BVM Engineering College (an autonomous Institution)

Electrical Engineering Department

4EE56 : Electrical Transient and Switchgear
Practical no: date:

Aim: simulation of RL series circuit charging discharging in PSPICE

Theory:
Inductor Charging and Discharging in RL series Circuit Analysis
Equations
Practically, the inductor has some resistive factor which is very small and is
ignored. It is represented by a series resistor and inductor and referred to as RL
Circuit analysis. Suppose the following RL circuit where a toggle switch can
connect and disconnect to the circuit source. The voltage across gradually
changes by exponential equations while inductor charging and discharging.

Inductor charging phase:

Suppose the inductor has no energy stored initially. At some point in time, the
switch is moved to position 1, the moment is called time t=0. As the switch
closes the source voltage will appear across the inductor and will try to pass
current (I=V/R) abruptly through the inductor. But according to the Lenz Law,
the inductor will oppose the change in current. The current will gradually
increase unless it reaches its final value of current (I=V/R). At the same time,
the voltage across the inductor will decrease unless it reaches zero.
It’s worth mentioning that the current reaches its final value at 5τ as well as
voltage reach at that time to zero.

−t
E
I= (1−e τ )
R
L
where τ = R

−t
di
v=L =E( e τ )
dt

Inductor discharging phase in RL circuit

Suppose the above inductor is charged (has stored energy in the magnetic field
around it) and has been disconnected from the voltage source. Now connected
to the resistive load i.e. the switch is moved to position 2 at the time t=0. The
energy stored will be discharged to a resistive load and will be dissipated in the
resistor. The current will continue to flow in the same direction and will
gradually decrease to zero as well as the voltage across the inductor. But if the
inductor is disconnected and not connected to any load, so current will stop
abruptly because of no closed path. According to the equations above, it will
cause a huge voltage across the inductor and you will observe in the form of
spark at switch terminals

How inductor charges and discharges through AC power supply?

Inductor charge for half-cycle up to the peak voltage. When the first cycle ends
the inductor start to discharge first. After the complete discharge, the inductor
starts to charge in opposite polarity. for the third half-cycle, similarly, the
inductor first discharges and then charges in voltage polarity. the process
continues and the inductor floats current back and forth rather than consuming
the actual power.
Results: