University of KwaZulu-Natal

Discipline of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering

ONLINE TEST 1: ENEL2EDH2 – ELECTRICAL DESIGN 2 3rd DEC 2020
TIME ALLOWED : 60 MINUTES TOTAL MARKS: 20
You are required to upload your answer in PDF on the Test link on Moodle once you have completed
the test. The link for upload will only be available between 11:00 to 12:15

Question 1 Actuator Design (Section C) [20 Marks]

Consider the DC electromagnetic actuator shown in Fig. 1 which is constructed using Silicon
Steel laminations (see B_H curves on the next page of the test paper). All dimensions shown
are in millimeters. For this actuator 0.5 mm diameter Copper wire is used for the winding, the
bobbin has a thickness of 5 mm, the number of turns is 275 and the current in the coil is 1 A.
At a particular position of the plunger, the length of the air gap is 0.125 mm.

Figure 1
(a) Calculate the reluctance of the entire magnetic circuit when the length if the air gap
is 0.125 mm. Neglect fringing in the air gaps but do not neglect the reluctance of the
steel. Work to an accuracy of less or equal to three percent. (Hint: You may start your
solution by assuming that 43.42% of the input magnetomotive force to the actuator
drops in the top air gap). [7]

(b) Given that when an object is connected to the plunger as shown in Fig. 1, the plunger
moves by a horizontal distance of 0.01 mm and thus increasing the length of the air-
gap to 0.135 mm. Re-calculate the reluctance of the entire magnetic circuit for the
condition when the length of the air gap has been increased to 0.135 mm. Neglect
fringing in the air gaps but do not neglect the reluctance of the steel. Work to an
accuracy of less or equal to three percent. (Hint: You may start your solution by
assuming that 42.18% of the input magnetomotive force to the actuator drops in the
top air gap). [7]

(c) Estimate the force generated by this actuator for the condition when the length of air
gap is 0.125 mm for the input value of mmf calculated in part (a). Hence, determine
the mass of the object in Kg, that the actuator is holding. [g = 9.807 ms-2] [6]

Examiner: Dr. R. Pillay Carpanen

 University of KwaZulu-Natal
Discipline of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering
Ensure that you draw the equivalent circuit and label the critical points with letters
Data: µ 0 = 4π × 10 −7 H m

[End of Test]

Examiner: Dr. R. Pillay Carpanen