Journal of Statistics and Management Systems

ISSN: 0972-0510 (Print) 2169-0014 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tsms20

Analytic solutions of fractional differential

equation associated with RLC electrical circuit

Vinod Gill, Kanak Modi & Yudhveer Singh

To cite this article: Vinod Gill, Kanak Modi & Yudhveer Singh (2018) Analytic solutions of fractional
differential equation associated with RLC electrical circuit, Journal of Statistics and Management
Systems, 21:4, 575-582, DOI: 10.1080/09720510.2018.1466966

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/09720510.2018.1466966

Published online: 19 Jun 2018.

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Journal of Statistics & Management Systems
ISSN  0972-0510 (Print), ISSN  2169-0014 (Online)
Vol. 21 (2018), No. 4, pp. 575–582
DOI : 10.1080/09720510.2018.1466966

Analytic solutions of fractional differential equation associated with

RLC electrical circuit

Vinod Gill
Kanak Modi
Department of Mathematics
Amity University
Jaipur 303002
Rajasthan
India

Yudhveer Singh *
Amity Institute of Information Technology
Amity University
Jaipur 303002
Rajasthan
India

Abstract
In the present article, we derived the solution of a fractional differential equation
associated with a RLC electrical circuit with order 1 < a £ 2 and 1 < b £ 1. The Sumudu
transform technique is used to derive the solution. The results are derived here new and
compact forms in terms of the generalized Mittag-Leffler function, which are suitable for
numerical computation.

Subject Classification:  (2010) 00A71, 34A08

Keywords: Electrical circuit, fractional differential equation, generalized Mittag-Leffler function,
Sumudu transform.

1. Introduction
Fractional differential equations have attracted in the recent years a
considerable interest due to their frequent appearance in various fields.
Mathematical models involving fractional order derivatives has became

*E-mail:  yudhvir.chahal@gmail.com

©
576 V. GILL, K. MODI AND Y. SINGH

a powerful and widely used tool for better modeling and control of
processes in many areas of science and engineering. Fractional model for
electrical circuits such as RL, RC, RLC have already been proposed. In this
connection, GÓmez et al. [7] considered Caputo derivatives and Numerical
Laplace transform to get the solution of RL and RC circuits. Further, they
also analysed RLC circuit in time domain and found solution in terms of
Mittag-Leffler function. Shah et. al [13] has obtained analytic solution of RL
electrical circuit described by a fractional differential equation of the order
0 < a £ 1 and used the Laplace transform of the fractional derivative in the
Caputo sense. In a recent paper Chauhan et al. [4] obtained the solution of
a fractional differential equation associated with a RLC electrical circuit by
the application of Laplace transform. In order to stimulate more interest
in subject and to show its utility, this paper is devoted to new and recent
application of fractional calculus i.e. RLC electrical circuit considering
the second order fractional differential equation with parameters
a Œ(1, 2], b Œ(0, 1] and obtained analytic solution in terms of Mittag-Leffler
function using Sumudu transform.
The Mittag-Leffler function Eb(z) [6] defined as:
zk
∑ k =0 Γ(β k + 1) , (z ∈ C; R(β ) > 0)
∞
Eβ ( z)
= (1)

Wiman [15] studied the generalization of Eb(z) that is given by

zk
∑ k =0 Γ(β k + ρ ) , β , ρ ∈ C, R( ρ ) > 0,
∞
Eβ , ρ ( z)
= (2)

Prabhakar [12] investigated the three-parameter Mittag-Leffler

function Eb, r
g
(z) as
(γ )k zk
∑
∞
=Eβγ , ρ ( z) , β , ρ , γ ∈ C , R( ρ ) > 0,
k =0
Γ(βk + ρ ) k!
R( β ) > 0, R(γ ) > 0. (3)

The Sumudu transform introduced by Watugala [14], which is

defined by the following formula:
A ={ f (t) ∃ M , τ 1 ,τ 2 > 0, f (t) < Me
tτ j
,
if t ∈ (−1) j × [0, ∞)} by

∞
F( u)
=  f (t)
S= ∫0
f (ut)e − t dt , u ∈ (−τ 1 , τ 2 ), (4)
RLC ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT 577

The Riemann-Liouville fractional integral of order n is defined by

(p.45; Kilbas et al. [8])
1 t
Γ(ν ) ∫0
Dt−ν f (t) = (t − u)ν −1 f (u)du, where Re(n) > 0. (5)

The Caputo derivative [3] of order a > 0 is defined (see also Kilbas et
al. [10] ) in the form
1 t f
( m)
(τ )dτ
= Dα f (t)
0 t ∫
Γ(m − α ) (t − τ )α +1− m
0
, m − 1 < α ≤ m, Re(α ) > 0,

d m f (t ) d m f (t )
m ΠN, = m
, if a = m, where is the mth order derivative of f(t) with
dt dt m
respect to t. (6)
From Caputo [3] and Belgacem et al. [2] it follows that the Sumudu
transform of the Caputo derivative is given by
f k (0)
s {D0
α
t
f (= }
t); u u −α F( u) − ∑ k = 0
m −1

uα − k
, (m − 1 < α ≤ m). (7)

In view of the results Kilbas et al. [10] and Belgacem et al. [2], we can
easily find that
S−1 uγ −1 (1 − ωu β )−δ  =
tγ −1Eβδ ,γ (ωt β ). (8)

Now, we derive the following result, which will use in the solution of
fractional differential equation
 u− ρ 
∑
∞
S−1  −α  = (−a)r t(α − β ) r +α − ρ Eαr +,α1 +(α − β ) r − ρ +1 (−btα ). (9)
 u + au + b 
−β k =0

According to Convolution theorem [1], if S–1 [F(u)] = f(t) and

S [G(u)] = g(t) then
–1

t
S−1 uF(u)G(u) = f (t) × g(t) = ∫ 0
f (t − τ ) g(τ )dτ . (10)

RLC Electrical Circuit

In this section, we present a RLC electrical circuit which is widely
used in branch of physics and engineering sciences. The oscillating
electrical circuit in which resistor (R) inductor (L) and capacitor (C) are
connected with voltage (E) is known as RLC circuit. There are number
of ways of connecting these elements across voltage supply, we consider
578 V. GILL, K. MODI AND Y. SINGH

Figure 1
RLC Circuit

electrical circuit where these elements are connected in series with voltage
as shown in figure (1). Here, the capacitance (C), inductance (L) and
resistor (R) are considered as positive constants.

Nomenclature
E(T) – The voltage of the power source (measured in Volts = V), I(t)
– The current in the circuit at time t (measured in amperes = I), R – The
resistance of the resistor (measured in ohms = V/A), L – The inductance of
the inductor (measured in henry = H), C – The capacitance of the capacitor
(measured in farads = F = C/V)

2.  Formulation of fractional differential equation and its solution

Consider the RLC circuit, the constitutive equations associated with
three elements, i.e., resistor, inductor, capacitor are:

d
The voltage drop across inductor, i.e., VL (t) = L I (t).
dt

The voltage drop across resistor, i.e., VR(t) = RI(t).

1 t
The voltage drop across capacitor, i.e., VC (t) =
C ∫ 0
I (ξ ) dξ .

Now using the Kirchhoff’s voltage law, around any loop in a circuit,
the voltage rises must equal to the voltage drops. We can write,
VL (t) + VR (t) + VC (t) =
E(t), (11)

Or
1
C∫
LI ′ + RI + Idt =E(t), (12)
 RLC ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT 579

to get rid of integral, we differentiate (12) with respect to t, which yields

non-homogeneous second order ordinary differential equation,
1
LI ′′ + RI ′ + I = E(t). (13)
C
In this paper, we present a model for RLC circuit in the form of
fractional differential equation as,
1
LDα I (t) + RD β I (t) + I (t) =
E(t), (14)
C

dα I dβ I
where D I (t) =
α
dtα
and D=
β
I (t) , 1 < α ≤ 2, 0 < β ≤ 1,
dt β
dα I d2 I d I
β
dI
when lim = and lim dt β = .
α →2 dtα dt 2 β →1 dt

