The various components of the electric scheme
Introduction
An electric scheme is a graphic representation of an electric circuit.
The various components of the electric scheme are:
- the components
- the wires or connections
- the junctions or the connecting points
the electric potentials (or equipotentials)
Components
The components are chosen in a library of components.
From a graphic viewpoint, they are represented by the following symbols:
Voltage/current sources | Current
source |
Voltage
source |
||||
Components of field-circuit coupling | Coil
conductor |
Solid
conductor |
Solid
conductor N pins |
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R, L, C components | Resistor |
Inductor |
Capacitor |
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Switch and Diode | Switch |
Diode |
||||
Rotating machine components | Brush-segment |
Squirrel
cage |
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Masse | ![]() |
Connection
A connection is the representation of an electric wire.
From a graphic viewpoint, a connection is a sequence of segments and of changes of direction, between a starting point and an arrival point.
The authorized starting points and the arrival points are:
- the terminals of the component
- the extremities of the connection
- the angle of a change of direction of the connection
- the connecting points
Connecting point
A connecting point is an intersection between wires with electric contact.
From a graphic viewpoint, a connecting point is represented by a point in bold.
Electric potential
From a graphic viewpoint, an electric potential regroups the elements with the same potential (assembly of connections and of connecting points).
This is not about defining the quantity called electric potential.
Example: electric scheme on sheet
Let us take the example of a simple electric circuit.
The circuit components are represented on the electric scheme on the drawing sheet (figures below).
Example: representation of the tree of components
We are interested in the previous circuit example.
The circuit components are listed in the display zone corresponding to the components tree (figure below).
![](Images/LesDifferentsElementsDuSchemaElectrique_10.jpg)
The components tree comprises:
- the list of components
- a coil conductor B1
- a resistor R1
- a solid conductor M1
- a voltage source V1
- the list of potentials
- 3 equipotential entities, numbered as P1, P2, P3
- the Z1 ground point