Analysis of RC circuits

Eytan Modiano

Eytan Modiano
Slide 1
 Learning Objectives

• Analysis of basic circuit with capacitors, no inputs

– Derive the differential equations for the voltage across the capacitors

• Solve a system of first order homogeneous differential equations

using classical method

– Identify the exponential solution

– Obtain the characteristic equation of the system
– Obtain the natural response of the circuit
– Solve for the complete solution using initial conditions

Eytan Modiano
Slide 2
 Second order RC circuits

e1 R1 e3 R2 e2
i1 i2
+ + R1 = R2= R3 = 1Ω
v1 C1 R3 C2 v2 C1 = C2= 1F
- -

dv1 dv2
!!!!!!!i1 = C1 !!!!!!i2 = C2
dt dt

Node equations :
e1 :!!!i1 + (e1 ! e3 ) / R1 = 0
e2 :!!!!(e2 ! e3 ) / R2 +!i2 = 0
Eytan Modiano
e3 :!!!(e3 ! e1 ) / R1 + (e3 ! e2 ) / R2 + e3 / R3 = 0
Slide 3
 The differential equations

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Note :!!!v1!= e1 !;v2 != e2

Differential equations:
de1
C1 + (e1 ! e3 ) / R1 = 0
dt
de2
C2 + (e2 ! e3 ) / R2 = 0
dt
(e3 ! e1 ) / R1 + (e3 ! e2 ) / R2 + e3 / R3 = 0

Plugging!in!values! for!resistors!capacitors :
(1) e!1 + e1 ! e3 = 0
(2) e!2 + e2 ! e3 = 0
(3)!3e3 ! e2 ! e1 = 0
Eytan Modiano
Slide 4
 Guessing a solution

We “guess” that the solution is an exponential of the

form:
Guess!ei = Ei est !! e!i = Ei sest

E1sest + E1est ! E3est = 0 " E1s + E1 ! E3 = 0

$
E2 se + E2 e ! E3e = 0 # & E2 s + E2 ! E3 = 0
st st st

3E3est ! E2 est ! E1est = 0 $% 3E3 ! E2 ! E1 = 0

E1 (1 + s) !! ! E3 = 0
E2 (1 + s) ! E3 = 0
!E1 !!!!!!!E2 !!!!!!!!!!!+3E3 = 0

Eytan Modiano
Slide 5
 Solution to homogeneous equations

• If equations are linearly independent we have one unique solution:

– E1=E2=E3=0
– “trivial” solution

• In order to obtain non-trivial solution, the equations cannot be linearly

independent
– For what values of s are the equations not linearly independent?

• Rewrite equations in the form: AE = 0

"(1 + s) 0 !1% " E1 %

$ 0 1 + s !1 ' $E ' = 0
$ '$ 2'
$# !1 !1 3 '& $# E3 '&

• Rows of A are linearly dependent if determinant of A = 0

– Non-trivial solution
Eytan Modiano
Slide 6
 The characteristic equation

det A = 0 (The characteristic equation)

see!linear!algebra!primer!on taking!determinants

A = 3(1 + s)(1 + s) ! (1 + s) ! (1 + s) = 0

!4 ± 16 ! 12 !4 ± 2
3s + 4s + 1 = 0 " s =
2
=
6 6
" s1 = !1,!s2 = !1 / 3

Two!solutions :
s = !1 " ei = Ei e!t
Eytan Modiano
Slide 7
s = !1 / 3 " ei = Ei e!t / 3
 Non-trivial solution

• Now we must solve for the values of Ei’s

• Recall E1 (1 + s) !! ! E3 = 0
E2 (1 + s) ! E3 = 0
!E1 !!!!!!!E2 !!!!!!!!!!!+3E3 = 0
• For s = -1 we have,

E1 (0) !! ! E3 = 0 " E3 = 0
E2 (0) ! E3 = 0 " E3 = 0
!E1 !!!!!!!E2 !!!!!!!!!!!+3E3 = 0 " E1 =!!E2 !

Solution!not !unique,!choose :!!E2 = 1,!E1 = !1

" e1 = !1e!t ,!!e2 = 1e!t ,!e3 = 0
Eytan Modiano
Slide 8
 Non-trivial solution, continued

• Similarly, for s = -1/3

E1 (2 / 3) !! ! E3 = 0 " E1 = 3 / 2E3
!!E2 (2 / 3) ! E3 = 0 " E2 = 3 / 2E3
!E1 !!!!!!!E2 !!!!!!!!!!!+3E3 = 0

Solution!not !unique,!choose :!!E3 = 1,!E1 = E2 = 3 / 2

" e1 = 3 / 2e!t / 3 ,!!e2 = 3 / 2e!t / 3 ,!e3 = e!t / 3

• Note that in general we can solve for the E’s using row reduction, etc. (see
linear algebra notes)

Eytan Modiano
Slide 9
 The complete solution

• We now have two possible solutions:

(1) :!!!e1 = 3 / 2e!t / 3 ,!!e2 = 3 / 2e!t / 3 ,!e3 = e!t / 3

(2) :!!e1 = !1e!t ,!!e2 = 1e!t ,!e3 = 0
• Since the system is linear and homogeneous, any linear combination of
these solution is also a solution. Hence,

" !1% "3 / 2%

!
e(t) = a $$ 1 '' e!t + b $$ 3 / 2 '' e!t / 3
$# 0 '& $# 1 '&
• Where a, and b are constants that depend on initial conditions
– Given initial values for e1 = v1 and e2 = v2 we can solve for a and b

Eytan Modiano
Slide 10
 The complete solution, continued

• Suppose we are given the initial voltage values across the

capacitors: e1(0) = v1(0), e2(0) = v2(0)

• Plug these into the solution e1 (0) = !ae0 + 3 / 2be0 = !a + 3 / 2b "$

to obtain: #&
e2 (0) = ae + 3 / 2be =!!a + 3 / 2b $%
0 0

e2 (0) " e1 (0) e1 (0) + e2 (0)

!a= ,!!b =
2 3
Finally,
e1 (0) " e2 (0) "t e1 (0) + e2 (0) "t / 3
e1 (t) = e + e
2 2
e2 (0) " e1 (0) "t e1 (0) + e2 (0) "t / 3
e2 (t) = e + e
2 2
e1 (0) + e2 (0) "t / 3
e3 (t) = e
Eytan Modiano
Slide 11
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