Then you can solve for the two currents.

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating power dissipation in a resistor and power delivered by a voltage source in a circuit using superposition and mesh analysis. Participants emphasize that while currents from different sources can be added, power calculations require considering the square of the currents due to their non-linear relationship. Vector addition of currents is necessary because they may have different phase shifts, and proper use of complex impedance is crucial. The final calculation suggests that the total current through the resistor is 4.23A, leading to a power dissipation of 36W. Accurate analysis is recommended to avoid errors in impedance and current division.
James889
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Hai,

I have the following circuit:
[PLAIN]http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/1848/powertransfer.png

My task is to calculate the power dissipated in the resistor, and also the power delivered by the V1 source.

Here's what i tried.

First i /dev/null'ed the second source and calculated the impedance
[PLAIN]http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/7569/powertransferzero2.png
\frac{1}{(1/j6)+(1/-j4)} = -J12

This gives |Z| = 12-J12 \approx 17\ohm

I_2 = \frac{48}{17} = 2.82A

Then for the other source shorted:
\frac{1}{(1/12)+(1/6)} = 4

This gives |Z| = 4-J4 \ohm \approx 5.65\ohm

I_1 = \frac{8}{5.65} = 1.41A

Now, do you add the currents or do you calculate the power dissipation in the resistance for
each of the voltage sources?

/James
 
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Sorry for not answering your questions, but I'd just do mesh analysis with complex numbers. Also a warning, remember equations for power are different for peak and rms values.
 
xcvxcvvc said:
Sorry for not answering your questions
No worries..

xcvvxcxx said:
but I'd just do mesh analysis with complex numbers. Also a warning, remember equations for power are different for peak and rms values.

I would really like to solve this problem by using superposition, just for practice.
 
You add the currents. Superposition in circuits only works due to the linearity of current and voltage. Differently, power is proportional to the square of current or voltage.
 
xcvxcvvc said:
You add the currents. Superposition in circuits only works due to the linearity of current and voltage. Differently, power is proportional to the square of current or voltage.

So, in other words you can't calculate the power dissipation caused by the individual sources and add them together?
 
James889 said:
So, in other words you can't calculate the power dissipation caused by the individual sources and add them together?

Yes, you cannot. You must add the currents flowing through the component due to each source to calculate the power dissipated by that component.
 
xcvxcvvc said:
Yes, you cannot. You must add the currents flowing through the component due to each source to calculate the power dissipated by that component.

So my answer to this question would be:

1.41 + 2.82 = 4.23A

P = I_{rms}*R \rightarrow \bigg(\frac{4.23}{\sqrt{2}}\bigg)^2 * 12= 36W
 
James889 said:
So my answer to this question would be:

1.41 + 2.82 = 4.23A

P = I_{rms}*R \rightarrow \bigg(\frac{4.23}{\sqrt{2}}\bigg)^2 * 12= 36W

The currents could have different phase shifts, so you cannot do regular addition of the two current magnitudes. You must do vector addition (meaning you keep the angle).

Also, when you found the equivalent impedance for the parallel combination after shorting out the "other source," you didn't properly use vector math. You have to keep that j component in there.
(\frac{1}{12} + \frac{1}{j6})^{-1}=2.4 + 4.8j

Also the total current delivered by v2 is not the same as the current delivered by v2 to the resistor. You need to do current division between the 12 and the 6j impedances of that total current (and don't drop the angles!)

Seriously, though, I'd recommend doing mesh analysis:
i_1(12 + j6) + i_2(-j6) = \frac{48}{\sqrt{2}}
i_1(-j6) + i_2(j6 - j4) = -\frac{8}{\sqrt{2}}
 

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