EE 201

Title: ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS I

Credits: 4

Catalog Description: Circuit elements and Kirchhoffs laws. Analysis of resistive circuits. Network theorems. Analysis of first and second order circuits. Operational Amplifiers. Sinusoidal steady-state analysis. Measurement and error analysis. Laboratory work

Coordinator: Yorgo Istefanopulos, Professor of Electrical Engineering

Goals: The course is designed to familiarize students with the techniques for analyzing and designing electrical circuits.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Use mathematical models for circuit elements.
2. Analyze resistive circuits using Ohm’s Law and Kirchoff’s Laws
3. Use systematic analysis methods: Node voltage method; mesh current method.
4. Employ circuit theorems – Thevenin and Norton Theorems; Source transformation; superposition - to facilitate the circuit analysis.
5. Analyze OPAMP circuits and design practical OPAMP circuits.
6. Obtain the solution of the system with energy storage elements and to design circuits with given specifications.
7. Analyze circuits in sinusoidal steady-state in the frequency domain and design circuits and filters using phasors and complex impedances. Perform AC steady-state power calculations and design compensators to improve power factor.

Textbook: R.C. Dorf and J.A. Svoboda, Introduction to Electric Circuits, 5th ed., John Wiley and Sons.

Prerequisites by Topic:

1. Differential and Integral Calculus
2. Introductory physics background for the concepts of electrical charge, current and potential as well as energy and power.

Topics:

1. Circuit variables and elements, dependent and independent sources ( 2 class hours )
2. Kirchhoffs laws, voltage and current division ( 4 class hours )
3. Techniques of circuit analysis: ( 8 class hours )

1. The node-voltage method
2. The mesh-current method
3. Source transformation
4. Thevenin´s and Norton´s theorems, maximum power transfer

4. Operational amplifiers ( 2 class hours )
5. Energy storage elements: Input-output characteristics of inductors and capacitors. ( 2 -class hours )
6. Natural and forced response of first order circuits ( 2 class hours )
7. Natural and forced response of RLC circuits. ( 4 class hours )
8. Sinusoidal steady-state analysis. ( 4 class hours )

1. Phasor approach
2. Reactance and impedance
3. Circuit theorems in phasor form

9. AC power analysis: instantaneous and average power, power factor ( 4 class hours )
10. Three-phase circuits ( 4 class hours )

Course Structure: The class meets for two lectures a week, each consisting of two 50-minute sessions and a Problem session of 50-minute duration. 6-7 sets of homework problems are assigned per semester. Homework is not collected but similar problems are asked in announced quizzes.  There are two in-class mid-term exams and a final exam.

Computer Resources: Students were encouraged to learn MATLAB 

Grading:

1. Homework and quizzes (15%)
2. Midterm 1 (25%)
3. Midterm 2 (25%)
4. Final exam (35%)

Outcome Coverage:

• Apply math, science and engineering knowledge.  The course deals first with resistive circuits which can be solved by linear algebra methods and secondly with circuits containing energy sources which can be solved using methods of differential equations. The solutions of differential equations are obtained by finding the homogenous solution and the particular solution separately and finally applying initial conditions to the total solution. Complex calculus is used for the sinusoidal steady-state analysis.

• Design a system, component or process to meet desired needs. Emphasis is placed on design issues for the realization of circuits meeting given performance specification. In particular OPAMP circuit design and compensator design for power factor correction was covered.

• Identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems. These topics are extensively covered through the truly rich problems listed at the end of each chapter of the text used in the course.

• Communicate effectively. Students are taught to use the correct terminology to formulate, analyze and communicate an engineering problem related with circuit analysis.

• Recognize the need for, and have the ability to engage in life-long learning. This basic course will provide ability for life-long training and education. In the field of signal and circuit analysis as well as circuit design, the need for such life-long and continuous search of the related literature was clearly and openly communicated to the students.

• Use of modern engineering tools. The analysis and design of tools taught in this course can be readily used by the students in their engineering practice.

Prepared by: Yorgo Istefanopulos

Last revised: May 5, 2003