Basic Nodal and

Mesh Analysis

Methods of Analysis 1
 Methods of Analysis

• Introduction
• Nodal analysis
• Nodal analysis with voltage source
• Mesh analysis
• Mesh analysis with current source
• Nodal and mesh analyses by inspection
• Nodal versus mesh analysis

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 2

 Steps of Nodal Analysis

1. Choose a reference (ground) node.

2. Assign node voltages to the other nodes.
3. Apply KCL to each node other than the reference
node; express currents in terms of node voltages.
4. Solve the resulting system of linear equations for
the nodal voltages.

EEE 121 Lect3 3

 Common symbols for indicating a reference node,
(a) common ground, (b) ground, (c) chassis.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 4

 1. Reference Node

500 500
+
I1
500 V 1k 500 I2
–

The reference node is called the ground node where V

=0

EEE 121 Lect3 5

 Steps of Nodal Analysis

1. Choose a reference (ground) node.

2. Assign node voltages to the other nodes.
3. Apply KCL to each node other than the reference
node; express currents in terms of node voltages.
4. Solve the resulting system of linear equations for
the nodal voltages.

EEE 121 Lect3 6

 2. Node Voltages

V1 500 V 500 V3
2

1 2 3
I1 1k 500 I2
500

V1, V2, and V3 are unknowns for which we solve using

KCL

EEE 121 Lect3 7

 Steps of Nodal Analysis

1. Choose a reference (ground) node.

2. Assign node voltages to the other nodes.
3. Apply KCL to each node other than the reference
node; express currents in terms of node voltages.
4. Solve the resulting system of linear equations for
the nodal voltages.

EEE 121 Lect3 8

 Currents and Node Voltages

V1 500 V2 V1
V1
500
500
V1  V2
500

EEE 121 Lect3 9

 3. KCL at Node 1

V1 500 V2

I1 V1  V2 V1
500 I1  
500 500

EEE 121 Lect3 10

 3. KCL at Node 2

V1 500 V2 500 V3

1k
V2  V1 V2 V2  V3
  0
500 1k 500

EEE 121 Lect3 11

 3. KCL at Node 3

V2 500 V3

V3  V2 V3
500 I2   I2
500 500

EEE 121 Lect3 12

 Steps of Nodal Analysis

1. Choose a reference (ground) node.

2. Assign node voltages to the other nodes.
3. Apply KCL to each node other than the reference
node; express currents in terms of node voltages.
4. Solve the resulting system of linear equations for
the nodal voltages.

EEE 121 Lect3 13

 4. Summing Circuit Solution

500 500
+
I1
500 V 1k 500 I2
–

Solution: V = 167I1 + 167I2

EEE 121 Lect3 14

 Typical circuit for nodal analysis

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 15

 I1  I 2  i1  i2
I 2  i2  i3
vhigher  vlower
i
R
v1  0
i1  or i1  G1v1
R1
v1  v2
i2  or i2  G2 (v1  v2 )
R2
v2  0
i3  or i3  G3v2
R3
Methods of Analysis COMSATS 16
 v1 v1  v2
 I1  I 2  
R1 R2
v1  v2 v2
I2  
R2 R3
 I1  I 2  G1v1  G2 (v1  v2 )
I 2  G2 (v1  v2 )  G3v2

 G1  G2  G2   v1   I1  I 2 
 
  G2 G2  G3  v2   I 2 

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 17

  Calculus the node voltage in the circuit shown in
Fig. 3.3(a)

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 18

  At node 1

i1  i2  i3
v1  v2 v1  0
5 
4 2

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 19

  At node 2

i2  i4  i1  i5
v2  v1 v2  0
5 
4 6

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 20

  In matrix form:

1 1 1 

2 4    v  5
4 1
 
 1   
1 1 v2  5
   
 4 6 4

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 21

 Practice

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 22

Methods of Analysis PSUT 23 /
Methods of Analysis PSUT 24 /
  Determine the voltage at the nodes in Fig. below

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 25

  At node 1,

3  i1  ix
v1  v3 v1  v2
3 
4 2

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 26

  At node 2

ix  i2  i3
v1  v2 v2  v3 v2  0
  
2 8 4

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 27

  At node 3

i1  i2  2ix
v1  v3 v2  v3 2(v1  v2 )
  
4 8 2

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 28

  In matrix form:

