Chapter 31: RLC Circuits

PHY2049: Chapter 31 1
 Topics
LC Oscillations
Conservation of energy
Damped oscillations in RLC circuits
Energy loss
AC current
RMS quantities
Forced oscillations
Resistance, reactance, impedance
Phase shift
Resonant frequency
Power

Transformers
Impedance matching

PHY2049: Chapter 31 2
 LC Oscillations
Work out equation for LC circuit (loop rule)
q di C L
L =0
C dt

Rewrite using i = dq/dt

d 2q
q d 2q =
1
L 2 + =0 2
+ 2
q=0
dt C dt LC
(angular frequency) has dimensions of 1/t
Identical to equation of mass on spring
d 2x d 2x =
k
m + kx = 0 + x = 0
2
dt 2
dt 2 m

PHY2049: Chapter 31 3
 LC Oscillations (2)
Solution is same as mass on spring oscillations
q = qmax cos ( t + )
k
=
m
qmax is the maximum charge on capacitor
is an unknown phase (depends on initial conditions)

Calculate current: i = dq/dt

i = qmax sin ( t + ) = imax sin ( t + )

Thus both charge and current oscillate

Angular frequency , frequency f = /2
Period: T = 2/
Current and charge differ in phase by 90

PHY2049: Chapter 31 4
Plot Charge and Current vs t

q = qmax cos (t )

i = imax sin (t )

t
PHY2049: Chapter 31 5
 Energy Oscillations in LC Circuits
Total
energy in circuit is conserved. Lets see why
di q
L + =0 Equation of LC circuit
dt C

di q dq
L i+ =0 Multiply by i = dq/dt
dt C dt

Ld 2
2 dt
( )
i +
1 d 2
2C dt
( )
q =0 Use
dx 2
dt
= 2x
dx
dt
2
d 1 2 1 q2 1 Li 2 + 1 q
= const
2 Li + 2 = 0 2 2 C
dt C
UL + UC = const
PHY2049: Chapter 31 6
 Oscillation of Energies
Energies can be written as (using 2 = 1/LC)
2
q 2 qmax
UC = = cos 2 ( t + )
2C 2C
2
q
U L = 12 Li 2 = 12 L 2 qmax
2
sin 2 ( t + ) = max sin 2 ( t + )
2C
2
qmax
Conservation of energy: U C + U L = = const
2C

Energy oscillates between capacitor and inductor

Endless oscillation between electrical and magnetic energy
Just like oscillation between potential energy and kinetic energy
for mass on spring

PHY2049: Chapter 31 7
 Plot Energies vs t
UC (t ) U L (t ) Sum

PHY2049: Chapter 31 8
 LC Circuit Example
Parameters
C = 20F
L = 200 mH
Capacitor initially charged to 40V, no current initially

Calculate , f and T
= 500 rad/s = 1/ LC = 1/ ( 2 105 ) ( 0.2 ) = 500
f = /2 = 79.6 Hz
T = 1/f = 0.0126 sec

Calculate qmax and imax

qmax = CV = 800 C = 8 10-4 C
imax = qmax = 500 8 10-4 = 0.4 A
Calculate maximum energies
UC = q2max/2C = 0.016J UL = Li2max/2 = 0.016J
PHY2049: Chapter 31 9
 LC Circuit Example (2)
Charge and current
q = 0.0008cos ( 500t )
dq
i= = 0.4sin ( 500t )
dt
Energies

U C = 0.016cos 2 ( 500t ) U L = 0.016sin 2 ( 500t )

Voltages

VC = q / C = 40cos ( 500t )
VL = Ldi / dt = L imax cos ( 500t ) = 40cos ( 500t )
Note how voltages sum to zero, as they must!

PHY2049: Chapter 31 10
 Quiz
Below are shown 3 LC circuits. Which one takes the least
time to fully discharge the capacitors during the
oscillations?
(1) A
(2) B
(3) C

C
C C C
C

A B C

C has smallest capacitance, therefore highest

= 1/ LC frequency, therefore shortest period

PHY2049: Chapter 31 11
 RLC Circuit
The loop rule tells us
di q
L + Ri + = 0
dt C
Use i = dq/dt, divide by L
d 2q R dq q
2
+ + =0
dt L dt LC
Solution slightly more complicated than LC case
tR / 2 L
cos ( t + ) = 1/ LC ( R / 2 L )
2
q = qmax e

This is a damped oscillator (similar to mechanical case)

Amplitude of oscillations falls exponentially
PHY2049: Chapter 31 12
Charge and Current vs t in RLC Circuit

q (t )
i (t ) e tR / 2 L

PHY2049: Chapter 31 13
 RLC Circuit Example
Circuit parameters
L = 12mL, C = 1.6F, R = 1.5
Calculate , , f and T
= 7220 rad/s = 1/ ( 0.012 ) (1.6 106 ) = 7220
= 7220 rad/s = 72202 (1.5/ 0.024 )
2

f = /2 = 1150 Hz
T = 1/f = 0.00087 sec

Time for qmax to fall to its initial value etR / 2 L = 1/ 2

t = (2L/R) * ln2 = 0.0111s = 11.1 ms
# periods = 0.0111/.00087 13

PHY2049: Chapter 31 14
 RLC Circuit (Energy)
di q
L + Ri + = 0 Basic RLC equation
dt C

di q dq
L i + Ri +
2
=0 Multiply by i = dq/dt
dt C dt

d 1 2 1 q2 Collect terms
2 Li + 2 = i 2
R (similar to LC circuit)
dt C

d Total energy in circuit

(U L + U C ) = i 2 R decreases at rate of i2R
dt
(dissipation of energy)
U tot e tR / L
PHY2049: Chapter 31 15
 Energy in RLC Circuit

UC (t )
U L (t )
Sum

tR / L
e

PHY2049: Chapter 31 16