DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name of the faculty : G.SRINIVASU
Designation : Sr.Lecturer
Branch : Electronics and Communications Engg.
Institute : Govt.Polytechnic for Women(minorities)
L.B.Nagar,Hyderabad
Semester : Third
Subject : Circuit theory(EC303)
Topic : Mesh current and node voltage analysis
Duration : 50 MIN
SUB TOPIC : To solve for mesh current equations for
the given network having super mesh

using CRAMMERS rule.

Teaching aids : Diagrams

EC303.28 1
OBJECTIVES

On completion of this period, you would be able to

• solve for mesh current equations for the

given network having super mesh using

CRAMMERS rule.

EC303.28 2
SUPER MESH:

In a network, when a current source is common to two

meshes, a super mesh is obtained by combining the meshes

containing the current source and considering the current

source as an open circuit.The KVL equation around the mesh

is written in terms of the original mesh currents ,resistances

and the voltage sources.

EC303.28 3
EXAMPLE1

Determine the current in 5Ω resistor in the network

given below.

fig1

This network consists of three meshes with mesh currents

I1,I2,I3.

Mesh2 and mesh3 form a super mesh(having a

common current source).
EC303.28 4
KVL for mesh1:
50 = 10( I1 − I 2 ) + 5( I1 − I 3 )

or

15 I1 − 10 I 2 − 5 I 3 = 50 ----- (1)

KVL for super mesh formed by mesh2 and mesh 3 (having

common current source):

10( I 2  I1 )  2 I 2  I 3  5( I 3  I1 )  0
or

− 15I1 + 12 I 2 + 6 I 3 = 0 ----- (2)

EC303.28 5
From second and third meshes

I 2 − I3 = 2 A ----- (3)

By solving the three mesh equations

We can get

I1 = 16.66 A

I 2 = 17.33 A

I 3 = 15.33 A

EC303.28 6
Then

the current in the 5Ω resistor

= I1 − I 3
= 16.66 − 15.33
= 1.33 A

EC303.28 7
EXAMPLE 2
mesh2 mesh3
I2 I3
mesh1

I1
Determine the current I in I
the circuit by using mesh analysis. I4 I5

mesh4 mesh5

fig2

This circuit contains five meshes with mesh currents

I1,I2,I3,I4 and I5.

Mesh2 and mesh3 form a super mesh(having a common

current source).

EC303.28 8
from mesh1 : mesh2 mesh3
I1 = 20 A ----- (1) I2 I3
mesh1

I1
from mesh2 and mesh4 : I

I4 I5
I 4 − I 2 = 30 A ----- (2)
mesh4 mesh5

from super mesh formed by mesh2 and mesh4 :

2( I 2 − I1 ) + 2( I 2 − I 3 ) + 1.5( I 4 − I 5 ) + 10( I 4 − I1 ) = 0

or − 12 I1 + 4 I 2 − 2 I 3 + 11.5 I 4 − 1.5 I 5 = 0 ----- (3)

EC303.28 9
 from mesh3 :
mesh2 mesh3
2( I 3 − I 2 ) + 6 I 3 + 1( I 3 − I 5 ) = 0 I2 I3
mesh1

or I1
I

− 2I 2 + 9I3 − I5 = 0 ----- (4)

I4 I5

mesh4 mesh5
from mesh4 :

1.5( I 5 − I 4 ) + 1( I 5 − I 3 ) + 8I 5 = 0

or

− I 3 − 1.5I 4 + 10.5 I 5 = 0 ----- (5)

EC303.28 10
From equation (2) , I2= I4 - 30 ------- (6)

Substituting the values of I1=20A and I2=I4 - 30 from

equations (1) and (2) in equation (3) we get

− 12(20) + ( I 4 − 30) − 2 I 3 + 11.5I 4 − 1.5I 5 = 0

or

− 240 + 4 I 4 − 120 − 2 I 3 + 11.5 I 4 − 1.5I 5 = 0

or

− 2 I 3 + 15.5 I 4 − 1.5 I 5 = 360 ----- (7)

EC303.28 11
Substituting equation (6) in equation (4), we get

− 2( I 4 − 30) + 9 I 3 − I 5 = 0

9 I 3 − 2 I 4 − I 5 = −60 ----- (8)

Equations (7),(8) and (5) written in matrix form as

− 2 15.5 − 1.5 I3   360 

9  I  − 60
 − 2 − 1   4 =  
 − 1 − 1.5 10.5   I 5   0 

EC303.28 12
The determinant of the impedance matrix is

− 2 15.5 − 1.5
∆= 9 −2 −1
− 1 − 1.5 10.5

or

∆ = −2[ (−2)(10.5) − (−1)(−1.5)] − 15.5[ 9(10.5) − 1] − 1.5[ 9(−1.5) − 2]

or

∆ = −1381

EC303.28 13
 − 2 360 − 1.5
∆ 4 = 9 − 60 − 1
−1 0 10.5

or

∆ 4 = −32310

− 2 15.5 360
∆5 = 9 −2 − 60
− 1 − 1.5 0

or

∆ 5 = −4470

EC303.28 14
 ∆4 − 32310
I4 = =
∆ − 1381

= 23.396 A

I5 =
∆5 − 4470
=
∆ − 1381

= 3.237 A

Therefore I = I4 − I5
= 23.396 − 3.237

= 20.159 A
EC303.28
15
SUMMARY

We have discussed about

solving for mesh current equations for the

given network having super mesh using

CRAMMERS rule.

EC303.28 16
Quiz

A super mesh is formed when

c)There are Two current sources

d) Current source is common for two Meshes
e)Voltage source and current source are present
f)None of the above

EC303.28 17
Frequently asked Questions

1. What do you mean by super mesh

2.Determine the loop currents in the network shown below.

EC303.28 18