Techniques for Solving DC Circuits

Abstract

In this chapter, the authors develop their analysis of circuits while working exclusively with constant quantities (voltages, currents, powers, etc.), so as to enable the reader to solve these kinds of circuit. Circuits that operate with constant quantities are by tradition called direct current (DC) circuits. While computer programmes solve circuits simply by just assembling Kirchhoff and constitutive equations in a mechanical way, electrical engineers use specialised solving techniques for DC circuits. The easiest and more common of these are discussed in the following sections. In particular: Basic usage of combined Kirchhoff-constitutive equations (KCE), Nodal analysis, and Mesh analysis. If the constitutive equations are known, all voltages and currents can be obtained by integrating the latter into Kirchhoff's equations and reducing the set of equations even more by making use of the nodal analysis technique.