Capacitors

and inductors
DC electric circuit theory – Alejandro Sánchez Salcedo
 Michael Faraday
(1791–1867)
English chemist and physicist. His
discovery of electromagnetic induction
in 1831 was a major breakthrough in
engineering because it provided a way
of generating electricity. The electric
motor and generator operate on this
principle. The unit of capacitance, the
farad, was named in his honor.

DC electric circuit theory – Alejandro Sánchez Salcedo 2

 Capacitor
A capacitor consists of two conducting
plates separated by an insulator (or
dielectric).
Capacitance is the ratio of the charge on
one plate of a capacitor to the voltage
difference between the two plates.
For a capacitor of plates with infinite area:
𝜀 𝑬 ∙ 𝑑𝒔 𝑄 𝜀𝐴
𝐶= = =
𝑬 ∙ 𝑑𝒍 𝑉 𝑑
IS measurement unit: Farad [F]

DC electric circuit theory – Alejandro Sánchez Salcedo 3

 Capacitor (2)
Mathematical relationships in capacitors
𝑑𝑉
• Current(1): 𝑖 = 𝐶 [A]
𝑑𝑡
1 𝑡
• Voltage(2): 𝑣 = 𝑖𝑑𝑡 + 𝑣0 V
𝐶 𝑡0
𝑑𝑉
• Power: 𝑝 = 𝑣𝑖 = 𝐶𝑣 [W]
𝑑𝑡
𝑡 1
• Energy: 𝑤 = −∞
𝑝𝑑𝑡 = 𝐶𝑣 2 [J]
2
(1)Capacitance is linear

(2)Voltage is conservative

DC electric circuit theory – Alejandro Sánchez Salcedo 4

 Series equivalent capacitance
From KVL:
𝑣1 + 𝑣2 + 𝑣3 + ⋯ + 𝑣𝑛 = 𝑣𝑇

From voltaje relationship:

1 𝑡 1 𝑡 1 𝑡
𝑖𝑑𝑡 + 𝑖𝑑𝑡 + ⋯ + 𝑣0 = 𝑖𝑑𝑡
𝐶1 𝑡0 𝐶2 𝑡0 𝐶𝐸𝑞 𝑡0

Therefore:
1 1 1 1 1
= + + + ⋯+
𝐶𝐸𝑞 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3 𝐶𝑛

DC electric circuit theory – Alejandro Sánchez Salcedo 5

 Parallel equivalent capacitance
From KCL:
𝑖1 + 𝑖2 + 𝑖3 + ⋯ + 𝑖𝑛 = 𝑖 𝑇

From current relationship:

𝑑𝑉 𝑑𝑉 𝑑𝑉 𝑑𝑉
𝐶1 + 𝐶2 + ⋯ + 𝐶𝑁 = 𝐶𝐸𝑞
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

Therefore:
𝐶𝐸𝑞 = 𝐶1 + 𝐶2 + 𝐶3 + ⋯ + 𝐶𝑁

DC electric circuit theory – Alejandro Sánchez Salcedo 6

 Joseph Henry
(1797–1878)
American physicist, discovered
inductance and constructed an
electric motor. The unit of
inductance, the henry, was named
after him.

DC electric circuit theory – Alejandro Sánchez Salcedo 7

 Inductor

An inductor consists of a coil of conducting

wire.
Inductance is the property whereby an
inductor exhibits opposition to the change
of current flowing through it.
For an infinitely long inductor:
𝑁 2 𝜇𝐴
𝐿=
𝑙
IS measurement unit: Henry [H]

DC electric circuit theory – Alejandro Sánchez Salcedo 8

 Inductor (2)

Mathematical relationships in inductors

1 𝑡
• Current(1): 𝑖 = 𝑖𝑑𝑡 + 𝑖0 [A]
𝐿 𝑡0
𝑑𝑖
• Voltage(2): 𝑣 = 𝐿 V
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑖
• Power: 𝑝 = 𝑣𝑖 = 𝐿𝑖 [W]
𝑑𝑡
𝑡 1
• Energy: 𝑤 = −∞
𝑝𝑑𝑡 = 𝐿𝑖 2 [J]
2
(1)Current is conservative

(2)Inductance is linear

DC electric circuit theory – Alejandro Sánchez Salcedo 9

 Series equivalent inductance

From KVL:
𝑣1 + 𝑣2 + 𝑣3 + ⋯ + 𝑣𝑛 = 𝑣𝑇

From voltaje relationship:

𝑑𝑖 𝑑𝑖 𝑑𝑖 𝑑𝑖
𝐿1 + 𝐿2 + ⋯ + 𝐿𝑁 = 𝐿𝐸𝑞
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

Therefore:
𝐿𝐸𝑞 = 𝐿1 + 𝐿2 + 𝐿3 + ⋯ + 𝐿𝑁

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 Parallel equivalent inductance

From KCL:
𝑖1 + 𝑖2 + 𝑖3 + ⋯ + 𝑖𝑛 = 𝑖 𝑇

From current relationship:

1 𝑡 1 𝑡 1 𝑡
𝑣𝑑𝑡 + 𝑣𝑑𝑡 + ⋯ + 𝑣0 = 𝑣𝑑𝑡
𝐿1 𝑡0 𝐿2 𝑡0 𝐿𝐸𝑞 𝑡0

Therefore:
1 1 1 1 1
= + + + ⋯+
𝐿𝐸𝑞 𝐿1 𝐿2 𝐿3 𝐿𝑛

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 References

 DeCARLO, R. and LIN, P. (2001). Linnear Circuit Analisys: Time domain, phasor and Lapplace transform approaches. Oxford University, 2nd
edition,.
 HAYT, W.; KEMMERLY, J. and DURBIN, S. (2007). Engineering Circuit Analysis. McGraw-Hill, 7th edition.
 NILSSON, J. and RIEDEL, S. (2010). Electric Circuits. Prentice Hall, 9th edition.
 ALEXANDER, C. and SADIKU, M. (2008). Fundamentals of Electric Circuits. McGraw-Hill, 4th edition.
 DORF, R. y SVOBODA, J. (2006). Circuitos eléctricos. Alfaomega, 6th edition.

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