INDUCTOR,

INDUCTANCE AND
INDUCTIVE REACTANCE
 OBJECTIVES
▪Define inductance
▪Identify different types of inductors
▪Solve for circuit variables in an inductive circuit including but
not limited to equivalent inductance, energy stored, voltage,
current and inductive reactance.

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 INDUCTORS
▪A passive element designed to store energy in its magnetic field.
▪Generally - coil of conducting wire
▪Usually wrapped around a solid core. If no core is used, then
the inductor is said to have an ‘air core’.

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 CURRENT AND VOLTAGE RELATIONSHIPS
▪If current is allowed to pass through an inductor, it is found that
the voltage across the inductor is directly proportional to the
time rate of change of the current.
di
vL = L
dt
where L is the constant of proportionality called inductance of
the inductor.

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 INDUCTOR
Important Properties:
1. An inductor acts like a short to DC
2. The current through an inductor cannot change
instantaneously.

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 INDUCTOR
Important Properties:
3. Like the ideal capacitor, the ideal inductor does
not dissipate energy. The energy stored in it can
be retrieved at a later time.
4. A practical, nonideal inductor has a significant
resistive component

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 SIGN CONVENTION
▪The sign convention used with an inductor is the
same as for a power dissipating device.
▪When current flows into the positive side of the
voltage across the inductor, it is positive and the
inductor is dissipating power.
▪When the inductor releases energy back into the
circuit, the sign of the current will be negative.

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 ENERGY STORAGE
▪The flow of current through an inductor creates a magnetic
field.

▪If the current flowing through the inductor drops, the magnetic
field will also decrease and energy is released through the
generation of a current.

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 ENERGY STORAGE
1 2
𝑊 = 𝐿𝑖
2
where
i = current in amperes
L = inductance in henries
W = energy in joules

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
The current through a 0.1-H inductor is 𝑖 𝑡 = 10𝑡𝑒 −5𝑡 𝐴. Find
the voltage across the inductor and the energy stored in it.
Solution:
𝑑𝑖
𝑉𝐿 = 𝐿 = 0.1 𝐻[10(𝑒 −5𝑡 − 5𝑡𝑒 −5𝑡 )] 𝑉𝐿 = 𝑒 −5𝑡 − 5𝑡𝑒 −5𝑡 𝑉
𝑑𝑡
1 2 1
𝑊= 𝐿𝑖 = 0.1 𝐻 10𝑡𝑒 −5𝑡 2 = 5𝑡 2 𝑒 −10𝑡 𝐽
2 2

Answer:
𝑽𝑳 = 𝒆−𝟓𝒕 − 𝟓𝒕𝒆−𝟓𝒕 𝑽; 𝑾 = 𝟓𝒕𝟐 𝒆−𝟏𝟎𝒕 𝑱
 SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
Under dc conditions, find: (a) i, vC, and iL, (b) the energy
stored in the capacitor and inductor.

Answer:
𝒊 = 𝟐 𝑨; 𝒗𝒄 = 𝟏𝟎 𝑽; 𝒘𝒄 = 𝟓𝟎 𝑱; 𝒘𝑳 = 𝟒 𝑱
 SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
Under dc conditions, find: (a) i, vC, and iL, (b) the energy
stored in the capacitor and inductor.
Solution:
From the previous module, a capacitor is open circuit to DC.
Through this module we’ve learned that inductor acts like a short to DC.
12 𝑉
𝑖 = 𝑖𝐿 = =2𝐴
1Ω+5Ω
The voltage vC is the same as the voltage across the 5-Ω resistor.
 PRACTICE PROBLEM 1
Determine vC, iL, and the energy stored in the capacitor and
inductor in the circuit of figure shown at dc conditions.

