CHAPTER 5

Time domain response of

Second order linear circuits
TOPICS COVERED IN THIS CHAPTER
• Examples of 2nd order RCL circuit
• Discharging of a Capacitor through an inductor
• The source-free series RLC circuit
• The source-free parallel RLC circuit
• Step response of a series RLC circuit
• Step response of a parallel RLC

2
SECOND ORDER RLC CIRCUITS
What is a 2nd order circuit?

A second-order circuit is characterized by a second-

order differential equation. It consists of resistors and
the equivalent of two energy storage elements.
R L

+ +
US C US R L C
_ _

(a) series RLC circuit (b) parallel RLC circuit

3
 DISCHARGING A CAPACITOR
THROUGH AN INDUCTOR
Solution
A B
S Step 1. Write down the u-i
+
relationship for the capacitor and
U0 C L inductor and apply KCL and KVL,
_ du
respectively.
iC  C C  i L
dt
di
uL  L L  uC
dt
Step 2. Obtain differential equations in the capacitor
voltage uC and inductor current iL.
d 2 uC 1
2
  uC
dt LC
d 2iL 1
2
  iL
dt LC 4
 DISCHARGING A CAPACITOR
THROUGH AN INDUCTOR
Step 3. Construct the waveforms uC(t) and iL(t).
Specifically recall the differentiation properties of the sine
and cosine functions: d2
d sin( t   )   2
sin( t   )
sin( t   )   cos( t   ) 2
dt dt
d d2
cos( t   )   sin( t   ) 2
cos( t   )   2
cos( t   )
dt dt
Thus one reasonable assumes that the solutions of
differential equations have the general forms:
uC ( t )  K cos( t   )
i L ( t )  K cos( t   )
Note : General solution has the equivalent form:

K sin( t   )  K cos( t    )
2
 5
K cos( t   )  K sin( t    )
 Step 4. Find ω, K and θ for the capacitor voltage and
inductor current
2
d uC 1
Based 2
  uC and uC ( t )  K cos( t   )
dt LC
on du d 2 uC
C
  K  sin( t   )   K  2
cos( t   )   2
uC
dt dt 2
1 1
2  or  
LC LC
The values of K and θ depend on the initial conditions.
A B iL uC (0 )  K cos   U 0
S 1 1
uC (0 )   K sin   iC (0 )   i L (0 )  0
+ iC + +
C C
U0 C uC uL L   0 and K  U 0
_ _ _ t
uC ( t )  U 0 cos( )
LC
C t
Obtain iL(t) directly by iL (t )  U 0 sin( )
L LC
differentiating 6
SOURCE-FREE SERIES RLC CIRCUITS

• The solution of the source-free

series RLC circuit is called as
the natural response of the
circuit.

• The circuit is excited by the

2energy initially stored in the
The 2nd di R dii
2
 
capacitor and inductor.
0
order of dt L dtLC
expression

7
 SOURCE-FREE SERIES RLC CIRCUITS
There are three possible solutions for the following
2nd order differential equation:
2
di Rdii
2
   0
dt LdtLC

2
di di 2
=>
2

2 0i0 where R

 and

1
0
dt dt 2
L LC
General 2nd order
Form

8
 SOURCE-FREE SERIES RLC
CIRCUITS
There are three possible solutions for the following
2nd order differential equation:
d 2i di
2
 2   2
0 i 0
dt dt

1. If a > wo, over-damped case

i (t )  A1e s t  A2 e s t
1 2
s     2
 0
2

wher 1, 2

2. If a = wo, critical e damped

i (t )  ( A2  A1t )e t wher s1, 2   
case
3. If a < wo, under-damped e case
i (t )  e t ( B1 cos  d t  B2 sin  d t )  d   02   2
wher 9
SOURCE-FREE PARALLEL RLC
CIRCUITS
0
1
Let i (0)  I 0   v(t ) dt
L
v(0) = V0
Apply KCL to the
top vnode:
1 dv
t

R

L 

vdt  C  0
dt

Taking the derivative

with respect to t and
dividing by C
2
The 2nd dv1 dv1
2
 v0
order of dtRCdt
LC
expression 10
 SOURCE-FREE PARALLEL RLC
CIRCUITS
There are three possible solutions for the following
2nd order differential equation:
d 2v dv 1 1
2
 2   2
0 v0 where   and 0 
dt dt 2 RC LC

1. If a > wo, over-damped case

v(t )  A1 e s t  A2 e s t
1 2
s       2 2

wher 1, 2 0

2. If a = wo, critical e damped

v(t )  ( A2  A1t ) e t wher s   
case 1, 2

3. If a < wo, under-damped e case

v(t )  e t ( B1 cos  d t  B2 sin d t ) d   02   2
where 11
 STEP-RESPONSE SERIES RLC CIRCUITS
• The step response is
obtained by the sudden
application of a dc
source.
2
The 2nd d vR dv v v
order of 2
   s

dt L dt LC LC
expression
The above equation has the same form as the
equation for source-free series RLC circuit.
• The same coefficients (important in determining
the frequency parameters).
• Different circuit variable in the equation.
12
 STEP-RESPONSE SERIES RLC CIRCUITS
The solution of the equation should have two components:
the transient response vt(t) & the steady-state response vss(t):
v ( t )  v t ( t )  v ss ( t )
 The transient response vt is the same as that for source-
free case s t (over-
vt (t )  A1e 1  A2e
s t 2

vt (t )  ( A1  A2t )e t
damped
(critically
)
damped)
vt (t )  e ( A1 cos d t  A2 sin d t ) (under-
t

The steady-state response is thedamped) final value of v(t).

 vss(t) = v(∞)
The values of A1 and A2 are obtained from the initial
conditions:
 v(0) and dv(0)/dt. 13
 STEP-RESPONSE PARALLEL RLC
CIRCUITS
• The step response is
obtained by the sudden
application of a dc
source.

The 2nd d 2i 1 di i Is
2
  
order of dt RC dt LC LC
It expression
has the same form as the equation for source-free
parallel RLC circuit.
• The same coefficients (important in determining
the frequency parameters).
• Different circuit variable in the equation. 14
 STEP-RESPONSE PARALLEL RLC
CIRCUITS
The solution of the equation should have two components:
the transient response vt(t) & the steady-state response vss(t):

i (t )  it (t )  iss (t )
 The transient response it is the same as that for source-free case
it (t )  A1e s t  A2 e s t
1 2 (over-
 t
damped)
it (t )  ( A1  A2t )e (critical damped)
it (t )  e t ( A1 cos d t  A2 sin d t ) (under-
 The steady-state response is the final damped)
value of i(t).
 iss(t) = i(∞) = Is
 The values of A1 and A2 are obtained from the initial
conditions:
 i(0) and di(0)/dt.
15