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30 Introduction to
network analysis

At the end of this chapter you should be able to:

ž appreciate available methods of analysing networks

ž solve simultaneous equations in two and three unknowns
using determinants
ž analyse a.c. networks using Kirchhoff’s laws

30.1 Introduction Voltage sources in series-parallel networks cause currents to flow in

each branch of the circuit and corresponding volt-drops occur across
the circuit components. A.c. circuit (or network) analysis involves the
determination of the currents in the branches and/or the voltages across
components.
The laws which determine the currents and voltage drops in a.c.
networks are:
(a) current, I = V =Z , where Z is the complex impedance and V the
voltage across the impedance;
(b) the laws for impedances in series and parallel, i.e., total
impedance,
ZT D Z1 C Z2 C Z3 C . . . C Zn for n impedances connected
in series,
1 1 1 1 1
and D C C C ...C for n impedances
ZT Z1 Z2 Z3 Zn
connected in parallel; and
(c) Kirchhoff’s laws, which may be stated as:

(i) ‘At any point in an electrical circuit the phasor sum of the
currents flowing towards that junction is equal to the phasor
sum of the currents flowing away from the junction.’
(ii) ‘In any closed loop in a network, the phasor sum of the voltage
drops (i.e., the products of current and impedance) taken around
the loop is equal to the phasor sum of the e.m.f.’s acting in that
loop.’

In any circuit the currents and voltages at any point may be determined
by applying Kirchhoff’s laws (as demonstrated in this chapter), or by

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extensions of Kirchhoff’s laws, called mesh-current analysis and nodal

analysis (see Chapter 31).
However, for more complicated circuits, a number of circuit theorems
have been developed as alternatives to the use of Kirchhoff’s laws to
solve problems involving both d.c. and a.c. electrical networks. These
include:
(a) the superposition theorem (see Chapter 32)
(b) Thévenin’s theorem (see Chapter 33)
(c) Norton’s theorem (see Chapter 33),
(d) the maximum power transfer theorems (see Chapter 35).

In addition to these theorems, and often used as a preliminary to

using circuit theorems, star-delta (or T  ) and delta-star (or   T)
transformations provide a method for simplifying certain circuits (see
Chapter 34).
In a.c. circuit analysis involving Kirchhoff’s laws or circuit theorems,
the use of complex numbers is essential.
The above laws and theorems apply to linear circuits, i.e., circuits
containing impedances whose values are independent of the direction and
magnitude of the current flowing in them.

30.2 Solution of When Kirchhoff’s laws are applied to electrical circuits, simultaneous
simultaneous equations equations result which require solution. If two loops are involved, two
using determinants simultaneous equations containing two unknowns need to be solved; if
three loops are involved, three simultaneous equations containing three
unknowns need to be solved and so on. The elimination and substitu-
tion methods of solving simultaneous equations may be used to solve
such equations. However a more convenient method is to use
determinants.

Two unknowns
When solving linear simultaneous equations in two unknowns using deter-
minants:
(i) the equations are initially written in the form:

a1 x C b1 y C c1 D 0
a2 x C b2 y C c2 D 0

(ii) the solution is given by:

x y 1
D D
Dx Dy D




b c1


where Dx D

1
b2 c2

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i.e., the determinant of the coefficients left when the x-column is

‘covered up’,




a c1


Dy D

1
a2 c2

i.e., the determinant of the coefficients left when the y-column is
‘covered up’,




a1 b1


and D D


a2 b2

i.e., the determinant of the coefficients left when the constants-
column is ‘covered up’.




a d


A ‘2 ð 2’ determinant

is evaluated as ad  bc
b c

Three unknowns
When solving linear simultaneous equations in three unknowns using
determinants:
(i) the equations are initially written in the form:
a1 x C b1 y C c1 z C d1 D 0
a2 x C b2 y C c2 z C d2 D 0
a3 x C b3 y C c3 z C d3 D 0
(ii) the solution is given by:
x y z 1
D D D
Dx Dy Dz D




b1 c1 d1




where Dx D

b2 c2 d2



b3 c3 d3

i.e., the determinant of the coefficients left when the x-column is
‘covered up’,




a1 c1 d1




Dy D

a2 c2 d2



a3 c3 d3

i.e., the determinant of the coefficients left when the y-column is
‘covered up’,




a1 b1 d1




Dz D

a2 b2 d2



a3 b3 d3

i.e., the determinant of the coefficients left when the z-column is
‘covered up’,

