ME 255

Electrical and Electronics

Engineering Fundamentals
Lecture #6

Dr. Nisa NACAR ÇIKAN

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Outline
• Circuit Theorems
• Thevenin’s Theorem
• Norton’s Theorem
• Maximum Power Transfer Theorem
• Example Problems

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Thevenin’s Theorem
• Thevenin’s theorem states that a linear two-terminal
circuit can be replaced by an equivalent circuit that
• consists of a voltage source VTh in series with a resistor RTh,
• where VTh is the open-circuit voltage at the terminals and
• RTh is the input or equivalent resistance at the terminals when
the independent sources are turned off.

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Thevenin’s Theorem
• Thevenin’s theorem is very important in circuit analysis.
• It helps to simplify a circuit.
• A large circuit may be replaced by a single voltage
source and a single resistor.
• This replacement technique is a powerful tool in circuit
design.

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Thevenin’s Theorem

Original Circuit Thevenin’s Equivalent Circuit

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Thevenin’s Theorem
• When finding the Thevenin’s equivalent circuit, two quantities
should be computed
• Rth
• Vth
• In order to find Thevenin’s resistance, Rth,
• turn off all sources
• Current source open circuit
• Voltage source short circuit
• Rth is the input resistance of the network looking between terminals
a and b.
• Thevenin’s voltage, Vth, is the open-circuit voltage across the
terminals (a-b).

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Thevenin’s Theorem
• Example: Find Thevenin’s equivalent circuit seen from
terminals a-b. Find the current through 𝑹𝑳 when 𝑹𝑳 = 𝟔𝛀
and 𝑹𝑳 = 𝟏𝟔𝛀

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Thevenin’s Theorem
• Finding Rth :
• Turn off all the sources:

4 12
Rth  4 12  1   1  4
4  12

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Thevenin’s Theorem
• Finding Vth :
• a-b open circuit: • Mesh analysis:
−32 + 4𝑖1 + 12𝑖1 − 12𝑖2 = 0
𝑖2 = −2𝐴
𝑖1 = 0.5𝐴
• KVL at the outer loop:
−32 + 4𝑖1 + 𝑉𝑡ℎ = 0
𝑉𝑡ℎ = 30𝑉

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Thevenin’s Theorem
• Equivalent Circuit:
Vth 30
IL  
Rth  RL 4  RL

30
RL  6 IL   3A
46

30
RL  16 IL   1.5 A
4  16

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Norton’s Theorem
• Norton’s theorem states that a linear two-terminal
circuit can be replaced by an equivalent circuit that
• consists of a current source 𝑰𝑵 in parallel with a resistor 𝑹𝑵
• where 𝑰𝑵 is the short-circuit current through the terminals and
• 𝑹𝑵 is the equivalent resistance at the terminals when the
independent sources are turned off.

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Norton’s Theorem

Original Circuit Norton’s Equivalent Circuit

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Norton’s Theorem
• When finding the Norton’s equivalent circuit, two quantities
should be computed
• 𝑹𝑵
• 𝑰𝑵
• In order to find Norton’s resistance, 𝑹𝑵 ,
• turn off all sources
• Current source open circuit
• Voltage source short circuit
• 𝑹𝑵 is the input resistance of the network looking between terminals a
and b.
• Identical with Rth (𝑹𝑵 = 𝑹𝒕𝒉 )
• Norton’s current, 𝑰𝑵 , is the short-circuit current between
the terminals (a-b).

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Norton’s Theorem
• Since their calculations are the same,
• 𝑹𝒕𝒉 = 𝑹𝑵
• Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits are related
• Remember the source transformation

I I a
Rth a
+ +
+ Vth
IN 
YÜK
Vth - V YÜKI N RN V
Rth
- -

b b

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Norton’s Theorem
• Example: Find the Norton equivalent circuit seen from
terminals a-b.

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Norton’s Theorem
• Finding RN:
• Turn off all the sources:

100
RN  5  8  4  8  5 20   4
25

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Norton’s Theorem
• Finding IN :
• Short circuit a-b: • No current will pass through 5Ω
(short circuit).
• Since there is a current source
on the left mesh
𝑖1 = 2𝐴
KVL on the right hand side:
−12 + 4𝑖2 + 8𝑖2 + 8𝑖2 − 4𝑖1
− 12𝑖2 = 0
𝑖2 = 1𝐴 = 𝑖𝑠𝑐 = 𝐼𝑁

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Norton’s Theorem
• The equivalent circuit:

𝑅𝑁 = 4Ω
𝐼𝑁 = 1𝐴

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Maximum Power Transfer Theorem
• In many practical situations, a
circuit is designed to provide
power to a load.
• There are applications in areas
such as communications where it
is desirable to maximize the
power delivered to a load.

