Norton's theorem.

Norton's theorem:

This article is about the theorem in electrical circuits. For Norton's theorem for queueing networks, see flow-equivalent server method.

Known in Europe as the Mayer–Norton theorem, Norton's theorem holds, to illustrate in DC circuit theory terms, that (see image):

• Any linear electrical network with voltage and current sources and only resistances can be replaced at terminals A-B by an equivalent current source INO in parallel connection with an equivalent resistance RNO.
• This equivalent current INO is the current obtained at terminals A-B of the network with terminals A-B short circuited.
• This equivalent resistance RNO is the resistance obtained at terminals A-B of the network with all its voltage sources short circuited and all its current sources open circuited.

For AC systems the theorem can be applied to reactive impedances as well as resistances.

The Norton equivalent circuit is used to represent any network of linear sources and impedances at a given frequency.

Norton's theorem and its dual, Thévenin's theorem, are widely used for circuit analysis simplification and to study circuit's initial-condition and steady-state response.

Norton's theorem was independently derived in 1926 by Siemens & Halske researcher Hans Ferdinand Mayer (1895–1980) and Bell Labs engineer Edward Lawry Norton (1898–1983

To find the equivalent,

1. Find the Norton current INo. Calculate the output current, IAB, with a short circuit as the load (meaning 0 resistance between A and B). This is INo.
2. Find the Norton resistance RNo. When there are no dependent sources (all current and voltage sources are independent), there are two methods of determining the Norton impedance RNo.

• Calculate the output voltage, VAB, when in open circuit condition (i.e., no load resistor – meaning infinite load resistance). RNo equals this VAB divided by INo. 

         Or

• Replace independent voltage sources with short circuits and independent current sources with open circuits. The total resistance across the output port is the Norton impedance RNo.

This is equivalent to calculating the Thevenin resistance.

However, when there are dependent sources, the more general method must be used. This method is not shown below in the diagrams.

• Connect a constant current source at the output terminals of the circuit with a value of 1 Ampere and calculate the voltage at its terminals. This voltage divided by the 1 A current is the Norton impedance RNo. This method must be used if the circuit contains dependent sources, but it can be used in all cases even when there are no dependent sources.

Example of a Norton equivalent circuit:

Step 0: The original circuit:

 Step 1: Calculating the equivalent output current:

 Step 2: Calculating the equivalent resistance:

Step 3:Design The equivalent circuit:

In the example, the total current I total is given by:

The current through the load is then, using the current divider rule:

And the equivalent resistance looking back into the circuit is:

So the equivalent circuit is a 3.70 mA current source in parallel with a 2 kΩ resistor.

Conversion to a Thévenin equivalent:

A Norton equivalent circuit is related to the Thévenin equivalent by the following equations: