COROLLARY THEOREMS - ELECTRONINC DESIGN NOTES: Inductors, Transformers

ELECTRONIC DESIGN NOTES #5

Inductors, Transformers

Back to main Design page:

In this page are presented inductors and transformers together because they are closely related. The structure employed for this task is: 1. Electromagnetic Field 2. Electromagnetic Induction 3. Equivalent series and parallel inductors 4. Current growth/decay in inductive circuits 5. Transformers 6. Power Factor in AC circuits NOTE The basic notions highlighted in this page are related to electronic design topics presented in the first part Hardware Design of Learn Hardware Firmware and Software Design. ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD In addition to creating an Electrostatic Field, electric current flowing through conductors creates an Electromagnetic Field, perfectly similar to the (mechanical) magnetic one, plus few electrical characteristics. Specific to both the magnetic and electromagnetic fields is, the magnetic flux lines are distinct (discrete) and they go out from the conventional North Pole, then they enter the conventional South Pole. In one particular point, we can measure the number of magnetic field lines () per unit area (A), and that results in Magnetic Field Density (also known as the Electromagnetic Induction): Magnetic Field Density: B [tesla] = [weber] / A [m2]

1 T = 1 Wb/m2 = 104 G [gauss--this is an older notation] Each conductor develops an electromagnetic field when current passes through it. However, in order to amplify the electromagnetic field we need to coil our conductor few times: the result is a solenoid, having a number of turns (N), a length (L) and a coil area (A). Note that inside our solenoid (the core) there is air, but we could easily introduce various metallic alloys instead. Now, different core materials have the quality of increasing or decreasing magnetic field density, based on their characteristic Magnetic Permeability (): Magnetic Permeability in vacuum ( and also in air, because it is almost the same) is:

http://www.corollarytheorems.com/Design/inductor.htm (1 of 7) [08/03/2008 8:32:39 AM]

COROLLARY THEOREMS - ELECTRONINC DESIGN NOTES: Inductors, Transformers

o = 4*PI*10-7 [Wb/A*m] or o = 4*PI*10-7 [T*m/A] Few formulas are of particular interest, therefore they are listed in the following table: ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD FORMULAS Formulas Explanations Induction around a single straight conductor (wire) B = electromagnetic induction [T] o = magnetic permeability in air l = the current through conductor in [A] r = distance of the reference point to the center of the conductor in [m] Induction inside a single loop The sense of the B vector may be found using the right-hand rule r is radius of the loop in [m] in this case Induction inside multiple (N) loops Induction at the center of a long solenoid L = the length of the solenoid Induction in metallic core is magnetic susceptibility Magnetic Flux Density in metallic cores Bo = magnetic flux density in air Bm = magnetic flux density in metal Magnetic Field Intensity H is in [A*turns/m] Permeability of the magnetic material o = magnetic permeability in vacuum/air = magnetic susceptibility in metal F = electromagnetic force in [N] I = current [A] L = length of conductor [m] B = magnetic induction [Tesla] Electromagnetic force between two parallel conductors A. if currents flow in opposite directions in the two conductors: F is repulsion B. if currents have same direction: F is attraction I1 is current in conductor 1 [A] I2 is current in conductor 2 [A] L = common length of the 2 conductors [m] d = distance between the 2 conductors [m]

B = o*I / 2*PI*r

B = o*I / 2*r

B = o*N*I / 2*r B = o*N*I / L Bm = *N*I / L B [Tesla] = [Wb] / A [m2] B = B o + Bm B = (o*N*I / L) + (*N*I / L) B=*H B = (o + ) * (N*I / L) H = N*I / L = o + =B/H B=F/I*L F [N] = I*L*B

F [N] = *I1*I2*L / 2*PI*d

http://www.corollarytheorems.com/Design/inductor.htm (2 of 7) [08/03/2008 8:32:39 AM]

