MAXIMUM POWER TRANSFER

In many practical situations, a circuit is designed to provide power to a load. While for electric
utilities, minimizing power losses in the process of transmission and distribution is critical for
efficiency and economic reasons, there are other applications is areas such as communications
where it is desirable to maximize the power delivered to a load. We now address the problem of
delivering the maximum power to a load when given a system with known internal losses. It
should be noted that this will result in significant internal losses greater than or equal to the
delivered to the load.

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 Rʟ. If the entire circuit is
place by its Thevenin equivalent except for the load, the power delivered to the load is

Vth
Pmax=i 2 Rʟ= ( Rth+ Rʟ )
² Rʟ
1.) Find the value of RL using maximum power.

10 ohm 25 ohm

40 ohm RL
20 V ±

Solve for Rth:

10 ohm 25 ohm

40 ohm R th

10||40

10x40
+25 = 33Ω
10+40

Solve for Vth:

10 ohm 25 ohm
v1

20 V ± 40 ohm Vth
Using Nodal Analysis

KCL @ node V₁

1 1 20
( (
V₁ + )
− =0 40
10 40 10 )
V₁(4+1) – 80 = 0

5V ₁ 80
=
5 5

V₁ = Vth = 16V

Pmax= ( 4VthRth² )
16²
4 (33)

Pmax = 1.939 W
2.) In the circuit below, find the maximum power.

10 ohm

20 V ± 40 ohm

Solve for Rth:

10 ohm

40 ohm R th

10||40

10x40
= 8Ω
10+40
Solve for Vth:

10 ohm
v1

20 V ± 40 ohm Vth

Using Nodal Analysis

KCL @ node V₁

1 1 20
( (
V₁ + )
− =0 40
10 40 10 )
V₁(4+1) – 80 = 0

5V ₁ 80
=
5 5

V₁ = Vth = 16V

Pmax= ( 4VthRth² )
16²
4 (8)

Pmax = 8 W
3.) Find the value of RL using maximum power.

6 ohm 3 ohm 2 ohm

12 ohm RL
12 V ± 2A

Solve for Rth:

6 ohm 3 ohm 2 ohm

12 ohm R th

6||12

6x12
= 9Ω
6+12
 Solve for Vth:

6 ohm 3 ohm 2 ohm

12 V ± 12 ohm 2A Vth

Using Nodal Analysis

KCL @ node V₁
1 1 1
( ) V ₂ − 12 =0
( + +
V ₁ 6 12 3 −
3 6 ) 12

V₁(2+1+4) – 4V₂ - 24 = 0

7 V ₁−4 V ₂=24

KCL @ node V₂

(V ₂( 13 )− V3₁ −2=0) 3
-V₁ + V₂ = 6

V₁ = 16 ; V₂ = 22

But Vth = V₂ = 22

Pmax= ( 4VthRth² )
22²
4 (9)
 Pmax = 13.444 W

4.) Find the maximum power.

6 ohm

6V ± 6 ohm 4 ohm

Solve for Rth:

6 & 6 connected in series

R₁ = 6 + 6 = 12Ω

R₁ || 4

12 x 4
=3 Ω
12+4
Solve for Vth:

6 ohm

6V ± 1 6 ohm 2 4 ohm Vth

Using mesh analysis

Vth = I₂ (4)

KVL @ loop 1

6I₁ - 6I₂ = 6

KVL @ loop 2

-6I₁ + 16I₂ = 0

Eqn. 1 & 2

6I₁ - 6I₂ = 6

+ -6I₁ + 16I₂ = 0

10 I ₂ 6
=
10 10

I₂ = 0.6

Vth = 0.6(4)

Vth = 2.4

2.4 ²
Pmax=
4 (3)

Pmax = 0.48W