EE332 Electrical Engineering Principles and Applications Lab

Experiment # 04 STUDY OF RL SERIES CIRCUIT

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:

Upon completion of this laboratory experiment, the student will be able to:
1. Verify the performance of resistance and Inductor (RL) circuit.

EQUIPMENT:

1. LT Spice software

DISCUSSION:
Consider a simple RL circuit in which resistor, R, and inductor, L are connected in series with a
voltage supply of Vin. The current flowing in the circuit is I and the current through resistor R and
inductor L is IR and IL respectively. However, the resistor and inductor are connected in series,
that’s why the current passing through both elements is the same. i.e.,

(1) 𝐼𝑅 = 𝐼𝐿 = 𝐼

The voltages VR and VL are the voltage drop across the resistor and inductor.
By applying the Kirchhoff voltage law (The summation of the drop voltages across R
and L equal to the input voltage Vin) to this circuit, we get:

(2) 𝑖𝑛 = 𝑉𝑅 + 𝑉𝐿
�
�

Before drawing the phasor diagram of a series RL circuit, one should know
the relationship between voltage and current in the case of resistor and
inductor.

we can say that the phase angle difference 𝜃 between voltage and current is
In the case of the resistor R, the voltage and current are in the same phase, or

zero.

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Experiment # 04 STUDY OF RL SERIES CIRCUIT

Figure 1: illustrate that the voltage and current wave are in phase in purely resistive load

In the case of the inductor L, the voltage and current are not in phase. The
voltage leads the current by 90°. This means the voltage reaches its
maximum when the current attains the zero value.

Figure 2: illustrate the voltage and current phase shift in a purely inductive load

Inductor (also named as a choke) is basically a coil or loops of wire that are
either wound around a hollow tube former (air cored) or wound around some
ferromagnetic material like iron core to increase their inductive value
(inductance).
The inductor stores its energy in the form of a magnetic field that is created
when a voltage is applied across an inductor. The growth of the current
flowing through the inductor is not instant but is determined by the inductors
own self-induced or back emf value. Then for an inductor coil, this back
emf voltage VL is proportional to the rate of change of the current flowing
through it.
In an AC circuit, the opposition to the current flowing through the coils not
only depends upon the inductance of the coil but also the frequency f of the
applied voltage waveform as it varies from its positive to negative values.
The actual opposition to the current flowing through a coil in an AC circuit is
determined by the AC Resistance of the coil with this AC resistance being
represented by a complex number. But to distinguish a DC resistance value
from an AC resistance value, which is also known as Impedance, the term
Reactance is used.
Like resistance, reactance is measured in Ohm’s but is given the symbol X to
distinguish it from a purely resistive “R” value and as the component in
question is an inductor, the reactance of an inductor is called Inductive
Reactance, XL and is measured in Ohms. Its value can be found from the

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Experiment # 04 STUDY OF RL SERIES CIRCUIT

formula.

(3) 𝑋𝐿 = 2𝜋𝑓𝐿

Where XL is inductive reactance in (Ω), π is the numeric constant of 3.142, ƒ

is the frequency in Hz, and L = inductance in H

Whenever a sinusoidal voltage is applied to an inductor, the back emf

opposes the rise and fall of the current flowing through the coil and in a
purely inductive coil which has zero resistance, this impedance (which can
be a complex number) is equal to its inductive reactance. Also, reactance is
represented by a vector as it has both a magnitude and a direction (angle).
See Fig. 3.

Figure 3: : Schematic diagram illustrate an RC circuit connected in sereis

This simple circuit above consists of a pure inductance of L Henries (H),

connected in series with a resistor R (Ohm) and a sinusoidal voltage given by
the expression:
(4) Vin = Vmax sin ωt

This sinusoidal voltage will cause a current to flow and rise from zero to its
maximum value. This rise or change in the current will induce a magnetic
field within the coil which in turn will oppose or restrict this change in the
current.
But before the current has had time to reach its maximum value as it would
in a DC circuit, the voltage changes polarity causing the current to change
direction. This change in the other direction once again being delayed by the
self-induced back emf in the coil, and in a circuit containing a pure
inductance only, the current is delayed by 90o.

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Experiment # 04 STUDY OF RL SERIES CIRCUIT

Figure 4: For an RL circuit, 𝜃 depend on the values of the R and XL.

