Where are Laplace Transforms used in Real Life?

The Laplace Transform is derived from Lerchs Cancellation Law. In the Laplace Transform
method, the function in the time domain is transformed to a Laplace function in the frequency
domain. This Laplace function will be in the form of an algebraic equation and it can be
solved easily. The solution can be again transformed back to the time domain by using an
Inverse Laplace Transform. This transform is most commonly used for control systems, as
briefly mentioned above. The transforms are used to study and analyze systems such as
ventilation, heating and air conditions, etc. These systems are used in every single modern day
construction and building. Laplace transforms are also important for process controls. It aids
in variable analysis which when altered produce the required results. An example of this can
be found in experiments to do with heat. Apart from these two examples, Laplace transforms
are used in a lot of engineering applications and is a very useful method. It is useful in both
electronic and mechanical engineering.
The control action for a dynamic control system whether electrical, mechanical, thermal,
hydraulic, etc. can be represented by a differential equation. The system differential equation
is derived according to physical laws governing is a system. In order to facilitate the solution
of a differential equation describing a control system, the equation is transformed into an
algebraic form. This transformation is done with the help of the Laplace transformation
technique, that is the time domain differential equation is converted into a frequency domain
algebraic equation.

SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF DETERMINING ELECTRIC CURRENTS IN CIRCUIT

In the network shown, determine the character of the currents

assuming that each current is zero when the switch is closed.

, and

Solution :

Current flow at a joint in circuit

Since the algebraic sum of the currents at any junction is zero, then
.........(182)

Voltage balance on a circuit

Applying the voltage law to the circuit on the left we get

......... (182-1)
Applying again the voltage law to the outside circuit, given that E is constant, we get
......... (182-2)

Laplace Transforms of current and voltage equations

Transforming (182), (182-1) and (182-2), we get

.........(182-3)
......... (182-4)
......... (182-5)

Review on implementing Laplace Transformation

The three Laplace transformed equations (182-3), (182-4), and (182-5) show the benefits of
integral transformation in converting differential equations into linear algebraic equations that
could be solved for the dependent variables (the three currents in this case), then inverse
transformed to yield the required solution.

In equation (182-3), we utilized the sum property of Laplace transforms.

In equation (182-4), we utilized the transform of differential derivative as follows.

.........(182-4.1)
Since, substituted by the given initial condition:

In equation (182-5), we also utilized the transform of differential derivative

.........(182-5.2)
Again, we substituted by the given initial condition:
The fact that the applied voltage was a step function, implied the use of Laplace transform of
a step function, as follows:
.........(182-5.3)
Solution linear simultaneous equations
The three linear simultaneous equations (182-3), (182-4), and (182-5) have the three
unknown
,
, and
and can be solved by Cramers rule of matrices among
other simple methods of elimination, as follows.

......... (182-6)
Where, the determinant for the matrix is determined as follows

......... (182-6.1)

Since we are interested in the factors of , we consider the equation =0. Since all
coefficients of this equation are positive, hence it cannot have any positive roots. Its
discriminant is
........ (182-6.1.1)
which can be written
........ (182-6.1.2)

which is positive. Hence the equation = 0 has two negative distinct roots
say.

and

Therefore,
......... (182-6.2)

Where,

and

are the roots of the quadratic equation (182-6.1) as follows

......... (182-6.2.1)

......... (182-6.2.2)

Therefore, equations (182-6) and (186-6.2) give

.........(182-7)

The constants
as:

, and

are obtained in terms of

, and

and are given

.........(182-7.1)

.........(182-7.2)

.........(182-7.3)

Inverse Laplace Transforms of current equations

The inverse Laplace transform of (182-7) is therefore,

........
.(182-8)
The remaining variables
and
and the corresponding voltages are determined
by equations (182), (182-1) and (182-2)