EIE209 Basic Electronics

First-order transient

Contents
• Inductor and capacitor
• Simple RC and RL circuits
• Transient solutions

Prof. C.K. Tse: First Order Transient

Constitutive relation
® An electrical element is defined by its relationship between v and i.
This is called constitutive relation. In general, we write

v = f (i ) or i = g (v )

i
+ v –

® For a resistor,
® v = i R

® The constitutive relation of a resistor has no dependence upon time.

Prof. C.K. Tse: First Order Transient

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Capacitor and inductor
ic C The constitutive relation of a
linear capacitor is:
where the proportionality
dv
+ vc – ic = C c constant C is capacitance
(unit is farad or F)
dt

The constitutive relation of a

iL L linear inductor is:

di L where the proportionality

+ vL – vL = L constant L is inductance
dt (unit is henry or H)

Prof. C.K. Tse: First Order Transient

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What happens if a circuit has C and/or L?
® The circuit becomes dynamic. That means:

® Its behaviour is a function of time.

® Its behaviour is described by a (set of) differential

equation(s).

® It has a transient response as well as a steady state.

Prof. C.K. Tse: First Order Transient

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Resistive circuits have no transient
® Consider a resistive circuit.

® When the switch is turned on,

the voltage across R becomes V
immediately (in zero time).

® v=V=iR for all t > 0

® i =V/R for all t > 0

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 A simple first-order RC circuit
®Letus consider a very simple dynamic circuit, which
contains one capacitor.

®After t = 0, the circuit is closed. So, we can easily write

®and

Vo for t>0
®Thus, we have
fi
®Thus, we have

®If the initial condition is vC(0+) = 0, then A = –Vo.

®Thus, the solution is

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 Transient response of the RC circuit
®Once we have the capacitor voltage, we can find
anything.

®Starting with

®We can derive the current as

time constant

®We see the solution typically has a TRANSIENT

which dies out eventually, and as t tends to ∞, the
solution settles to a steady state.

Prof. C.K. Tse: First Order Transient

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 A simple first-order RL circuit
®Consider a RL circuit.
®Before t = 0, the switch is closed (turned on).
Current goes through the switch and nothing goes
to R and L. Initially, iL(0–) = 0.
®At t = 0, the switch is opened. Current goes to R
and L.
®We know from KCL that Io = iR + iL for t > 0, i.e.,
From the initial condition, we
have iL(0–) = 0. Continuity of
the inductor current means that
®Theconstitutive relations give iL(0+) = iL(0–) = 0. Hence,
®Hence, A = – Io
® fi
Thus,

®The solution is

Prof. C.K. Tse: First Order Transient

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Transient response of the RL circuit
® Starting with

® We can find vL(t):

time constant

Prof. C.K. Tse: First Order Transient

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Observation — first-order transients
® First order transients are always like these:

Prof. C.K. Tse: First Order Transient

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 Let’s do some math
x( t )
x( t ) x( t )
x(t) = 1 + 5(1 – e–t/t) x(t) = –2 + 7(1 – e–t/t)
x(t) = 5(1 – e–t/t) 5
6
5

1 0 t
0 t 0 t –2
x( t ) x( t )
x(t) = 5 e–t/t x( t )
6
5
x(t) = 1 + 5 e–t/t
x(t) = –3 + 7 e–t/t
4
1
0 t 0 t
0 t

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General first-order solution
NO NEED TO SOLVE ANY EQUATION, just find

1. the starting point of capacitor voltage or inductor current

2. the ending point of ………… ………. ……. ………. ……….
3. the time constant t

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Finding t
For the simple first-order RC circuit, t = C R.
For the simple first-order RL circuit, t = L / R.

The problem is

Given a first-order circuit (which may look complicated),

how to find the equivalent simple RC or RL circuit.

Prof. C.K. Tse: First Order Transient

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 A quick way to find t
Since the time constant is independent of the sources, we first of all set
all sources to zero. That means, short-circuit all voltage sources and open-
circuit all current sources. Then, reduce the circuit to

either Req Ceq or Req Leq

Example:
R1 R1
t = C (R1 || R2)
+
–
R2 C R2 C R1 || R2 C

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Example 1 (boundary conditions given)
Find vc(t) for t > 0 without solving any
differential equation.

Step 1: initial point (given)

vc(0–) = 50 V is known (but not what we want).

