Natural and Step

Responses of RLC Circuits

Qi Xuan
Zhejiang University of Technology
Nov 2015

Electric Circuits 1
 Structure
•  Introduc)on  to  the  Natural  Response  of  a  
Parallel  RLC  Circuit  
•  The  Forms  of  the  Natural  Response  of  a  
Parallel  RLC  Circuit  
•  The  Step  Response  of  a  Parallel  RLC  Circuit  
•  The  Natural  and  Step  Response  of  a  Series  
RLC  Circuit    
•  A  Circuit  with  Two  Integra)ng  Amplifiers  

Electric Circuits 2
 An  Igni)on  Circuit    

The   rapidly   changing   current   in   the

 primary  winding  induces  via  magne)c
  coupling   (mutual   inductance)   a   very
 high  voltage  in  the  secondary  winding.
Electric Circuits 3
 Introduc)on  to  the  Natural  
Response  of  a  Parallel  RLC  Circuit  
The  ini)al  voltage  on  the  capacitor,  V0
 represents  the  ini)al  energy  stored  in
 the  capacitor.  The  ini)al  current
 through  the  inductor,  I0  represents  the
 ini)al  energy  stored  in  the  inductor.  

Second-ordered circuit

Electric Circuits 4
 General  Solu.on  for  the  Second-­‐
Order  Differen.al    Equa.on

Two  roots:

Electric Circuits 5
 Some  Useful  Nota.ons
Deno)ng  the  two  corresponding  solu)ons  v1  and  v2,  respec)vely,
 we  can  show  that  their  sum  also  is  a  solu)on.  

(Proof  from  Eq.  8.10  to  8.12)

Only  when  s1 ≠ s2
Denoting Unit:  radians  per  second  (rad/s)

We have

Electric Circuits 6
 Over  damped:  ω02 < α2  ,  both  roots  will  be  real  and  dis)nct    
Under   damped:   ω02 > α2,   two   roots   will   be   complex   and
 conjungates  
Cri.cal  damped:  ω02 = α2,  two  roots  will  be  real  and  equal  

Electric Circuits 7
 Example  #1
a)  Find  the  roots  of  the  characteris)c  equa)on  that  governs  the  
transient  behavior  of  the  voltage  if  R = 200 Ω,  L=50 mH,and  
C = 0.2 µF.    
b)  Will  the  response  be  overdamped,  underdamped,  or  cri)cally  
damped?    
c)  Repeat  (a)  and  (b)  for  R = 312.5 Ω.  
d)  What  value  of  R  causes  the  response  to  be  cri)cally  damped?      

Electric Circuits 8
 Solu.on  for  Example  #1
a)  For  the  given  values  of  R,  L,  and  C,  we  have

= 5000 rad/s
= 20000 rad/s

b)  In  this  case,  α2 > ω02,  thus  the  voltage  response  is  overdamped.
c)   Increase   of   R will   result   in   decrease   of   α,   thus   the   voltage
 response  will  be  from  overdamped  to  underdamped.
Electric Circuits 9
d)  For  cri)cal  damping,  α2 = ω02,  so  

Electric Circuits 10
The  Forms  of  the  Natural  Response  
of  a  parallel  RLC  Circuit
•  Calculate  the  two  roots  s1  and  s2,  based  on  the  given  
R,  L  and  C;  
•  Determine  whether  the  response  is  over-­‐,  under-­‐,  or  
cri)cally  damped;  
•  Find  the  unknown  coefficients,  such  as  A1  and  A2

Electric Circuits 11
 Overdamped  Voltage  Response

= V0

Electric Circuits 12
We  summarize  the  process  for  finding  the  overdamped
 response,  v(t),  as  follows:    
1.  Find  the  roots  of  the  characteris)c  equa)on,  s1  and
 s2,  using  the  values  of  R,  L,  and  C.    
2.  Find  v(0+) and  dv(0+)/dt using  circuit  analysis.    
3.  Find  the  values  of  A1  and  A2  by  solving  the  following
 Equa)ons  simultaneously:    
v(0+) = A1 + A2  
dv(0+)/dt = iC(0+)/C = s1A1 + s2A2
4.  Subs)tute  the  values  for  s1, s2, A1,  and  A2 into  Eq.
 8.18  to  determine  the  expression  for  v(t) for  t > 0.    

Electric Circuits 13
 Underdamped  Voltage  Response

B1 Real! B2

Electric Circuits 14
Because   α   determines   how   quickly   the   oscilla)ons   subside,   it   is   also
 referred  to  as  the  damping  factor  (or  damping  coefficient).

The  oscillatory  behavior  is  possible  because  of  the  two  types  of  energy-­‐
 storage  elements  in  the  circuit:  the  inductor  and  the  capacitor.    
Rè∞，αè0
The  oscilla)on  at  ωd = ω0
is  sustained!    
No  Dissipa)on  on  R.
Electric Circuits 15
 Overdamped  or  Underdamped?
•  When   specifying   the   desired   response   of   a   second   order  
system,  you  may  want  to  reach  the  final  value  in  the  shortest  
.me   possible,   and   you   may   not   be   concerned   with   small  
oscilla.ons  about  that  final  value.  If  so,  you  would  design  the  
system  components  to  achieve  an  underdamped  response.    
•  On   the   other   hand,   you   may   be   concerned   that   the   response  
not  exceed  its  final  value,  perhaps  to  ensure  that  components  
are  not  damaged.  In  such  a  case,  you  would  design  the  system  
components   to   achieve   an   overdamped   response,   and   you  
would  have  to  accept  a  rela.vely  slow  rise  to  the  final  value.    

