Electronic – How to use phasor algebra to solve for capacitive reactance

passive-networksphasor

I have an RLC series circuit.

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Voltage supplied by volatage source as a function of time: \$V(t) = 230 \sin(\omega t+\pi/4)A\$.

Current in circuit as a function of time: \$I(t)=10\sin(\omega t – \pi/6)V\$

The value of the resistance is \$5\Omega\$ and value of inductive reactance is \$8j\Omega\$. I need to find the value of capacitive reactance \$X_{C}\$.

I tried to solve like this (using phasors i.e. polar representation):

$$230/\sqrt{2}e^{j\pi/4} = (5 + 8j + X_{C})(10/\sqrt{2}e^{-j\pi/6})$$
$$\implies 23e^{j(\pi/4+\pi/6)}-5-8j =X_{C}\implies X_{C}=(0.95+14.21j)$$

[Ohm's Law]

However, while writing this, I realized that the left hand side's real part is not equal to the right hand side's real part. When I solve for \$X_{C}\$ I get \$(0.95+14.21j)\Omega\$ which is impossible since \$X_{c}\$ (capacitive) must be imaginary with a phase factor of \$-j\$.

I'm confused about how to use phasor algebra to solve this problem. Any help will be appreciated.

Best Answer

This is how I solved, taking cos as reference to phasor equations: $$V(t) = 230 \sin(\omega t+\pi/4)$$ $$I(t)=10\sin(\omega t - \pi/6)V$$ let \$(\omega t+\pi/4) = \phi\$

we know: $$sin\phi = -cos(\pi/2+\phi)$$ $$\implies V(t) = -230cos(\omega t+3\pi/4)$$ $$ I(t) = -10cos(\omega t+\pi/3)$$ Therefore in phasor form, it V and I can be represented as: $$V = -230 e^{j3\pi/4}$$ $$I = -10e^{j\pi/3}$$ As everything is in phasor form, now we can apply ohm's law directly:

$$230e^{j3\pi/4} = (5 + 8j + X_{C})(10e^{j\pi/3})$$ $$\implies 23 e^{j5\pi/12} = (5 + 8j + X_{C}) $$ $$\implies X_c = 23 cos(5\pi/12) + j 23 sin(5\pi/12) -5 - 8j$$ $$= 5.95 + 22.21 j - 5 -8j$$ $$= 0.95 + 14.21j$$ This will satisfy the given conditions in the question. As we can see the obtained expression for \$X_c\$ has a real part or resistive part and a positive imaginary part or inductive reactance part. Pure capacitance will only have negative imaginary part, i.e, with phasor -90 degrees.