Jacobs University Bremen

Signals and Systems

Report 1

Experiment 2:
RLC-Circuits-Frequency response

Author: Petru Lupascu

Mailbox 483
Group Members: Petru Lupascu, Angela Mitrovska

Supervisor : Uwe Pagel

Semester 3, October 24, 2017, Bremen

Contents
1 Introduction 2

2 Experiment set-up and results 4

2.1 Part 1: Characterization of an RLC circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2 Part 2: Bandwidth and quality factor of RLC Bandpass . . . . . 7
2.3 Part 3: The Black Box Resonator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3 Evaluation 11
3.1 Part 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.2 Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

4 Conclusion 15

5 References 15

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 1 Introduction
Objective and theoterical background
The main goal of this experiment is the study of the frequency response of the
RLC circuits and their applications as analogue filters and resonators. Thus
we will focus in the steady state response of the filter to a periodic sinusoidal
signal, by varying the frequency of the input the response changes as well.
Aside from that the RLC circuit can be realized using a resistor, capacitor,
inductor(aka, RLC circuit). For the RLC circuit we will look at the series and
parallel configurations taking a look at the impedances, their magnitude and
phase. It is a logical follow though that we also take a look at the applications
of the series and parallel RLC circuits in Reactive power compensation, filter
design.

PreLab
Given a series RLC resonator circuit with R = 390, C = 270nF , L
= 10mH.
1. Show the Bode magnitude plot across the resistor, the capacitor, the
inductor, and across both the capacitor and the inductor. Use a 5V amplitude
and vary the frequency starting at 100Hz up to 100KHz. Develop a Matlab
script to show all four characteristic in one plot. Attach the script to the prelab!

1 %% p a r t 1
2 R = 390;
3 C = 27010( 9) ;
4 L = 1010( 3) ;
5 f = 1 0 0 : 1 0 : 1 0 0 e3 ;
6 % w = f 2 p i ;
7 V = 5;
8 n = size ( f ) ;
9 n = n(2) ;
10 X c = @( x ) ( 1 / (C. 2 p i 1 i x ) ) ;
11 X l = @( x ) ( 2 p i 1 i x . L) ;
12 H l c = @( f ) ( X c ( f ) + X l ( f ) ) / (R+X c ( f ) + X l ( f ) )
;
13 H l = @( f ) (R + X l ( f ) ) / (R+X c ( f ) + X l ( f ) ) ;
14 H c = @( f ) (R + X c ( f ) ) / (R+X c ( f ) + X l ( f ) ) ;
15 H r = @( f ) (R ) / (R+X c ( f ) + X l ( f ) ) ;
16 magr = z e r o s ( 1 , n ) ;
17 magl = z e r o s ( 1 , n ) ;
18 magc = z e r o s ( 1 , n ) ;
19 maglc = z e r o s ( 1 , n ) ;
20 l = 1;
21 f o r k = 1 0 0 : 1 0 : 1 0 0 e3

2
22 magr ( l ) = 20 l o g 1 0 ( abs ( H r ( k ) ) ) ;
23 l = l +1;
24 end
25 l = 1;
26 f o r k = 1 0 0 : 1 0 : 1 0 0 e3
27 magc ( l ) = 20 l o g 1 0 ( abs ( H c ( k ) ) ) ;
28 l = l +1;
29 end
30 l = 1;
31 f o r k = 1 0 0 : 1 0 : 1 0 0 e3
32 magl ( l ) = 20 l o g 1 0 ( abs ( H l ( k ) ) ) ;
33 l = l +1;
34 end
35 l = 1;
36 f o r k = 1 0 0 : 1 0 : 1 0 0 e3
37 maglc ( l ) = 20 l o g 1 0 ( abs ( H l c ( k ) ) ) ;
38 l = l +1;
39 end
40 s e t ( gca , X s c a l e , l o g ) ;
41 g r i d on ; h o l d on ;
42 p l o t ( f , magr , r ) ; % r e d p l o t
43 h o l d on ;
44 p l o t ( f , magc , k ) ; % b l a c k p l o t
45 h o l d on ;
46 p l o t ( f , magl , g ) ; % g r e e n p l o t
47 h o l d on ;
48 p l o t ( f , maglc , b ) ; % b l u e p l o t
49 l e g e n d ( R e s i s t o r , C a p a c i t o r , I n d u c t o r , LC )
;

