Then you can solve for the two currents.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating power dissipation in a circuit with multiple voltage sources and resistors. Participants explore various methods, including mesh analysis and superposition, while addressing the complexities of combining currents and calculating power.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes their approach to calculating impedance and currents using superposition and expresses a desire to practice this method.
  • Another participant suggests using mesh analysis with complex numbers and warns about the differences in power equations for peak and rms values.
  • Some participants assert that currents should be added, but clarify that power cannot be simply added due to its dependence on the square of current or voltage.
  • A later reply emphasizes the need for vector addition of currents due to potential phase shifts and critiques the earlier impedance calculations for not properly using vector math.
  • One participant proposes a specific calculation for total current and power dissipation based on their earlier findings.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is no consensus on the best method to calculate power dissipation, as participants present differing views on the application of superposition and mesh analysis. The discussion includes both agreement on certain principles and contention regarding the specifics of calculations.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the importance of considering phase shifts and vector math in calculations, indicating that assumptions about linearity and independence of sources may not hold in all cases. There are unresolved mathematical steps regarding impedance and current division that affect the overall analysis.

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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