1 = 0 ….(1)
I1
Mesh 3 (A→C→B→A)
-
IS R3
● R4(I3) + R2(I3 – I2) + R1(I3 –I1) =0 ……(2)
D
And then the current equation for the source Is
Is = I2 – I1 …..(3)
Now we can solve for I1, I2, I3
 Example
• After we solve for I1, I2 and I3 we can find out
R4 all the quantities we need. Let us find
a) Voltage across IS and power delivered by it.
I3
B R2
A● ● ●C Let the voltage across IS be VBD . Let us write KVL
R1 in the loop ABDA starting from A.
+

V1 I1 I2
R3
R1(I1- I3) + VBD + (-V1) =0
IS
● In this equation we know all the quantities
D
except VBC , so we can write
VBD = V1 – R1(I1 –I3)
 Example….
R4 • Now let us calculate the power delivered by
the current source IS . The current IS is flowing
I3
B R2 in a direction from D to B and considering the
A● ● ●C
R1 voltage VBD , it is a voltage rise for the current
+

V1 I1 I2 IS . So, the power is delivered,

R3
IS PIS (Del.) = VBD . IS
●
D As current Is is coming out of the +ve terminal of
voltage VBD, it is power delivered.
 Internal resistance of a source

B
A● ●
R1
+

V1
V1

●
●
D
D
Thank you