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a1 b1 c1




and D D

a2 b2 c2 f

a 3 by 3 matrix is the value of the

a3 b3 c3

i.e., the determinant of the coefficients left when the constants-

column is ‘covered up’.

To evaluate a 3 × 3 determinant:
(a) The minor of an element o
2 by 2 determinant obtained by covering up the row and column
containing that element.
 
1 2 3
Thus for the matrix  4 5 6  the minor of element 4 is the
7 8 9




2 3

determinant


, i.e., 2 ð 9  3 ð 8 D 18  24 D 6. Simi-
8 9





4 5


larly, the minor of element 3 is

, i.e., 4 ð 8  5 ð 7 D
7 8

32  35 D 3
(b) The sign of the minor depends on its position within the matrix,
 
C  C
the sign pattern being   C  . Thus the signed minor of
C  C




2 3


element 4 in the above matrix is 

D 6 D 6
8 9

The signed-minor of an element is called the cofactor of the element.

4 6


Thus the cofactor of element 2 is 

D 36  42 D 6
7 9

(c) The value of a 3 by 3 determinant is the sum of the products of
the elements and their cofactors of any row or any column of
the corresponding 3 by 3 matrix.




a b c




Thus a 3 by 3 determinant

d e f

is evaluated as

g h j









e f





a


 b
d f
C c
d e
using the top row,
h j

g j

g h









d f





or  b


C e
a c
 h
a c
using the second column.
g j

g j

d f

There are thus six ways of evaluating a 3 by 3 determinant.
Determinants are used to solve simultaneous equations in some of the
following problems and in Chapter 31.

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30.3 Network analysis Kirchhoff’s laws may be applied to both d.c. and a.c. circuits. The laws
using Kirchhoff’s laws are introduced in Chapter 13 for d.c. circuits. To demonstrate the method
of analysis, consider the d.c. network shown in Figure 30.1. If the current
flowing in each branch is required, the following three-step procedure
may be used:

(i) Label branch currents and their directions on the circuit diagram.
The directions chosen are arbitrary but, as a starting-point, a useful
guide is to assume that current flows from the positive terminals
of the voltage sources. This is shown in Figure 30.2 where the
three branch currents are expressed in terms of I1 and I2 only,
since the current through resistance R, by Kirchhoff’s current law,
Figure 30.1 is (I1 C I2 )
(ii) Divide the circuit into loops — two in this ease (see Figure 30.2)
and then apply Kirchhoff’s voltage law to each loop in turn. From
loop ABEF, and moving in a clockwise direction (the choice of
loop direction is arbitrary), E1 D I1 r C I1 C I2 R (note that the
two voltage drops are positive since the loop direction is the same
as the current directions involved in the volt drops). Hence

8 D I1 C 5I1 C I2 
or 6I1 C 5I2 D 8 1
Figure 30.2
From loop BCDE in Figure 30.2, and moving in an anticlockwise
direction, (note that the direction does not have to be the same as
that used for the first loop), E2 D I2 r2 C I1 C I2 R,

i.e., 3 D 2I2 C 5I1 C I2 

or 5I1 C 7I2 D 3 2

(iii) Solve simultaneous equations (1) and (2) for I1 and I2

Multiplying equation (1) by 7 gives: 42I1 C 35I2 D 56 3

Multiplying equation (2) by 5 gives: 25I1 C 35I2 D 15 4
Equation (3)  equation (4) gives: 17I1 D 41

from which, current I1 D 41/17 D 2.412 A D 2.41 A, correct to

two decimal places.
From equation (1): 62.412 C 5I2 D 8, from which,
8  62.412
current I2 D D 1.294 A
5
D −1.29 A, correct to two decimal places.

