Modeling Dynamic Systems 37

2.4.3 Electrical System Example

Now let us look at a basic electrical system and see how the modeling of dierent
systems is related. Beginning with the simple electrical RLC circuit, a common
example shown in Figure 15, let us derive the dierential equation to model the
systems dynamic behavior.
Using Table 2 again, let us sum the voltage drops around the entire circuit.
This is commonly referred to as Kirchos voltage law, and along with the Kirchos
current law allows the majority of electrical circuits to be modeled and analyzed.
Remember, Vi adds to the voltage total, while R, L, and C are voltage drops when
traversing the loop clockwise.
General: Vin  VR  VL  VC 0
Using Table 2: Vin  R  i  L di=dt  1=C i dt 0
Finally, recognizing that i dq=dt (current is the ow of charge) and substitut-
ing this in gives the recognizable form

d2q dq 1
L R q Vin
dt2 dt C

This is a linear second-order ordinary dierential equation and can thus be

classied and simulated by using natural frequency and damping ratio parameters.
Commonly, this equation is modied to have the output be the voltage across the
capacitor, and not the charge q, since the capacitor voltage is easily measured to
verify the model. Using the following identities between q and Vc , the capacitor
voltage, the transformation is straightforward.

Vc 1=C i dt q=C
and

d 2 VC dV
LC RC C VC Vin
dt2 dt

Constructing the circuit and measuring the response easily veries the resulting
equation. As already noted for other domains, the number of energy storage ele-
ments corresponds to the order of the system. The exception to this is when two or
more energy storage elements are acting together and can thus be combined and
represented as a single component. An example of this is electrical inductors in series;
the mechanical analogy of this would be two masses rigidly connected. Inductive and
capacitive elements both act as energy storage devices in Table 2.

Figure 15 RLC circuit model.