3
 Plot:

2. Taking the magnitude across the resistance represents a band-pass filter.

Extract the bandwidth from the Matlab plot and calculate the Q-factor.
From plot: f3dB1 = 1250Hz, f3dB2 = 7450Hz, f0 = 3000Hz thus: Q =
f0 3000
f3dB2 f3dB = 74501250 = 0.4839
3. Name the remaining filter characteristic measured over the different com-
ponents, component combinations.
The other typical characteristics are the cut off frequencies and the notch
fc3dB = 7450Hz, fl3dB = 1250Hz, fnotch3dB = 1250Hz, f0notch = 3050Hz

2 Experiment set-up and results

2.1 Part 1: Characterization of an RLC circuit
Implement a series RLC resonance ircuit based on R = 390, C = 270nF , L =
10mH. Use the function generator as a source.

4
 1. Set the functioon generator to sin, 5Vp p, no offset. Use sweep
mode. Vary the frequency in 500ms from 100 Hz to 100 kHz. Use
log sweep mode.

2: Obtain hard copies of voltage across

a) The resistor (Bandpass)

b) The capacitor (Low Pass)

5
c) The Inductor (High Pass)

d) Capacitor and Inductor (Notch)

6
2.2 Part 2: Bandwidth and quality factor of RLC Band-
pass
A series RLC resonance circuit used top create a band-pass filter. Components
from problem above.
1. Change the circuit such that you get a bandpass

2. Find the resonance frequency of the circuit using the oscilloscope.

What is the phase shift at resonance? What is the shape of the Lis-
sajou figure at resonance ? Take hard copies.
At resonance there must be no phase shift in the circuit. The shape of Lissajou
figure for a 0 phase difference must be a straight line with a slope of one in the
case the frequencies are the same for the 2 signals.

7
 f0 = 3.10002kHz
3. Find the upper and lower 3dB frequencies to determine the
bandwidth of the band-pass filter. Use the oscilloscope. Measure
function to align amplitude and/ or phase to the right values. Take
hardcopies at both cutoff frequencies!

8
 f 13dB = 1.3kHz
f 23dB = 7.50002kHz

2.3 Part 3: The Black Box Resonator

1. Characterize the unknown RLC circuit. Measure R, L, C.

9
 f0 = 1.58001kHz...f 13dB = 530.001Hz...f 23dB = 4.65002Khz

At f0 the impedance is purely resistive. Connecting a 50 resistor in series

with the box and calculating the voltage drop across gives us the current which
we can use to calculate the impedance of the box.Then by varying the phase to
find the components.
Results:

R = 2663.04 50 = 2613.4
L = 92.371mH
C = 112.057nF

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3 Evaluation
3.1 Part 1
1. Compare the obtained curves with the theoretical curves obtained
using Matlab.
The main difference is that in the prelab we used a capacitor of 270 nF while
in the experiments we used 240 nF. This has the main impact on the values
of the resonance and cutoff frequencies. However the filter behavior does not
change , thus we have a Bandpass at the Voltage over the resistor, a Low Pass
at the Capacitor, a High pass at the Inductor and a notch over the Capacitor
and inductor combined.
2. Use the Matlab solution from the prelab to vary first R and then
C. Use R = 100 and C = 10 nF . Create a plot for each step. Describe
the changes in the different characteristic.
R = 100 , C= 270nF , L= 10 mH

R = 100 , C= 10nF , L= 10 mH

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As we decrease the Resistance in the RLC filter we can see that the Magnitude
of the output voltages has higher values as we approach the Resonance since at
resonance the Impedance is real, equal to the resistance, which creates a higher
voltage. For the capacitance it can be seen that the lower the capacitance gets,
the higher is the resonance frequency. Since the resonance occurs when Xc = Xl
1
, jwC = jwL. It can be observed that as we decrease the capacitance, Xc will
be equal to Xl at higher frequencies. From that it can be inferred that lower
Inductances will decrease the resonance towards lower frequencies.

3.2 Part 2
1. Calculate the resonance and the two -3dB frequencies
1 1
f0 = = = 3248.73Hz
2 LC 2 10 103 240 109
r r
1 R 2 1 R 1 390 1 390
f 13dB = ( )( ( ) + ) = ( )( ( 3
)2 + 3 9
)
2 2L LC 2L 2 2 10 10 10 10 240 10 2 10 103
= 1389.38Hz
r r
1 R 2 1 R 1 390 1 390
f 23dB = ( )( ( ) + + ) = ( )( ( )2 + + )
2 2L LC 2L 2 2 10 103 10 103 240 109 2 10 103
= 7596.42Hz

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 2. Calculate the bandwidth and the Q factor.

