How Do You Solve Mesh Analysis with Multiple Loops and Controlled Sources?

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Homework Statement


I posted the problem in the picture below.[/B]
Solve for the currents I1,I2,I3,I4

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


This was my attempt at it using KVL and KCL:

For I1 loop:
8I1-6I3 = -5Vx

For I2 Loop:
5Vx + 15(I2+3) + 10I2 = 0
5Vx+25I2 = -45

For I3 Loop:
-10+6(I3-I1)+5I3 = 0

For I4 Loop
10+15(I2+3) = 0

So from solving this I got I4 as -11/3 A and Vx as -10V from substituting it into 15(I2+3)

But when I substituted these values back into I2 Loop equation I get I2 as 1/5A so I'm getting different values for I2.
Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Is it my equations by chance?
Thanks in advance :D
 

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Ronaldo95163 said:
5Vx + 15(I2+3) + 10I2 = 0

Sure that should be 15(I2 -I3)?

Also I may be wrong on this, its been a few years since I did questions like this. But since you have a current source of 3A. Isn't I4 3A?
 
This is an old thread that was left hanging (no final solution to the posed problem). Let's take a stab at solving it, as the solution is unlikely to affect the OP's grades at this point :smile:

For starters, let's use a more conventional assignment of current directions for the meshes (all clockwise):
upload_2018-11-21_2-27-20.png


By inspection we can see that ##I_4 = -3## (amps).

That's one loop current solved without hardly any effort. We will need three more equations to solve for the other loop currents.

We can incorporate the influence of the known loop 4 current into the circuit by adding a voltage source to the 15Ω branch (there's no shared resistance with loop 3, so no influence there; The 10 V voltage source is a "wall" beyond which loop 4 cannot have any influence).. The 3 amp mesh current of loop 4 will produce a voltage drop of 3*15 = 45 V across the 15Ω resistor, driving a current counterclockwise in that loop (so the source will have the same polarity as ##v_x## in the diagram). That's the voltage source we need to introduce into that branch to account for ##I_4##. Now we can forget loop 4 and concentrate on the rest of the circuit.

The controlled current source between loops 1 and 2 informs us that we should employ a supermesh. A suitable supermesh would encompass loops 1 and 2. So, writing mesh equations:
upload_2018-11-21_3-40-57.png


We also have to consider the auxiliary, or constraint equations imposed by the controlled current source. So:
upload_2018-11-21_2-51-10.png


So by the constraint equations we find:
upload_2018-11-21_2-52-40.png


If we clean up the equations a bit we now have:
upload_2018-11-21_2-54-1.png


Three equations in three unknowns.

From the three equations we can write the impedance matrix and voltage vector:
upload_2018-11-21_3-0-3.png

A person without a computer would likely employ Cramer's Rule or back-substitution or some other method to solve the system of equations. A person with a computer can do the same but without the brain-sweat.

Hence:

upload_2018-11-21_3-2-1.png


Translate the current values with our clockwise direction definition to the original circuit diagram's current direction definitions and you're done. Here's the original circuit drawing:
mesh-png.png
 

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