COROLLARY THEOREMS - ELECTRONINC DESIGN NOTES: Inductors, Transformers

ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION Suppose we have a coil and it is wired in series with a amp-meter. That is all: there is no power source and nothing else. Next, we bring a magnet close to our coil, and we start moving it in and out the coil: we will immediately notice on our amp-meter that current is flowing in one sense or the other in our basic, rudimentary circuit! The voltage that appears inside the coil when it is subjected to crossing (moving) magnetic field lines is named Electromotive Force (Uemf), and it is produced by (Electro) Magnetic Induction. Faraday's Law of Induction The electromotive force induced in a conductor is equal to the rate of change of the magnetic flux through that conductor. Electromotive Force: Uemf = d/dt d/dt = magnetic flux lines variation in time For a closed loop circuit having only wires (a closed coil, or a ring) the above equation may be also written as: Electromotive Force for one coil: Uemf = -B * L * v B = Magnetic Flux Density L = length of the conductor v = perpendicular velocity across magnetic lines. If v is not perpendicular, and it comes at an (x) angle to perpendicular then: Electromotive Force for one coil: Uemf = -B*L*v*sin x If we have a coil with N turns, then the relation becomes: Electromotive Force for multiple turns: Uemf = -B * N * L * v Now, we have used a permanent magnet to induce power in our (one turn) coil, but we get exactly the same effect if we use another coil, generating an alternative electromagnetic field. Suppose we have two separate circuits: the first one is described above: it is just a ring or one-turn closed coil; the second one is a coil powered by alternative current. The new Induced Electromotive Force is named Mutual Inductance in this case, and it is calculated with: Electromotive Force for Mutual Inductance: Uemf = -M * (di/dt) M is Mutual Inductance, and it is a constant specific to the system of coils used. It is the only unknown in the above relation; we calculate it with: Mutual Inductance: M = -Uemf / (di/dt) M is expressed in [H] Henry; Uemf is [V]; di/dt is [A/s]. The tricky part is, if we have only the second coil (described above in the second case) it is capable to self-induce Uemf! In this case Self-Induction is: Self Induction: L = -Uemf / (di/dt) L is expressed in [H] Henry; Uemf is [V]; di/dt is [A/s]. The above relation defines the Inductance (L) of a coil as being an AC circuit element due to the current derivate related to time. Practically, in continuous DC both the capacitor and the inductor do exactly nothing. Sorry, I need to clarify this: in continuous DC a capacitor creates an electrostatic field
http://www.corollarytheorems.com/Design/inductor.htm (3 of 7) [08/03/2008 8:32:39 AM]

(with = B * A)

COROLLARY THEOREMS - ELECTRONINC DESIGN NOTES: Inductors, Transformers

and an inductor creates an electromagnetic field, but they do not interfere with the DC circuit. However, when the DC current varies, or if we bring close another moving magnetic or electrostatic field, our DC circuit becomes an active/transitive AC one. NOTE Please discover the Impedance and Inductive Reactance formulas in previous Design Notes. EQUIVALENT SERIES AND PARALLEL INDUCTORS The equivalent of series inductors is calculated with: LT = Li The equivalent of parallel inductors is calculated with: 1/LT = 1/Li Calculation examples for three inductors:

Fig 1: The equivalent inductance of 3 series inductors LT = L 1 + L 2 + L 3 LT = 2mH +3mH + 4mH = 9mH

Fig 2: The equivalent inductance of 3 inductors in parallel 1/LT = 1/L1 +1/L2 + 1/L3 LT = L1*L2*L3 / (L2*L3 + L1*L3 +L1*L2) LT = 24 / (12 + 8 + 6) = 24 / 26 = 0.923mH

CURRENT GROWTH/DECAY IN INDUCTIVE CIRCUITS A inductor in series with a resistor forms a timing circuit, just as the capacitor does. Time constant T: T [s] = L [H] / R []

