8 BASIC RL AND RC CIRCUITS

41

Basic RL and RC Circuits

Goals and Objectives for this chapter:

1. Time constant for RL and RC circuits
2. Identification of Natural and forced response
3. Calculation of the total response of RL and RC circuits
4. Determination of the effect of the initial conditions on circuit response
5. Ability to express pulse waveforms using the unit step function
6. An intuitive understanding of RL and RC circuit response

8.1

Introduction

The study of transient response is an important part of system (Circuit) analysis. The analysis can show us the
response of the circuit and hence how fast or slow in reaching steady state and whether oscillations occur in it and
how large the transient amplitude can reach, ... etc.
8.1.1
t

Properties of the Exponential response

0
1

1
0.37

2
0.135

3
0.05

4
0.02

5
0.007

8.1.2

The Source-Free RC Circuit

8.1.3

A More General Perspective

The first-order linear ode has the form

dy
+ Py = Q
dt

and its solution

y(t) = AeP t + eP t

Qe+P u du

In transient circuits we write the ode in terms of the state variables (inductor current and capacitor voltage).
Note that adding one storage element (L or C) to a circuit (where this storage element can not be combined with
similar storage elements) increases the order of the ode by one.
Inductor Current
1. The voltage across an inductor vL = L didtL and at the moment of switching (transient, t = 0) the voltage required
to induce a change in the inductor current is , hence the inductor current can not change instantly which gives
the statement: iL (0 ) = iL (0+ )
di
:
2. In the steady state condition in DC circuits (i.e. when t ), the inductor acts as a short circuit. (vL = L dt
the inductor current is constant (iL = 0) and the voltage across it =0, hence s.c.)

Capacitor Voltage
1. The current flowing into the capacitor iC = C dvdtC and at the moment of switching (transient, t = 0) the current
required to induce a change in the capacitor voltage is , hence the capacitor voltage can not change instantly
which gives the statement: vC (0 ) = vC (0+ )
2. In the steady state condition in DC circuits (i.e. when t ), the capacitor acts as an open circuit. (iC = C dvdtC :
the capacitor is fully charged (vC = 0) and the current flowing through it =0, hence o.c.)

8 BASIC RL AND RC CIRCUITS

42

General RL Circuits Consider the RL circuit shown below, for t 0 we write:

L
iL
+ vL

Vs +

t=0

RL.transient.m4

Vs
di
di
= 0 dt
+R
kvl : Vs + Ri + L dt
L i = L and it solution:
t/
i(t) = K1 + K2 e
At the moment of switching the inductor current does not change, i.e. iL (0+ ) = iL (0 ) and in this circuit
iL (0+ ) = 0. Substitute we get:
0 = K1 + K2 K2 = K1
When t , the inductors acts as a short circuit and iL () = VRs . Substitute we get:
Vs
R = K1 .
t
L
.
The current iL (t) = VRs (1 e ) with = R

General RC Circuits Consider the RC circuit shown below, for t 0 we write:

iC

C
+v
C

Vs +

t=0

RC.transient.m4

kvl : Vs + RiC + vC = 0 Vs + RC dvdtC + vC = 0 and its solution:

t
vC (t) = A + Be
At the moment of switching the capacitor voltage does not change, i.e. vC (0+ ) = vC (0 ) and in this circuit
vC (0+ ) = 0. Substitute we get:
0 = A + B B = A
When t , the capacitor acts as an open circuit and vC () = Vs since the current flowing=0. Substitute we
get:
Vs = A.
t
The voltage vC (t) = Vs (1 e ) with = RC.
8.1.4

Unit-Step and Delta Functions

Unit-step functions are used to describe switch opening and closing.

0 t < to
u(t t0 ) =
1 t to
The derivative of the unit-step function is the Delta function

(t t0 ) =
0

t = to
t 6= to

8 BASIC RL AND RC CIRCUITS

43

with the property that the area under the delta function = 1, i.e.
Z
(t)dt = 1

R
As a consequence the sifting property of the delta function: f (t)(t t0 )dt = f (t0 ).
The delta function (t t0 ) can be defined as the limiting case of a pulse centered at t = t0 having width=w and
height=h such that the area =w h = 1 when w 0.
A pulse can be expressed as the difference of two unit-step functions. u(t t1 ) u(t t2 ) will result in a pulse of
height=1 and width stretching from t1 to t2 .

8.2

Driven RL Circuits

8.3

Natural and Forced Response

8.4

Driven RC Circuits

8.5

Summary and Review

Natural response and forced response.

Natural (transient) response depends the circuit components and the way they are configured.
Forced response as a result of forcing function, and hence a DC forcing function will lead to a constant forced
response (after 5 seconds).
An RL circuit has a natural response i(t) = Io et/ , where =

L
R =time

constant of the RL-circuit.

