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Session 1547

Showing RLC Circuit Resonance with Electronics Workbench

Chong Chen, Walter W. Buchanan Middle Tennessee State University/Oregon Institute of Technology

Abstract

In circuit analysis courses, RLC circuit resonance is a topic that is difficult to teach without demonstration. The physical demonstration of this topic requires several kinds of circuit components and equipment. Some of these devices may not be available in a typical engineering or engineering technology department laboratory.

This paper presents teaching RLC circuit resonance with Electronics Workbench [1], a popular circuit simulation software package. With Electronics Workbench, RLC circuit resonance can be demonstrated very easily. This software package can save both the cost of the circuit components and the time to build and modify the circuit. Using Electronics Workbench, students can change the circuit parameters to the values they want and find the voltages and currents of the circuit corresponding to these values. Therefore, they may see the conditions of RLC circuit resonance from the circuit simulation for themselves.

Introduction

For circuit analysis courses, RLC circuit resonance is a topic that is not easily accepted by students when they are taught in a classroom. RLC circuit resonance can be shown mathematically. For example, in a series RLC circuit the inductive reactance cancels out the capacitive reactance at resonant frequency. Therefore, the circuit has a minimum impedance and a maximum current at this frequency. However, it is hard to see from the formulas how the reactance and the current respond to the frequency change, when the circuit frequency is approaching the resonant frequency. It is also difficult to introduce the sensitivity of a RLC circuit and the effectiveness of the capacitance or the inductance to resonance or sensitivity.

RLC circuit resonance can be demonstrated in a laboratory. The experimental demonstration can give students a chance to see this electrical phenomena. However, the equipment used in this demonstration is not always available in all college laboratories.

Electronics Workbench, a computer circuit simulation software, has been used in many universities and technical schools. It has been used for beginning electrical engineering technology courses [2] and digital fundamental courses [3]. With Electronics Workbench, the maximum power transfer theorem and RLC circuit resonance can be demonstrated very well. Also, this does not require any laboratory equipment.

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Chen, C., & Buchanan, W. (1997, June), Showing Rlc Circuit Resonance With Electronics Workbench Paper presented at 1997 Annual Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 10.18260/1-2--6781