FUNDAMENTALS OF ELECTRIC CIRCUITS

Part 2: AC CIRCUITS

Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

I. Introduction.
II. Sinusoids
III. Phasors.
IV. Phasors relationships for circuit elements.
V. Impedance and admittance.
VI. Kirchhoff’s laws in the frequency domain.

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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

I. Introduction

 Historically, DC sources were the main means of providing electric power up

until the late 1800s.

 At the end of that century, the battle of direct current versus alternating current
began:

 Both had their advocates among the electrical engineers of the time

 AC is more efficient and economical to transmit over long distances

 AC systems ended up the winner.

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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

I. Introduction

 We begin the analysis of circuits in which the source voltage or current is time
varying: sinusoidally time varying excitation (sinusoid).

 A sinusoid is a signal that has the form of the sine or cosine funcion

 A sinusoidal current is usually referred to as alternating current (ac)

 Circuits driven by sinusoidal current or voltage sources are called ac circuits.

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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

II. Sinusoids

 Consider the sinusoidal voltage:  Period of the sinusoid:

2
v(t )  Vm sin(t   ) T
where: 
v(t  T)  v(t )
Vm: the amplitude of the sinusoid [V]

ω: the angular frequency [radians/s]

 Cyclic frequency f:
ωt + φ: the argument of the sinusoid 1
f  [ Hz]    2 f
φ: the phase of the sinusoid T

 A periodic function is one that satisfies f(t) = f(t + nT), for all t and all integers n.

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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

III. Phasors
 Sinusoids are easily expressed in terms of phasors, which are more
convenient to work with than sine and cosine functions.

 A phasor is a complex number that represents the amplitude and phase of a

sinusoid.

 A. complex number z can be written in rectangular form as

Z  x  jy rectangular form y
r  x2  y2 ,   artg
.
x
Z  r  polar form
. x  r cos , y  r sin
j
Z  re exponential form
where: j = sqrt(-1)

x: the real part of z

.
y: the imaginary part of z Z  x  jy  r   r (cos  j sin )
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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

III. Phasors .
Z1  x1  jy1  r11
. (*)
 Mathematical functions with complex numbers:
Z2  x2  jy2  r22
. .
 Addition, subtraction: Z1  Z 2  ( x1  x2 )  j ( y1  y2 )
. .
 Multiplication: Z1 . Z2  r1r2(1  2 )
.
Z1 r1 Reciprocal 1 1 1
 Division: .
 (1  2 )  (1 )    j
Z2 r2 z1 r1 j

. 1
 Square root: Z1  r1 ( )
2
. *
 Complex conjugate:Z1  x1  jy1  r1  1  r1e 1
 j

(*): See more in the appendix 9.1

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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

III. Phasors
e  j
 cos  j sin 

cos  Re(ej )  v(t )  Vm cos( t   )  Re Vmej (t  ) 
 sin  Im(e )
j

  
v(t )  Re Vmej ejt  Re V ejt 
V is the phasor representation
of the sinusoid v(t)

Time domain representation Phasor domain representation

v(t )  Vm cost   
.
V  Vm
dv(t ) .
j V
dt .
V
 v(t )dt j
 Note: Phasor analysis applies in manipulating 2 or more sinusoidal signals
only if they are of the same frequency.
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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

IV. Phasors relationships for circuit elements

 Resistor R:
i R(t )  I m cos t     vR (t )  RI m cos t   
. . .
V  RI m  V  RI
 Inductor L:
i L (t )  I m cos t   
di
vL (t )  L   LI m cost    900 
dt
. . .
V   LI me j (  90)
 V  j L I

 Capacitor C:
vC (t )  Vm cos t   
dv
i C (t )  C  CI m cos t    900 
dt .
. . .
I
I  jC V  V 
jC 8
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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

V. Impedance and admirtance

 The impedance Z of a circuit is the ratio of the phasor voltage V to the phasor
current I, measured in Ohms (Ω)
. .
V . .
1 I . .
Z .
or VZI Y  . or I  YV
I Z V

Impedances & admittances of passive elements

Element Impedance Z [Ω] Admittance Y [S]  R  ReZ : resistance
Z  R  jX 
1  X  Im Z : reactance
R Z=R Y
R
1
L Z = jωL Y  G  ReY : conductance
j L Y  G  jB 
1  B  Im Y : susceptance
C Z Y = jωC
jC
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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

VI. Kirchhoff’s laws in the frequency domain

 Both KVL and KCL hold in the frequency domain.

