Electrical Machines

(Magnetic Circuits)

by

Dr. Mithun Mondal

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

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Review of Symbols

Terms Symbols Units

Flux Density B Tesla (T)
Flux Φ Webers (Wb)
Flux Linkage λ Volt-seconds (V − s, Wb − t)
Current i Amperes (A)
Field Intensity H Ampere/meters (A/m)
Permeability µ Henries/meter (H/m)
Magneto-Motive Force (mmf) F Ampere-turns (A − t)
Permeance P Henries (H)
Reluctance R inverse Henries (1/H)
Inductance L Henries (H)
Current (fields) into page ⊗
Current (fields) out of page 

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Electrical Circuit Analogy

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Electrical Circuit Analogy (contd.)

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Electrical Circuit Analogy (contd.)

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Electrical Circuit Analogy (contd.)

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Governing Laws

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Different Laws for calculating Magnetic Field

Biot-Savart law:
Any current carrying conductor produces a magnetic field
→
− →
−
A magnetic field is characterized by H or B
→
− →
−
These two vectors are connected by B = µ0 µr H
µ0 = 4π × 10−7 is absolute permeability of free space
µr , a dimensional quantity, called the relative permeability of a
medium or a material
µr is 1 for free space or could be several thousands in case of
ferromagnetic materials

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Different Laws for calculating Magnetic Field (contd.)

Biot-Savart Law relates magnetic fields to the currents which are

their sources

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Different Laws for calculating Magnetic Field (contd.)
In a similar manner, Coulomb’s law relates electric fields to the point
charges which are their sources

If the shape and dimensions of the conductor carrying current is

known then field at given point can be calculated by integrating the
RHS of the Biot-Savart equation
However, it is often not easy to evaluate the integral for calculating
field at any point due to any arbitrary shaped conductor.
One gets a nice closed form solution for few cases such as:
Straight conductor carries current and to calculate field at a distance
d from the conductor.
Circular coil carries current and to calculate field at a point situated
on the axis of the coil.

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Different Laws for calculating Magnetic Field (contd.)

Ampere’s circuital law:

The magnetic field in space around an electric current is proportional
to the electric current which serves as its source, just as the electric
field in space is proportional to the charge which serves as its source.

Ampere’s Law states that for any closed loop path, the sum of the
length elements times the magnetic field in the direction of the
length element is equal to the permeability times the electric current
enclosed in the loop. z→− → −
H · dl = I

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Different Laws for calculating Magnetic Field (contd.)

In the electric case, the relation of field to source is quantified in

Gauss’s Law which is a very powerful tool for calculating electric
fields.

Ampere’s circuital law is used to calculate field instead of the more

fundamental Biot Savart law

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Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction

This law explains the working principle of most of the electrical

motors, generators, electrical transformers and inductors.
Relationship between electric circuit and magnetic field.
Faraday’s first law:
Any change in the magnetic field of a coil of wire will cause an emf
to be induced in the coil.
This emf induced is called induced emf and if the conductor circuit is
closed, the current will also circulate through the circuit and this
current is called induced current.

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Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction (contd.)
Method to change magnetic field:
By moving a magnet towards or away from the coil
By moving the coil into or out of the magnetic field
By changing the area of a coil placed in the magnetic field
By rotating the coil relative to the magnet

Faraday’s second law:

It states that the magnitude of emf induced in the coil is equal to
the rate of change of flux that linkages with the coil.
The flux linkage of the coil is the product of number of turns in the
coil and flux associated with the coil.
∂Φ
ε = −N
∂t
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Lenz’s Law

Lenz’s law obeys Newton’s third law of motion and the conservation
of energy
Lenz’s law is based on Faraday’s law of induction
Lenz’s law states that when an emf is generated by a change in
magnetic flux according to Faraday’s Law, the polarity of the
induced emf is such, that it produces an current that’s magnetic
field opposes the change which produces it.
The negative sign used in Faraday’s law of electromagnetic
induction, indicates that the induced emf and the change in
magnetic flux have opposite signs

∂Φ
ε = −N
∂t
Explanation of Lenz’s Law:

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Lenz’s Law (contd.)
Case-1:

When the north pole of the magnet is approaching towards the coil,
the magnetic flux linking to the coil increases.
According to Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, when there
is change in flux, an emf and hence current is induced in the coil and
this current will create its own magnetic field.
Now according to Lenz’s law , this magnetic field created will oppose
its own or we can say opposes the increase in flux through the coil
and this is possible only if approaching coil side attains north
polarity, as we know similar poles repel each other.
Once we know the magnetic polarity of the coil side, we can easily
determine the direction of the induced current by applying right hand
rule.
In this case, the current flows in anticlockwise direction.
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Lenz’s Law (contd.)
Case-2:

When the north pole of the magnet is moving away from the coil,
the magnetic flux linking to the coil decreases.
According to Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, an emf and
hence current is induced in the coil and this current will create its
own magnetic field.
Now according to Lenz’s law, this magnetic field created will oppose
its own or we can say opposes the decrease in flux through the coil
and this is possible only if approaching coil side attains south
polarity, as we know dissimilar poles attract each other.
Once we know the magnetic polarity of the coil side, we can easily
determine the direction of the induced current by applying right hand
rule.
In this case, the current flows in clockwise direction.

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Lenz’s Law (contd.)

For finding the directions of magnetic field or current

Right hand thumb rule i.e if the fingers of the right hand are placed
around the wire so that the thumb points in the direction of current
flow, then the curling of fingers will show the direction of the
magnetic field produced by the wire.

