Standing waves on a transmission line and time

In summary: But in terms of the phasor representation, it is only dependent on the distance z and not on time or frequency. The standing wave pattern is simply a superposition of the incident and reflected waves, which are both represented as phasors with a dependence on z. The phasor representation is just a simplification for mathematical convenience, but it is still understood that the time and frequency components are present in the actual wave.
  • #1
FrankJ777
140
6
Hi, I'm hoping somebody can help me understand something. I'm studying transmission lines and I'm confused about SWR and standing waves on a transmission line. According to my book the voltage on the transmision line is the super position of an incident and reflected voltage wave given by:
V[itex]_{(z)}[/itex] = V[itex]^{+}_{0}[/itex] ( e[itex]^{-jBz}[/itex] + [itex]\Gamma[/itex] e[itex]^{jBz}[/itex])

I can see how this produces a standing wave with voltage minimums and maximums at fixed points every λ/2. What I'm confused about is why the voltage is not represented as a function of time. From what I thought I understood about the phasor representation of the voltage we dropped the factor e[itex]^{jωt}[/itex] in our notation, but that it's understood that it's still there and the wave is still a funtion of time and frequency (jωt). So my questions are these. Are standing waves also a function of time and frequency, and if so would they be traveling waves? It seems that according to my text the min and max points are at fixed distances, so it seems that the voltage wave doesn't travel. So what happened to time and frequency?

Thanks to anyone who can set me straight.
 
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  • #2
  • #3
Standing wave is not time dependent, like a guitar string that the fundamental has the peak in the middle. If you go through the the wave traveling on the a transmission from the source at one end and termination on the other end. If the source and termination is not match, you will develop a standing wave pattern. It is the voltage traveling forward and reflect back that cause the standing wave pattern. If you solve the equation you posted with z, you'll see the standing wave pattern.

SWR only tells you the Vmax/Vmin or something like that, it does not tell you what standing wave pattern looks like, but from a standing wave pattern, you can find the SWR by just measuring it.

For a cosine wave,

[tex]\cos (\omega t-\beta z) = Re[e^{j(\omega t-\beta z)}]\;=\; Re[e^{j\omega t}e^{-\beta z}]\;=\;Re [ e^{\omega t}\tilde A ] [/tex]

Phazor is defined as [itex]\tilde A = e^{-\beta z}[/itex]

Phasor do not have time information, but it is understood that phasor is ONLY part of the function with time function ignored for simplification.
 
  • #4
Thanks guys.
I found this video and it seems to to describe it pretty well visually.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=s5MBno0PZjE

I think what confused me is that it in my textbook (Pozar), it shows that the standing wave is the supper position of the incident and reflected wave,and it describes the reflected waves as phasors with a dependence on z only. I didn't see how in the time domain the incident and reflected wave would make standing wave, but in the video it shows exactly that.
 
  • #5
The standing wave pattern just shows the maxima. The levels between these +and- maxima are time dependent.
 

1. What is a standing wave on a transmission line?

A standing wave on a transmission line is a type of wave that is created when two waves with the same frequency and amplitude travel in opposite directions on the same transmission line. This results in areas where the waves cancel each other out, known as nodes, and areas where the waves reinforce each other, known as antinodes.

2. How is the standing wave ratio (SWR) related to standing waves on a transmission line?

The standing wave ratio (SWR) is a measure of how well a transmission line is matched to the load connected to it. It is directly related to standing waves on a transmission line because a low SWR indicates that the waves are properly matched and there is minimal reflection, while a high SWR indicates the presence of standing waves and significant reflection.

3. How does time affect standing waves on a transmission line?

Time does not have a direct effect on standing waves on a transmission line. However, the time it takes for a wave to travel along the transmission line can affect the distance between nodes and antinodes. This is known as the wavelength, and it is directly related to the frequency of the wave.

4. What are the applications of standing waves on a transmission line?

Standing waves on a transmission line have several practical applications. They are commonly used in radio frequency systems, such as antennas and radar, to transmit and receive signals. They are also used in electronic circuits, such as filters and impedance matching networks, to control the flow of signals.

5. How can standing waves on a transmission line be minimized?

To minimize standing waves on a transmission line, the line must be properly matched to the load. This is achieved by using components such as baluns, impedance transformers, and filters. Additionally, using high-quality transmission lines with low loss and proper termination can also help reduce the formation of standing waves.

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