. . . n . . . . n .
V1  V2  ...  Vn  0   Vk  0 I 1  I 2  ...  I n  0   I k  0
k 0 k 0

 It is easy to do many thing such as impedance combination, nodal and mesh

analyses, superposition ans source transformation.
 N series connected impedances: Z1 Z2

. . . . .
Zn
V  V1  V2  ...  Vn  I (Z 1  Z 2  ...  Z N )
V

Z eq  Z 1  Z 2  ...  Z n
Z1
 Voltage division:
. Z1 . . Z2 . Z2
V1  V ; V2  V V
Z1  Z 2 Z1  Z 2
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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

VI. Kirchhoff’s laws in the frequency domain

 N parallel connected impedances:
. . . . .  1 1 1  . 1
I  I 1  I 2  ...  I n  V    ...  V
 Z1 Z 2 ZN  Z eq
Z1 Z2 Zn

Yeq  Y1  Y2  ...  Yn

 Current division:

. Z2 . . Z1 . Z1 Z2
I1  I ; I2  I
Z1  Z 2 Z1  Z 2

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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

VI. Kirchhoff’s laws in the frequency domain

 Y-∆ conversion  ∆-Y conversion

Z12 Z12
Z1 Z13 Z1 Z13

Z 2 Z3 Z 2 Z3
Z 23 Z 23
Z .Z Z12 .Z13 Z12 .Z 23
Z .Z Z1  Z2 
Z12  Z1  Z 2  1 2 Z13  Z1  Z 3  1 3 Z12  Z13  Z 23 Z12  Z13  Z 23
Z3 Z2
Z .Z Z13 .Z 23
Z 23  Z 2  Z 3  2 3 Z3 
Z1 Z12  Z13  Z 23

A delta or wye circuit is said to be balanced if it has

equal impedances in all three braches.
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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

R
VI. Kirchhoff’s laws in the frequency domain
60Ω
Ex 9.1: Determine v0(t) in the circuit if v(t) = 20cos(4t - 150). L +
5H v
0
 First, transform the time-domain circuit to the v(t) C 10mF
-
phasor domain equivalent
.
vS(t )  20cos(4t  15 )  VS  20  15V
0

1 Z Z
ZC    j 25 , ZL  j  L  j 20  ZLC  C L  j 100
jC ZC  ZL

 Applying the voltage division law gives:

. ZLC .
j 100
V0  VS  20  150  17,1515,960 V
ZR  ZLC 60  j100

 Convert this to the time domain:

v0 (t )  17,15cos(4t  15,960 )V

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 Chapter 9: Sinusoids and phasors

VI. Kirchhoff’s laws in the frequency domain R2 2Ω -j4Ω C1

Ex 9.2: Find the current i(t) in the circuit i(t)

R1 L1 R3 8Ω
 Convert the delta network to Y network. 12Ω j4Ω
L2
5000 V C2
ZL1.( R2  ZC1 ) -j3Ω
j6Ω
Z1   1,6  j 0,8 v(t)
ZL1  R2  ZC1  R3 R4 8Ω

R3.ZL1 R3.( ZC1  R2 )

Z2   j 3,2 Z3   1,6  j 3,2
ZL1  R2  ZC1  R3 ZL1  R2  ZC1  R3
R1 Z1 Z3
 Total impedance of circuit is:
Z  R1  Z1  ( Z2  ZC2 ) / /( Z3  ZL 3  R4 ) Z2
L2
Z  13,6  j  13,64 4,2  0

C2
R4
 The desired current is:
.
.
V 5000
I   3,66  4,20
A  i ( t )  3,66cos( t  4,20
)A
Z 13,64 4,20

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 Appendix 9.1: Complex number with calculator

 We always need to transform complex numbers:

 A to (a + jb): For addition, subtraction, …

 (a + jb) to A : For multiplication, division, …

 Some scientific calculators support us to do it automatically.

Type a  jb  A A  a  jb

4 shift + 3 = →A=5 5 shift - 36.87 = →a=4
Fx500A
shift [(--- → φ = 36.870 shift [(--- →b=3

Select complex mode

shift Abs ( 4 + 3 i ) = 5 shift (-) 36.87 =
Fx570
→A=5 →a=4
Move the cursor to the Arg position shift Re - Im
shift Arg → φ = 36.870 →b=3

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 Appendix 9.1: Complex number with calculator

Type a  jb  A A  a  jb

Pol ( 4 , 3 = →A=5 shift Pol ( 5 , 36.87 = →a=4
Fx500MS
RCL tan = → φ = 36.870 RCL tan = →b=3

Select complex mode

4 + 3 shift i shift + = 5 shift ∟ 36.87 = →a=4
Fx570MS
→A=5
shift = →b=3
shift =
→ φ = 36.870

Select complex mode

Fx570ES 4 + 3 shift ENG shift 2 3 5 shift (-) 36.87 =

 A  a  jb

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