Introduction to Magnetic Circuits

Introduction to Magnetic Circuits

 Magnetic field, H, produced by current carrying conductor

 Ampere’s Law dl
H i3
i1
 Hd  i
i2
closed path
 Production of Magnetic Field
• Magnetic field intensity H (A/m) is governed by Ampere’s Law ‫𝐻 ׯ‬. 𝑑𝑙 = 𝐼𝑛𝑒𝑡

Ampere’s law applied over the mean length 𝑙𝑐

𝐻𝑙𝑐 = Ni 𝑜𝑟 𝐻 = 𝑁𝑖ൗ𝑙
𝑐
 Production of Magnetic Field
Magnetic Flux density accounts for medium property (The strength
of the magnetic field flux produced in the core also depends on the
material of the core) 𝐵 = 𝜇𝐻 = 𝜇0 𝜇𝑟 𝐻

𝜇 is magnetic permeability of medium

𝜇0 is permeability of the free space = 4𝜋 × 10−7
𝜇𝑟 is the relative permeability of the material

𝜇𝑁𝑖
𝐵 = 𝜇𝐻 =
𝑙𝑐

Air
Iron
 Non-linearity of the magnetic circuit
B vs H relationship is frequently expressed by a non-linear curve called B-H curve
Production of Magnetic Field

𝜑 = න 𝐵. 𝑑𝐴

𝜇𝑁𝑖𝐴
𝜑 = 𝐵𝐴 =
𝑙𝑐
Analogy between magnetic and electric circuits
 Analogy between magnetic and
electric circuits

𝜇𝑁𝑖𝐴 𝑁𝑖
In magnetic circuit 𝜑 = =
𝑙𝑐 ℜ
𝑉 𝑙𝑐
In electric circuit 𝐼 = (ℜ = )
𝑅
𝜇𝐴
 Magnetic circuit

𝑁𝑖 = 𝜑ℜ
Magnetic circuit
 Fringing Effect

If there are airgaps in the flux path in a core, the effective cross-sectional area of the air-gap will be larger
than the cross-sectional area of the iron core.
 Magnetic Circuit With Air Gap

Problem:
Consider the magnetic core with an air gap as shown in figure. The core material
has a relative permeability of 6000 and a rectangular cross section 2cm by 3cm.
The coil has 500 turns. Determine the current required to establish a flux density
of 𝑩𝒈𝒂𝒑 = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟓𝑻 in the air gap.
Solution
As shown in figure (b), this magnetic circuit is analogous to an
electrical circuit with one voltage source and two resistances in
series.
First, we compute the reluctance of the core. The centerline of the
flux path is a square 6cm by 6cm. Thus, the mean length of the iron
core is
𝐼𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 = 4 ∗ 6 − 0.5 = 23.5𝑐𝑚
Cross sectional area of the core is
𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 = 2𝑐𝑚 ∗ 3𝑐𝑚 = 6 ∗ 10−4 𝑚2
The permeability of the core is
𝜇𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 = 𝜇𝑟 𝜇0 = 6000 ∗ 4𝜋 ∗ 10−7 = 7.54 ∗ 10−3
Finally, the reluctance of the core is
𝑙𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 23.5∗10−2
𝑅𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 = = =5.195 ∗
𝜇𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 7.540∗10−3 ∗6∗10−4
104 𝐴. 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑠/𝑊𝑏
Second, we compute the reluctance of the air gap. The flux lines
tend to bow out in the air gap as shown in figure (a). This is called
fringing.

Thus, the effective area of air gap is larger than that of the iron
core. We take this in account by adding the length of the gap to
each of the dimensions of the air-gap cross section.

Thus, the effective air gap is

𝐴𝑔𝑎𝑝 = 2𝑐𝑚 + 0.5𝑐𝑚 ∗ 3𝑐𝑚 + 0.5𝑐𝑚 = 8.75 ∗ 10−4 𝑚2

The permeability of air is approximately the same as that of free

space:
𝜇𝑔𝑎𝑝 ≅ 𝜇𝑜 = 4𝜋 ∗ 10−7
Thus, the reluctance of the gap is
𝑙𝑔𝑎𝑝 0.5∗10−2
𝑅𝑔𝑎𝑝 = = =4.547 ∗ 106 𝐴.turns/Wb
𝜇𝑔𝑎𝑝 𝐴𝑔𝑎𝑝 4𝜋∗10−7 ∗8.75∗10−4

The total reluctance is the sum of the reluctance of the core

and that of the gap:
𝑅 = 𝑅𝑔𝑎𝑝 + 𝑅𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 = 4.547 ∗ 106 + 5.195 ∗ 104 = 4.60 ∗ 106

Even though the gap is much shorter than the iron core, the reluctance of the gap is higher than that of the core
because of the much higher permeability of the iron. Most of the magnetomotive force is dropped across the air
gap.( This is analogous to the fact that the largest fraction of the applied voltage is dropped across the largest
resistance in a series electrical circuit.)

Now, flux can be computed as

∅ = 𝐵𝑔𝑎𝑝 𝐴𝑔𝑎𝑝 = 0.25 ∗ 8.75 ∗ 10−4 = 2.188 ∗ 10−4 𝑊𝑏
The flux in the core is the same as that in the gap.
However, the flux density is higher in the core, because
the area is smaller.

The magnetomotive force is given by

𝐹 = ∅𝑅 = 4.6 ∗ 106 ∗ 2.188 ∗ 10−4 = 1006 𝐴. 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑠

We know, 𝐹 = 𝑁𝑖
Solving for the current and substituting values, we get
𝐹 1006
𝑖= = =2.012A
𝑁 500