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MESH ANALYSIS (GENERAL APPROACH) 273
Node a is then used to relate the mesh currents and the current
source using Kirchhoff’s current law:
I1 I I2
The result is two equations and two unknowns:
10I1 2I2 32
I1 I2 4
Applying determinants:
32 2
4 1 (32)(1) (2)(4) 40
I1 –––––––– ––––––––––––––– ––– 3.33 A
10 2 (10)(1) (2)(1) 12
1 1
and I2 I1 I 3.33 A 4 A 0.67 A
In the above analysis, it might appear that when the current source
was removed, I1 I2. However, the supermesh approach requires that
we stick with the original definition of each mesh current and not alter
those definitions when current sources are removed.
EXAMPLE 8.15 Using mesh analysis, determine the currents for the
network of Fig. 8.32.
6
6A 2 8 8A
FIG. 8.32
Example 8.15.
Solution: The mesh currents are defined in Fig. 8.33. The current
sources are removed, and the single supermesh path is defined in Fig.
8.34.
+ –
6
– +
6 I1 2 I2 8 I3
+ –
6A I1 2 I2 8 I3 8A
Supermesh
current
FIG. 8.34
FIG. 8.33 Defining the supermesh current for the
Defining the mesh currents for the network of Fig. 8.32. network of Fig. 8.32.
Applying Kirchhoff’s voltage law around the supermesh path:
V2 V6 V8 0
(I2 I1)2 I2(6 ) (I2 I3)8 0
2I2 2I1 6I2 8I2 8I3 0
2I1 16I2 8I3 0
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274 METHODS OF ANALYSIS AND SELECTED TOPICS (dc)
Introducing the relationship between the mesh currents and the cur-
rent sources:
I1 6 A
I3 8 A
results in the following solutions:
2I1 16I2 8I3 0
2(6 A) 16I2 8(8 A) 0
76 A
and I2 4.75 A
16
Then I2 I1 I2 6 A 4.75 A 1.25 A
and I8 I3 I2 8 A 4.75 A 3.25 A
Again, note that you must stick with your original definitions of the
various mesh currents when applying Kirchhoff’s voltage law around
the resulting supermesh paths.
8.8 MESH ANALYSIS (FORMAT APPROACH)
Now that the basis for the mesh-analysis approach has been established,
we will now examine a technique for writing the mesh equations more
– + –
rapidly and usually with fewer errors. As an aid in introducing the pro-
R1 1 R2 6
+ – + + cedure, the network of Example 8.12 (Fig. 8.27) has been redrawn in
1 2 R3 2 Fig. 8.35 with the assigned loop currents. (Note that each loop current
– has a clockwise direction.)
+ +
E1 5V E2 10 V The equations obtained are
– –
I1 I2 7I1 6I2 5
6I1 8I2 10
which can also be written as
FIG. 8.35
Network of Fig. 8.27 redrawn with assigned
7I1 6I2 5
loop currents. 8I2 6I1 10
and expanded as
Col. 1 Col. 2 Col. 3
(1 6)I1 6I2 (5 10)
(2 6)I2 6I1 10
Note in the above equations that column 1 is composed of a loop
current times the sum of the resistors through which that loop current
passes. Column 2 is the product of the resistors common to another
loop current times that other loop current. Note that in each equation,
this column is subtracted from column 1. Column 3 is the algebraic
sum of the voltage sources through which the loop current of interest
passes. A source is assigned a positive sign if the loop current passes
from the negative to the positive terminal, and a negative value is
assigned if the polarities are reversed. The comments above are correct
only for a standard direction of loop current in each window, the one
chosen being the clockwise direction.
The above statements can be extended to develop the following for-
mat approach to mesh analysis:
