RLC Circuits

Objective of Lecture
Derive the equations that relate the voltages across and
currents flowing through a resistor, an inductor, and a
capacitor in series as:
 the unit step function associated with voltage or current
source changes from 1 to 0 or
 a switch disconnects a voltage or current source into the
circuit.
Describe the solution to the 2nd order equations when the
condition is:
 Overdamped
 Critically Damped
 Underdamped
Series RLC Network
With a step function voltage source.
Boundary Conditions
You must determine the initial condition of the
inductor and capacitor at t < to and then find the final
conditions at t = ∞s.
Since the voltage source has a magnitude of 0V at t < t
o
 i(to-) = iL(to-) = 0A and vC(to-) = Vs
 v (t -) = 0V and i (t -) = 0A
L o C o
Once the steady state is reached after the voltage source
has a magnitude of Vs at t > t o, replace the capacitor with
an open circuit and the inductor with a short circuit.
 i(∞s) = iL(∞s) = 0A and vC(∞s) = 0V
 v (∞s) = 0V and i (∞s) = 0A
L C
Selection of Parameter
Initial Conditions
i(t -) = i (t -) = 0A and v (t -) = Vs
o L o C o
v (t -) = 0V and i (t -) = 0A
L o C o
Final Conditions
i(∞s) = i (∞s) = 0A and v (∞s) = oV
L C
v (∞s) = 0V and i (∞s) = 0A
L C

Since the voltage across the capacitor is the only

parameter that has a non-zero boundary condition,
the first set of solutions will be for vC(t).
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law
 v(t )  0
vC (t )  vL (t )  vR (t )  0
diL (t )
vL (t )  L
dt
vR  RiR
dvC (t )
iC (t )  C
dt
iL (t )  iC (t )  iR (t )
d 2 vC (t ) dvC (t )
LC 2
 RC  vC (t )  0
dt dt
d 2 vC (t ) R dvC (t ) 1
2
  vC (t )  0
dt L dt LC
General Solution
Let vC(t) = Aest where t=t-to

2 st AR st A st

As e  se  e 0
L LC
st R 1
Ae ( s  s 
2
)0
L LC
R 1
s  s
2
0
L LC
General Solution (con’t)
R 1
s  s
2
0
L LC
2
R  R  1
s1      
2L  2L  LC
2
R  R  1
s2      
2L  2L  LC
General Solution (con’t)
R
s1      
2 2 
o 2L
1
s2      
2 2
o o 
LC

s  2s    0
2 2
o
General Solution (con’t)
s1t
vC 1 (t )  A1e
s 2 t
vC 2 (t )  A2 e
s1t s 2 t
vC (t )  vC 1 (t )  vC 2 (t )  A1e  A2 e
Solve for Coefficients A1 and A2
Use the boundary conditions at to- and t = ∞s to solve
for A1 and A2. 
vC (to )  VS
Since the voltage across a capacitor must be a
continuous function of time.
   
vC (to )  vC (to )  vC1 (to )  vC 2 (to )  VS
A1e s1 0 s   A2 e s2 0 s   A1  A2  VS

dvC (to ) d
Also know that iC (to )  C  vC1 (to )  vC 2 (to )  0
dt dt
s1 A1e s1 0 s   s2 A2 e s2 0 s   s1 A1  s2 A2  0
Overdamped Case

implies that C > 4L/R2
s1 and s2 are negative and real numbers
s1t s 2 t
vC (t )  A1e  A2 e

s1       2 2
o

s2       2 2
o
Critically Damped Case

implies that C = 4L/R2
s1 = s2 = - = -R/2L

vC (t )  A1e t  A2 te t

Underdamped Case

implies that C < 4L/R2

s1     2   o2    j d
s 2     2   o2    j d
 d   o2   2

j  1
 , i is used by the mathematicians for
imaginary numbers
vC (t )  e t ( B1e jd t  B2 e  jd t )

e j  cos   j sin 
e  j  cos   j sin 

vC (t )  e t [ B1 (cos d t  j sin d t )  B2 (cos d t  j sin d t )]

vC (t )  e t [( B1  B2 ) cos d t  j ( B1  B2 ) sin d t ]
vC (t )  e t [ A1 cos d t  A2 sin d t ]

A1  B1  B2 A2  j B1  B2 
Angular Frequencies
o is called the undamped natural frequency
The frequency at which the energy stored in the
capacitor flows to the inductor and then flows back to
the capacitor. If R = 0, this will occur forever.
d is called the damped natural frequency
Since the resistance of R is not usually equal to zero,
some energy will be dissipated through the resistor as
energy is transferred between the inductor and
capacitor.
  determined the rate of the damping response.
Properties of RLC network
Behavior of RLC network is described as damping,
which is a gradual loss of the initial stored energy
The resistor R causes the loss
 determined the rate of the damping response
 If R = 0, the circuit is loss-less and energy is shifted back and
forth between the inductor and capacitor forever at the natural
frequency.
Oscillatory response of a lossy RLC network is possible
because the energy in the inductor and capacitor can be
transferred from one component to the other.
 Underdamped response is a damped oscillation, which is called
ringing.
Properties of RLC network
Critically damped circuits reach the final steady state
in the shortest amount of time as compared to
overdamped and underdamped circuits.
However, the initial change of an overdamped or
underdamped circuit may be greater than that obtained
using a critically damped circuit.
Set of Solutions when t > to
There are three different solutions which depend on
the magnitudes of the coefficients of the dvC (t ) and
the vC (t ) terms. dt
To determine which one to use, you need to calculate
the natural angular frequency of the series RLC network
and the term .
1
o 
LC
R

2L
Transient Solutions when t > to
Overdamped response ( > o) vC (t )  A1e s1t  A2 e s2 t

where t  t  to s1     2  02
s2     2  02

Critically damped response ( = o)

vC (t )  ( A1  A2 t )e t

Underdamped response ( < o)

vC (t )  [ A1 cos(d t )  A2 sin(d t )]e t
 d  o 2   2
Find Coefficients
After you have selected the form for the solution
based upon the values of o and 
Solve for the coefficients in the equation by evaluating
the equation and its first derivate at t = to- using the
initial boundary conditions.
 vC(to-) = Vs and dvC(to-)/dt = iC (to-)/C = 0V/s
Other Voltages and Currents
Once the voltage across the capacitor is known, the
following equations for the case where t > to can be
used to find:
dvC (t )
iC (t )  C
dt
i (t )  iC (t )  iL (t )  iR (t )
diL (t )
vL (t )  L
dt
vR (t )  RiR (t )
Solutions when t < to
The initial conditions of all of the components are the
solutions for all times -∞s < t < t o.
vC(t) = Vs
iC(t) = 0A

vL(t) = 0V
iL(t) = 0A

vR(t) = 0V
iR(t) = 0A
Summary
The set of solutions when t > to for the voltage across the
capacitor in a RLC network in series was obtained.
 Selection of equations is determine by comparing the natural
frequency oto 
 Coefficients are found by evaluating the equation and its first
derivation at t = to-.
 The voltage across the capacitor is equal to the initial
condition when t < to
Using the relationships between current and voltage, the
current through the capacitor and the voltages and
currents for the inductor and resistor can be calculated.