How do you calculate the Norton current?
1 Answer
To calculate the Norton current in a linear electrical network, you need to follow these steps:
Identify the load resistor: Determine the value of the load resistor (R_L) for the circuit for which you want to find the Norton current.
Disconnect the load resistor: Temporarily remove the load resistor from the circuit.
Find the Norton resistance (R_N): Find the equivalent resistance looking into the circuit from the load resistor's terminals with all independent sources (voltage or current sources) replaced by their internal resistances. This equivalent resistance is the Norton resistance (R_N).
Find the short-circuit current (I_N): Connect a short circuit across the load resistor's terminals. Measure or calculate the current flowing through the short circuit. This current is the Norton current (I_N).
Once you have the Norton resistance (R_N) and the Norton current (I_N), you can represent the Norton equivalent circuit, which consists of a current source with magnitude I_N in parallel with a resistor of value R_N.
Mathematically, the Norton current (I_N) is given by:
I_N = V_OC / R_N
where:
V_OC is the open-circuit voltage across the load resistor's terminals when the load resistor is removed.
Please note that finding the Norton current is useful when you want to simplify a linear circuit and model it as a current source with a resistor in parallel. The Norton equivalent is particularly useful when analyzing complex networks or when you want to find the current flowing into a load resistor without dealing with the original circuit's internal complexities.
Identify the load resistor: Determine the value of the load resistor (R_L) for the circuit for which you want to find the Norton current.
Disconnect the load resistor: Temporarily remove the load resistor from the circuit.
Find the Norton resistance (R_N): Find the equivalent resistance looking into the circuit from the load resistor's terminals with all independent sources (voltage or current sources) replaced by their internal resistances. This equivalent resistance is the Norton resistance (R_N).
Find the short-circuit current (I_N): Connect a short circuit across the load resistor's terminals. Measure or calculate the current flowing through the short circuit. This current is the Norton current (I_N).
Once you have the Norton resistance (R_N) and the Norton current (I_N), you can represent the Norton equivalent circuit, which consists of a current source with magnitude I_N in parallel with a resistor of value R_N.
Mathematically, the Norton current (I_N) is given by:
I_N = V_OC / R_N
where:
V_OC is the open-circuit voltage across the load resistor's terminals when the load resistor is removed.
Please note that finding the Norton current is useful when you want to simplify a linear circuit and model it as a current source with a resistor in parallel. The Norton equivalent is particularly useful when analyzing complex networks or when you want to find the current flowing into a load resistor without dealing with the original circuit's internal complexities.