Embedded Systems Engineering

- Advanced Circuit Analysis-

Product - 1 -
- Research -
- Thevenin and Norton -

Student
Perez, Julian

- 12/01/2020 -
Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1
Required previous knowledge .............................................................................................. 2
What is a Superposition Theorem? ..................................................................................... 2
Norton’s Theorem .................................................................................................................... 3
Steps to apply Norton’s Theorem ........................................................................................ 3
Thevenin’s Theorem ................................................................................................................ 4
Steps to apply Thevenin’s Theorem .................................................................................... 4
Why do we use Thevenin’s Theorem? ................................................................................ 5
Example ...................................................................................................................................... 6
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 8
Bibliography .............................................................................................................................. 9

Table of Figures
Fig. 1 Norton's Equivalent Circuit .................................................................................. 3
Fig. 2 Thevenin's Equivalent Circuit .............................................................................. 4
Fig. 3 Example 1 ........................................................................................................... 6
Fig. 4 Thevenin's Equivalent Circuit and Norton’s Equivalent circuit.............................. 7

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Introduction

An electrical circuit can be defined as the track and/or paths through which the
electric current passes. This can be from the simplest, like a circuit consisting of a battery
and a bulb, to something more complex as a complete system for telecommunications
signals (Yes, they are also an electrical circuit).

The analysis of the electrical circuits means knowing what happens with the
electricity in each of the components that make it up, in this way you can monitor the
energy supply and use it more efficiently depending on the system for which the circuit
was designed.

The human being has been increasing the complexity of the circuits as
technological development advances, which has led us to require more efficient ways to
analyze an electrical circuit. Throughout history, many engineers have evolved the
analysis in different ways that, as we will see, relate to each other to achieve much faster
and more productive analyzes.

It was this need for efficiency that made people specialized in the field observe
and improve the processes used to analyze the circuits.

Both Thevenin and Norton needed a more efficient way to analyze the circuits
they used, since they required a lot of time to do so. That is how they arrived at their
respective theorems, which are related to each other. It is said that they are dual
precisely because of the close relationship they have.

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Required previous knowledge

What is a Superposition Theorem?

The superposition theorem is a method for the Independent supplies present in

an electrical circuit like voltage & current and that is considered as one supply at a time.
This theorem tells that in a linear n/w comprising one or more sources, the flow
of current through a number of supplies in a circuit is the algebraic calculation of the
currents when acting the sources like independently.
The application of this theorem involves simply in linear n/ws, and also in both the AC &
DC circuits where it assists to build the circuits like “Norton” as well as “Thevenin”
equivalent circuits [7].

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Norton’s Theorem

Norton's theorem was independently derived in 1926 by Siemens & Halske

researcher Hans Ferdinand Mayer (1895–1980) and Bell Labs engineer Edward Lawry
Norton (1898–1983) [4].

He proposed the equivalent circuit using a current source and parallel resistor to
assist in the design of recording instrumentation that was primarily current driven [5].

The theorem states that no matter how complex a linear circuit might be, it is
always possible to simplify it into an equivalent circuit containing a single current source
in parallel with a resistance connected to a load [1].

Steps to apply Norton’s Theorem

1. The first step to perform Norton’s Theorem is to identify the load resistance
and then substitute it from the circuit with a direct wire (also called short)
between the load points. After that, we calculate the current passing through
the short (INorton).
2. Consecutively, now that we know the current passing through the short, it
becomes necessary to find the value of the Norton Resistance. To calculate
RNorton we remove all sources and proceed to calculate the total resistance
from one load connection point to the other.
3. Finally, knowing the value of the Rnorton and the current flowing through the
short, we can rewrite the circuit as having one current source of I Norton A and
Rnorton resistance in parallel with the load resistance [6].

Fig. 1 Norton's Equivalent Circuit

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Thevenin’s Theorem

Thevenin’s Theorem was invented by the man himself, Léon Charles Thévenin,
a French telegraph engineer born in Meaux, France. After his time in the corps of
telegraph engineers, Thevenin was appointed as a teaching inspector at the École
supérieure de télégraphie in 1882. It was here that he became interested in the
measurement of electrical circuits using the two available methods at the time –
Kirchhoff’s Circuit Laws and Ohm’s Law [3].

Just like Norton’s Theorem, this theorem states that it is possible to reduce any
given linear circuit, it does it by transforming the original circuit into an equivalent circuit
composed of a voltage source and a series resistance connected to a load [2].

Steps to apply Thevenin’s Theorem

1. The first step consists on locating the load resistance, and then removing it from
the circuit.
After the removal of the load, there are two options: find the Thevenin’s
Resistance (Rth) or find Thevenin’s Voltage (Vth). The order of which one you
find first is irrelevant.
2. To find Rth, remove all voltage sources on the circuit and replace them for
shorts. Subsequently, perform all necessary operations to reduce all left
resistances to an equivalent resistance (Rth).
3. To find Vth, we can apply different methods, for instance, we can apply mesh
analysis or node analysis.
4. Once that we know the value of Rth and Vth we can draw a new circuit
connected to the load which should be equivalent to the original circuit [2].

Fig. 2 Thevenin's Equivalent Circuit

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Why do we use Thevenin’s Theorem?