Taking the Sumudu transform on both sides of (14) by considering

the initial condition I(0) = A
and I¢(0) = A and further using (7), we get
1 
{ } { }
S LDα I (t) + S RD β I (t) + S  I (t) =
C 
S {E(t)} ,

{ } {
⇒ L u−α I (u) − u−α I (0) − u−α +1 I ′(0) + R u− β I (u) − u− β I (0) =
E(u) }
 1
⇒ Lu−α + Ru− β +  I (u) =E(u) + LAu−α + LBu−α +1 + RAu− β
 C
E(u) u −α
⇒ I ( u)
= + LA +
 −α 1  −α 1
Lu + Ru +  Lu + Ru + 
−β −β

 C  C
u −α + 1 u− β
LB + RA , (15)
 −α 1  −α 1
Lu + Ru +  Lu + Ru + 
−β −β

 C   C 
Solution of (15) is obtained by taking inverse Sumudu transform and
using (8) and (9), we get
t  1 α
I (t) =C ∫ E(t − τ )∑ r =0 (−RC)r (LC)− r −1τ (α − β ) r +α −1Eαr +, 1(α − β ) r +α  −
∞
τ  dτ
0
 LC 
580 V. GILL, K. MODI AND Y. SINGH

 1 α
+ LAC∑ r =0 (−RC)r (LC)− r −1τ (α − β ) r Eαr +, 1(α − β ) r +1  −
∞
τ 
 LC 
 1 α
+ LBC∑ r =0 (−RC)r (LC)− r −1τ (α − β ) r +1Eαr +, 1(α − β ) r + 2  −
∞
τ 
 LC 
 1 α
+ RAC∑ r =0 (−RC)r (LC)− r −1τ (α − β )( r +1)Eαr +, 1(α − β )( r +1)+1  −
∞
τ , (16)
 LC 
where 1 < a ≤ 2 and 0 < b ≤ 1 also a – b > 0.

Some cases for different values of E(t) are discussed below:

Case I. When constant electromotive force is applied, i.e., E(t) = E0, then
(16) takes the following form,
 1 α
I (t)= CE0 ∑ r =0 (−RC)r (LC)− r −1τ (α − β ) r +α −1Eαr +, 1(α − β ) r +α  −
∞
τ +
 LC 
 1 α
LAC ∑ r =0 (−RC)r (LC)− r −1τ (α − β ) r Eαr +, 1(α − β ) r +1  −
∞
τ +
 LC 
 1 α
LBC∑ r =0 (−RC)r (LC)− r −1τ (α − β ) r +1Eαr +, 1()α − β r + 2  −
∞
τ 
 LC 
 1 α
+ RAC∑ r =0 (−RC)r (LC)− r −1τ (α − β )( r +1)Eαr +, 1(α − β )( r +1)+1  −
∞
τ . (17)
 LC 

Case II. If we take (i) E(t) = E0 sin⁡wt and (ii) E(t) = E0 cos⁡wt, where E0
and w are constants in eq (16), we can obtain two more results in similar
manner as we done in Case I.
Also some special cases of Equation (14) can be obtained especially
when we take b = 1, with condition 1 < a £ 2 and a = 2 with 0 < b £ 1, but
do not consider here due to lack of space.

3. Conclusion
We have obtained the analytic solution of the second order fractional
differential equation associated with a RLC electrical circuit in the time
domain using Caputo derivative in terms of Mittag-Leffler type function
which can be implemented for computational study of behavior of current.
In view of the generality of Mittag-Leffler functions, on specializing the
various parameters, we can obtained from our main result, several result
containing remarkably wide variety of useful functions and their various
RLC ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT 581

special cases. Thus the main result presented in this article would at once
yield a large number of results containing a large variety of simpler special
functions occurring scientific and technological fields.

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Received November, 2017