In an RL circuit, a phase shift occurs as well between the voltage across the
inductor VL and the current I. As the circuit is a resistive-inductive load, the
voltage V leads the current I, as shown in Fig. 4. The phase shift can also be

𝑉𝐿
calculated using equation 5

𝜃 = tan −1

𝑉𝑅
(5)

Figure 5: illustrate the voltage and current phase shift of a resistive-capacitive load.
Table 1, shows important equations required to theoretically calculate VR, VL, Vs, R, XL,
and Z.

Table 1: Improtant equations

𝑅 = |𝑍| × cos(𝜃)
For impedance For voltages
|𝑉𝑅 | = |𝑉𝑆| × cos(𝜃)
|𝑋𝐿| = |𝑍| × sin(𝜃) |𝑉𝐿 | = |𝑉𝑆| × sin(𝜃)

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 EE332 Electrical Engineering Principles and Applications Lab

Experiment # 04 STUDY OF RL SERIES CIRCUIT

|𝑍| = √𝑅2 + |𝑋𝐿|2 |𝑉𝑠| = √|𝑉𝑅 |2 + |𝑉𝐿 |2

PROCEDURE:
Task 1

1- Use LT Spice software and create the circuit as shown in figure 3

2- Build the the circuit shown in Fig. 3 using a 1kΩ resistor and a 100 mH inductor.
3- Set the input voltage at 5V and frequency at 500 Hz.
4- Using the Oscilloscope, read the voltage across the 1kΩ resistor and
the 100 mH inductor.
5- Change the input frequency from 500 to 1 kHz, 1.5 kHz 2 kHz 2.5 kHz and 3 kHz.
6- Repeat step 3, measuring the voltage across the 1kΩ resistor and the 100 mH
inductor.
7- Based on the experimental measurement, Calculate the phase shift (𝜃) between VR
and VL theoretically using equation 5.
7- Write down all the measured and calculated value

Observation Table

CosǾ Z VL VR Frequency
500Hz
1kHz
1.5kHz
2kHz
2.5kHz
3kHz

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 EE332 Electrical Engineering Principles and Applications Lab

Experiment # 04 STUDY OF RL SERIES CIRCUIT

Task 2

Figure 6

1- Use LT Spice software and create the circuit as shown in figure 6

2- Build the the circuit shown in Fig. 6 using a 20Ω resistor and a 20 mH inductor.
3- Set the input voltage at 60 V and frequency at 100 Hz.
4- Using the Oscilloscope, read the voltage across the 2 0 Ω resistor and
the 20 mH inductor.
5- Change the input frequency from 100 to 1 kHz, 1.5 kHz 2 kHz 2.5 kHz and 3 kHz.
6- Repeat step 3, measuring the voltage across the 20Ω resistor and the 20 mH inductor.
7- Based on the experimental measurement, Calculate the phase shift (𝜃) between VR
and VL theoretically using equation 5.
7- Write down all the measured and calculated value

Observation Table

CosǾ Z VL VR Frequency
100Hz
1kHz
1.5kHz
2kHz
2.5kHz
3kHz

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Experiment # 04 STUDY OF RL SERIES CIRCUIT

Task 3

Figure 7

PROCEDURE:

1. Use LT Spice software and create the circuit as shown in figure 7.

2. Apply signal of maximum amplitude to the circuit from the signal
generator with 100 ohm Resistor and 50milliHenry Inductor.
3. Note the readings on ammeter by changing the resistor values as 150 ohm , 200 ohm and 300
ohm .
4. Draw the locus for current as Resistance is varied.

R-L Series Circuit: L = 50mH

Ѳ= tan−1(XL/R) I(mA) Variable R S.NO.

100 1
150 2
200 3
300 4

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 EE332 Electrical Engineering Principles and Applications Lab

Experiment # 04 STUDY OF RL SERIES CIRCUIT

Figure 8 Locus of RL Circuit

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1. What is an inductor and what consist of inside?

2. What are the applications of the RL circuit?
3. Why there is a phase shift (𝜃) between the measured voltage VL and current I?
4. If we increase the input frequency from 1kHz to 5 kHz, what is the
phase shift (𝜃) between the voltage VC and current I?

FINAL CHECKLIST
1 Submit your answers to the review questions along with your technical report to
your instructor before the next laboratory session.

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