Methods of Analysis

By
Getnet Baye

Methods of Analysis Debretabor University 1

 Outline
• Introduction
• Nodal analysis
• Nodal analysis with voltage source
• Mesh analysis
• Mesh analysis with current source
• Nodal and mesh analyses by inspection
• Nodal versus mesh analysis
  Introduction
• fundamental laws of circuit theory (Ohm’s law and Kirchhoff’s laws),

• to apply these laws to develop two powerful techniques for circuit analysis:

Nodal analysis: which is based on a systematic application of Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL),

Mesh analysis: which is based on a systematic application of Kirchhoff’s voltage law KVL.

Based on those techniques obtaining a set of simultaneous equations that are solved to
obtain the required values of current or voltage.

method of solving simultaneous equations involves

o Elimination

o Cramer’s rule
 Nodal Analysis
• It provides a general procedure for analyzing circuits using node voltages as the
circuit variables.

• Choosing node voltages instead of element voltages as circuit variables is

convenient and reduces the number of equations one must solve simultaneously.

• in this section that circuits do not contain voltage sources.

• Nodal analysis is also known as the node-voltage method.

• In nodal analysis, we are interested in finding the node voltages.

• Given a circuit with n nodes without voltage sources, the nodal analysis of the
circuit involves taking the following three steps.
 Cont …
• Steps to Determine Node Voltages:

1. Select a node as the reference node. Assign voltage v1, v2, …vn-1 to the remaining
n-1 nodes. The voltages are referenced with respect to the reference node.

2. Apply KCL to each of the n-1 nonreference nodes. Use Ohm’s law to express the
branch currents in terms of node voltages.

3. Solve the resulting simultaneous equations to obtain the unknown node voltages.

Note: The number of nonreference nodes is equal to the number of independent

equations that we will derive.
 The reference node is commonly called the ground since it is assumed to
have zero potential.
Common symbols for indicating a reference node,
(a) common ground, (b) ground, (c) chassis.

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Figure: Typical circuit for nodal analysis

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  Current flows from a higher potential to a lower potential in a resistor
vhigher  vlower
i
R
At node 1, applying KCL gives At node 2,

v1  0
i1  or i1  G1v1
R1
Based on Ohm’s Law
v1  v2
i2  or i2  G2 (v1  v2 )
R2
v2  0
i3  or i3  G3v2
R3
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 Cont …
substitute
v1 v1  v2
 I1  I 2  
R1 R2
v1  v2 v2
I2  
R2 R3
 I1  I 2  G1v1  G2 (v1  v2 )
I 2  G2 (v1  v2 )  G3v2

 G1  G2  G2   v1   I1  I 2 
 
  G2 G2  G3  v2   I 2 

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 Example 1
• Calculus the node voltage in the circuit shown in Fig. (a)

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 Solution:
At node 1: KCL
i1  i2  i3
v1  v2 v1  0
5 
4 2
KCL
i2  i4  i1  i5
v2  v1 v2  0
5 
4 6
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 Cont …
• Method2: Using the elimination technique

• Substituting v2 = 20 V
•
 Cont .
Method 2: Use Cramer’s rule
• In matrix form:

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Practice Problem: Obtain the node voltages in the circuit in Fig.
Answer: v1 = -2 V, v2 = -14 V.

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Example 2: Determine the voltage at the nodes in Fig. (a)

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 Solution:
• At node 1: KCL

• At node 2: KCL

• At node 3: KCL

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Method 2:To use Cramer’s rule in matrix form.
 Nodal Analysis with Voltage Sources
• Case 1: The voltage source is connected between a nonreference node and the reference node:

• The nonreference node voltage is equal to the magnitude of voltage source and the number of
unknown nonreference nodes is reduced by one.

• Case 2: The voltage source is connected between two nonreference nodes: a generalized
node (super-node) is formed. V1= 10V

i1  i4  i2  i3 
v1  v2 v1  v3 v  0 v3  0
  2 
2 4 8 6
 v2  v3  5
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 Super-node
• A super-node is formed by enclosing a (dependent or independent) voltage source
connected between two nonreference nodes and any elements connected in parallel with it.

• The required two equations obtained by the KCL of the super-node and the relationship of
node voltages due to the voltage source. 2  7  i1  i 2  0
v1 v2
27   0
2 4
v1  v2  2

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 Example: Find the node voltages in the circuit below.

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 Apply KVL for supernodes. …….(5)

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 Mesh Analysis
• Mesh analysis: based on the KVL

• A Mesh is a loop which does not contain any other loops within it.

• It is applicable to only planar circuit.

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 Mesh Analysis
 Mesh is a loop that does not contain any other loop within it.
 using mesh currents as the circuit variables.
 Using mesh currents instead of element currents as circuit variables is convenient and
reduces the number of equations that must be solved simultaneously.

 Mesh analysis applies KVL to find unknown currents.

