Fundamentals of

Electrical Engineering
Electronic & Communication Engineering
Danang University of Technology

Lecture 6
L, C, Mutual Inductance
(chapter 6)

Preview
To use the equations for voltage, current, power, and
energy in an inductor, capacitor
To understand how an inductor behaves in the
presence of constant current
To understand how a capacitor behaves in the
presence of constant voltage
To combine inductors/capacitors with initial conditions
in series and in parallel to form an equivalent
inductor/capacitor
To understand the basic concept of mutual inductance.
To write mesh-current equations for a circuit containing
magnetically coupled coils using the dot convention

Inductors and Capacitors

Two more circuit elements (besides resistor)
Inductors and capacitors are passive circuit elements: they
cannot generate energy (just like resistors).
But unlike resistors, both inductors and capacitors can store
energy, and deliver energy that was previously stored
Inductor: electromagnetic field, created by moving
charges (current)
Capacitor: electrostatic field, created by displaced
charges (voltage).
Do not discuss electromagnetic or electrostatic fields. Neither will we discuss the
internal behavior or the physical foundations of inductors or capacitors.
Black box approach: interested only in terminal behavior: voltages and currents
as function of time.

The Inductor
A circuit element described by inductance L
Symbolized by coil
Measured in Henry [H]
The inductor v-i equation: (ideal inductor)

di
v=L
dt
- Voltage across is time rate of current change
- Note passive sign convention: the current reference is in
the direction of the voltage drop across the inductor
- Called inductor branch relationship (Ohms law equivalent)

Constant Current
If i=const then the voltage across the ideal inductor v=0
The inductor behaves as short circuit in this case
Current can not change instantaneously in an inductor

di
L =v
dt
Inductor opposes any change in current
How to manipulate inductor:
The water flow analogy for an inductor involves a water wheel. When pressure
(voltage) is applied across the wheel (inductor), it starts to accelerate, moving
more and more water (current). The momentum of the wheel represents the
energy stored in the magnetic field by the flowing current.

Current in terms of Voltage

Current in terms of voltage

vdt = Ldi
t

i (t )

i ( t0 )

vd = L

di = L(i (t ) i (t0 ))

1 t
1 t
i (t ) = vd + i (t0 ) i (t ) = vd + i (0)
L t0
L 0
-

where i(t) is the current at t, i(t0) is the value of current at t0

(when we initiate the integration). In some apps., t0 is zero
the reference current direction is in the direction of the
voltage drop (passive sign convention)

Power and Energy

Power

di
1 t

p = vi = Li = v vd + i (t0 )
dt
L t0

Energy

dw
di
p=
= Li dw = Lidi
dt
dt
w
i
1 2
0 dx = L 0 ydy w = 2 Li

Example
Given a circuit with the voltage source:

0
v(t ) =
10 t
20
te

Find the current i(t) ?

t<0
t0

Example

1 t
i (t ) = vd + i (0)
L 0
t

= 10 20e 10 d + 0
0

= 20te 10t 2e 10t + 2 for t 0

Example
Given a circuit with the voltage source:

t<0
0
v(t ) =
5V t 0
a. Find the current i(t) with i(0)=0

i (t ) = 50t
Conclusion ?
b. What will happen if we switch off source v at t=10s ?

1 10
1 t
i (t ) = vd + vd for t 10 = 500 + 0 = 500
L 0
L 10
Conclusion ?

Inductors In Series
Equivalent L

di
v j = Lj
dt

for j = 1,..., n

di
di
v = j =1 L j = Leq
dt
dt
n

Inductors In Parallel
Equivalent L

1
ij =
Lj

t0

vd + i j (0)

1
i = j =1
Lj
n

for j = 1,..., n

1
t0 vd + j =1 i j (0) = Leq
t

vd + i(0)
t0

The Capacitor
A circuit element described by capacitance C
Symbolized by 2 parallel plates
Measured in Farad [F]
The inductor v-i equation: (ideal capacitor)

dv
i=C
dt
- Current is proportional to time rate of voltage across
- Note passive sign convention: the current reference is in
the direction of the voltage drop across the capacitor

Constant Voltage
If v = const then the current through the ideal capacitor i = 0
The capacitor behaves as an open circuit in this case
Voltage can not change instantaneously in a capacitor

dv
C
=i
dt
Capacitor opposes any change in voltage
Displacement current: applied voltage displaces charges in
a dielectric

Capacitance
The capacitor stores energy in the electric field. The
easy way to make a capacitor is to take two plates of
conducting material and separate them with a dielectric
(an insulator). The capacitance, C, is then

A
C =
d
where is the permittivity of the dielectric (basically how
good an insulator it is), A is the area and d is the
distance between the plates.

Capacitor-Water flow
We can use a water flow analogy to
understand the capacitor. It's like a
chamber with a rubber membrane
stretched across it. Remember that in the
water flow analogy, pressure is analogous
to voltage. So when charge (water) flows
into the capacitor (current flows in), the
same amount of water (charge) flows out
the other side (current flows through). But
the membrane stretches (the electric field
becomes stronger between the plates)
and so the pressure (voltage) gets higher.

Capacitor-Water flow
Thus the more charge we stuff in one end,
the higher the voltage gets (positive at
that end). For capacitors, this is a linear
relationship. This gives us the basic
relationship
q=Cv
where C is the capacitance in Farads

Voltage in terms of Current

Voltage in terms of current

idt = Cdv
t

v (t )

t0

v ( t0 )

id = C

dx = C (v(t ) v(t0 ))

1 t
v(t ) = id + v(t0 )
C t0
-

The reference current direction is in the direction of the

voltage drop (passive sign convention)

Power and Energy

Power

dv 1 t

p = vi = Cv
= i id + v(t0 )
dt C t0

Energy

dw
dv
p=
= Cv dw = Cvdv
dt
dt
w
v
1 2
0 dx = C 0 ydy w = 2Cv

Capacitors in series
Equivalent C

1
vj =
Cj

id + v (0)
t0

1
v = j =1
Cj
n

for j = 1,..., n

1
t0 id + j =1 v j (0) = Ceq
t

id + v(0)
t0

Capacitors in parallel
Equivalent C

dv
ij = Cj
dt

for j = 1,..., n

dv
dv
i = j =1 C j
= Ceq
dt
dt
n

Review

Mutual Inductance
Def: Inductance is the circuit parameter that relates a
voltage to a time-varying current in the same circuit (selfinductance).
If a magnetic field links two circuits then we obtain
mutual inductance (in addition to self-inductance).

di1
v1 = L1
dt
di2
v12 = M
dt

di2
v2 = L2
dt
di1
v21 = M
dt

Dot Convention
When the reference direction for a current enters the
dotted terminal of a coil, the reference polarity of the
voltage that it induces in the other coil is positive at its
dotted terminal.

di1
di2
v + i1 R1 + L1
M
=0
dt
dt
di2
di1
i2 R2 + L2
M
=0
dt
dt

Example

Coupling Coefficients
It can be shown that M2 = k2 L1 L2 for a
constant k with 0 k 1.
k depends on the physical arrangement of
the inductors.
k = 0 no coupling
k = 1 ideal coupling

Energy calculation

2<

Energy calculation

Example (steady state)