The minus sign indicates that current I2 flows in the opposite direction
to that shown in Figure 30.2.

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The current flowing through resistance R is

I1 C I2  D 2.412 C 1.294

D 1.118 A D 1.12 A, correct to two decimal places.

[A third loop may be selected in Figure 30.2, (just as a check), moving

clockwise around the outside of the network. Then E1  E2 D I1 r1  I2 r2 ,
i.e. 8  3 D I1  2I2 . Thus 5 D 2.412  21.294 D 5]
An alternative method of solving equations (1) and (2) is shown below
using determinants. Since
6I1 C 5I2  8 D 0 1
5I1 C 7I2  3 D 0 2
I1 I2 1


D




then
5 8


6 8
D
6 5








7 3

5 3

5 7

I1 I2 1
i.e., D D
15 C 56 18 C 40 42  25
I1 I2 1
D D
41 22 17
from which, I1 D 41/17 D 2.41 A and I2 D 22/17 D −1.29 A, as
obtained previously.
The above procedure is shown for a simple d.c. circuit having two
unknown values of current. The procedure however applies equally well
to a.c. networks and/or to circuits where three unknown currents are
involved. This is illustrated in the following problems.

Problem 1. Use Kirchhoff’s laws to find the current flowing in

each branch of the network shown in Figure 30.3.

Figure 30.3
(i) The branch currents and their directions are labelled as shown in
Figure 30.4
(ii) Two loops are chosen. From loop ABEF, and moving clockwise,

25I1 C 20I1 C I2  D 1006 0°

i.e., 45I1 C 20I2 D 100 1

From loop BCDE, and moving anticlockwise,

10I2 C 20I1 C I2  D 506 90°

Figure 30.4
i.e., 20I1 C 30I2 D j50 2
3 ð equation 1 gives: 135I1 C 60I2 D 300 3
2 ð equation 2 gives: 40I1 C 60I2 D j100 4

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Equation (3) — equation 4 gives: 95I1 D 300  j100,

300  j100
from which, current I1 D D 3.329 6 −18.43° A or
95
.3.158 − j 1.052/A

Substituting in equation (1) gives:

453.158  j1.052 C 20I2 D 100, from which,

100  453.158  j1.052

I2 D
20
D .−2.106 Y j 2.367/A or 3.168 6 131.66° A

Thus

I1 C I2 D 3.158  j1.052 C 2.106 C j2.367

D .1.052 Y j 1.315/ A or 1.6846 51.34° A

Problem 2. Determine the current flowing in the 2  resistor of

the circuit shown in Figure 30.5 using Kirchhoff’s laws. Find also
the power dissipated in the 3  resistance.

Figure 30.5
(i) Currents and their directions are assigned as shown in Figure 30.6.

Figure 30.6

(ii) Three loops are chosen since three unknown currents are required.
The choice of loop directions is arbitrary. From loop ABCDE, and
moving anticlockwise,

5I1 C 6I2 C 4I2  I3  D 8

i.e., 5I1 C 10I2  4I3 D 8 1

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From loop EDGF, and moving clockwise,

6I2 C 2I3  1I1  I2  D 0
i.e., I1 C 7I2 C 2I3 D 0 2
From loop DCHG, and moving anticlockwise,
2I3 C 3I1  I2 C I3   4I2  I3  D 0
i.e., 3I1  7I2 C 9I3 D 0 3

(iii) Thus 5I1 C 10I2  4I3  8 D 0

I1 C 7I2 C 2I3 C 0 D 0
3I1  7I2 C 9I3 C 0 D 0
Hence, using determinants,
I1 I2 I3


D

D



10 4 8


5 4 8


5 10 8







7 2 0


1 2 0


1 7 0







7 9 0

3 9 0

3 7 0

1
D




5 10 4



1 7 2





3 7 9

Thus
I I I

1
D
2

3


7 2


1 2
D
1 7


8

8

8

7 9

3 9

3 7

1
D







7 2


1 2

7


5

 10

 4
1
7 9

3 9

3 7

I1 I2 I3
D D
863 C 14 89  6 87  21
1
D
563 C 14  109  6  47  21
I1 I2 I3 1
D D D
616 120 112 591
616
Hence I1 D D 1.042 A,
591
120
I2 D D 0.203 A and
591
112
I3 D D 0.190 A
591
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Thus the current flowing in the 2 Z resistance is 0.190 A in the opposite

direction to that shown in Figure 30.6.