 It is only applicable to a circuit that is planar.
 It is also known as loop analysis or the mesh-current method

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 Mesh Analysis

 Non Planar circuit: branches crossing one another. Fig (a)

 Planar circuit: no branches crossing one another. Fig (b)

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• Steps to determine Mesh Currents:

1. Identify the total number of meshes

2. Assign mesh currents i1, i2, .., in to the n meshes.

3. Apply KVL to each of the n meshes. Use Ohm’s law to express the voltages in
terms of the mesh currents.

4. Solve the KVL equation to get the mesh currents.

A circuit with two meshes

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 Cont’d…
• Apply KVL to each mesh. For mesh 1,
 V1  R1i1  R3 (i1  i2 )  0
( R1  R3 )i1  R3i2  V1
• For mesh 2,
R2i2  V2  R3 (i2  i1 )  0
 R3i1  ( R2  R3 )i2  V2

• Solve for the mesh currents.

 R1  R3  R3   i1   V1 

  R3 R2  R3  i2   V2 

• Use i for a mesh current and I for a branch current. It’s evident from Fig. above
that
I1  i1 , I 2  i2 , I 3  i1  i2

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Example 2: Find the branch current I1, I2, and I3 using mesh analysis. And
the power dispated at 4Ω resistor
 For mesh 1,
 15  5i1  10(i1  i2 )  10  0
3i1  2i2  1
For mesh 2,
6i2  4i2  10(i2  i1 )  10  0
i1  2i2  1
 We can find i1 and i2 by substitution method or Cramer’s rule. Then,

I1  i1 , I 2  i2 , I 3  i1  i2

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Method 1: Elimination 6i2 − 3 − 2i2 = 1, i2 = 1 A i1 = 2i2 − 1 = 2 − 1 = 1 A.
Thus, I1 = i1 = 1 A, I2 = i2 = 1 A, I3 = i1 − i2 = 0

Method 2 : Cramer’s rule

 Example 3: Use mesh analysis to find the current I0 in the circuit of Fig. below

 Apply KVL to each mesh. For mesh 1,

 24  10(i1  i2 )  12(i1  i3 )  0
11i1  5i2  6i3  12
 Apply KVL to each mesh. For mesh 2,

24i2  4(i2  i3 )  10(i2  i1 )  0

 5i1  19i2  2i3  0

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 • For mesh 3, 4 I 0  12(i3  i1 )  4(i3  i2 )  0
At node A, I 0  I1  i2 ,
4(i1  i2 )  12(i3  i1 )  4(i3  i2 )  0
 i1  i2  2i3  0
• In matrix from Eqs. (1) to (3) become

 11  5  6  i1  12
 5 19  2 i2    0 
•   1  1 2  i   0 
  3   
we can calculate i1, i2 and i3 by Cramer’s rule, and find I0.

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 Mesh Analysis with Current Sources

 Case 1
● Current source exist only in one mesh,
Write a mesh equation for the other mesh in the usual way, that is,

● One mesh variable is reduced

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 Super-mesh
Case 2: Current source exists between two meshes, a super-mesh is obtained.

• a super-mesh when current source is presented between two meshes, we remove the branche
results when two meshes have a (dependent , independent) current source in common.

• Properties of a supermesh:
1. The current source in the supermesh is not completely ignored; it provides the constraint
equation necessary to solve for the mesh currents.
2. A supermesh has no current of its own.
3. A supermesh requires the application of both KVL and KCL.

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 Example: determine the power dispated at 4Ω resistor in the fig below.

We apply KCL to a node in the

applying KVL to the supermesh in branch where the two meshes
Fig (b) gives intersect in fig (a) gives. i2 = i1 + 6
6i1 + 14i2 = 20 ……(1) P=𝑖 2 𝑅
we get i1 = −3.2 A, i2 = 2.8 A =2.82 ∗4=31.36 w

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Similarly, a super-mesh formed from three meshes needs three equations: one is from the
super-mesh and the other two equations are obtained from the two current sources.

• Example: For the circuit in Fig. below,, find i1 to i4 using mesh analysis.

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 Similarly, a super-mesh formed from three meshes needs three equations: one is
from the super-mesh and the other two equations are obtained from the two
current sources

2i1  4i3  8(i3  i4 )  6i2  0

i1  i2  5
i2  i3  i4
8(i3  i4 )  2i4  10  0
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 Nodal Versus Mesh Analysis

• Both nodal and mesh analyses provide a systematic way of analyzing a complex
network.

• The choice of the better method dictated by two factors.

• First factor : nature of the particular network. The key is to select the method
that results in the smaller number of equations.

• Second factor : information required.

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 Summery
1. Nodal analysis: the application of KCL at the nonreference nodes

• A circuit has fewer node equations

2. A super-node: two nonreference nodes

3. Mesh analysis: the application of KVL

• A circuit has fewer mesh equations

4. A super-mesh: two meshes

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