Electric Circuits 16
 Cri.cally  Damped  Voltage  Response

In   the   case   of   a   repeated

  root,   the   solu)on   involves
  a   simple   exponen)al   term
  plus   the   product   of   a   linear
 and  an  exponen)al  term.  

You  will  rarely  encounter  cri)cally  damped  systems  in  prac)ce,  largely
  because   ω0   must   equal   α   exactly.   Both   of   these   quan))es   depend   on
  circuit   parameters,   and   in   a   real   circuit   it   is   very   difficult   to   choose
 component  values  that  sa)sfy  an  exact  equality  rela)onship.
Electric Circuits 17
 Example  #2
In  the  given  circuit,  V0 = 0 and I0 = -12.25 mA.    
a)  Calculate  the  roots  of  the  characteris)c  equa)on.    
b)  Calculate  v  and  dv/dt at  t = 0.    
c)  Calculate  the  voltage  response  for  t ≥ 0.  
d)  Plot  v(t)  versus  t  for  the  )me  interval  0 ≤ t ≤ 11 ms.    

Electric Circuits 18
 Solu.on  for  Example  #2
a)

Underdamped

b)

Electric Circuits 19
 =0

= 98,000 V/s

Electric Circuits 20
Step  Response  of  a  Parallel  RLC  Circuit  

Electric Circuits 21
 The  Indirect  Approach

Electric Circuits 22
 The  Direct  Approach

=I

=0

Electric Circuits 23
 Example  #3
The  ini)al  energy  stored  in  the  given  circuit  is  zero.  At  t = 0,  a  dc  
current  source  of  24 mA is  applied  to  the  circuit.  The  value  of  
the  resistor  is  400 Ω.    
a)  What  is  the  ini)al  value  of  iL?  
b)  What  is  the  ini)al  value  of  diL/dt?  
c)  What  are  the  roots  of  the  characteris)c  equa)on?    
d)  What  is  the  numerical  expression  for  iL(t)  when  t > 0?    

Electric Circuits 24
 Solu.on  for  Example  #3
a)  No  energy  is  stored  in  the  circuit  prior  to  the  applica)on  of  
the  dc  current  source,  so  the  ini.al  current  in  the  inductor  is  
zero.   The   inductor   prohibits   an   instantaneous   change   in  
inductor   current;   therefore   iL(0) = 0 immediately   a`er   the  
switch  has  been  opened.    
b)  The  ini.al  voltage  on  the  capacitor  is  zero  before  the  switch  
has  been  opened;  therefore  it  will  be  zero  immediately  a`er.  
Now,  because  v = LdiL/dt,  we  have  
 

Electric Circuits 25
c)  From  the  circuit  elements,  we  obtain  

Overdamped

 
 
d)     

If = I = 24 mA

Electric Circuits 26
 The  Natural  Response  of  a  Series  
RLC  Circuit

Differen)ate  

Rearrange

Electric Circuits 27
Electric Circuits 28
 The  Step  Response  of  a  Series  RLC  
Circuit

Compare  Eq.  8.66  and  Eq.  8.41:

 the  procedure  for  finding  vC
 parallels  that  for  finding  iL    

Electric Circuits 29
 Example  #4
No  energy  is  stored  in  the  100 mH inductor  or  the  0.4
µF capacitor   when   the   switch   in   the   given   circuit   is  
closed.  Find  vC(t)  for  t > 0.    

Electric Circuits 30
 Solu.on  for  Example  #4
Calculate  the  two  roots:

The  roots  are  complex,  so  the  voltage  response  is  underdamped.  Thus,  we  have

No  energy  is  stored  in  the  circuit  ini)ally,  so  both  vC(0) and  dvC(0+)/dt are  zero,  then

Electric Circuits 31
 A  Circuit  with  Two  Integra)ng  
Amplifier
Two  integra)ng  amplifiers  connected
  in   cascade:   the   output   signal   of   the
  first   amplifier   is   the   input   signal   for
 the  second  amplifier.    

For the first integrator:

For the second integrator:

Second-­‐order

Electric Circuits 32
 Example  #5
No  energy  is  stored  in  the  given  circuit  when  the  input  voltage  vg  
jumps  instantaneously  from  0  to  25  mV.    
a)  Derive  the  expression  for  vo(t)  for  0 < t < tsat.    
b)  How  long  is  it  before  the  circuit  saturates?    

Electric Circuits 33
 Solu.on  for  Example  #5
a)

Integrate

b) When t = 3 s, the second amplifier

saturates, at that time we get:

= -3 V > -5 V
The first amplifier doesn’t saturates!
Electric Circuits 34
 Summary
•  characteris)c  equa)on    
•  Second-­‐order  differen)al  equa)on  
•  Overdamped,  underdamped,  and  cri)cal  
damped  
•  Natural  Step  responses

Electric Circuits 35