NETWORK LAWS AND THEOREMS
Friday, 26 January 2024 22:48
SUPERPOSITION THEOREM
In a network of resistors, the current in any resistor is equal to the algebraic sum of the currents delivered by
each independent sources assuming that each source is acting alone or independent with respect to the
others.
Remember: If a source is operating alone, the other current sources are open circuited while the other voltage
sources are short circuited.
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
Two 24V batteries supply power to a 20 ohm load. One battery has 0.2 ohm internal resistance while the other
has 0.4 ohm. What current does the load draws?
STEP 1: Assume source voltage E1 to supply the given circuit alone.
STEP 2: Assume source E2 to supply the given circuit alone.
BY INSPECTION: Refer to the current directions of the given circuit and compare it to the
direction of the currents when each sources operate alone.
I1 = I1' - I1'' I2 = I2'' - I2' IL = IL' + IL''
NODAL NODE METHOD
Using this method, a circuit with "n" nodes, has a solution with only "n -1" number of equations
needed.
▫ Reference node is also known as datum node
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NOTE: Since there are nodes A, B, and C in this circuit., therefore only two equations are
needed to solve this problem.
NOTE: Node voltages VA and VB are evaluated by simultaneous substitutions of the equations
formulated using KCL and correspondingly, currents flowing through each resistances can be
solved.
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
A 12-V battery of 0.1-ohm internal resistance and another 0.15 ohm internal resistances are
connected in parallel to supply power to a 10-ohm resistance. What is the power drawn by the
load resistance?
THEVENIN'S THEOREM
If a given resistor be connected between any two terminals of a linear network, the resulting
steady state current through the resistor is the ratio of the potential difference E 0 (between the
two points prior to the connection) the sum of the values of the resistance R 0 (resistance looking
back into the network measured in the two points prior to the connection) and the connected
resistance RL.
▫ Named after the French telegraph engineer, Charles Leon Thevenin (1857 -1926)
Remember: A linear circuit or network is one whose parameters are constant i.e., do not change
with voltage and current.
Thevenin's equivalent circuit:
Where:
E0 = open circuit voltage measured across terminals A & B.
R0 = resistance measured at terminals A & B prior to the connection of R L with all
the voltage sources shorted and all current sources opened.
RL = load resistance connected to terminals A & B.
IL = current drawn by the load resistance R L.
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
The lead storage batteries A and B are connected in parallel. Battery A has an open circuit
voltage of 12.6V and an internal resistance of 0.2 ohm. Battery B has an open circuit voltage of
12.2V and an internal resistance of 0.3 ohm. If the two batteries together delivers power to a 0.5
ohm power resistor. Neglecting effects of temperature, how much current is contributed by
battery A?
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battery A?
STEP 1: Open circuit rA, and solve for the voltage across the open circuited terminals.
STEP 2: Open circuit rA, short circuit all independent voltage source and solve the equivalent
resistance R0 across terminals A and B.
STEP 3: Construct the Thevenin's equivalent circuit and solve the resulting current.
NORTON'S THOEREM
This theorem is analogous to Thevenin's theorem except that instead of the open circuit test,
this theorem uses the short circuit test and the equivalent circuit is a parallel circuit.
▫ Named after the American engineer, Edward Lawry Norton.
Remember: A linear circuit or network is one whose parameters are constant i.e., do not change
with voltage and current.
Norton's equivalent circuit:
Where:
ISC = short circuit current flowing across terminals A and B with R L disconnected.
R0 = resistance measured at terminals A & B prior to the connection of R L with all
the voltage sources shorted and all current sources opened.
RL = load resistance connected to terminals A & B.
IL = current drawn by the load resistance R L.
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
The lead storage batteries A and B are connected in parallel. Battery A has an open circuit
voltage of 12.6V and an internal resistance of 0.2 ohm. Battery B has an open circuit voltage of
12.2V and an internal resistance of 0.3 ohm. If the two batteries together delivers power to a 0.5
ohm power resistor. Neglecting effects of temperature, how much current is contributed by
battery A?
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STEP 1: Short circuit rA and solve the short circuit current that flows towards the short circuited
branch.
STEP 2: Open circuit rA, short circuit all independent voltage sources and solve the equivalent
resistance R0 across terminals A and B
STEP 3: Construct the Norton's equivalent circuit and solve the resulting current.
MILLMAN'S THEOREM
When any number of voltage sources of arbitrary generated voltage and finite internal
resistance different from zero are connected in parallel, the resulting voltage across the parallel
combination is the ratio of the algebraic sum of the currents that each source individually
delivers when short circuited to the algebraic sum of the internal conductance.
Millman's equivalent circuit:
Where:
E1, E2, En = emf of each voltage sources connected
in parallel.
r1, r2, rn = internal resistance of each voltage
sources.
VAB = voltage across the parallel combination.
Example:
STEP 1: Draw the Millman's equivalent circuit and solve for V AB.
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STEP 1: Draw the Millman's equivalent circuit and solve for V AB.
STEP 2: Refer to the original circuit, solve for I 1, I2, and I3.
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
Two 24 volts batteries supply power to a 20 ohm load. The internal resistance of one is 0.2 ohm
while the other is 0.4 ohm. What is the voltage across the load?
SOURCE TRANSFORMATION METHOD
This method simplifies the number of meshes in the network and thus simplifies the number of
equations needed.
▫ from voltage source to current source.
▫ from current source to voltage source.
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
From the given network shown, solve the current I 3.
STEP 1: Transform the voltage and current sources to their equivalent.
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STEP 2: Transform the current source to its equivalent voltage source.
STEP 3: Apply KVL using the given loop direction as shown.
MAXIMUM POWER TRANSFER THEOREM
Maximum power transferred to a load occurs only when the said resistor has a value equal to
the resistance R0 of the network looking back from the load terminals.
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
From the given network as shown, determine the value of R L that will absorbed maximum
power.
STEP 1: Open circuit resistor RL and solve the value of R 0 across the open circuit terminals.
The voltage source is shorted while the current source is opened.
Note: If the corresponding current or power drawn by resistor R is to be solved, use Thevenin's
theorem to solve the problem.
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
A lead storage battery is rated at 12V. If the internal resistance is 0.01 ohm, what is the
maximum power transfer that can be delivered to the load?
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