3

Electrodynamical
equations and
their solution

In Chapter 2, we dealt with mutually coupled stationary coils (Section 2.7). This
was followed by a review of the performance characteristics of a.c. and d.c.
generators and motors.
The present chapter deals with some basic principles of electrodynamics. 1
The fundamental equation is once again the Faraday-Lenz law. For stationary
coils, e = - dt/J /dt or, e = - N 2 &Pdi/dt since the inductance N 2 f!J does not
change (saturation is neglected). If the coils are in motion, this relation is no
longer true and we have to write
d(Li)
e= --~
dt
di dL
= -L--i-
dt dt

=
di aL dx
-L--i-- (3.1)
dt ax dt
if L changes with x.

3.1 A SPRING AND PLUNGER SYSTEM

Let us consider the case of a plunger moving inside a coil. As the plunger moves
in, the inductance of the coil increases with the increase of permeance of the
magnetic path. Although this problem has been analysed in detail in Section 3.6,
a qualitative analysis is presented in this section.

D. P. S. Gupta et al., Electrical Machine Dynamics

© D. P. Sen Gupta and J. W. Lynn 1980
62 ELECTRICAL MACHINE DYNAMICS

As the switch is closed, applying to the coil a voltage V, we have

d
V = Ri + dt (L i)

di oL dx
= Ri+L-+i- · - (3.2)
dt ox dt
The power input to the coil is

di oL dx
Vi = Ri 2 + i L- + i 2 - -
dt ox dt
d oLdx
= Ri 2 +-(l.Li 2 )+l.i 2 - - (3.3)
dt 2 2 OX dt
The term Ri 2 is the power loss due to the resistance of the coil and djdt (! Li 2 )
represents the rate of change of the stored magnetic energy (i.e. reactive power).
The term !i 2 (oLjox)dxjdt obviously represents the power necessary to
accelerate the plunger and overcome the tension of the spring. This term
represents the mechanical power. Since it has electrical origin it may be called
electromechanical power. We now have

pe
= (1. . oL
21
2
ox
) (dx)
dt (3.4)

Therefore electromechanical force fe = !i2 0 L (3.5)

OX
Obviously this force changes as i and oL fox change. If m is the mass of the
plunger its equation of motion is

(3.6)

or
d2 x 1 . 2 aL
m dtz +Kx-21 ox= 0 (3.7)

This is the electrodynamic equation of the plunger, where K is the stiffness of the
spring.
Equations (3.2) and (3.7) taken together give the complete electrodynamic
equations of the system. We shall discuss fuller implications of these in a later
section. However, it is worthwhile at this stage to examine equation (3.5) a little
more closely.
Since equation (3.5) involves the square of the current, this implies that
irrespective of the direction of the currents through the coil the force on the
plunger acts only in one direction. Reversing the polarity of the d.c. source, or
replacing it by an a.c. source will not alter the direction of force.