An RC circuit has a natural response v(t) = Vo et/ , where = RC=time constant of the RC-circuit.
Unit-step functions
are used to describe switch opening and closing.

0 t < to
u(t t0 ) =
1 t to
Can represent a switch that opens (or closes) at time to .
The complete solution of an RL or RC circuit excited by DC source will have the form:f (t) = A + Bet/ , and
at t = 0+ , f (0+ ) = A + B, at t = , f () = A, we get B = f (0+ ) f (), and the solution will be:
f (t) = f () + [f (0+ ) f ()]et/
or: total response = final value+(initial value-final value)et/ .

8 BASIC RL AND RC CIRCUITS

44

Example 8.6 page 275 HKD7e (with the dependent current source being 0.5 i1 ):
Find vC (t) given that vC (0 ) = 2 for the following circuit:

10

+
vC

0.5i1

20
i1

RCdepsrc.m4

KCL 2: i1 + 0.5i1 sCvc = 0 and i1 =

v2
20+10

vC
30 ,

combining we get

vC
1
1
sCvC = 0 (s +
)vC = 0 s =
60
60C
60C
t

and the solution vC (t) = A + Be 60C and the i.c. vC (0 ) = vC (0+ ) = A + B = 2 and the final condition at
t
t vC (t) = 0 A = 0 vC (t) = 2e 60C
Here Thevenin equivalent as seen by the capacitor is RT h = 60
Using Maxima:
R:30;
i:vc(t)/30;
de1: -i+0.5*i-C*diff(vc(t),t,1)=0;
atvalue(vc(t),t=0,2); /* i.c. */
sol:desolve(de1,vc(t));
and the answer:
t

vc (t) = 2 e 60 C
Practice problem 8.7/page 276 HKD7e:
Find vC (t) given that vC (0 ) = 11 for the following circuit:

1
+
v1 2

RCdepsrc1.m4

Using Maxima:
C:2e-3;
v1:vc(t)*(2/3);
de1: -vc(t)/3-1.5*v1-C*diff(vc(t),t,1)=0;
atvalue(vc(t),t=0,11); /* i.c. */
sol:desolve(de1,vc(t));
2000 t
Answer: vc (t) = 11 e 3

1.5v1

+
vC

2mF

8 BASIC RL AND RC CIRCUITS

8.6

45

Irwin: key points to remember about transients in RL or RC circuits

1. The voltage or current anywhere in an RC or RL circuit is obtained by solving a first-order differential equation.
x(t)

where xss is the steady-state

2. A solution to the equation dx(t)
dt + = A can be written as x(t) = xss + ke
solution of x(t) and is called the time constant of the circuit.
t

3. The function et/ decays to a value that is less than 1% of its initial value after a period of 5 seconds.
4. If the circuit has a small time constant, its response to some input will quickly settle to its steady-state value;
however, if the circuit time constant is large, a long time is required for the circuit to reach steady state.
5. An RC circuit has a time constant of RT H C seconds (RT H as seen by the capacitor) and an RL circuit has
a time constant of RL
seconds (RT H as seen by the inductor).
TH
di
= 0. Using soperator, we can write:
6. For an RL circuit, KVL: vs + Ri + L dt

Ri + sLi = vs (s +

R
vs
)i =
L
L

and the natural response can be obtained by writing the characteristic equation for the circuit which is s+ R
L = 0,
t
L
in (t) = Be , = R
If the forcing function (excitation) is DC, then the response will be DC (constant) and the total response=natural+forced
responses,
t
i(t) = in (t) + if (t) = Be + A
7. Two methods for solving first-order circuit:
(a) DE method
(b) step-by-step method: use IC and SS values of state variables vC (t) or iL (t) together with of the circuit.
8. Unit step
u(t) =

1,
0,

t0
otherwise

In some textbooks this is called Heaviside function H(t).

9. A pulse of width w centered ate t to can be written as:
p(t) = u(t +

w
w
) u(t )
2
2

Hence the response to a pulse is the superposition of the response to two unit steps.
10. Impulse function
(t) =

d
u(t) Area =
dt

(t)dt = 1.0

The impulse function can be viewed as the limiting case of a pulse having width w and height h =
Area=w w1 = 1.0
(t) =

lim

w0
h

p(t)

Area=wh=1
11. Sifting Property of the delta function:
Z

f (t)(t to )dt = f (to )

1
w

, i.e.

8 BASIC RL AND RC CIRCUITS

8.7

46

Procedure for Evaluating Initial Conditions:

Reference: M. E. Van Valkenburg, Network Analysis, 2e, Prentice Hall, 1964, page 118.
Initial values of current or voltage may be found directly from a study of the circuit schematics.
For each element in the circuit, we must determine just what will happen when the switching action takes place.
From this analysis, a new schematic of an equivalent circuit for t = 0+ may be constructed according to these rules:
1. replace all inductors with o.c. or with current sources of the value of current flowing at t = 0+ .
2. replace all capacitors with s.c. or with voltage source of the value of Vo =
t = 0+ .

qo
C

if there is an initial charge at

3. resistors are left in the circuit without change.