 3 1 1
 4   
2 4  v1  3
 1 7 1    
    v 2   0 
 2 8 8
 3 9 3  v3  0

 4 8 8 

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 29

 3.3 Nodal Analysis with Voltage Sources
 Case 1: The voltage source is connected between a
nonreference node and the reference node: The
nonreference node voltage is equal to the
magnitude of voltage source and the number of
unknown nonreference nodes is reduced by one.
 Case 2: The voltage source is connected between
two nonreferenced nodes: a generalized node
(supernode) is formed.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 30

 3.3 Nodal Analysis with Voltage Sources

A circuit with a supernode.

i1  i4  i2  i3 
v1  v2 v1  v3 v2  0 v3  0
  
2 4 8 6
 v2  v3  5

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 31

  A supernode is formed by enclosing a (dependent
or independent) voltage source connected between
two nonreference nodes and any elements
connected in parallel with it.
 The required two equations for regulating the two
nonreference node voltages are obtained by the
KCL of the supernode and the relationship of node
voltages due to the voltage source.

Methods of Analysis COMATS 32

 Example 3.3

 For the circuit shown in Fig. 3.9, find the node

voltages.
2  7  i1  i 2  0
v1 v2
27  0
2 4
v1  v2  2

i1 i2

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 33

 Find the node voltages in the circuit below.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 34

  At suopernode 1-2,

v3  v2 v1  v4 v1
 10  
6 3 2
v1  v2  20

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 35

  At supernode 3-4,

v1  v4 v3  v2 v4 v3
  
3 6 1 4
v3  v4  3(v1  v4 )

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 36

 3.4 Mesh Analysis

 Mesh analysis: another procedure for analyzing

circuits, applicable to planar circuit.
 A Mesh is a loop which does not contain any other
loops within it

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 37

(a) A Planar circuit with crossing branches,
(b) The same circuit redrawn with no crossing branches.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 38

 A nonplanar circuit.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 39

  Steps to Determine Mesh Currents:
1. Assign mesh currents i1, i2, .., in to the n meshes.
2. Apply KVL to each of the n meshes. Use Ohm’s law to
express the voltages in terms of the mesh currents.
3. Solve the resulting n simultaneous equations to get the
mesh currents.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 40

 Fig. 3.17

A circuit with two meshes.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 41

  Apply KVL to each mesh. For mesh 1,

 V1  R1i1  R3 (i1  i2 )  0
( R1  R3 )i1  R3i2  V1
 For mesh 2,

R2i2  V2  R3 (i2  i1 )  0
 R3i1  ( R2  R3 )i2  V2

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 42

  Solve for the mesh currents.

 R1  R3  R3   i1   V1 

  R3 R2  R3  i2   V2 

 Use i for a mesh current and I for a branch

current. It’s evident from Fig. 3.17 that

I1  i1 , I 2  i2 , I 3  i1  i2

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 43

  Find the branch current I1, I2, and I3 using mesh
analysis.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 44

  For mesh 1,

 15  5i1  10(i1  i2 )  10  0
3i1  2i2  1
 For mesh 2,
6i2  4i2  10(i2  i1 )  10  0
i1  2i2  1
 We can find i1 and i2 by substitution method or
Cramer’s rule. Then, I1  i1 , I 2  i2 , I 3  i1  i2

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 45

  Use mesh analysis to find the current I0 in the
circuit.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 46

  Apply KVL to each mesh. For mesh 1,

 24  10(i1  i2 )  12(i1  i3 )  0
11i1  5i2  6i3  12
 For mesh 2,

24i2  4(i2  i3 )  10(i2  i1 )  0

 5i1  19i2  2i3  0

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 47

  For mesh 3, 4 I 0  12(i3  i1 )  4(i3  i2 )  0
At node A, I 0  I1  i2 ,
4(i1  i2 )  12(i3  i1 )  4(i3  i2 )  0
 i1  i2  2i3  0

 In matrix from become

 11  5  6  i1  12
 5 19  2 i2    0 
  1  1 2  i   0 
  3   
we can calculus i1, i2 and i3 by Cramer’s rule, and
find I0.
Methods of Analysis COMSATS 48
 3.5 Mesh Analysis with Current Sources

A circuit with a current source.

