BeginnerTopic 27 of 106Electrical Engineering
Mesh-current analysis
Apply KVL around loops to solve for loop currents.
In depth
Assign a circulating current to each independent loop and write KVL around it. Current sources need supermeshes. Efficient for circuits with many series elements. Planar circuits only.
Key points
- Number of meshes = branches-nodes+1
- Impedance matrix
- Use consistent directions
ExampleA two-mesh bridge circuit is solved with two equations.
What is Mesh-current analysis?
Apply KVL around loops to solve for loop currents.
Why is it important to understand mesh-current analysis?
Mesh analysis suits circuits with several voltage sources arranged in loops, and it is used for power and motor circuits.
When should I use mesh instead of node analysis?
Mesh analysis suits circuits with many voltage sources in series. Node analysis suits circuits with many current sources in parallel.
What is a mesh?
A loop that contains no other loop inside it, which is the basic unit for choosing loop currents in a planar circuit.
How is Mesh-current analysis used in practice?
Typical applications include solving the loop currents in a circuit with two batteries, finding the current in a transformer model with coupled loops and analysing a mains circuit with several sources in series.
What should I learn before Mesh-current analysis?
Study "Node-voltage analysis" first (topic 26 of 106 in Electrical Engineering). It covers the groundwork this topic builds on.
What are the key points of Mesh-current analysis?
Number of meshes = branches-nodes+1. Impedance matrix. Use consistent directions.
Can you give an example of Mesh-current analysis?
A two-mesh bridge circuit is solved with two equations.
What comes after Mesh-current analysis?
The next topic is "Superposition theorem", which builds directly on this one.
How difficult is Mesh-current analysis?
It is classed as Beginner in Electrical Engineering (topic 27 of 106). It is an entry-level topic. It relies only on basic school mathematics and the ideas introduced earlier in this discipline.