Solve problems in electromagnetic devices and related circuits

UEEEL0021 Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuits

Learning Outcomes
Topic 3 - Magnetic circuits encompassing:
▪ Magnetic characteristic curve for various materials and identify the various regions.
▪ Identify the various conditions of a magnetic material from its Hysteresis loop.
▪ Magnetic flux (definition, unit and symbol).
▪ Reluctance as the opposition to the establishment of magnetic flux.
▪ Permeability (definition, symbol and unit).
▪ Difference for magnetic and non-magnetic materials in regards to reluctance and
permeability.
▪ Calculation of m.m.f., flux or reluctance given any two values.
▪ Flux density (definition, symbol, unit and calculation).
▪ Magnetising force (definition, symbol, unit and calculation).
▪ Common magnetic circuit types.
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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuits

Electrical Circuit
● Within an electrical circuit, Voltage is
electrical pressure.
● Voltage causes current to flow providing
there is a path
● Resistance opposes current flow

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuits

Magnetic Circuit
The path magnetic flux takes
In a magnetic circuit, we have
similar relationships:
● Voltage is a similar effect to
Magnetomotive force
● Current is a similar effect to
Magnetic Flux
● Resistance is a similar effect to
Reluctance

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuits

Magnetic Flux
Is the total number of lines of magnetic force produced by
a magnet.
It is measured in webers (abbreviated to Wb), where one
weber equals 100 million (108) lines of force is known by
the symbol Φ (phi).

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuits

Flux Density

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuits

Flux Density

ɸ Where:
𝛽= • B = flux density in teslas (or webers/m2)
𝐴 • Φ = flux in webers
• A = area in square metres (m2).

Remember if the area is in mm², you need convert

it back into m²!

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 The ability of a material to conduct and concentrate magnetic Flux
Topic 3 - Magnetic circuits
• A material with a high permeability is a better conductor of magnetic flux
•
free space.
Permeability
Permeability of a material is judged against a known standard which is

• Symbol μ
• μ= μr μo
• μ = actual permeability
• μr = relative permeability
• μo = permeability of free space = or

• Unit = Henry/ meter (H/m)

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuits

Permeability of Air ()
• Also known as a vacuum
• The ratio of flux density () to the magnetising force (H)
gives us the value of the permeability of air (free space)
• Unit of measurement is Henry/meter (H/m)
• Is a constant regardless of magnetising force - or
• Symbol is μo

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuits

Relative Permeability
• A coil with an iron core will have a higher flux density
than a coil with an air core.
• The ration of these two values of flux gives relative
permeability (μr)
• The symbol is μr
• Can be found by the following formula

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuits

Absolute Permeability
• Found by multiplying the relative permeability by the permeability of air
• The symbol is µ
• Found by formula μ= μr μo
• Measure unit is the Henry/Meter (H/m)
Absolute permeability can be calculated;

μ = absolute permeability
ß= Flux Density in Teslas
H = Magnetising Force

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuits

Permeability Example
What is the absolute permeability of an iron core if its relative
permeability is 5000 at a certain flux density
In the example, permeability is 5000 times greater than air
This means that the flux density is 5000 times greater than air for
the same amount of magnetising force (H)

𝜇=𝜇 𝑟 𝜇 𝑜

−6
𝜇=5000 𝑥 (1. 26 𝑥 10 )
𝜇=6 .3 𝑚 𝐻 /𝑚
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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuits

Permeability Example
Calculate the magnetising force (H) and the flux density ()
in the core of the electromagnet illustrated below.

Values
µ=0.0011H/m
N=100 Turns
I=1.6A
l=40cm
H=?
ß=?

