Network Analysis: Branch Node Loop Mesh Short Circuit

Network Analysis
Branch: part of a circuit containing a single equivalent active or passive

element, or a path that connects two nodes.

Node: a point in a circuit where two or more circuit elements join.

Loop: Any closed path in a network which does not pass through any
branch or any node more than once.

Mesh: Loop that contains no other loops. Defined only for planar networks

Short Circuit: when a connection between two nodes is made with a piece
of wire of practically zero resistance.

Open Circuit: when a circuit element or wire is disconnected from between
nodes, so that an infinite resistance exists between the nodes.

Planar network: may be schematically drawn on a plane surface without
branch crossing, otherwise non-planar.
Circuit Analysis
Example: Find the currents I
1
, I
2
, I
3
in the circuit:
First simplify the circuit,
to give,
16 O
4v
12 O
8 O 8v
12 O
8 O
2.5 O
6 O
2 O
2 O 8 O
8v
6 O
8 O
2 O
14 O
2.5 O
4v
2.5 O 1.5 O 8 O
= =
We can now apply Kirchhoffs Laws to obtain the necessary number of
simultaneous equations required to solve for the unknown quantities
I
1
, I
2
, I
3
.
As there are three unknown quantities in this case we require three
independent independent equations.
KCL: I
1
+ I
2
= I
3
(1)
KVL: 8 = 16I
1
+ 8 I
3
1 = 2 I
1
+ I
3
(2)
4 = -8 I
3
- 12 I
2
1 = -2 I
3
- 3I
2
(3)
Sub. (1) into (2) and (3) to eliminate I
3

1 = 3I
1
+ I
2
..(4)
1 = -2I
1
- 5I
2
..(5)
(5) + 5(4) gives
I
1
= 6/13 = 0.46 amps
Thus
I
3
= 1-2I
1
= 1/13 = 0.075 amps
I
2
= I
3
- I
1
= 5/13 = 0.385 amps
This example shows that an incorrect guess concerning the polarity
of a branch does not matter, since both the magnitude and polarity of
the branch current results from the correct application of Kirchhoffs
laws.
Note: Solutions with n independent mesh currents can be obtained
more readily using determinants of order n, eg, consider the
following system of equations,
R
1
I
1
+ R
2
I
2
+ R
3
I
3
= V
1

R
4
I
1
+ R
5
I
2
+ R
6
I
3
= V
2
R
7
I
1
+ R
8
I
2
+ R
9
I
3
= V
3
R I = V
where
I
1

I
2

I
3

V
1

V
2
V
3
R
1
R
2
R
3

R
4
R
5
R
6
R
7
R
8
R
9
The solution is I = R
-1
V
Known
Loop or Mesh Current Method
Draw in each loop (or mesh) a loop current of arbitrary direction.
Apply Kirchhoffs voltage law to each loop.
Where a resistor has opposing current loops through it the net
voltage drop is the product of the resistance and the difference
of the two currents. The larger current is assumed to be that of
the loop being traced: V = R( I
trace
- I
adjacent
)
Loop(1) 8 = 16 I
1
+ 8 ( I
1
- I
2
)
Loop(2) 4 = 8 ( I
2
- I
1
) + 12 I
2
giving,
1 = 3 I
1
- I
2
..(1)
1 = -2 I
1
+ 5 I
2
..(2)
16 O
12 O
8 O
4v
8v
I
1
I
2

Solve for I
1
: multiply eqn(1) by 5 and then add the resultant equation to eqn(2),
to get,
I
1
= 6/13 amps
substituting I
1
into eqn(1) to get,
I
2
= 18/13 - 1 = 5/13 amps
Total current through 8O resistor is thus ( I
1
- I
2
) = 1/13 amps
The number of independent loop equations required is
= B - N + 1
where,
B = no. of branches connecting principle nodes
N = no. of principle nodes
If a current source is only within one loop, then the loop current is
the same as the source current.
Summary of Mesh technique:
* Multiply mesh current by the sum of all resistances around the loop.
* Subtract the product of each adjacent current and the respective
common resistor
* Equate this to any voltage source in the mesh, the sign is positive if the
voltage source acts in the same direction as the mesh current,
otherwise its negative.
I
1

