Thevenin Equivalent Circuit with a dependent Source

Example:
Find the Thevenin equivalent for the circuit containing dependent sources shown in
figure1.

2kΩ
a
i + +

+
+
5V 3v 20i v vab
- 25Ω
-

ix -
-
b
figure1
Solution :

The first step is to recognize that the current ix must be zero.(Note the absence of a return
path for ix to enter the left-hand portion of the circuit).

• Thevenin voltage VTh

The Thevenin voltage will be the voltage across the 25 W resistor. With ix = 0,

VTh = v ab = (−20i )(25) = −500i

The current i is
5 − 3v 5 − 3vTh
i= = Because VTh = v
2000 2000
When we combine these 2 equations, we obtain
5 − 3vTh
VTh = −500 × ⇒ VTh = −5V
2000
• Thevenin resistance RTh

The Thevenin resistance will be the ratio of the Thevenin voltage VTh to the short-circuit
current isc (current away terminals a, b when they are connected together).
V
RTh = Th
i sc

1
Therefore, with the short in place, the circuit shown in figure1 becomes the one shown in
figure2. with the short circuit shunting the 25Ω resistor, all the current from the
dependent current source appears in the short, so

isc = -20 i

2kΩ
a
i +
isc
+ + 20i
5V _ 3v
v=0 25Ω
-

ix
-
b
Figure2

The current controlling the dependent current source is

5
i = = 2.5mA
2000
⇒ i sc = −20 × 2.5 = −50mA
From VTh and i sc we get
VTh −5
RTh = = × 10 −3 = 100Ω
i sc − 50

Figure3 illustrates the Thevenin equivalent for the circuit shown in figure1

100Ω a

-
5V +

b
Figure3

2
 Superposition with a independent Source

Example: Find the branch currents in the circuit shown in figure4 by using the
superposition principle.

6Ω 2Ω

i1 i3
+
120V _ i2 3Ω i4 4Ω 12A

Figure4
Solution :
• We begin by finding the branch currents resulting from the 120V voltage source.
We denote those currents with prime. Replacing the ideal current source with an
open circuit deactivates it, figure5 shows this.

6Ω v1 2Ω

+ i1' + i3'
120V 3Ω
_ i2' i4' 4Ω

Figure5
We can easily finding the branch currents in the circuit in figure5 once we know the node
voltage v1 across the 3Ω resistor. We write
v1 − 120v v1 v
+ + 1 =0
6 3 2+4
From which v1 = 30V
Now we can write the exp ression for the branch currents i1' − i 2' − i3' − i4'
120 − 30 30 30
i1' = = 15 A i2' = = 10 A i3' = i4' = = 5A
6 3 6

3
 • We continue by finding the branch currents resulting from the current source 12A,
We denote those currents with double-prime we deactivate the ideal voltage
source by replacing it with a short-circuit as shown in figure6.

6Ω v3 v4

i2'' + i3'' +
'' 3Ω '' 4Ω
i
2 i
4 12A
- -

Figure6
We determine the branch currents in the circuit shown in figure6 by first solving for the
node voltage v3 across 3Ω and the node voltage v4 across 4Ω resistor. The two node-
voltage equations that describe the circuit are
v3 v3 v3 − v 4
+ + =0
3 6 2
v 4 − v3 v 4
+ + 12 = 0
2 4
Solving for v3 and v 4 , we get
v3 = −12V
v 4 = −24V
Now we can write the exp ression for the branch currents i1'' − i2'' − i3'' − i4'' in terms of v3 and v 4 :
− v3 12 v3 − 12
i1'' = = = 2A i2'' = = = −4 A
6 6 3 3
v − v 4 − 12 − (−24) 12 v − 24
i3'' = 3 = = = 6A i 4'' = 4 = = −6 A
2 2 2 4 4

To find the branch currents in the original circuit, that is, the currents i1, i2,, i3, and i4 in
figure4, we simply adding the obtained currents :
i1 = i1' + i1'' = 15 + 2 = 17 A i 2 = i 2' + i2'' = 10 − 4 = 6 A
i3 = i3' + i3'' = 5 + 6 = 11A i4 = i4' + i4'' = 5 − 6 = −1A

4
 Superposition with a dependent Source
Example: use the principle of superposition to find v0 in the circuit shown in figure7.

0.4 v∆
5Ω

+
i∆ + +
10V 20 Ω 10Ω 5A
_ v0 v∆
- 2 i∆ -
- +

Figure7
Solution :
We begin by finding the component v0 resulting from the 10V voltage source.
Fgure8 shows the circuit. With 5A source deactivated, v ∆' must equal(-0.4 v ∆' ) (10). Hence,
v ∆' must be zero, the branch containing the two dependent sources open, and
20
vo' = × 10 = 8V
25

0.4 v ∆'
5Ω

i∆'
+ + +
10V _ v ' 20 Ω v ∆' 10Ω
O

- 2 i∆' -
- +

Figure8
When the 10V source is deactivated, the circuit reduces to the one shown in figure9.

5Ω a b

i ∆' ' + +
v '' 20 Ω v '' 10Ω 5A
O ∆

- 2 i∆'' -
c
- +

Figure9

5
We have added a reference node and the node designations a, b, and c to aid the
discussion.

- Summing the currents away the node a yields :

vo'' vo''
+ − 0.4v ∆'' = 0, or 5vo'' − 8v ∆'' = 0
20 5

- Summing the currents away the node b gives :

vb − 2i∆''
0.4v ∆'' + − 5 = 0, or 4v ∆'' + vb − 2i∆'' = 0
10

- We now use vb = 2i∆'' + v ∆'' to find the value of v∆'' . Thus, 5v ∆'' = 50, or v ∆'' = 10V

From the node a equation, 5vo'' = 80, or vo'' = 16V

The value of v0 is the sum of v O' and v O'' ,

v o = v O' + v O'' = 8 + 16 = 24V