In order to reach 100% current, it takes 5 time constants (L/R) calculated with the above formula. The decay curve behaves perfectly similar to the growth one, having only an inverse second derivate (the curve holds water). Fig 3: Rising current curve

http://www.corollarytheorems.com/Design/inductor.htm (4 of 7) [08/03/2008 8:32:39 AM]

COROLLARY THEOREMS - ELECTRONINC DESIGN NOTES: Inductors, Transformers

TRANSFORMERS The beauty with AC is, we can easily step up or down the voltage, and in order to do that we use transformers. A transformer is an electric device having two coils placed on a closed loop metallic core. Suppose we have a transformer with a primary coil having Np number of turns, and a secondary coil with Ns number of turns. Our transformer uses Up as primary voltage and it outputs Us in the secondary coil. We work with the following set of equation: Transformer's Formulas: Us / Up = Ns / Np which is exactly the same as: Us * Np = Up * Ns In the same time we have: Us / Up = Ip / Is which is, again, exactly the same as: Us * Is = Up * Ip Now, because Up = -Np * d/dt and Us = -Ns * d/dt With the above set of formulas we can calculate the dimensions of the metallic core. This should be all you need to work successfully with transformers. However, the manufacturers of metallic cores have Data Sheets specific to their products, and you do need to consult them.

http://www.corollarytheorems.com/Design/inductor.htm (5 of 7) [08/03/2008 8:32:39 AM]

COROLLARY THEOREMS - ELECTRONINC DESIGN NOTES: Inductors, Transformers

Power in AC circuits is: P = I2 * Z which may be: Apparent Power: PA [VA] = [PR2 + (PXL - PXC)2] True Power: PR [W] = PA * cos(x) Reactive Power: PX [VAR] = PA * sin(x) = PXL - PXC PA is Apparent Power in [V*A] and you can see in Fig 4 where it comes from; it is the red vector PR is True Power in [W] and it is given by the pure resistance in AC circuits PXC is Reactive Capacitive Power in [V*Ar], and it is lagging PR by (-PI/2) PXL is Reactive Inductive Power in [V*Ar]; it is ahead of PR by (+PI/2) PX is the difference PXL-PXC. It is mandatory that Reactive Inductive Power is greater than Reactive Capacitive Power, due to the issues I presented in Design Notes 2 cos(x) is Power Factor (Pf) VAR is read as "Volt Ampere Reactive" and it is used to mark Inductive and Capacitive reactive currents (only the current is considered as being reactive) Power factor: Pf = cos(x) = PR/ PA = True Power / Apparent Power NOTE Because they are opposed by PI (180 degrees), Inductive and Capacitive reactances compensate each other. However, it is better to have slightly inductive AC circuits rather than capacitive ones, because capacitive reactance is very dangerous. Of course too much inductive reactance is not good, therefore we employ capacitors to control it.

http://www.corollarytheorems.com/Design/inductor.htm (6 of 7) [08/03/2008 8:32:39 AM]

COROLLARY THEOREMS - ELECTRONINC DESIGN NOTES: Inductors, Transformers

LINKS

LEARN HARDWARE FIRMWARE AND SOFTWARE DESIGN and design your own commercial product!
Read the Table of Contents Read the Description of LHFSD

MOST VISITED PAGES AT COROLLARY THEOREMS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

LOGICALLY STRUCTURED ENGLISH GRAMMAR - if you think you know English grammar, think again LEARN HARDWARE FIRMWARE AND SOFTWARE DESIGN - and develop your own commercial product the easy way! AMAZING ARTICLES - "Reality is never what it appears to be" NEWS - "Global Picture" in news presented by Corollary Theorems GRAMMAR FAQ - we answer your English grammar questions here

Back to main Design page

Send your comments regarding this page using Page last updated on: January 30, 2008 Corollary Theorems Ltd. All rights reserved.

support@corollarytheorems.com

Page valid according to W3C

http://www.corollarytheorems.com/Design/inductor.htm (7 of 7) [08/03/2008 8:32:39 AM]