Thevenin’s theorem can be used as another type of circuit analysis method and is
particularly useful in the analysis of complicated circuits consisting of one or more voltage
or current source and resistors that are arranged in the usual parallel and series
connections. Mainly we can use Thevenin’s Theorem because:

 Efficiency. Thevenin’s Theorem provides an easy method for analyzing power

circuits, which typically has a load that changes value during the analysis process.
This theorem provides an efficient way to calculate the voltage and current
flowing across a load without having to recalculate the entire circuit over again.

 Focus. Thevenin’s Theorem also provides an efficient way to focus the analysis
on a specific portion of a circuit. This allows to calculate the voltage and current
at a specific terminal by simplifying the rest of the circuit with Thevenin’s
equivalent [3].

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Example

Let’s suppose we have the following circuit:

Fig. 3 Example 1

As we discussed previously, the next step should be to find either the Vth o Rth. For the
sake of this example we will start finding Rth. Thus, we replace any voltage source with
a short and any current source with an open circuit.

Then:

1 1 −1
𝑅𝑡ℎ = ( + )
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅3
𝑅𝑡ℎ = 34.29 Ω
To find Vth, we can use any circuit analysis method. In this example we will use node
analysis.

Applying LCK in C:

𝐼𝑠 = 𝐼1 + 𝐼
𝑉𝑐 𝑉𝑐 − 𝑉𝐴
1.1 = +
𝑅1 𝑅2
𝑉𝑐 𝑉𝑐 − 𝑉𝐴
1.1 = +
50 Ω 10 Ω
𝑉𝑐 𝑉𝑐 − 𝑉𝐴
50(1.1 = + )
50 10
55 = 𝑉𝑐 + 5𝑉𝑐 − 5𝑉𝐴
55 = 6𝑉𝑐 − 5𝑉𝐴

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Applying LCK in A

𝐼 = 𝐼2

𝑉𝑐 − 𝑉𝐴 𝑉𝐴
=
𝑅2 𝑅3
𝑉𝑐 − 𝑉𝐴 𝑉𝐴
=
10 Ω 80 Ω
𝑉𝑐 − 𝑉𝐴 𝑉𝐴
80( = )
10 80
8𝑉𝑐 − 8𝑉𝐴 = 𝑉𝐴
8𝑉𝑐 − 9𝑉𝐴 = 0

Solving the equation systems, we get that:

𝑉𝑐 = 35.36 𝑉
𝑉𝐴 = 𝑉𝑡ℎ = 31.43 𝑉

Then, if we want to calculate Norton’s Current:

𝑉𝑡ℎ
𝐼𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑜𝑛 =
𝑅𝑡ℎ
31.43 𝑉
𝐼𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑜𝑛 = = 0.9166 𝐴
34.29 Ω

Redrawing the original circuit into Thevenin’s equivalent circuit and Norton’s equivalent
circuit

Fig. 4 Thevenin's Equivalent Circuit and Norton’s Equivalent circuit

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Conclusion

Circuit analysis is important because it allows us to know the performance and

behaviour of a circuit or network. There are many theorems used to design, synthesize
and evaluate the characteristics and measures of the defined circuit.

The basic laws for circuit analysis are Kirchhoff Current Law (KCL) and Kirchhoff
Voltage Law (KVL). The theorems that came after those basic laws were to make easier
the analysis of more complex circuits. Mesh and Nodal are methods to describe a
circuit’s system in order to make it simpler to get magnitudes. Delta-wye and wye-delta
are useful methods to change the representation of a circuit, they make the circuit
visually easy to manage it. The dual theorems, Thevenin and Norton, were made to
simplify a complex circuit as well.

Every electrical circuit can be modified to allow us to handle it in the way that best
suits us, depending on the situation that we require. Although almost any method could
be applied to the circuit, not every method will be as efficient.

Each of the mentioned methods, laws and theorems must be known perfectly,
since the relationship they have with each other, makes it necessary to be able, precisely,
to identify the method that will make the circuit analysis faster. Not to mention that the
more complex a circuit is, the tool that must be used to analyze it must be of greater
range, and the greater the range of the tool, the more steps we will need to reach that
tool. (Defining the method or theorem as a "tool")

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Bibliography

[1] Electronics tutorial. (2014). Norton's Theorem [Online]. Available:

https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/dccircuits/dcp_8.html

[2] Electronics tutorial. (2014). Thevenin 's Theorem [Online].

Available:https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/dccircuits/dcp_7.html

[3] Autodesk. (2016). How to Use Thevenin 's Theorem [Online]. Available:
https://www.autodesk.com/products/eagle/blog/use-thevenins-theorem/

[4] Revolvy. Norton's Theorem [Online]. Available:

https://www.revolvy.com/page/Norton%27s-theorem

[5] Revolvy. Edward Lawry Norton [Online]. Available:

https://www.revolvy.com/page/Edward-Lawry-Norton

[6] All about circuits. Norton 's theorem [Online]. Available:

https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/direct-current/chpt-10/nortons-theorem/

[7] El-pro-cus.(2013). Superposition Theorem: Example Problems, Limitations and

Applications [Online]. Available: https://www.elprocus.com/superposition-theorem-
example-problems-limitations-and-applications/