Answer:
𝒊𝑳 = 𝟑 𝑨; 𝒗𝒄 = 𝟑 𝑽; 𝒘𝒄 = 𝟗 𝑱; 𝒘𝑳 = 𝟏. 𝟏𝟐𝟓 𝑱
 EQUIVALENT INDUCTANCE IN SERIES CIRCUITS
▪Consider a series connection of N inductors

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 EQUIVALENT INDUCTANCE IN PARALLEL CIRCUITS
▪Consider a parallel connection of N inductors

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 PRACTICE PROBLEM 2
Find the equivalent inductance of the circuit

Answer:
𝑳𝒆𝒒 = 𝟏𝟖 𝑯
 SUMMARY
▪Inductors are energy storage devices.
▪An ideal inductor act like a short circuit at steady state when a
DC voltage or current has been applied.
▪The current through an inductor must be a continuous function;
▪ The equation for equivalent inductance for
inductors in series inductors in parallel
S −1
Leq =  Ls  P
1 
s =1
Leq =  
 p =1 L p 

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 PURELY RESISTIVE AC CIRCUIT
In a purely resistive a.c. circuit, the current IR and applied voltage
VR are in phase.

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 PURELY INDUCTIVE AC CIRCUIT
In a purely inductive a.c. circuit, the current IL lags the applied
voltage VL by 90◦ (i.e. π/2 radians)

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 INDUCTIVE REACTANCE
Opposition to ac current due to the inductance in the circuit.
Unit is ohm, represented by XL.
Formula is given by

𝑋𝐿 = 𝑗2π𝑓𝐿
Where:
XL = inductive reactance, ohms (Ω)
f = frequency, hertz (Hz)
L = inductance, henry (H)
j = imaginary number
EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
 INDUCTIVE REACTANCE
In a circuit containing only inductance, Ohm’s law can be used to
find current and voltage by substituting XL for R.

𝑉𝐿 = 𝐼𝐿 𝑋𝐿
Where:
IL = current through the inductance, A
VL = voltage across the inductance, V
XL = inductive reactance, Ω

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 SAMPLE PROBLEM 3
A resonant tank circuit consists of a 20-mH coil operating at
a frequency of 950 kHz. What is the inductive reactance of
the coil?
Solution:
𝑋𝐿 = 𝑗2𝜋𝑓𝐿 = 𝑗2𝜋 950 𝑘𝐻𝑧 20 𝑚𝐻

𝑋𝐿 = 𝑗119,380.5208 Ω = 119,380.5208∠90 Ω
Answer:
𝑿𝑳 = 𝟏𝟏𝟗, 𝟑𝟖𝟎. 𝟓𝟐𝟎𝟖∠𝟗𝟎 𝛀
 PRACTICE PROBLEM 3
What must be the inductance of a coil be in order to have a
reactance of 942 Ω at a frequency of 60 kHz?

Answer:
𝑳 = 𝟐. 𝟒𝟗𝟖𝟕 𝒎𝑯
 SAMPLE PROBLEM 4
A choke coil of negligible resistance is to limit the current
through it to 50 mA when 25 V is applied across it at 400
kHz. Find its inductance.
Solution:
𝑉𝐿 25 𝑉
𝑉𝐿 = 𝐼𝑋𝐿 = 𝐼(2𝜋𝑓𝐿) 𝐿= =
𝐼(2𝜋𝑓) 50 𝑚𝐴(2𝜋 × 400 𝑘𝐻𝑧)
𝐿 = 0.1989 𝐻

Answer:
𝑳 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟗 𝑯
 PRACTICE PROBLEM 4
The primary coil of a power transformer has an inductance
of 30 mH with negligible resistance. Find its inductive
reactance at a frequency of 60 Hz and the current it will
draw from a 120-V line.

Answer:
𝑳 = 𝟏𝟎. 𝟔𝟏𝟎𝟑 𝑯
 INDUCTOR APPLICATIONS
Inductor Applications

• Noise Suppression
Inductors in conjunction with capacitors and other components form tuned circuits
which can emphasize or filter out specific signal frequencies. Applications range from
the use of large inductors in power supplies, which in conjunction with filter capacitors
remove residual hums known as the mains hum or other fluctuations from the direct
current output

• Transformer
Two (or more) inductors that have coupled magnetic flux form a transformer, which is a
fundamental component of every electric utility power grid.

• Tuned Circuits
Inductors are used in conjunction with capacitors to provide frequency
selection in communication system

• Reactor
Inductors are also employed in electrical transmission systems, where
they are used to depress voltages from lightning strikes and to limit
switching currents and fault current. In this field, they are more
commonly referred to as reactors

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING