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Application of First Order differential Equations in Electrical Circuits

Article  in  Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities · August 2016

DOI: 10.5958/2249-7315.2016.00595.5

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 Asian Journal
Asian Research Consortium of Research in
Social Sciences
and
Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities
Vol. 6, No. 8, August 2016, pp. 93-99. Humanities
ISSN 2249-7315 www.aijsh.com
A Journal Indexed in Indian Citation Index
DOI NUMBER:

Application of First Order differential Equations in

Electrical Circuits

N. Karthikeyan*; R. Srinivasan**

*Assistant Professor,
Department of Mathematics,
Kongunadu College of Engg & Tech,
Trichy, India.
**Assistant Professor,
Department of Mathematics,
Kongunadu College of Engg & Tech,
Trichy, India.

Abstract
Differential equations are fundamental importance in engineering mathematics because any
physical laws and relations appear mathematically in the form of such equations. In this paper we
discussed about first order linear homogeneous equations, first order linear non homogeneous
equations and the application of first order differential equation in electrical circuits.

Keywords: Differential Equations, Linear Homogeneous Equations, Linear non Homogeneous

Equations, Electrical circuits, RL circuits.

Introduction
In “real-world,” there are many physical quantities that can be represented by functions. Involving
only one of the four variables e.g., (x, y, z, t).

Equations involving highest order derivatives of order one = 1 st order differential equations.

Examples

Function σ(x) = the stress in a uni – axial stretched tapered metal rod (Or)

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 Karthikeyan & Srinivasan (2016). Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities,
Vol. 6, No.8, pp. 93-99.

Function v(x) =the velocity of fluid flowing a straight channel with varying cross-section

Solution Method of First Order ODEs

Solution of Linear (Homogeneous Equation)

Typical form of the equation:

du  x 
 p( x)u ( x)  0        (1)
dx

The solution u ( x) ) in Equation (1) is

K
u ( x)         (2)
F  x

Where K = constant to be determined by given condition and the function F  x  has the form:
p x  dx
F  x   e        (3)

In which the function p  x  is given in the differential equation in Equation

Solution of Linear (Non-homogeneous Equations)

Typical form of the differential equation:

du  x 
 p( x)u ( x)  g ( x)        (4)
dx

The appearance of function g  x  in Equation (4) makes the DE Non-homogeneous.

The solution of ODE in Equation (4) is similar by a little more complex than that for the
homogeneous equation in (1):

1 K
u ( x)   F ( x)g  x  dx      (5)
F  x F  x

p x  dx
Where function F  x  can be obtained from Equation (3) as: F  x   e

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 Karthikeyan & Srinivasan (2016). Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities,
Vol. 6, No.8, pp. 93-99.

Example

du  x 
Solve the following differential equation   sin x  u  x   0 (a), with condition
dx
u  0  2

Solution

By comparing terms in Equation (a) and (4), we have: p  x    sin x & g  x   0

K
Thus by using Equation (5), we have the solution u ( x) 
F  x

p x  dx
Where the function F(x) is: F  x   e   ecos x leading to the solution

u  x   Kecos x

Since the given condition is u (0) = 2, we have:

2  Kecos (0)  K e1    K


K
e 2.7183
(Or)K = 5.4366.

Hence the solution of Equation (a) is

u  x   5.4366 e cos x

Application of First Order differential Equations Arise in the Modeling of

Electrical Circuits (RL Circuits)

Electrical Circuits

Transformed Form of Elements

Resistor

If a current i t  is flowing through a resistor R ohms, then the voltage v R t  across the resistor is
given by

v R t   R i t 

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 Karthikeyan & Srinivasan (2016). Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities,
Vol. 6, No.8, pp. 93-99.

Inductor

For an inductance of L Hentry, the voltage – current relationship is given by

v L t   L i L t  ds
d
dt
Capacitor

For a capacitance of C farad, the voltage current relationship is given by

t
vt    i t  dt
1
C 

Example

Finding the optimal current of the below electrical circuits (RL Circuits) in which the initial
condition is i  0 at t  0 .

Solution

By Kirchhoff voltage law (KVL) method, we get

di
The differential equation for the RL circuit of the figure above was shown to be L  Ri  E
dt
in which the initial condition is i  0 at t  0

du x 
Write this equation in standard form  px u x   g x  and obtain the integrating
dx
factor.

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 Karthikeyan & Srinivasan (2016). Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities,
Vol. 6, No.8, pp. 93-99.

Divide the differential equation through by L to obtain

di R E
 i
dt L L
This is now in standard form

R Rt
 L dt
The integrating factor is e e L

Multiplying the equation in standard form by the integrating factor gives

Rt Rt Rt
di R E
e L
eL i eL
dt L L

d  L 
Rt Rt
E
or, rearranging e i   e L
dt   L

Now integrate both sides and apply the initial condition to obtain the solution

 RtL  Rt
E
  e
d i    e L dt
L
 
Rt Rt
E L L
eL i e C
L R
Rt Rt
E L
e i e C
L
R
Rt
E 
i   Ce L
R

Applying the initial condition i  0 at t  0 gives

E
0 C
R
E
C
R

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 Karthikeyan & Srinivasan (2016). Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities,
Vol. 6, No.8, pp. 93-99.

Now

Rt
E 
i   Ce L
R
Rt
E E L
i  e
R R
E 
Rt

i  1  e L 

R 

Note that as

E
t  , i
R

Conclusion

E 
Rt

Finding the current of the RL circuits is i  1  e L 
R   by the method of solution of first order

ordinary differential equation. This same procedure is often utilized in several types of electrical
circuits and signals and systems. This application is useful for solving several different types of
networking circuits and Fluid Mechanics Analysis. Fundamentally, it consists of finding optimal
solution of first order ordinary linear homogeneous equations and first order ordinary linear non
homogeneous equations.

Reference
Ahmad, Shair, Ambrosetti “A textbook on Ordinary Differential Equations”, Antonio 15th edition,
2014.

Earl A. Coddington“An Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations” 1 st Edition.

Victor Henner, Tatyana Belozerova,”Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations” Mikhail Khenner
January 29, 2013 by A K Peters/CRC Press.

Allan V.Oppenheim, S.Wilsky and S.H.Nawab, “Signals and Systems”, Pearson, 2007.

B. P. Lathi, “Principles of Linear Systems and Signals”, Second Edition, Oxford, 2009.

R.E.Zeimer, W.H.Tranter and R.D.Fannin, “Signals & Systems - Continuous and Discrete”,
Pearson, 2007.

John Alan Stuller, “An Introduction to Signals and Systems”, Thomson, 2007.

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 Karthikeyan & Srinivasan (2016). Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities,
Vol. 6, No.8, pp. 93-99.

M.J.Roberts, “Signals & Systems Analysis using Transform Methods & MATLAB”, Tata McGraw
Hill, 2007.

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