Transients(RC) elements in the circuit after commutation?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around analyzing an RC circuit's transient behavior after a switch commutation. Participants are attempting to determine the currents (I1, I2, I3) and the voltage across the capacitor (Uc) under different conditions, including before and after the switch is moved.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are discussing the equations governing the circuit's behavior, questioning the configuration of resistors (parallel vs. series) and the implications of different voltage sources (E1, E2). There are attempts to clarify the state of the circuit immediately after commutation and the role of the capacitor in the equations. Some participants are exploring the implications of different cases on the circuit's behavior.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants providing insights into the behavior of the circuit under various conditions. Some guidance has been offered regarding the time constant and the nature of exponential decay in capacitor discharge. There are multiple interpretations being explored, particularly regarding the configuration of the circuit and the effects of the switch position.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of a homework assignment, which may impose specific requirements for solution methods. There is an ongoing exploration of assumptions related to the circuit's configuration and the behavior of the capacitor during transient conditions.

  • #61


builder_user said:
Really?Great!
But if before commutation Uc was !=0 so It would look like long time or not?

If Uc != 0 at commutation, then you would have to deal with that "initial" voltage in the "new" circuit.

One way to do that is to replace the charged capacitor with an equivalent circuit that behaves in the same manner. This would be comprised of the same capacitor, but uncharged, in series with a voltage source equal in value to the Uc value. You can then treat this new circuit as you would any other: in the instant after commutation the uncharged capacitor looks like a short circuit and the new voltage source will remain. This should allow you to find initial circuit conditions such as initial voltages and currents.

Of course as time moves forward (t > 0) the capacitor starts to charge as current flows, just as in any other circuit. Keep in mind that the "equivalent capacitor" comprises both the capacitor and voltage source! To find the voltage across the real-life capacitor that it replaced, you need to find the voltage across both items in series.

After a very long time the original capacitor will still end up looking like an open circuit of course, with whatever end-to-end voltage the circuit demands. The "equivalent capacitor" will behave similarly.
 
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  • #62


gneill said:
If Uc != 0 at commutation, then you would have to deal with that "initial" voltage in the "new" circuit.
One way to do that is to replace the charged capacitor with an equivalent circuit that behaves in the same manner. This would be comprised of the same capacitor, but uncharged, in series with a voltage source equal in value to the Uc value. You can then treat this new circuit as you would any other: in the instant after commutation the uncharged capacitor looks like a short circuit and the new voltage source will remain. This should allow you to find initial circuit conditions such as initial voltages and currents.
.

You mean that immediately it will be look like pic.1? But I can use Laplace replace
 

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  • #63


builder_user said:
You mean that immediately it will be look like pic.1? But I can use Laplace replace

It would look more like the figure below. Note that for the first instant this new C1 will look like a short circuit, just as you're used to doing for analysis.

The new voltage source needs to have the polarity that the voltage on the capacitor had just before the switch commutated.
 

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  • #64


Hm..I think I'll don't like conductors. Inductor is in the circuit(as a wire) or is not in the circuit but conductor... I still don't know all cases. Or there is no sth(resistor for example) in parallel connection with it. Or there is no current if it series connection. Or it has a voltage source and etc...
 

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