BENT2723

Circuit Theory II

Chapter 4
Transient Response
Part 1: 1st order circuit
 Learning Outcome
At the end of this chapter students should be able to:
o Determine the natural response of both RL and RC circuits.
o Determine the step response of both RL and RC circuits.

12/12/2023 PRESENTATION TITLE 2

Introduction
In general, transients' disturbances are produced whenever
1) An apparatus or circuit is suddenly connected to or
disconnected from the supply.
2) A circuit is shorted.
3) There is a sudden change in the applied voltage from one finite
value to another.
In this chapter, we will discuss the transients produced
whenever different circuits are suddenly switched on or off
from the supply voltage (1).

3
Introduction
The transient currents are not driven by any part of the
applied voltage but are entirely associated with the
changes in the stored energy in L and C.
Therefore, there are no transients in pure resistive circuits!
There are two types of transients:
a) Single-energy transients (1st Order) : only one form of energy
is involved, either electromagnetic or electrostatic (R-L or R-
C)
b) Double-energy transients (2nd order) : both electromagnetic or
electrostatic is involved (R-L-C)

4
First Order Circuit
There are two types of first-order circuits:
RC Circuit
RL Circuit

Two ways to excite the circuit:

1. Initials conditions of the storage elements in the circuits.
2. By independent sources (consider dc sources)

These lead to the four possible situations: S-F (RC, RL) S-R (RC,
RL)
5
First Order Circuit R

A circuit which contains only sources, + i

resistors and an inductor is called an vs – C
RL circuit.
A circuit which contains only sources,
resistors and a capacitor is called an R
RC circuit.
A first-order circuit is characterized + i
vs L
by a first-order differential equation. –

6
Source-Free RC Circuit
A source-free RC circuit occurs when its dc source is
suddenly disconnected.
By KCL
v dv
iR  iC  0 C 0
R dt

Ohms law Capacitor law

• Apply Kirchhoff’s laws to purely resistive circuit results in algebraic

equations.
• Apply the laws to RC and RL circuits produces differential
equations. 7
Source-Free RC Circuit
The natural response of a circuit refers to the behavior (in terms
of voltages and currents) of the circuit itself, with no external
sources of excitation.

Time constant RC

Decays more slowly

Decays faster

• The time constant  of a circuit is the time required for the response
to decay by a factor of 1/e or 36.8% of its initial value.
• v decays faster for small t and slower for large t.
8
Source-Free RC Circuit
The key to working with a source-free RC circuit is
finding:
1. The initial voltage v(0) = V0 across the capacitor.
2. The time constant  = RC.

v (t )  V0 e  t /  where RC

9
Source-Free RC Circuit
Notes:
vc(t) = v(t) = v(0)e -t/τ
In finding τ = RC, R is often the Thevenin equivalent
resistance at the terminals of the capacitor:

 take out the capacitor C and find R = RTh at

its terminals.

10
Energy Stored in Capacitor
• The energy absorbed by the resistor is
t t 2

wR t  
Vo 2t / 

0
p dt  
0
R
e dt

 CVo 1  e 2 t /  
1 2

t   , wR    CVo which is the same as

1
• 2

wc(0) 2

• The energy, w, stored in the capacitor is

1
w  C Vo
2

2 11
Example 1: Source-Free RC
Circuit
Refer to the circuit below, determine vC, vx, and io for t ≥ 0.
Assume that vC(0) = 30 V.

Answer: vC = 30e–0.25t V ; vx = 10e–0.25t ; io = –2.5e–0.25t A 12

Example 2: Source-Free RC
Circuit
Refer to the circuit below, determine 𝑣(𝑡) for t ≥ 0.