Current in the 3 resistance D I1  I2 C I3

D 1.042  0.203 C 0.190 D 0.649 A.

Hence power dissipated in the 3 Z resistance, I2 3 D 0.6492 3 D

1.26W

Problem 3. For the a.c. network shown in Figure 30.7, determine

the current flowing in each branch using Kirchhoff’s laws.

Figure 30.7

(i) Currents I1 and I2 with their directions are shown in Figure 30.8.
(ii) Two loops are chosen with their directions both clockwise.

From loop ABEF, 5 C j0 D I1 3 C j4 C I1  I2 6 C j8

i.e., 5 D 9 C j12 I1  6 C j8I2 1
From loop BCDE, 2 C j4 D I2 2  j5  I1  I2 6 C j8
Figure 30.8 i.e., 2 C j4 D 6 C j8 I1 C 8 C j3I2 2

(iii) Multiplying equation (1) by 8 C j3 gives:

58 C j3 D 8 C j39 C j12I1  8 C j36 C j8I2 3

Multiplying equation (2) by 6 C j8 gives:

6 C j82 C j4 D 6 C j86 C j8I1 C 6 C j88 C j3I2

4
Adding equations (3) and (4) gives:

58 C j3 C 6 C j82 C j4 D [8 C j39 C j12

 6 C j86 C j8]I1
i.e., 20 C j55 D 64 C j27I1

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20 C j55 58.526 70.02°

from which, I1 D D D 0.8426 47.15° A
64 C j27 69.466 22.87°
D 0.573 C j0.617 A
D .0.57 Y j 0.62/ A, correct to two decimal places.

From equation (1), 5 D 9 C j120.573 C j0.617  6 C j8I2

5 D 2.247 C j12.429  6 C j8I2
2.247 C j12.429  5
from which, I2 D
6 C j8
14.396 120.25°
D
106 53.13°
D 1.4396 67.12° A D 0.559 C j1.326 A
D .0.56 Y j 1.33/A, correct to two decimal places.

The current in the 6 C j8 impedance,

I1  I2 D 0.573 C j0.617  0.559 C j1.326

D .0.014 − j 0.709/A or 0.709 6 −88.87° A

An alternative method of solving equations (1) and (2) is shown below,

using determinants.

9 C j12I1  6 C j8I2  5 D 0 1

6 C j8I1 C 8 C j3I2  2 C j4 D 0 2

I1 I2
Thus


D



9 C j12





6 C j8 5

5


8 C j3 2 C j4

6 C j8 2 C j4

1
D




9 C j12 6 C j8



6 C j8 8 C j3

I1 I2
D
20 C j40 C 40 C j15 30  j60  30 C j40
1
D
36 C j123  28 C j96
I1 I2 1
D D
20 C j55 j100 64 C j27

20 C j55 58.526 70.02°

Hence I1 D D
64 C j27 69.466 22.87°
D 0.8426 47.15° A

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1006 90°
and I2 D D 1.440 6 67.13° A
69.466 22.87°
The current flowing in the 6 C j8  impedance is given by:

I1  I2 D 0.8426 47.15°  1.4406 67.13° A

D .0.013 − j 0.709/ A or 0.709 6 −88.95° A

Problem 4. For the network shown in Figure 30.9, use Kirch-

hoff’s laws to determine the magnitude of the current in the
4 C j3  impedance.

(i) Currents I1 , I2 and I3 with their directions are shown in

Figure 30.10. The current in the 4 C j3  impedance is specified
by one symbol only (i.e., I3 ), which means that the three equations
formed need to be solved for only one unknown current.