Methods of Analysis PSUT 49

  Case 1
● Current source exist only in one mesh

i2  5A

● One mesh variable is reduced

 Case 2
● Current source exists between two meshes, a super-
mesh is obtained.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 50

  a supermesh results when two meshes have a
(dependent , independent) current source in
common.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 51

 Properties of a Supermesh

1. The current is not completely ignored

● provides the constraint equation necessary to solve for
the mesh current.

2. A supermesh has no current of its own.

3. Several current sources in adjacency form a
bigger supermesh.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 52

  For the circuit below, find i1 to i4 using mesh
analysis.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 53

  If a supermesh consists of two meshes, two
equations are needed; one is obtained using
KVL and Ohm’s law to the supermesh and the 6i1  14i2  20
other is obtained by relation regulated due to
the current source. i1  i2  6

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 54

  Similarly, a supermesh formed from three meshes
needs three equations: one is from the supermesh
and the other two equations are obtained from the
two current sources.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 55

 2i1  4i3  8(i3  i4 )  6i2 
i1  i2  5
i2  i3  i4
8(i3  i4 )  2i4  10  0

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 56

 3.6 Nodal and Mesh Analysis by
Inspection
The analysis equations can be
obtained by direct inspection

(a)For circuits with only resistors and

independent current sources
(b)For planar circuits with only resistors and
independent voltage sources

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 57

  the circuit has two nonreference nodes and the
node equations

I1  I 2  G1v1  G2 (v1  v2 ) (3.7)

I 2  G2 (v1  v2 )  G3v2 (3.8)
 MATRIX
G1  G2  G2   v1   I1  I 2 

  G2 G2  G3  v2   I 2 

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 58

  In general, the node voltage equations in terms of
the conductances is

G11 G12  G1N  v1  i1 

or simply G G  G  v  i 
Gv = i
 21 22 2N
 2    2 
         
G G  G  v  i 
 N1 N 2 NN   N   N
where G : the conductance matrix,
v : the output vector, i : the input vector

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 59

  The circuit has two nonreference nodes and the
node equations were derived as

 R1  R3  R3   i1   v1 

  R3 R2  R3  i2   v2 

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 60

  In general, if the circuit has N meshes, the mesh-
current equations as the resistances term is

 R11 R12  R1N  i1  v1 

or simply  R R  R  i  v 
 21 22 2N
 2    2 
Rv = i          
 R R  R  i  v 
 N1 N 2 NN   N   N
where R : the resistance matrix,
i : the output vector, v : the input vector
Methods of Analysis COMSATS 61
  Write the node voltage matrix equations

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 62

  The circuit has 4 nonreference nodes, so
1 1 1 1 1
G11    0.3, G22     1.325
5 10 5 8 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
G33     0.5, G44     1.625
8 8 4 8 2 1
 The off-diagonal terms are
1
G12    0.2, G13  G14  0
5
1 1
G21  0.2, G23    0.125, G24    1
8 1
G31  0, G32  0.125, G34  0.125
G41  0, G42  1, G43  0.125
Methods of Analysis COMSATS 63
  The input current vector i in amperes

i1  3, i2  1  2  3, i3  0, i4  2  4  6
 The node-voltage equations are

 0.3  0.2 0 0  v1   3

 0.2 1.325  0.125  1  v    3 
  2    
 0  0.125 0.5  0.125  v3   0
 0 1  0.125 1 .625   v   6
  4   

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 64

  Write the mesh current equations

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 65

  The input voltage vector v in volts

v1  4, v2  10  4  6,
v3  12  6  6, v4  0, v5  6
 The mesh-current equations are
 9  2  2 0 0  i1 
 2     4 
10  4  1  1 i2
    6 
 2  4 9 0 0  i3    6
 0     
1 0 8  3 i4  0
    6
 0 1 0  3 4  i5   

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 66

 3.7 Nodal Versus Mesh Analysis
 Both nodal and mesh analyses provide a systematic
way of analyzing a complex network.
 The choice of the better method dictated by two
factors.
● First factor : nature of the particular network. The key
is to select the method that results in the smaller
number of equations.
● Second factor : information required.

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 67

 3.10 Summery

1. Nodal analysis: the application of KCL at the

nonreference nodes
● A circuit has fewer node equations

2. A supernode: two nonreference nodes

3. Mesh analysis: the application of KVL
● A circuit has fewer mesh equations

4. A supermesh: two meshes

Methods of Analysis COMSATS 68