Mesh Analysis

Monday, 20 August 2018

12:29 PM

Remember, a mesh is a closed path in a circuit that does not contain any other path.

A loop is any closed path in a circuit.

A mesh is a loop that contains no other loop.

 

 

 

Planar vs Non-planar Circuits

A planar circuit is a circuit that can be drawn in a plane with no crossing branches.

Mesh analysis is only applicable to planar circuits.

 

Based on KVL.

We use mesh currents instead of element currents as the main circuit variables, reducing the number of equations that need to be solved simultaneously.

 

Objective: To solve for these mesh currents

In general, an N-mesh circuit will need N currents and N equations

It will also require the solution of an N-system of equations

KVL will then be applied at each mesh

 

 

Given a circuit with n meshes, the mesh analysis is accomplished via the steps:

1. Assign mesh currents (choose a direction)
2. Apply KVL to each of the meshes
   For resistors, use Ohm's law to express the voltages in terms of mesh currents
3. Solve the resulting simultaneous equations