8.7.1

Geometrical Interpretation of Derivative

For an RL circuit with dc supply of V volts and a switch which closes at t = 0, write kvl:

L
iL
+ vL

Vs +

t=0

RL.transient.m4

V + Ri + L

R di
di
1
d2 i
di
=0
= (V Ri) and 2 =
dt
dt
L
dt
L dt
i(t = 0 ) = i(t = 0+ )

di
V
+ =
|
dt (t=0 )
L

R V
VR
d2 i
|(t=0+ ) =
( )= 2
2
dt
L L
L

8 BASIC RL AND RC CIRCUITS

Practice Problems (1-7) HKD7e, C8, solved using Maxima:

/* hkd7ec8pp.transient.mac */
/* pp8.1 */
restart; kill(all); globalsolve:true;
R:1e3; L:500e-9;
kvl: L*diff(iR(t),t,1)+iR(t)*R=0;
atvalue(iR(t),t=0,6); /* i.c. */
sol:desolve(kvl,iR(t));
tex(%);
float(subst(t=1e-9,sol));
/* answer: iR (t) = 6 e2000000000 t ,
iR(1.0000000000000001E-9) = 0.81201169941968 A */
/* pp8.2 */
restart; kill(all); globalsolve:true;
R1:6; R2:4; L:5; V:10;
/* t < 0, iL(t) = 10/4 = 2.5A */
kvl: (R1+R2)*iL(t)+L*diff(iL(t),t,1)=0;
atvalue(iL(t),t=0,2.5); /* i.c. */
sol:desolve(kvl,iL(t));
tex(%);
vL:L*diff(rhs(sol),t,1);
tex(%);
2 t
/* answer: iL (t) = 5 e2 and vL(t) = 25 e2 t */
/* pp8.3 */
restart; kill(all); globalsolve:true;
iL(t):= Io*exp(-t/tau);
float(iL(2*tau)/iL(tau));
float(iL(0.5*tau)/iL(0));
float(solve(iL(t)/iL(0)=0.2,t));
float(solve(iL(0)-iL(t)=iL(0)*log(2),t));
/* answer: t=0.36787944117144, t=0.60653065971263, t=1.6094379124341 tau, t=1.181387061856003 tau */
/* pp8.4 */
restart; kill(all); globalsolve:true;
C:2e-6;
i:C*diff(vC(t),t,1);
kvl:+800*i+vC(t)=0;
atvalue(vC(t),t=0,50);
sol:desolve(kvl,vC(t));
tex(%);
float(subst(t=2e-3,sol));
/* answer: vC (t) = 50 e625 t , vC(0.002) = 14.3252398430095 */
/* pp8.5 */
restart; kill(all); globalsolve:true;
L:0.4; I:2; RL:2; R:8;
/* t < 0 */
atvalue(iL(t),t=0,1.6);
/* i1=0.4; iL=1.6; i2=0; */
/* t > 0 */
v2: 0; /* s.c. */
kvl: 2*iL(t)+L*diff(iL(t),t,1)=0;
sol:desolve(kvl,iL(t));

47

8 BASIC RL AND RC CIRCUITS

tex(%);
iL:float(subst(t=0.15,rhs(sol)));
5 t
/* answer: iL (t) = 8 e5 , iL(0.15) = 0.75578648438562 */
/* to find i2: write kcl */
kcl: +2-i2-0-iL=0;
float(solve(kcl,i2)); /* answer: i2 = 1.244213509683515 */
/* pp8.6 */
restart; kill(all); globalsolve:true;
/* for t < 0, we need to find vC(0-) */
RpR(R1,R2):=R1*R2/(R1+R2);
C:4e-6;
i1:120/(1250+250);
vC0:1250*i1;
/* t > 0 */
RTh:RpR(1250,250+600+RpR(2000,100+400));
i: -C*diff(vC(t),t,1);
kvl: -vC(t)+i*RTh;
atvalue(vC(t),t=0,vC0);
sol:desolve(kvl,vC(t));
tex(sol);
float(subst(t=1.3e-3,rhs(sol)));
/* answer: vC (t) = 100 e400 t , vC(1.3e-3)=59.45205479701944 */
/* pp8.7 */
restart; kill(all); globalsolve:true;
R:3; C:2e-3;
v1:vc(t)*(2/3);
de1: -vc(t)/3-1.5*v1-C*diff(vc(t),t,1)=0;
atvalue(vc(t),t=0,11); /* i.c. */
sol:desolve(de1,vc(t));
tex(%);
2000 t
/* answer: vc (t) = 11 e 3 */

48