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Reluctance and Permeance

Φ = BA
= µ0 µr HA Ni mmf
Φ= =
 
Ni ℜ Reluctance
= µ0 µr A
l 1
Ni Permeance =
=  Reluctance
l
µ0 µr A

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Ferromagnetic material & B-H Characteristics

The ferromagnetic materials are those substances which exhibit

strong magnetism in the same direction of the field, when a
magnetic field is applied to it.
In a ferromagnetic material, very large number of tiny magnets
(magnetic dipoles) are present at the atomic/molecular level.
The material however does not show any net magnetic property at
macroscopic level due to random distribution of the dipoles and
eventual cancellation of their effects.
→
−
In presence of an external field H , these dipoles start aligning
themselves along the direction of the applied field.
Thus the more and more dipoles get aligned (resulting into more B)
as the H i.e., current in the exciting coil is increased
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Ferromagnetic material & B-H Characteristics (contd.)

Some materials (iron, nickel, cobalt etc) will become permanent

magnet with the use of magnetic field.
The intensity of magnetization (M), magnetic susceptibility (χm ),
relative permeability (µr ), and magnetic flux density (B) of the
material will be always prominent and positive.

B = µ0 (H + M)
= µ0 (H + χm H)
= µ0 (1 + χm ) H
= µ0 µr H

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Ferromagnetic material & B-H Characteristics (contd.)

In free space or in air the relationship between B − H is linear and

the constant of proportionality is the permeability µ0
dB
The slope of the curve starts gradually decreasing after the
dH
linear zone
At saturation there is practically no increase in B on further
increasing H

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Ferromagnetic material & B-H Characteristics (contd.)

In case of transformers and rotating machines operating point is

chosen close to the knee point of the B − H characteristic in order to
use the magnetic material to its true potential.
To design a constant value of inductance, the operating point should
be chosen in the linear zone.
no point in operating a magnetic circuit deep into saturation zone as
because large exciting current will put extra overhead on the source
supplying power to the coil

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Ferromagnetic material & B-H Characteristics (contd.)

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Ferromagnetic material & B-H Characteristics (contd.)

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Series magnetic circuit

In series magnetic circuit without air-gap NI = Φℜ = Hl

It is a series circuit so same flux (Φ) flows through the two medium-
iron and air

Total reluctance ℜ = ℜiron + ℜair

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Series magnetic circuit (contd.)

Since value of permeabilities are different for iron and air, the
corresponding values of H too will be different

B
Hi =
µ0 µi
B
Hg =
µ0
NI
∴Φ=
(ℜi + ℜg )

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Series-Parallel magnetic circuit

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Series-Parallel magnetic circuit (contd.)

Φ = Φ1 + Φ2
NI = Hl + H1 l1 + Hg lg = ℜΦ + (ℜ1 + ℜg ) Φ1
(ℜ1 + ℜg ) Φ1 = ℜ2 Φ2
H1 l1 + Hg lg = H2 l2
NI = Hl + H2 l2

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Example-1

In the magnetic circuit with all dimensions in mm, calculate the required
current to be passed in the coil having 200 turns in order to establish a
flux of 1.28 mWb in the air gap. Neglect fringing effect and leakage flux.
The B-H curve of the material is given in Figure. Permeability of air may
be taken as, µ0 = 4π × 10−7 H/m

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Example-1 (contd.)

STEP 1: First draw an equivalent circuit showing the mean length and
simplified electrical analogy

STEP 2: To calculate mean lengths of various parts, mark the center

points of various limbs and yokes with small bullets

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Example-1 (contd.)

STEP 3: Calculation of mmf in the air-gap in the central limb

Φg = Φ2 = 1.28 × 10−3
Cross-sectional area of central limb A2 = 16 × 10−4 m2
1.28 × 10−3
Flux density Bg = B2 =
16 × 10−4
= 0.8 T
Bg 0.8
Hg = = AT/m
µ0 4π × 10−7
= 63.66 × 104 AT/m
mmf required for gap Hg lg = 63.66 × 104 × 1 × 10−4 AT
= 63.66 AT

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Example-1 (contd.)

STEP 4: calculate of mmf in the iron portion of the central limb

flux density, B2 = 0.8 T

corresponding H from graph, H2 ≈ 500 AT/m
Mean iron length, l2 = (440 − 0.1) mm
≈ 0.44m
mmf required for iron portion, H2 l2 = 220 AT
Total mmf required for iron and air-gap = (220 + 63.66) AT
mmfCD = 283.66 AT

STEP 5: Due to parallel connection, mmf acting across path 1 is same as

mmf acting across path 2. Our intention here, will be to calculate Φ1 in
path 1

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Example-1 (contd.)

mean length of the path, l1 = lDE + lEF + lFC

= 2 × 170 + 440 mm
= 0.78 m
283.66
H1 = = 363.67 AT/m
0.78
corresponding flux density from graph, B1 ≈ 0.39 T
Φ1 = B1 A1
= 0.39 × 24 × 10−4 Wb
= 0.94 × 10−3 Wb

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Example-1 (contd.)
STEP 6: Calculate the mmf necessary to drive Φ3 in path 3 as follows
Φ3 = Φ1 + Φ2
= 2.22 × 10−3 Wb
Φ3 2.22 × 10−3
B3 = =
A3 24 × 10−4
= 0.925T
corresponding H from graph, H3 ≈ 562.5AT/m
mean length of path 3, l3 = 2 × 170 + 440mm
= 0.78m
total mmf required for path 3 = H3 l3
= 562.5 × 0.78AT
= 438.7AT
mmf to be supplied by the coil, NI = (283.66 + 438.7) AT
⇒ 200I = 722.36 AT
722.36
⇒I= A
200
Dr. Mithun Mondal Magnetic= 3.61A
Circuits 35/36
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