ECE201 Lect-9 1

Nodal Analysis (3.1)

Dr. Holbert
February 22, 2006
ECE201 Lect-9 2
Example: A Summing Circuit
The output voltage V of this circuit is
proportional to the sum of the two input
currents I
1
and I
2
.
This circuit could be useful in audio
applications or in instrumentation.
The output of this circuit would probably be
connected to an amplifier.
ECE201 Lect-9 3
+

V 500O
500O
1kO
500O
500O
I
1

I
2

Summing Circuit
Solution: V = 167I
1
+ 167I
2

ECE201 Lect-9 4
Can you analyze this circuit using
the techniques of Chapter 2?
ECE201 Lect-9 5
Not This One!
There are no series or parallel resistors to
combine.
We do not have a single loop or a double
node circuit.
We need a more powerful analysis
technique:
Nodal Analysis
ECE201 Lect-9 6
Why Nodal or Loop Analysis?
The analysis techniques in Chapter 2
(voltage divider, equivalent resistance, etc.)
provide an intuitive approach to analyzing
circuits.
They cannot analyze all circuits.
They cannot be easily automated by a
computer.
ECE201 Lect-9 7
Node and Loop Analysis
Node analysis and loop analysis are both
circuit analysis methods which are
systematic and apply to most circuits.
Analysis of circuits using node or loop
analysis requires solutions of systems of
linear equations.
These equations can usually be written by
inspection of the circuit.
ECE201 Lect-9 8
Steps of Nodal Analysis
1. Choose a reference node.
2. Assign node voltages to the other nodes.
3. Apply KCL to each node other than the
reference node; express currents in terms of
node voltages.
4. Solve the resulting system of linear
equations.
ECE201 Lect-9 9
Reference Node
The reference node is called the ground node.
+

V 500O
500O
1kO
500O
500O
I
1

I
2

ECE201 Lect-9 10
Steps of Nodal Analysis
1. Choose a reference node.
2. Assign node voltages to the other nodes.
3. Apply KCL to each node other than the
reference node; express currents in terms of
node voltages.
4. Solve the resulting system of linear
equations.
ECE201 Lect-9 11
Node Voltages
V
1
, V
2
, and V
3
are unknowns for which we
solve using KCL.
500O
500O
1kO
500O
500O
I
1

I
2

1 2 3
V
1
V
2
V
3

ECE201 Lect-9 12
Steps of Nodal Analysis
1. Choose a reference node.
2. Assign node voltages to the other nodes.
3. Apply KCL to each node other than the
reference node; express currents in
terms of node voltages.
4. Solve the resulting system of linear
equations.
ECE201 Lect-9 13
Currents and Node Voltages
500O
V
1

500O
V
1
V
2

O

500
2 1
V V
O 500
1
V
ECE201 Lect-9 14
KCL at Node 1
500O
500O
I
1

V
1
V
2

O
+
O

=
500 500
1 2 1
1
V V V
I
ECE201 Lect-9 15
KCL at Node 2
500O
1kO
500O
V
2
V
3
V
1

0
500 k 1 500
3 2 2 1 2
=
O

+
O
+
O
V V V V V
ECE201 Lect-9 16
KCL at Node 3
2
3 2 3
500 500
I
V V V
=
O
+
O

500O
500O
I
2

V
2
V
3

ECE201 Lect-9 17
Steps of Nodal Analysis
1. Choose a reference node.
2. Assign node voltages to the other nodes.
3. Apply KCL to each node other than the
reference node; express currents in terms of
node voltages.
4. Solve the resulting system of linear
equations.
ECE201 Lect-9 18
System of Equations
Node 1:


Node 2:


1
2
1
500 500
1
500
1
I
V
V =
O

|
.
|

\
|
O
+
O
0
500 500
1
k 1
1
500
1
500
3
2
1
=
O

|
.
|

\
|
O
+
O
+
O
+
O

V
V
V
ECE201 Lect-9 19
System of Equations
Node 3:


2 3
2
500
1
500
1
500
I V
V
=
|
.
|

\
|
O
+
O
+
O

ECE201 Lect-9 20
Equations
These equations can be written by inspection.
The left side of the equation:
The node voltage is multiplied by the sum of
conductances of all resistors connected to the
node.
Other node voltages are multiplied by the
conductance of the resistor(s) connecting to the
node and subtracted.
ECE201 Lect-9 21
Equations
The right side of the equation:
The right side of the equation is the sum
of currents from sources entering the
node.
ECE201 Lect-9 22
Matrix Notation
The three equations can be combined into a
single matrix/vector equation.
(
(
(

=
(
(
(

(
(
(
(
(
(

O
+
O O

O
+
O
+
O O

O
+
O
2
1
3
2
1
0
500
1
500
1
500
1
0
500
1
500
1
k 1
1
500
1
500
1
0
500
1
500
1
500
1
I
I
V
V
V
ECE201 Lect-9 23
Matrix Notation
The equation can be written in matrix-
vector form as
Av = i
The solution to the equation can be written
as
v = A
-1
i
ECE201 Lect-9 24
Solving the Equation with
MATLAB
I
1
= 3mA, I
2
= 4mA

>> A = [1/500+1/500 -1/500 0;
-1/500 1/500+1/1000+1/500 -1/500;
0 -1/500 1/500+1/500];
>> i = [3e-3; 0; 4e-3];

ECE201 Lect-9 25
Solving the Equation
>> v = inv(A)*i
v =
1.3333
1.1667
1.5833

V
1
= 1.33V, V
2
=1.17V, V
3
=1.58V
ECE201 Lect-9 26
Matrix Refresher
Given the 2x2 matrix A


The inverse of A is
(

=
d c
b a
A
(

a c
b d
c b d a
1
1
A
ECE201 Lect-9 27
Class Examples
Learning Extension E3.1
Learning Extension E3.3
Learning Extension E3.5