Answer: V(t) = 8e–2t V 13

Source-Free RL Circuit

By KVL vL  vR  0
di
L  iR  0
dt

Inductors law Ohms law

di R Rt / L
  dt i (t )  I 0 e
i L

14
Source-Free RL Circuit
A general form representing a RL

t / 
i (t )  I 0 e
L
where 
R

• The time constant  of a circuit is the time required for the

response to decay by a factor of 1/e or 36.8% of its initial value.
• i(t) decays faster for small t and slower for large t.
• The general form is very similar to a RC source-free circuit.
15
Source-Free RL Circuit
The key to working with a source-free RL circuit is finding:
1. The initial current i(0) = I0 through the inductor.
2. The time constant  = L/R.

 t / L
i (t )  I 0 e where 
R

16
Source-Free RL Circuit
Notes:
iL(t) = i(t) = i(0)e -t/τ
In finding τ = L/R, R is the Thevenin resistance
at the terminals of the inductor:

 take out the inductor L and find R = RTh at

its terminals.

17
Source-Free RL Circuit
 The energy absorbed by the resistor is
t t

wR t    
p dt  I o Re 2 t /  dt
2

0 0

LI o 1  e 2 t /  
1

2

t   , wR    LI o which is the same as

1 2

wL(0) 2

 The energy, w, stored in the inductor is

1
w  LI o
2

2
18
Example 3: Source-Free RL
Circuit
Find i and vx in the circuit. Assume that i(0) = 5 A.

Answer: i(t) = 5e–53t A 19

Example 4: Source-Free RL
Circuit
For the circuit shown below, find i(t) for t > 0.

Answer: i(t) = 2e–2t A 20

Summary of RL-RC (Source-
Free)
RL circuit RC circuit
L
i (t )  I 0 e  t /  where  v(t )  V0 e  t / where   RC
R

i +
L R C v R
–

21
Unit Step Function
The unit step function u(t) is 0 for negative values of t and
1 for positive values of t.

 0, t0
u(t )  
1, t0

 0, t  to
u (t  to )  
1, t  to

 0, t   to
u (t  to )  
1, t   to

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Unit Step Function
Represent an abrupt change for:

1. voltage source.

2. for current source:

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Step Response of an RC Circuit
The step response of a circuit is its behavior when the
excitation is the step function, which may be a voltage or a
current source.
• Initial condition:
v(0-) = v(0+) = V0

• Applying KCL,
dv v  Vs u (t )
c  0
dt R

or dv v  Vs
 u (t )
dt RC
• Where u(t) is the unit-step function
24
Step Response of an RC Circuit
Integrating both sides and considering the initial
conditions, the solution of the equation is:

V0 t0
v(t )   t / 
 s
V  (V0  Vs ) e t 0

Final value at t Initial value at t Source-free

-> ∞ =0 Response

Complete Response = Natural response + Forced Response

(stored energy) (independent source)

= V0e–t/τ + Vs(1–e–t/τ) 25
Step Response of an RC Circuit
Three steps to find the step response of an RC
circuit:
1. The initial capacitor voltage v(0).
2. The final capacitor voltage v() — DC voltage
across C.
3. The time constant .

 t /
v (t )  v ()  [v (0)  v ()] e
Note: The above method is a short-cut method. You may also
determine the solution by setting up the circuit formula directly using
KCL, KVL , ohms law, capacitor and inductor VI laws.

26
Example 5: Step Response (RC)
Find v(t) for t > 0 in the circuit in below. Assume the switch has
been open for a long time and is closed at t = 0.
Calculate v(t) at t = 0.5.

Answer: v(t )  15e 2t  5 and v(0.5) = 0.5182V 27

Step Response of an RL Circuit
The step response of a circuit is its behavior when the
excitation is the step function, which may be a voltage or a
current source.
• Initial current
i(0-) = i(0+) = Io

• Final inductor current

i(∞) = Vs/R

• Time constant t = L/R

t
Vs Vs  
i(t )   ( I o  )e u (t )
R R
28
Step Response of an RL Circuit
Three steps to find the step response of an RL circuit:
1. The initial inductor current i(0) at t = 0+.
2. The final inductor current i().
3. The time constant .

 t /
i (t )  i ()  [i (0)  i ()] e
Note: The above method is a short-cut method. You may also
determine the solution by setting up the circuit formula directly using
KCL, KVL , ohms law, capacitor and inductor VI laws.

29
Example 6: Step Response (RL)
The switch in the circuit shown below has been closed for a long
time. It opens at t = 0.
Find i(t) for t > 0.

Answer: i (t )  2  e 10t 30
Thank you