Magnetising Force Flux Density

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuits

Reluctance
● Some materials are more easily
magnetised
● The magnetic path has resistance to
magnetic flux
● The term reluctance is used to
describe magnetic 'resistance'
● Symbol is
● Measurement is Ampere-turn per
Webber
Weber (At/Wb)

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 Permeability Example
Here is one way to solve this question: Values
µ=1.1mH/m
N=100 Turns
1) If and then I=1.6A
l=400mm
H=?
ß=?
2) Transpose ,

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Reluctance

● Formula to find reluctance

Rm = Reluctance (At/Wb)
Fm = Magnetomotive Force (At)
Φ = Magnetic Flux (Wb)

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Reluctance

● The reluctance of a magnetic

circuit depends on 3 things;
1. Length - The longer the circuit
the higher the reluctance
2. Cross sectional Area - The
smaller the CSA, the higher the
reluctance
3. Permeability - The lower the
permeability, the higher the
reluctance

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Reluctance

● The reluctance of a magnetic circuit can be found with the following formula;

= Reluctance (A/t)
= Length (m)
= Permeability of air
= Relative Permeability
A = Cross Sectional Area ()

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Reluctance

Iron Armature Air Gap Spring No Air Gap

Contacts Closed
Open Contacts

Iron Core

Relay Coil

Coil energised, Armature Open Coil Energised, Armature Closed

High Reluctance Low Reluctance

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Magnetisation Curves

● Materials respond on different ways to

a magnetic field
● We are interested in how ferromagnetic
materials behave when part of a
magnetic circuit
● Current increasing in a coil causes the
following to also occur
1. Magnetomotive force increases
2. Magnetising force (H) in the core
increases
3. Flux density () in the core increases

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Magnetisation Curves - B-H Curve

For an air core (any non-magnetic material) flux density will increase proportionally
with magnetising force
𝛽
Ferromagnetic
Saturation
Material
Knee
Non- linear
Best Permeability
Region Maximum µ occurs here changes with the
Flux Density increase in flux
(tesla or Wb/) density

against H for air

Air Core
Heel
H
Magnetising
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Force (H) (At/m)
Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Magnetisation Curves - B-H Curve

● Based on the B-H Curve, absolute permeability can be found with the
formula;

μ = absolute permeability
ß= Flux Density in Teslas
H = Magnetising Force

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Magnetisation Curves - B-H Curves for

Ferromagnetic materials
2.0 Magnetisation curves of 9
ferromagnetic materials, showing
1.8 saturation.
1
1.6 2
1. Sheet steel,
1.4
3 2. Silicon steel,
1.2
Flux Density ß

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(tesla or Wb/)

3. Cast steel,
1.0 5 4. Tungsten steel,
0.8 6 5. Magnet steel,
8 6. Cast iron,
0.6 7
7. Nickel,
0.4
9 8. Cobalt,
0.2
10 9. Magnetite

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 10. Air

Magnetising Force (H) (At/m)
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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Magnetic Hysteresis

● BH curve shows the relationship

between flux density and the
magnetising force
● By passing an AC current
through the material, more
information can be revealed
● As an AC current passes
through a coil, current will
periodically change so
saturation will not occur

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 Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Hysteresis Curve (Lagging Behind)

+ß A. Saturation
A B. Residual
C. Zero Magnetism
B
D. Saturation
E. Residual
Residual
F. Zero Magnetism
Flux
C 0 F
-H +H
+𝑉 𝑚𝑎𝑥

Coercive Force Sinusoidal Waveform

E
0 0 0 0 0
0 90 180 270 360

D
+𝑉 𝑚𝑖𝑛
-ß
One Complete Cycle

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 Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Hysteresis Curve
+ß
A

0
-H +H
+𝑉 𝑚𝑎𝑥

Sinusoidal Waveform

0 0 0 0 0
0 90 180 270 360

+𝑉 𝑚𝑖𝑛
-ß
One Complete Cycle

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 Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Hysteresis Curve for Ferrite Material

+ß +ß

0 0
-H +H -H +H

-ß -ß

Small Coercive Force Large Coercive Force

Soft Ferromagnetic Material Hard Ferromagnetic Material

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 Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Hysteresis Curve for Ferrite Material

Ferrite material has total retention of magnetic field &
difficult to remove magnetic field
+ß

Alnico

-H +H

-ß
Rare Earth Alloys
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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

MATH CHALLENGE
The core of an electromagnet, has an average length (l) of 350mm and a CSA of 400. The coil
has 20 turns. When current of 2A is passed through the coil, a total flux of 100Wb is
established in the core
1. What is the reluctance ( ) of the core
2. What is the flux density () in the core
3. Determine the magnetising force (H)
4. Calculate the relative permeability ( ) of the core

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Topic 3 - Magnetic Circuit

Tutorials & Revision

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