Physics 401, Spring 2014.

Eugene V. Colla
Transients and Oscillations in RLC Circuits.
Outline
Main goals of this week Lab:
Transients. Definition.
transient ( physics ) a short-lived oscillation in a
system caused by a sudden change of voltage or
current or load
a transient response or natural response is the
response of a system to a change from equilibrium.
System under
study
Transients in RLC circuit.
R
L
C
V
scope
Resistance R [Ohm]
Capacitance C [uF] (10
-6
F)
Inductance L [mH] (10
-3
H)
Transients in RLC circuit.
R
L
C
V(t)
scope
V
R
V
L
V
C
According the Kirchhoffs law V
R
+V
L
+V
C
=V(t)
-1.0 -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0
0.0
0.5
1.0
V
(
t
)
time
V
0
2
2
d d q(t)
L q(t) +R q(t) + = 0
dt dt C
*See Lab write-up for details
*
(1)
Transients in RLC circuit. Three solutions
The solution of this differential
equation can be found in the form
= ( ) e
st
q t A
This will convert (1) in
quadratic equation
| |
+ + =
|
\ .
R
s s
L LC
2
1
0
| | | |
=
| |
\ . \ .
| | | |
= =
| |
\ . \ .
,
,
R R
s a b
L L LC
R R
a b
L L LC
2
1 2
2
1
2 2
1
2 2
with solutions:
b
2
>0 over-damped solution
b
2
=0 critically damped solution
b
2
<0 under-damped solution
Transients in RLC circuit. Over-damped solution:
b
2
>0
( )

= + ( ) e
at bt bt
q t Ae B e
1 1
In this case the solution will be aperiodic
exponential decay function with no
oscillations:

= = + + ( ) ( ) ( )
at bt bt at bt bt
dq
i t ae Ae B e be Ae B e
dt
1 1 1 1
Transients in RLC circuit. Over-damped solution:
b
2
>0
Taken in account the initial conditions: q(0)=q
0
and i(0)=0

| |
= +
|
\ .
( ) cosh sinh
at
a
q t q e bt bt
b
0

| |
=
|
\ .
( )
( )
a b t
q a b
i t e
b
2 2
0
2
This is exponential decay function
>>
| |
+
|
\ .
-( - )
( - )
a b t
a b t
q a
e
b
0
1
1
2

Transients in RLC circuit. Critically-damped
solution b
2
=0
For this case the general solution can be found as
q(t)=(A
2
+B
2
t)e
-at.
Applying the same initial condition
the current can be written as i=a
2
q
0
te
-at
Critical damped case shows the
fastest decay with no oscillations
2 2
4
0
L
b R
C
= =
Critically-damped
conditions for our
network
2
R
a
L
= and
Transients in RLC circuit. Critically-damped
solution. Real data analysis.
b
2
=0
In this experiment R=300 ohms,
C=1F, L=33.43mH.
The output resistance of Wavetek is 50 ohms and
resistance of coil was measured as 8.7 ohms, so actual
resistance of the network is R
a
=300+50+8.7=358.7
Decay coefficient
=

=
.
.

Transients in RLC circuit. Critically-damped
solution. Real data analysis.
b
2
=0
Now the experimental results:
Calculated decay
coefficient ~5385,
Obtained from fitting -
~5820.
Possible reason it is
still slightly over damped
Calculated b
2
is
b
2
=2.99e7-2.90e7>0
Vc ~q, fiiting function: V
c
=V
co
(1+at)e
-at
Transients in RLC circuit. Under-damped
solution.
If b
2
<0 we will have oscillating solution. Omitting the details (see
Lab write-up) we have the equations for charge and current as:

| |
= + = + +
|
\ .
| | +
=
|
\ .
| | | | | | | |
= = =
| | | |
\ . \ . \ . \ .


,
cos sin sin( )
sin
;
at at
at
a a
q(t) q e bt bt q e bt
b b
a b
i(t) q e bt
b
R R R
a b f
L L LC LC L
2
0 0
2
2 2
0
2 2
1
1 1 1
2 2 2 2
Transients in RLC circuit. Under-damped solution.
Log decrement. Quality factor.
Log decrement can be defined as =
(

, where T
1
=1/f1
Quality factor can be
defined as =

,
For RLC =

From this plot o0.67

Q4.7
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-6
-3
0
3
6
3.529
1.809
0.92962
0.47494
V
C

(
q
/
C
)

(
V
)
time (ms)
Transients in RLC circuit. Data analysis. Using
Origin software.
1. Pick peaks
2. Envelope
3. Exponential term
4. Nonlinear fitting
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-6
-3
0
3
6
0.00115
0.0023
0.00346
0.00463
V
C

(
q
/
C
)

(
V
)
time (ms)
f=862Hz
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-6
-3
0
3
6
V
C

(
q
/
C
)

(
V
)
time (ms)
f=862Hz
Transients in RLC circuit. Under-damped solution.
Log decrement. Quality factor.
Transients in RLC circuit. Data analysis. Log
decrement. Using Origin software. Results.
Time domain trace
Points found using Find peaks
Envelope curve
Transients in RLC circuit. Data analysis. Log
decrement. Using Origin software. Results.
Fitting the envelope data to
exponential decay function
Transients in RLC circuit. Data analysis.
(1/T)
2
vs 1/C experiment.
Zero crossing points
0ffset
Manual evaluation of the
period of the oscillations
in( )
at
q(t) Ae s t offset e

= + +
Limited accuracy
Results can be
effected by DC offset
Transients in RLC circuit. Data analysis.
(1/T)
2
vs 1/C experiment. Using Origin software.
in( )
at
q(t) Ae s t e

= +
Limited
Use Origin standard
function
Category: Waveform
Function: SineDamp
Fitting function ; y0,A,t
0
xc, w fitting parameters
Transients in RLC circuit. Data analysis.
(1/T)
2
vs 1/C experiment. Using Origin software.
in( )
at
q(t) Ae s t e

= +
Limited
Data plot + fitting curve
Residuals - criteria
of quality of fitting
Transients in RLC circuit. Data analysis.
(1/T)
2
vs 1/C experiment. Using Origin software.
in( )
at
q(t) Ae s t e

= +
Final results

R
f
T LC L t
| |
| | | | | |
= =
|
| | |
|
\ . \ . \ .
\ .
2 2
2
1 1 1
2 2
Resonance in RLC circuit.
R2
L
C
V
C V(t)
100 1000 10000
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
1904.83204
U
C
f (Hz)
Af=1500Hz
=

= .
Origin templates for this week Lab.
Open template
button
\\engr-file-03\phyinst\APL Courses\PHYCS401\Common\Origin templates
Origin manuals
Very short and simple manual which covers
only main general operations with Origin.
Document located on server and there is a
link from P401 WEB page
There are also manuals from OriginLab.
Video Tutorials at the
site of the company
http://www.originlab.com/index.aspx?go=SUPPORT/VideoTutorials
Do not forget about
Origin Help
\\engr-file-03\phyinst\APL Courses\PHYCS401\Common\Origin manuals