Continuity of cap voltage guarantees that
vc(0+) = vc(0–) = 50 V.
Answer is:
Step 2: final point (almost given)
vc(t) = –20 + 70 e–t/CR
vc(∞) = –20 V.
50
Step 3: time constant

The equivalent RC circuit is: 0 t

–20
Thus, t = CR.
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Example 2 (non-trivial boundary conditions)
t=0
Find v1(t) and v2(t) for t > 0 without solving R = 1Ω
any differential equation.
+ i1 i2 +
Suppose v1(0–)
= 5 V and v2 (0–)= 2 V. v1 C1 C2 v2
Problem: how to find the final voltage values. – 2F 3F –

Form 7 solution:
You considered the charge transfer Dq from C1 to C2.
Dq ++
Use charge balance
++++++ ++++ and KVL equations
to find the final
voltage values.
q1 fi q1 – Dq q2 fi q2 + Dq Clumsy solution!

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 Example 2 (elegant solution)
t=0
R = 1Ω
We need not consider CHARGE!

Step 1: initial point (given) + i1 i2 +

v1 C1 C2 v2
– 2F 3F –
v1(0–) = 5 V and v2(0–) = 2 V are known.
Continuity of cap voltage guarantees that
v1(0+) = 5 V and v2(0+) = 2 V.

Step 2: final point (non-trivial) At t = 0+, this equation means

dv 1 2*5 + 3*2 = K. Thus, K = 16.
C1: i1 = 2 for all t Thus,
dt
dv 2v1(t) + 3v2(t) = 16 for t > 0.
C2: i2 = 3 2 for all t
dt
dv dv At t =∞, we have v1(∞)=v2(∞)
After t>0, we have i1 = –i2, i.e., 2 1 + 3 2 = 0 from KVL. Hence,
dt dt
2v1(∞)+3v1(∞)=16
fi 2v1(t) + 3v2(t) = K for all t > 0.
fi v1(∞)=v2(∞)=16/5 V.
Prof.
Integration constant C.K. Tse: First Order Transient
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 Example 2 (elegant solution)
R = 1Ω
Step 3: time constant

The circuit after t = 0 is + i1 i2 +

v1 C1 C2 v2
– 2F 3F –

This can be reduced to

C1 C2
= 6/5 F R = 1Ω
C1 + C 2

The time constant is C1C 2 6

t= ¥R = s
C1 + C 2 5

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 Example 2 (answer)
v1 v2

5V

16/5=3.2V 16/5=3.2V

2V

t t

v1 (t ) = 3.2 + 1.8e -5t / 6 V v 2 (t ) = 2 + 1.2(1 - e -5t / 6 ) V

v 1(t ) - v 2 (t )
We can also find the current by i(t ) = = 3e -5t / 6 A
R

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General procedure
® Set up the differential equation(s) for the circuit in terms of capacitor
voltage(s) or inductor current(s).

® The rest is just Form 7 Applied Math!

In the previous example:

2
E.g., d vc dv c
®
+A + Bv c = C
d t2 dt

® Get the general solution.

® There should be n arbitrary constants for an nth-order circuit.

® Using initial conditions, find all the arbitrary constants.

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Basic question 1
®Why must we choose capacitor voltage and inductor current as the
variable(s) for setting up differential equations?

® Never try to set differential equation in terms of other kinds of variables!

dv R
+ kv R = Vo
dt

®Answer:

®Capacitorvoltages and inductor currents are guaranteed to be CONTINUOUS

before and after the switching. So, it is always true that

vC (0- ) = v C (0 + ) and iL (0 - ) = iL (0+ )

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 Basic question 1
®Then, why capacitor voltages and inductor currents are guaranteed to be
continuous?

®Answer:

®Let’stry to prove it by contradiction. Suppose vc and iL are discontinuous at t =

0. That means,
vC (0- ) ≠ v C (0 + ) and iL (0 - ) ≠ iL (0+ ) vc or iL
®Now, recall the constitutive relations. slope = ∞
dv di
ic = C c and vL = L L
dt dt
®Then, we have
iC Æ • and v L Æ • t

which is not permitted in the physical world.

®So, capacitor voltages and inductor currents must not be discontinuous.

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Basic question 2
®How to get the differential equation systematically for any circuit?

®For simple circuits (like the simple RC and RL circuits), we can get it by an ad
hoc procedure, as in the previous examples. But, if the circuit is big, it seems
rather difficult!

®Hint:

®Graph theory. (See Chapter 8 of my book)

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