Electrical network

An electrical circuit is a network consisting of a closed loop, giving a return path for the current.

Such networks are generally nonlinear and require more complex design and analysis tools.

At high enough frequencies, or for long enough circuits (such as power transmission lines), the lumped assumption no longer holds because there is a significant fraction of a wavelength across the component dimensions.

An ideal independent source maintains the same voltage or current regardless of the other elements present in the circuit.

These include: Applying these laws results in a set of simultaneous equations that can be solved either algebraically or numerically.

In more complex cases the circuit may be analyzed with specialized computer programs or estimation techniques such as the piecewise-linear model.

When faced with a new circuit, the software first tries to find a steady state solution, that is, one where all nodes conform to Kirchhoff's current law and the voltages across and through each element of the circuit conform to the voltage/current equations governing that element.

For a small signal analysis, every non-linear element can be linearized around its operation point to obtain the small-signal estimate of the voltages and currents.

Software such as the PLECS interface to Simulink uses piecewise-linear approximation of the equations governing the elements of a circuit.

Every time a diode switches from on to off or vice versa, the configuration of the linear network changes.