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Maximum Power Transfer Theorem
• The Thevenin equivalent is useful in finding the maximum
power a linear circuit can deliver to a load.
• We assume that we can adjust the load resistance 𝑹𝑳 .
• If the entire circuit is replaced by its Thevenin
equivalent except for the load, the power delivered to
the load is
𝟐
𝟐
𝑽𝒕𝒉
𝒑 = 𝒊 𝑹𝑳 = 𝑹𝑳
𝑹𝒕𝒉 + 𝑹𝑳

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Maximum Power Transfer Theorem
• For a given circuit, 𝑽𝒕𝒉 and 𝑹𝒕𝒉 are fixed.
• By varying load resistance 𝑹𝑳 , the power delivered to the
load is changed.

• Maximum power is transferred to the load when the load

resistance equals the Thevenin resistance as seen from
the load
𝑹𝒕𝒉 = 𝑹𝑳

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Maximum Power Transfer Theorem
• As a result, if we substitute 𝑹𝑳 = 𝑹𝒕𝒉 , in
𝟐
𝑽𝒕𝒉
𝒑= 𝑹𝑳
𝑹𝒕𝒉 + 𝑹𝑳

The maximum power is found as

𝑽𝟐𝒕𝒉
𝒑𝒎𝒂𝒙 =
𝟒𝑹𝒕𝒉

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 Maximum Power Transfer Theorem
• Proof: Take the first derivative of power equation with respect
to 𝑹𝑳
𝟐
𝑽𝒕𝒉
𝒑= 𝑹𝑳
𝑹𝒕𝒉 + 𝑹𝑳
𝟐 − 𝟐𝑹 𝑹 + 𝑹
𝑑𝒑 𝑹 𝒕𝒉 + 𝑹 𝑳 𝑳 𝒕𝒉 𝑳
= 𝑽𝟐𝒕𝒉 𝟒
=𝟎
𝑑𝑹𝑳 𝑹𝒕𝒉 + 𝑹𝑳
It should be equal to zero for maximum power.

𝟐
𝑹𝒕𝒉 + 𝑹𝑳 − 𝟐𝑹𝑳 𝑹𝒕𝒉 + 𝑹𝑳 = 𝟎
𝑹𝒕𝒉 = 𝑹𝑳
𝑽𝟐𝒕𝒉
𝒑𝒎𝒂𝒙 =
𝟒𝑹𝒕𝒉
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Maximum Power Transfer Theorem
• Example: Find the value of 𝑹𝑳 for maximum power
transfer. Find the maximum power.

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• Finding Rth :
• Turn off all the sources:

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• Finding Vth :
• Open circuit a-b :

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• Maximum Power:
𝑽𝟐𝒕𝒉
𝒑𝒎𝒂𝒙 =
𝟒𝑹𝒕𝒉
𝟐𝟐𝟐
𝒑𝒎𝒂𝒙 = = 𝟏𝟑. 𝟒𝟒 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒕
𝟒×𝟗

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Example Problems - 1

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Example Problems - 1
• Finding Vth:

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Example Problems - 1
• Finding Rth:

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Example Problems - 1
• The equivalent circuit

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Example Problems - 2
• Find the Thevenin’s equivalent circuit seen from the
terminals a-b. Calculate the current passing through 8Ω
resistor.
a

12Ω

6A 6Ω 8Ω

+
36V
-

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 a

Example Problems - 2
12Ω

6A 6Ω

+
36V

-
• Finding Rth: b

a
𝟏𝟐 × 𝟔
12 6 Rth 𝑹𝒕𝒉 = = 𝟒𝜴
𝟏𝟐 + 𝟔

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 a

Example Problems - 2
12Ω

6A 6Ω

+
36V

-
• Finding Vth : b

6A Vth I1 Vth a
I2 + 𝑰𝟏 + 𝑰𝟐 = 𝟔
12Ω
𝑽𝒕𝒉 − 𝟎 𝑽𝒕𝒉 − 𝟑𝟔
𝑰𝟏 = 𝑰𝟐 =
6A 36V 6Ω Vth 𝟔 𝟏𝟐
+
36V
𝑽𝒕𝒉 𝑽𝒕𝒉 − 𝟑𝟔
-

+ =𝟔
- 𝟔 𝟏𝟐
0V b
𝑽𝒕𝒉 = 𝟑𝟔𝑽
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 a

Example Problems - 2
12Ω

6A 6Ω

+
36V

-
• The equivalent circuit: b

4Ω a

𝟑𝟔
𝑰= = 𝟑𝑨
36V
+
8Ω 𝟖+𝟒
-

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Example Problems - 3
• Find the current I using superposition principle.

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Example Problems - 3
• Turn off the current source
(open circuit)

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Example Problems - 3
• Turn off the voltage source
(short circuit)

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Example Problems - 4

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Example Problems - 4

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Example Problems - 4

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Example Problems - 5

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Example Problems - 5

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Example Problems - 5

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