Figure 30.9 Figure 30.10

(ii) Three loops are chosen. From loop ABGH, and moving clockwise,

4I1  j5I2 D 10 C 12 1

From loop BCFG, and moving anticlockwise,

 j5I2  8I1  I2  I3  D 15 C 12 2

From loop CDEF, and moving clockwise,

8I1  I2  I3  C 4 C j3I3  D 15 3

Hence

4I1  j5I2 C 0I3  22 D 0

8I1 C 8  j5I2 C 8I3  27 D 0
8I1 C 8I2 C 12 C j3I3  15 D 0

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Solving for I3 using determinants gives:

I3 1


D



4 j5 22


4 j5 0






8 8  j5 27


8 8  j5 8






8 8 15

8 8 12 C j3

I3
Thus







8  j5 27


8 27

8  j5


4

C j5

 22
8
8 15

8 15

8 8

1
D





8  j5



4


8
C j5
8 8

8 12 C j3

8 12 C j3

Hence
I3 1
D from which,
384 C j700 308  j304
384 C j700
I3 D
308  j304
798.416 118.75
D
432.766 44.63°
D 1.856 74.12° A
Hence the magnitude of the current flowing in the .4 Y j 3/Z
impedance is 1.85 A

Further problems on network analysis using Kirchhoff’s laws may be found

in Section 30.4 following, problems 1 to 10.

30.4 Further problems 1 For the network shown in Figure 30.11, determine the current
on Kirchhoff’s laws flowing in each branch.
[50 V source discharges at 2.08 A,
20 V source charges at 0.62 A,
current through 20  resistor is 1.46 A]
2. Determine the value of currents IA , IB and IC for the network shown
in Figure 30.12. [IA D 5.38 A, IB D 4.81 A, IC D 0.58 )1AA](c) 7 A]
3. For the bridge shown in Figure 30.13, determine the current flowing
in (a) the 5  resistance, (b) the 22  resistance, and (c) the 2 
resistance. [(a) 4 A (b
Figure 30.11 4. For the circuit shown in Figure 30.14, determine (a) the current
flowing in the 10 V source, (b) the p.d. across the 6  resistance,
and (c) the active power dissipated in the 4  resistance.
[(a) 1.59 A (b) 3.71 V (c) 3.79 W]

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Figure 30.12 Figure 30.13 Figure 30.14

5. Use Kirchhoff’s laws to determine the current flowing in each branch

of the network shown in Figure 30.15.
[406 90° V source discharges at 4.406 74.48° A
206 0° V source discharges at 2.946 53.13° A
current in 10  resistance is 1.976 107.35° A
(downward)]
Figure 30.15
6. For the network shown in Figure 30.16, use Kirchhoff’s laws to
determine the current flowing in the capacitive branch. [1.58 A]

7. Use Kirchhoff’s laws to determine, for the network shown in

Figure 30.17, the current flowing in (a) the 20  resistance, and
(b) the 4  resistance. Determine also (c) the p.d. across the 8 
resistance, and (d) the active power dissipated in the 10  resistance.
[(a) 0.14 A (b) 10.1 A (c) 2.27 V (d) 1.81 W]

Figure 30.16 Figure 30.17

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Figure 30.18 Figure 30.19

8. Determine the value of currents IA , IB and IC shown in the network

of Figure 30.18, using Kirchhoff’s laws.
[IA D 2.806 59.59° A, IB D 2.716 58.78° A,
IC D 0.0976 97e134°VA]source of the
9. Use Kirchhoff’s laws to determine the currents flowing in (a) the
3  resistance, (b) the 6  resistance and (c) th
network shown in Figure 30.19. Determine also the active power
dissipated in the 5  resistance.
[(a) 0.27 A (b) 0.70 A (c) 0.29 A discharging (d) 1.60 W]
10. Determine the magnitude of the p.d. across the 8 C j6  impe-
Figure 30.20 dance shown in Figure 30.20 by using Kirchhoff’s laws. [11.37 V]

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