ECE 320 Session 16; Page 1/4

Energy Systems I Fall 2019

Magnetic Circuit Example

A core with three legs is shown in the Figure below. Its depth is 8 cm, there are 400
turns on the center leg. The remaining dimensions are shown in the figure. The core is
composed of steel having the magnetization curve. Answer the following questions about
this core:

8cm 16cm 8cm 16cm 8cm

8cm

16cm
400 Turns
Depth=8cm

8cm

(a) What is the current required to produce a flux density of 0.5 T in the central
leg of the core?
Bmiddle1 := 0.5T
-3 2
Area := 8cm 8cm Area = 6.4  10 m

-3
ϕmiddle1 := Bmiddle1 Area ϕmiddle1 = 3.2  10  Wb

Since the right and left paths are identical, the flux will divide equally
ϕmiddle1 -3
ϕleft_right1 := ϕleft_right1 = 1.6  10  Wb
2

And since the areas are the same, we have the same flux density too
ϕleft_right1
Bleft_right1 := Bleft_right1 = 0.25 T
Area
ECE 320 Session 16; Page 2/4
Energy Systems I Fall 2019

From Saturation Curve B=0.25 T corresponds to H=50 A-t/m

Lenmiddle := 24cm

Lenleft_right := ( 24cm + 24cm + 24cm) Lenleft_right = 0.72 m

Note since the side branches are in parallel, we are adding two branches in parallel which
each see half, the flux, so the 2's cancel.
MMFa := Hmiddle1 Lenmiddle + Hleft_right1 Lenleft_right

MMFa = 52.8 A
MMFa
Imid1 := Imid1 = 0.132 A
400

(b) What is the current required to produce a flux density of 1.0 T in the central
leg of the core? Is it twice the current in part a?

Bmiddle2 := 1.0T
-3
ϕmiddle2 := Bmiddle2 Area ϕmiddle2 = 6.4  10  Wb

-3
for comparison: ϕmiddle1 = 3.2  10  Wb

Since the right and left paths are identical, the flux will divide equally

ϕmiddle2
-3
ϕleft_right2 := ϕleft_right2 = 3.2  10  Wb
2

And since the areas are the same, we have the same flux density too
ϕleft_right2
Bleft_right2 := Bleft_right2 = 0.5 T
Area
ECE 320 Session 16; Page 3/4
Energy Systems I Fall 2019

From saturation curve B=0.5 T corresponds to H=70 A-t/m

A A
Hleft_right2 := 70 Hmiddle2 := 160
m m

MMFb := Hmiddle2 Lenmiddle + Hleft_right2 Lenleft_right

MMFb = 88.8 A
MMFb
Imid2 := Imid2 = 0.222 A
400

The current did not double, since the B-H curve is not linear in the region in question.

(c) What are the reluctances of the central and right legs of the core under the
conditions of part a?

· There are several ways to calculate the reluctance.One option is to use the
formula (length/(mrmoA), where mrmocomes from B/H curve

Bmiddle1 -3 H
μmid1 := μmid1 = 7.143  10 
Hmiddle1 m
Lenmiddle kA
Relmid1 := Relmid1 = 5.25
μmid1 Area Wb

Bleft_right1
-3 H
μleft_right1 := μleft_right1 = 5  10 
Hleft_right1 m

Lenleft_right kA
Relleft_right1 := Relleft_right1 = 22.5
μleft_right1 Area Wb
ECE 320 Session 16; Page 4/4
Energy Systems I Fall 2019

An alternate approach would be to use the results of (a) and (b), and recalling that
f * Relucance = H * length

Hmiddle1 Lenmiddle kA
Relcent1 := Relcent1 = 5.25
ϕmiddle1 Wb

Hleft_right1 Lenleft_right kA
Relright_left1 := Relright_left1 = 22.5
ϕleft_right1 Wb

Which produces the same results

(d) What are the reluctances of the central and right legs of the core under the
conditions of part b?

Bmiddle2 -3 H
μmid2 := μmid2 = 6.25  10 
Hmiddle2 m

Lenmiddle kA
Relmid2 := Relmid2 = 6
μmid2 Area Wb

kA
For comparison, earlier we had Relmid1 = 5.25
Wb
Bleft_right2
-3 H
μleft_right2 := μleft_right2 = 7.143  10 
Hleft_right2 m

Lenleft_right kA
Relleft_right2 := Relleft_right2 = 15.75
μleft_right2 Area Wb

kA
For comparison, earlier we had Relleft_right1 = 22.5
Wb
(e) What conclusion can make about the reluctances in real magnetic cores?

· Reluctance varies with the flux (actually with the flux density) since the material is
non-linear.