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Thevenin PDF
Thevenin PDF
R1
VS1 +
–
same + R2 R3 same = +
– VS1 +VS2
as as
VS2 +
–
R1
VS IS
+ V same R1
same same – S IS
0V 0A as
as as
=
EE 201 Thevenin – 1
The behavior of any circuit, with respect to a pair of terminals (port)
can be represented with a Thevenin equivalent, which consists of a
voltage source in series with a resistor.
load
Thevenin +
VTh +
– VTh + RL vRL
equivalent –
–
Need to determine VTh and RTh so that the model behaves just like the
original.
EE 201 Thevenin – 2
Norton equivalent
load load
some + +
vRL IN RN vRL
circuit
– –
RTh
=
VTh +
– IN RN =
EE 201 Thevenin – 3
Example
R1 1.5 k! RTh 1 k!
VS + R2 IS RL + RL
– VTh –
9V 3 k! 6 mA
12 V
unknown + +
circuit R1 v1 VTh +
– R1 v1 =
+
– –
unknown + +
R2 v2 VTh +
– R2 v2 =
+
circuit
– –
( ) ( )
2 equations, 2 unknowns: = =
EE 201 Thevenin – 5
More directly: open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current
1. Leave port open-circuited. (RL →∞, iL = 0) Measure open-circuit voltage.
RTh
+ + voc = VTh
unknown
circuit
voc VTh +
– voc open-circuit voltage is a
– – direct measure of VTh.
unknown =
circuit
isc VTh +
–
isc
= =
Note, that isc can also be interpreted as a direct measurement of IN: isc = IN.
EE 201 Thevenin – 6
Calculating Thevenin equivalent
The open-circuit voltage / short-circuit current approach can be used to
calculate the Thevenin equivalent for a known circuit.
R1 1.5 k!
VTh = voc = 12 V.
EE 201 Thevenin – 7
Short-circuit current – Use whatever method you prefer. We’ll use
node voltage in this case. But proceed carefully – the short circuit
introduces some unusual wrinkles into the circuit analysis.
R1 va
a: Because of the short circuit, va = 0!
VS + R2 IS isc
– b: Because of the short, vR2 = 0 and iR2
= 0. So R2 plays no role and can be
removed.
R1 va
isc = iR1 + IS
VS + IS isc
– = +
= +
= + =
= = = .
EE 201 Thevenin – 8
Thevenin Norton
RTh 1 k!
VTh +– IN RN
12 V 12 mA 1 k!
R2 RTh = =( . ) ( )=
EE 201 Thevenin – 9
Summary
To measure VTh and RTh
1. Use a voltmeter to measure the open-circuit voltage at the port of the
circuit: voc = VTh.
2. Connect a short circuit across the output and use an ammeter to
measure the short-circuit current: isc = IN.
3. Calculate RTh = VTh / IN.
Note that shorting the output may not always be practical. For
example, some devices may have over-current protection circuitry that
prevents large short-circuit currents from flowing. Or the device might
not be able to handle the large current that might flow when the output
is shorted without being damaged. In those cases:
1. Use a voltmeter to measure the open-circuit at the port of the circuit: voc
= VTh.
2. Attach a load resistance, RL that is small enough so that an appreciable
current is flowing. Measure the resulting load voltage, vL.
3. Calculate =
EE 201 Thevenin – 10
Summary
To calculate VTh and RTh
1. Using whatever techniques are appropriate, calculate the open-
circuit voltage at the port of the circuit: voc = VTh.
2. Connect a short circuit across the output. Using whatever techniques
are appropriate, calculate the short-circuit current: isc = IN.
3. Calculate RTh = VTh / IN.
= ( )= . IN = isc = 20.57 mA
+
EE 201 Thevenin – 12
.
= = = .
.
RTh 2.1 k!
VTh + –
IN RN
43.2 V 20.57 mA 2.1 k!
R1 R3 Req = ( + )
=( ) ( + )= .
EE 201 Thevenin – 13
Example 2
R1 1.5 k! R4 3.3 k!
R3 1.5 k! R6 3.3 k!
= = .
R3 R6
VTh +
+
= –
+ +
4.37 V
isc = 1.45 mA
.
= = = .
. IN RN
1.45 mA 3.27 k!
EE 201 Thevenin – 15
Alternatively, we can use the short-cut method to find RTh.
R1 R4
R2 R5 RTh
R3 R6
= [ + + ( + )]
= 3.02 k!
EE 201 Thevenin – 16
R5 15 !
Example 3
IS 4A
Find the Thevenin and Norton
equivalents of the circuit at R1 30 ! R3 30 !
right, with the port as shown.
VS + R2 R4
30 V – 20 ! 15 !
R1 a R3 b + + =
+
VS + R2 R4 + + + = +
– voc
–
solve: va = 20 V, vb = 40 V. "
EE 201 voc = vb = 40 V Thevenin – 17
Find isc. Use node voltage, again. Note that R4 is shorted out (so ignore it)
and node b is shorted to ground, vb = 0.
= + +
R5
IS = + +
R1 a R3 b = + +
VS + R2 isc .
– = + + = .
= = .
.
Need va.
= +
RTh 6.36 !
= + 40 V
VTh +
–
IN RN
6.28 A 6.36 !
= = 8.57 V
+ +
EE 201 Thevenin – 18
Maximum power transfer
Now that we have the ability to model any circuit using a simple Thevenin
(or Norton) equivalent, we can answer another important question: How
much power can a given circuit supply to an attached load?
Start with the Thevenin equivalent and determine the load resistance
that would lead to the maximum amount of power being dissipated in
the load.
RTh load
= =
+ ( + )
VTh + vRL
– RL
–
In the usual way, find the max by setting the derivative to zero and solving.
= =
( + ) ( + )
For maximum
+ = =
power to the load
EE 201 See slide 4 for an example – look at power column in the table. Thevenin – 19