MESH

ANALYSIS
 MESH-CURRENT METHOD OR MESH ANALYSIS
• Also known as the Loop Current Method
• The solution of complex networks can frequently be simplified by
using the system of loop or mesh currents instead of branch
currents as in the foregoing Kirchhoff’s law procedure
• First proposed by James Clerk Maxwell, the method involves a
set of independent loop currents assumed to as many meshes as
exist in the circuit and these currents assigned are employed in
the connection with appropriate resistance when the Kirchhoff’s
Voltage Law equation are written.
• The arbitrary assumed loop currents may or may not exist in
various resistors but when determined will readily yield the
desired values by simply using algebraic additions. The schemes
as will be shown, offers the advantage that fewer equations need
to be written to solve a given problem.
 STEP BY STEP PROCEDURE IN ANALYZING
CIRCUIT USING THE MESH CURRENT METHOD

1. Identify Loops - within the circuit encompassing all components

• the choice of each current’s direction is entirely arbitrary
• he resulting equations are easier to solve if the currents are
going the same direction through intersecting components
• If the assumed direction of a mesh current is wrong, the
answer for that current will have a negative value
2. Label all voltage drop polarities - across resistors according
to the assumed directions of the mesh currents
• the “upstream” end of a resistor will always be negative,
and the “downstream” end of a resistor will be positive with
respect to each other, since electrons are negatively
charged
• the battery polarities, of course, are dictated by their symbol
orientations in the diagram, may or may not “agree” with the
resistor polarities (assumed current directions)
• Using KVL, equations representative of the component
voltage drops and polarities will be generated
3. Tracing the Left Loop of the circuit with Equations
• starting from the upper-left corner and moving
counter-clockwise (the choice of starting points and
directions is ultimately irrelevant), counting polarity as if we
had a voltmeter in hand, red lead on the point ahead and
black lead on the point behind
5. Redraw Circuit
• Knowing that these solutions are values for mesh currents,
not branch currents, we must go back to our diagram to see
how they fit together to give currents through all
components:
ADVANTAGE OF MESH CURRENT ANALYSIS
• It generally allows for the solution of a large network with fever
unknown values and fewer simultaneous equations. This
advantage is much greater as networks increase in complexity:
Source:
https://workforce.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Electronics_Technology/Book%3A_Electric_Ci
rcuits_I_-_Direct_Current_(Kuphaldt)/10%3A_DC_Network_Analysis/10.03%3A_Mesh_Cu
rrent_Method_and_Analysis
SAMPLE PROBLEMS
THANK YOU