1
Electrical Engineering &
Telecommunications
Lecturer:
Ted Spooner
Thevenins Theorem
Elec1111 Elec1111
Rm124A EE email:
[email protected]Th Th venin venin s s theorem theorem
Reduce part of a circuit to an
equivalent circuit which consists of
a voltage source in series with a a voltage source in series with a
resistor resistor.
Thevenin's theorem
Linear
Network
R
2
R
1
V
1
R
4
R
11
R
13
R
radio
V
2
I
1
Thvenins
theorem
Thvenin
equivalent
circuit
v
oc
R
t
+
_
a
b
R
2
R
1
V
1
R
4
R
11
R
13
R
radio
V
2
I
1
Linear Y
X
x1 x2 (x1+x2)
(Y1+Y2)
Y1
Y2
Y
X
Thvenins
theorem
Thvenin
equivalent
circuit
v
oc
R
t
+
_
a
b
R
2
R
1
V
1
R
4
R
11
R
13
R
radio
V
2
I
1
2
Thvenins theorem
v
oc
R
t
+
_
a
b
Thvenin
equivalent
circuit
v
oc
=open-circuit voltage at the two terminals a-b.
R
t
=ratio of open-circuit voltage to short-circuit current
at the terminal pair. Alternatively, it is the equivalent
resistance between a-b with all sources disabled.
To disable independent sources To disable independent sources
+
_
0 v =
0 i =
+
_
Thevenin's Equivalent Circuit
V
T
=Open circuit voltageof linear network.
R
2
R
1
V
1
R
4
R
11
R
13
V
2
I
1
+
_
V
T
Thevenin's Equivalent Circuit
R
T
=Resistanceof thelinear network looking in
fromtheterminals with all sources disabled.
R
2
R
1
R
4
R
11
R
13
R
T
THIS method of finding R
T
DOES NOT WORK for circuits
containing DEPENDENT SOURCES!
Dependent sources Dependent sources
The only way to find R
t
in circuits
containing dependent sources is by
using:
oc
t
sc
v
R
i
=
+
_
b
a
R
50V
5 4
20
+
_
b
a
R
Example Example
?
oc
v =
?
t
R =
3
+
_
b
a
5 4
20 50V
Open-circuit voltage:
20
50 40
5 20
oc
v V = =
+
b
a
5 4
20
Thvenin resistance:
( )
4 5 20 8
t
R = + =
+
_
b
a
5 4
20
50V
Short-circuit current:
( )
50 20
5
20 4 5 4 20
sc
i A = =
+ +
i
sc
40
8
5
oc
t
sc
v
R
i
= = =
Alternatively:
+
_
b
a
R
50V
5 4
20
+
_
b
a
R
40V
8
Example Example
+
_
b
a
10 4
40
10V
2A
+
_
b
a
?
oc
v =
?
t
R =
+
_
b
a
10 4
40
10V
2A
c
d
Node c:
no current
Node d: 10
d
v =
8
c oc
v V v = =
2
40 10
= +
c d c
v v v
V
oc
=V
c
=
4
Now Find R
T
.Remember:
When disabling Voltage sources
replace with SHORT Circuit
When disabling Current sources
replace with OPEN Circuit
b
a
10 4
40
Thvenin resistance:
( )
4 10 40 12
t
R = + =
+
_
b
a
10 4
40
10V
2A
+
_
b
a
8V
12
Th Th venin venin s s theorem theorem
v
oc
R
t
+
_
a
b
Thvenin
equivalent
circuit
v
oc
=open-circuit voltage at the two terminals a-b.
R
t
=ratio of open-circuit voltage to short-circuit current
at the terminal pair. Alternatively, it is the equivalent
resistance between a-b with all sources disabled.
+
_
b
a
6 10
6
20V
c
_
+
i
2i
Example with Dependent Source Example with Dependent Source
+
_
b
a
?
oc
v =
?
t
R =
5
Reminder:
To analyse a circuit, we must first define the
current direction current direction and voltage polarity voltage polarity for
each circuit element.
How we define them does not not matter.
+
_
b
a
6 10
6
20V
c
_
+
i
2i
+
_
v
1
+ +
+
_
v
2
v
3
v
4
_
_
KVL:
20 6 2 6 0 i i i + + = 2 i A =
6 6 2 12
oc
v i V = = =
1 2 3 4
0 v v v v + + =
?
oc
v =
+
_
+
_
b
a
6 10
6
20V
_
+
i
1
2i
KVL:
( ) ( )
1 1 2 1 2
20 6 2 6 0 i i i i i + + =
2
120
136
sc
i i = =
( )
2 1 2
6 10 0 i i i + =
( )
12
13.6
120136
oc
t
sc
v
R
i
= = =
?
sc
i =
i
2
(i
1
i
2
)
S/C
Current?
+
_
b
a
6 10
6
20V
c
_
+
i
2i
Result! Result!
+
_
b
a
12V
13.6
Norton Norton s theorem s theorem
Reduce part of a circuit to an
equivalent circuit which consists of
a current source in parallel with a a current source in parallel with a
resistor resistor.
Norton Norton s theorem s theorem
i
sc
R
n
a
Norton equivalent
circuit
b
i
sc
=short-circuit current at the two terminals a-b.
R
n
=ratio of open-circuit voltage to short-circuit current
at the terminal pair. Alternatively, it is the equivalent
resistance between a-b with all sources disabled.
6
15V
+
_
8
6
4
a
b
Find Norton equivalent circuit
8
6
4
a
b
( ) 6 8 4 612 4
n
R = + = =
?
n
R =
15V
+
_
8
6
4
a
b
15
1.25
8 4
sc
i A = =
+
?
sc
i =
15V
+
_
8
6
4
a
b
a
b
1.25A
4 Norton
equivalent
circuit
Practical Practical
Source transformation Source transformation
Equivalent sources Equivalent sources
i
s
R
p
R
L
i
L
+
_
v
L
v
s
R
s
+
_
R
L
i
L
+
_
v
L
L
L s
s L
R
v v
R R
=
+
p
L s L
p L
R
v i R
R R
=
+
s p
R R =
s s p
v i R =
Thus to be equivalent, require:
and
7
s p
R R =
s s p
v i R =
We can transform a practical voltage
source into an equivalent practical
current source and vice versa.
+
_
10V
2
2
5A
Two equivalent sources
+
_
20V
4
4
5A
+
_
21V
7
7
3A