B = f 23dB f 13dB = 7596.42 1389.38 = 6207.04Hz

f0 3248.73
Q= = = 0.5234
B 6207.4
3. Tabulate Bandwidth, Cutoff, and Center frequencies from Matlab,
calculation, and experiment.
Measured Calculated Matlab
Bandwidth 6.20002 kHz 6.20704 kHz 6192.5 Hz
Cutoff 1.3 kHz, 7.50002 kHz 1389.38 Hz, 7596.42 Hz 1391.5 Hz, 7584 Hz
Resonance 3.10002 kHz 3248.73 Hz 3250 Hz
4. Provide an explanation if the measured parameters deviate from
the parameters in the calculation/ prelab.
The values differ by a little from the measured theoretical quantities but the
difference is not big enough in order to have erroneous results. The differences
are mainly due to the power dissipation across the wires as well as instrumental
accuracy. 5. Derive a mathematical expression for the bandwidth of a
RLC parallel resonator circuit.
According to duality parallel and series RLC circuits are equivalent. From that
it can be inferred that the bandpass can be created by taking the current at the
resistor. So, instead of a voltage divider now we have a current divider.

1
Yp = Gp + jwC +
jwL
Before looking at the bandwidth we need tp find the cutoff frequencies first,
which happens when Im(Y (w123dB )) = Gp , Im(Y (w3dB )) = Gp ,

1 1 2 1
+ w3dB C = 1/R w3dB + w3dB =0
w3dB L LC RC

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applying the quadratic formula.
r
1 1 2 1
w1 = + ( ) +
2RC 2RC LC
r
1 1 2 1
w2 = + ( ) +
2RC 2RC LC
1 1 1
B = w2 w1 = =
2RC 2RC RC

Part 3
1. Explain the strategy you have used to find R, L, and C
1. In order to find the necessary parameters first connect the box in serries with
a 50 Resistor in order to find the current flowing into it.
2. Adjust the input frequency such that there is no phase offset between he input
and output, as a result the frequency will be resonant frequency which means
Z = R. Measuring the voltage drop across the 50 Ohm resistor calculate the
current , then using Ohms law calculate the circuit resistance. 3. Now in order
to find the capacitor and the inductor set the phase offset to -45deg and 45deg
respectively. Using generalized Ohms law calculate the complex Impedance and
take its imaginary part.
1
4. C = w45 Im(Z 45 )
, L = Im(Z +45 )
w+45
2. Show detailed calculations how to determine the values of R, L,
and C.
1. Find R:
Vch1
I= = 7.36mA
50
Vc h2
R + 50 = = 2663.04
I
R = 2663.04 50 = 2613.04
2: Find C:
f = 530.001
Vc h1
I= = 5.246 0mA
50
Vch2 206 44.6
Zc = = = 2717.6 j2679.7
I 5.246 0mA
1
C= = 112.057nF
2 530 2679.7
3: Find L:
f = 4650.02Hz
Vc h1
I= = 5.286 0mA
50

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 Vch2 19.86 45.5
Zc = = = 2717.6 + j2698.79
I 5.286 0mA
2698.79
L= = 92.371mH
2 4650.02

4 Conclusion
In this experiment we have studied the series RLC circuit as a passive filter.
Depending across which component you take the voltage across, a different type
of filter is obtained. Taking the Voltage across the Resistor gives a pass band
filter, Across the capacitor gives a low pass, across the inductor gives a high
pass and across both, inductor and capacitor gives a notch. From the duality
property the same can be said about the parallel RLC filter by taking the current
along the components. The experiment went as expected and the results did not
significantly deviate from the theoretical values. The filter characteristics such
as resonance frequency, the cutoff values and the Bandwidth and the Quality
factor depend directly on the component values. Decreasing the Resistance it
increases the quality factor. Decreasing the Capacitance , shifts the resonance
and the cutoff frequencies towards higher frequencies. The inductor behaves in
an opposite way. Again, from the duality , the filter will behave in a similar
way for the Parallel RLC.

5 References
1) Lab Manual;

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