MAGNETIC CIRCUITS

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 Magnetic Circuits

Topics to be Discussed
• Magnetomotive Force (MMF).
• Magnetic Field Strength (H).
• Magnetic Permeability.
• Reluctance (R).
• Analogy between Electric and Magnetic Circuits.
• Composite Magnetic Circuit.
• Magnetic Leakage and Fringing.
• Air Gaps in Magnetic Circuits.

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 Magnetic Circuits

Introduction
• Unlike electric field lines, the lines of magnetic
flux form closed loops.
• A magnetic circuit is a closed path followed by
lines of magnetic flux.
• A copper wire, because of its high conductivity,
confines the electric current within itself.
• Similarly, a ferromagnetic material (such as iron
or steel), due to its high permeability, confines
magnetic flux within itself.

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 Magnetic Circuits

Magnetomotive Force (MMF)

• The electric current is due to the existence of an
electromotive force (emf).
• By analogy, we may say that in a magnetic circuit, the
magnetic flux is due to the existence of a magnetomotive
force (mmf).
• mmf is caused by a current flowing through one or more
turns.
• The value of the mmf is proportional to the current and the
number of turns.
• It is expressed in ampere turns (At).
• But for the purpose of dimensional analysis, it is
expressed in amperes.

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 Magnetic Circuits

Magnetic Field Strength (H)

• The mmf per metre length of the magnetic circuit
is termed as the magnetic field strength,
magnetic field intensity, or magnetizing force.
• It units are ampere-turns per metre (At/m) .
• Its value is independent of the medium .

F IN
H= =
l l

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 Magnetic Circuits

Magnetic Permeability (μ)

• If the core of the toroid is vacuum or air, the
magnetic flux density B in the core bears a
definite ratio to the magnetic field strength H.
• This ratio is called permeability of free space.
• Thus, for vacuum or air,

B
=  0 = 4 10 Tm/A
−7

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 Magnetic Circuits

• The flux produced by the given mmf is greatly

increased, if iron replaces the air in the core.
• As a result, the flux density B also increases
many times.
• In general, we can write B = μH.
• μ is called the permeability of the material.
• Normally, we write μ = μr μ0.
• μr is called relative permeability (just a number).

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 Magnetic Circuits

Reluctance (R) and Permeance (G)

• The current in an electric circuit is limited by the
presence of resistance of the electric circuit.
• Similarly, the flux Φ in a magnetic circuit is limited
by the presence of the reluctance of the
magnetic circuit,

1 l 1 l
R = =
 A r 0 A
The reciprocal of reluctance is known as
permeance (G).

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 Magnetic Circuits

Magnetic Circuit Theory

• For a toroid, mmf, F = NI ampere-turns.
• Because of this mmf, a magnetic field of strength H is set up
throughout the length l.
• Therefore, F = Hl
• If, B is the flux density, total flux is given as
Φ=BA
• Dividing, we get

Click
Φ BA B A A A F
= = =  =  r 0  Φ=
F Hl H l l l l /(  r  0 A)

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 Magnetic Circuits

E
Comparing this with I=
R

1 l
We get R =
r 0 A

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 Magnetic Circuits

Analogy between Electric and Magnetic Circuits

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 Magnetic Circuits

Example 1
• Calculate the magnetomotive force (mmf) required to
produce a flux of 0.015 Wb across an air gap of 2.5 mm
long, having an effective area of 200 cm2.
Solution :

Φ 0.015
B= = −4
= 0.75 T
A 200 10
B 0.75
H= = = 597 000 A/m
 0 4π 10 -7

F = Hl = 597 000  2.5 10−3 = 1492 At

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 Magnetic Circuits

Composite Magnetic Circuit

Case 1 :
l1
R1 =
1 A1
l2
R2 =
 2 A2

l1 l2
 Total Reluctance , R = R 1 + R 2 = +
1 A1  2 A2
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 Magnetic Circuits

mmf of coil
 Total flux,  =
total reluctance
F NI
= =
R l1 l2
+
1 A1  2 A2

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 Magnetic Circuits

Case 2 : (with air gap)

Total reluctance,
l1 l2
R = +
1 A  0 A
1  l1 
=  + l2 
0 A  ( 1 / 0 ) 
1  l1 
=  + l2 
0 A   r 

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 Magnetic Circuits

• Since the relative permeability μr (= μ1/ μ0) of steel is very large

(of the order of thousand), the major contribution in the total
reluctance R is by the air-gap, though its length l2 may be quite
small (say, a few millimetres).

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 Magnetic Circuits

Magnetic Leakage and Fringing

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 Magnetic Circuits

• The flux lines, such as a, b and c, leak through the core.

• This is called leakage flux, since it does not contribute to
the useful flux passing through the metallic ring.
• We define leakage factor as the ratio of total flux through
the exciting winding to the useful flux.
• The value of the leakage factor for electrical machines is
about 1.15 to 1.25.

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 Magnetic Circuits

• There is another effect called fringing.

• The useful flux passing across the air-gap tends to bulge

outward.
• This happens because the magnetic flux lines tend to
repel each other in
• Its effect is to cause a slight increase (say, about 10 %) in
the cross-sectional area at the air gap.

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 Magnetic Circuits

Kirchhoff’s Laws
• Kirchhoff’s Flux Law (KFL) : The total magnetic flux
towards a junction is equal to the total magnetic flux away
from that junction.
• Kirchhoff’s Magnetomotive Force Law (KML) : In a
closed magnetic circuit, the algebraic sum of the product of
the magnetic field strength and the length of each part of
the circuit is equal to the resultant magneto-motive force.

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 Magnetic Circuits

Steps to solve a problem on magnetic circuit

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 Magnetic Circuits

Air Gaps in Magnetic Circuits

• Two purposes :
1. To permit part of a magnetic circuit to
move, for example, in relays and in
electrical machines.
2. To make the magnetization characteristic
of the circuit more linear.

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 Magnetic Circuits

Review
• Magnetomotive Force (MMF).
• Magnetic Field Strength (H).
• Magnetic Permeability.
• Reluctance (R).
• Analogy between Electric and Magnetic Circuits.
• Composite Magnetic Circuit.
• Magnetic Leakage and Fringing.
• Air Gaps in Magnetic Circuits.

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