Sem.

II, 2016-17
ELL100 Laboratory

Experiment # 3

Step Response of RLC Circuits

Department of Electrical Engineering,

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi

ELL100 Laboratory 1
 Purpose

• RC Circuit:
1.To observe the complete response to step input
2.To determine the time constant and compare it with the
theoretically calculated value
• RLC Circuit:
• Adjust the parameters so that an under damped,
overdamped and critically damped response of the series
RLC circuit is obtained, snapshot the response and
compare these values with theoretically calculated values

ELL100 Laboratory 2
 Theory-I
Analysis of basic RC circuits:

ELL100 Laboratory 3
 Theory-I (contd.)
• To find the total response of an RC series circuit, you need to find the
zero-input response “ZIR” (Natural or free or transient) and the zero-
state response “ZSR” (forced) and then add them together.
• For ZIR, the first-order differential equation reduces to

t
The response(Natural) becomes vcn (t)  Ae RC

Where ‘A’ is an arbitrary constant and The constant term RC in this

equation is called the time constant( ). The time constant provides a
measure of how long a capacitor has discharged or charged.
Total response is given by natural response (ZIR) + steady state
response (ZSR)

ELL100 Laboratory 4
Theory-I (contd.)

ELL100 Laboratory 5
 Theory-I (contd.)

vc (t)  vcn  vcs ,

t
vc (t)  Ae  vcs

To calculate ZSR, consider the circuit at steady state

(capacitor acts as open circuit). After getting ZSR,
substitute in the total response to get total response.

ELL100 Laboratory 6
 Theory-II: RLC Analysis (transient
response)

Where  is Neper frequency, 0 is resonant frequency

ELL100 Laboratory 7
 Theory-II: Total Response

2
d  0 1  is (damped frequency)
 is damping ratio. Since α depends on R, by changing R we
can change the damping of the system. The resistance at
which critical damping occurs is called ‘critical resistance’
ELL100 Laboratory 8
 Theory-II (contd.)
• Mostly underdamped systems are preferred due to
moderate time domain specifications(Peak time,rise
time,delay time,settling time,Peak Overshoot)

ELL100 Laboratory 9
 Applications

• RC circuits are used in filtering.

• RLC circuits have so many applications
– Filtering
– Q-meter
– Voltage Magnifier
– As an electrical break
– Oscillators etc..,.

ELL100 Laboratory 10
 Setup-I

Connect the circuit as shown in Fig.3.1 and snapshot the waveforms

appearing on the DSO screen. Calculate time constant and compare
with theoretical result

Fig.3.1

ELL100 Laboratory 11
 Setup-II
• Connect the circuit as shown in Fig. 3.2(Square as i/p) and snapshot
the waveforms appearing on the DSO screen. Adjust the values of
the components (R,L,C) to obtain responses corresponding to
under-damped, critically-damped, and over-damped cases.

Fig.3.2

ELL100 Laboratory 12
 Conclusion-I

• What will determine completion of the experiment by the

student (as instructed in the lab manual)
– The final report should consist of
• Setup (show snapshots)
• Results (Transient and steady state response of RC and
RLC circuits to a step input)- show snapshots, report
measured tables for critically, over, and under-damped
systems
• comments to be mentioned where required (for example about
critical resistance)
•Concluding remarks in terms of results obtained and
learning experience
ELL100 Laboratory 13