I
2

Loop(2): KVL
1* I
2
+ 2(I
2
- I
1
) = -6

Loop(1): KVL
I
1
= 1A

Hence I
2
= -4/3 A
3 O
1A 2 O 6v
1 O
Supermesh
Care has to be taken when a current source is common to more than one mesh,
for example,
The current source between
mesh (A) and mesh (B) fixes
the current difference between
the two mesh currents
We hit a problem when we apply KVL round the two loops because we do
NOT know the voltage across the current source.
10O
100v
3O
2O
4O 6O
50v
5A I
a

I
c

I
b

( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) 4 2 3 10 0 : ) (
3 2 4 50 : ) (
2 6 3 100 : ) (
b c a c c
c b b
a c a
I I I I I c Loop
V I I I b Loop
V I I I a Loop
+ + =
+ =
+ + =
( ) 1 5 =
a b
I I
Adding Eqn(2) and Eqn(3), gives
( ) ( ) ( ) 5 5 6 9 50 2 4 6 3 50 100
c b a c b b a c a
I I I I I I I I I + = + + + =
Solve for I
a
, I
b

, and I
c
using Eqn (1), Eqn(4) and Eqn(5)
We can use the idea of a supermesh to simplify the analysis,
Sum round the supermesh
using the mesh currents of
the original window. This
allows us to arrive at eqn(5)
in one step.
100 -50 = 6 I
a
+ 3(I
a
- I
c
) + 2(I
b
- I
c
) + 4I
b

50 = 9 I
a
+ 6 I
b
- 5 I
c

* The supermesh currents are multiplied by the total resistance through
which they flow and these products are added.
* Subtract the product of each adjacent current and its respective
common resistor
* Equate this to the voltages in the supermesh, the sign is positive if the
voltage source acts in the same direction as the mesh current,
otherwise its negative.
Summary of supermesh technique:
10O
3O 2O
4O 6O
50v
I
a

I
c

I
b
100v
Node Voltage Method
One principle node is chosen as the reference node and an unknown
voltage with respect to this reference is assigned to each of the other
principle nodes.
Apply KCL at node (1),
2
6
V 12 V
8
V
2 1 1
=

+
Likewise, at node (2),
6
12
5
2 1 2
V V V
=
Thus 7V
1
- 4V
2
= 96 ..(1)
Thus 5V
1
- 11V
2
= 60 ..(2)
Solving eqn(1) and eqn(2) gives V
out
= V
2
= 1.053v
12v
6O
8O
5O 2A
V
out

V
1

V
2

Chosen to be set as V=0
Supernode
We now have two nodes of unknown voltage connected via a voltage
source. So the current flowing between the two nodes is not defined.
In obtaining eqn(1) we made use of the fact that if one of the nodes of a
voltage source, V
s
, is connected to the reference node the other node must
have the voltage, V
s
. In this case V
1
= 50v.
20v
5O
40 O
50O 50v
V
1
V
2
V
3

100O
4A
KCL at Node(2): 0 i
50
V
5
50 V
i
50
V
5
V 50
2 2 2 2
= + +
+ =
0 i 4
100
V

100
V
i 4
3 3
= = + KCL at Node(3):
(1)
(2)
Eqn (1) +(2) to eliminate i
0 4
100
V
50
V
5
50 V
3 2 2
= + +
(3)
We can arrive at the last equation directly by using the concept of a
supernode. To do this we sum the currents from the combined node or
supernode.
We still need another equations:
V
1
=50v
50v
5O
40 O
50O 100O
4A
V
2
V
3

Supernode
0 4
100
V
50
V
5
50 V

5
V 50
4
100
V
50
V
3 2 2 2 3 2
= + +
+ = +
V
3
- V
2
= 20v ..(4)
Sub. (4) into(3) for V
3
gives,
v 60 V
5
1
14
100
1
50
1
5
1
V
2 2
= =
|
.
|
\
|
+ +
and V
3
= 80v
Node Voltage Vs Mesh Current
The advantage of both methods is that they greatly reduce the number
of simultaneous equations that must be solved. There is no hard and
fast rule to determine which technique is most suited to a problem.
However,
Consider the number of equations that need to be solved
The presence and location of sources
- Voltage sources in Node voltage Supernode
- Current sources in Mesh current Supermesh
What are you trying to find out ?
- Current Mesh current
- Voltage Node voltage
Best advice, a little time spent thinking about which approach is most
appropriate will be time well spent.

Network Analysis: Branch Node Loop Mesh Short Circuit

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Network Analysis

Branch: part of a circuit containing a single equivalent active or passive

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