EE-111 Linear Circuit Analysis

09 The RLC Circuits

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 Introduction
• We have analysed circuits with one energy storage element.
– It gives rise to first order differential equation.
• In this chapter, we consider more complex circuits which
contain both an inductor and a capacitor.
– The result is a second-order differential equation for any
voltage or current of interest.
• Such circuits occur routinely in a wide variety of
applications, including oscillators and frequency filters.
• They are also very useful in modelling a number of
practical situations, such as automobile suspension systems,
temperature controllers, and even the response of an
airplane to changes in elevator and aileron positions.

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 Source-free Parallel RLC Circuits
• Second-order differential equation for parallel
Circuits
𝑑𝑣 2 1 𝑑𝑣 1
𝐶 + + 𝑣=0
𝑑𝑡 𝑅 𝑑𝑡 𝐿
• Assume 𝑣 𝑡 = 𝐴𝑒 𝑠𝑡
2
1 1
𝐶𝑠 + 𝑠 + = 0
𝑅 𝐿
• General form of natural response
𝑣 𝑡 = 𝐴1 𝑒 𝑠1 𝑡 + 𝐴2 𝑒 𝑠2 𝑡
2
1 1 1
𝑠1,2 =− ± −
2𝑅𝐶 2𝑅𝐶 𝐿𝐶
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 Definitions of Frequency Terms
• Exponents s1t and s2t must be dimensionless
– s1 and s2 must have the unit of some dimensionless
quantity “per second.
– Quantity with such units is called frequency.
• Resonant frequency or natural frequency
1
𝜔0 =
𝐿𝐶
• Neper frequency or exponentially decaying
coefficient
1
𝛼=
2𝑅𝐶
– Α is called exponential decaying coefficient as it is a
measure of how rapidly the natural response decays to its
final steady state value(usually zero)
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 Definitions of Frequency Terms ..
• Symbols s1, s2, α, and ω0 are merely symbols used to
simplify the discussion about RLC circuits.
• Finally, for parallel RLC circuits
𝑣 𝑡 = 𝐴1 𝑒 𝑠1 𝑡 + 𝐴2 𝑒 𝑠2𝑡 Ratio of α to ω is called damping
0
ratio by control engineers and
𝑠1 = −𝛼 + 𝛼 2 − 𝜔02 represented by ξ (zeta)
ξ > 1 – Overdamping
ξ < 1 – Underdamping
𝑠2 = −𝛼 − 𝛼 2 − 𝜔02 ξ = 1 – Critical damping

– A1 and A2 must be found by applying given initial conditions.

• Three possible basic scenarios
– α > ω0, overdamped response: s1 and s2 will be real numbers
– α < ω0, underdamped response: s1 and s2 will have nonzero
imaginary component.
– α = ω0, critically damped response: A special case

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 The Overdamped Parallel RLC Circuit
• For over-damped parallel RLC circuits α > ω0
– LC>4R2C2
𝛼 2 − 𝜔02 < 𝛼
s2 < s1 < 0 or
−𝛼 − 𝛼 2 − 𝜔02 < −𝛼 + 𝛼 2 − 𝜔02 < 0
• Thus, the response v(t) can be expressed as the
(algebraic) sum of two decreasing exponential terms,
both of which approach zero as time increases.
– Exponential term contained s2 decay more rapidly
– Exponential term with s1 stays for longer time
– Hence, overall response can be approximated as
𝑣 𝑡 → 𝐴1 𝑒 𝑠1𝑡 → 0
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Graphical Representation of Overdamped Response
• Consider the final response
𝑣 𝑡 = 84 𝑒 −𝑡 − 𝑒 −6𝑡

• Settling time: length of time it actually takes for the

transient part of the response to disappear (or “damp
out”). How to calculate?
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 Critical Damping
• Critically damped parallel RLC circuits are
practically impossible to built.
• However, it shows an interesting transition between
overdamping and underdamping.
• When α=ω0, roots are real and distinct
𝑠1 = 𝑠2 = −𝛼
𝐿 = 4𝑅2 𝐶
• Second order differential equation for critically
damped parallel RLC circuits
𝑑2 𝑣 𝑑𝑣 2
2
+ 2𝛼 + 𝛼 𝑣=0
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

𝒗 𝒕 = 𝒆−𝜶𝒕 (𝑨𝟏 𝒕 + 𝑨𝟐 )
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 Graphical Representation of Critically Damped Response
• In this case ts=3.12s
• For overdamped case: ts=5.15s
For given values of L and C,
the selection R which provides
critical damping will always
give a shorter settling time than
any choice of R that produces
an overdamped response.
However, a slight improvement
(reduction) in settling time may
be obtained by a further slight
increase in resistance; a
slightly underdamped response
that will undershoot the zero
axis before it dies out will yield
the shortest settling time.

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 The Underdamped Parallel RLC Circuits
• increasing R once more from critical damping
give rise to what we will refer to as an
underdamped response.
𝑠1,2 = −𝛼 ± 𝜔𝑑
𝜔𝑑2 = 𝜔02 + 𝛼 2
𝑒 ±𝑗𝜃 = cos 𝜃 ± 𝑗 sin 𝜃
j = −1
• Final response
𝑣 𝑡 = 𝑒 −𝛼𝑡 𝐴1 𝑒 𝑗𝜔𝑑 𝑡 + 𝐴2 𝑒 −𝑗𝜔𝑑 𝑡
𝑣 𝑡 = 𝑒 −𝛼𝑡 𝐵1 cos 𝜔𝑑 𝑡 + 𝐵2 sin 𝜔𝑑 𝑡

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 Graphical Representation of Underdamped Response
• Differentiation locates the first maximum of v(t)
– vm1= 71.8v and tm1=0.435s
• Second peak is obtained as
– vm2= -0.854v and tm2=2.66s

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 Graphical Representation of Underdamped Response

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