EXPERIMENT #1

TITLE: The Magnetic Circuit

OBJECTIVES
 To know the effect of magnetic flux on the circuit.

EQUIPMENT
 Universal Power Supply
o A combination inverter, converter, pulse-width modulation current controller,
and high frequency power supply for applications from off-grid power.
(opensourceecology.com)
 Single-Phase Transformer Unit
o A device which converts magnetic energy into electrical energy.
(elprocus.com)
 Switched Three Phase Resistance Load
o A high wattage resistance network suitable for loading Single Phase
and Three Phase supplies and generators to verify the performance of
power sources. (tescaglobal.com)
 System Frame
 Standard Set of Patch Leads
o An electrical or optical cable used to connect electronic or optical
devices for signal routing. (4cabling.com)
 Rectifier Voltmeter & Ammeter (two off)
o Rectifier voltmeter and ammeter uses the moving coil along with the
rectifier for measuring the voltage and current, respectively.
(circuitglobe.com)
 Single & Three Phase Measurements
o A connection method for measuring power (yourelectricalguide.com)
 Oscilloscope
o An instrument that graphically displays electrical signals and how they change
over time. (tek.com)
THEORY/BACKGROUND
5.1.1 Introduction
In earlier assignments, we have looked mainly
at the voltage relationship between the primary and
secondary windings of the transformer and only briefly
at the magnetic path taken by the flux which links
those windings. In this assignment, we shall study the
magnetic circuit in more detail.
A simple transformer with two coils wound on a
Figure 1
common magnetic core is shown in Figure 1. If we
connect the primary coil to an electrical supply, the flow of current through its
windings will set up a magnetic field which produces a flux in the core.
There is an important law of electromagnetism which states 'whenever the flux
through a circuit change, an emf is induced in that circuit'. If the primary winding of
this simple transformer is connected to an alternating current source, the flux through
the magnetic core will alternate at the same frequency as the source. This will cause
voltages to be induced in both the primary and secondary windings. In the primary
winding, this voltage is called the back emf. It opposes the supply voltage and
reduces the current flowing in the primary.
The voltage induced in the secondary has the same frequency as the supply
voltage and its value will depend on the turn ratio of the primary and secondary
windings, assuming that all the flux which links the primary will also link the
secondary. In practice, there is always some flux leakage, and this will be
considered more fully in a later assignment.
The action of the transformer is, therefore, seen to depend on the magnetic
flux which links the two windings. The strength of this flux will itself depend on four
main factors which are taken into account when deriving the magnetic circuit:
 the value of current flowing in the primary,
 the number of turns in the primary,
 the dimensions of the magnetic core,
 the materials which form the magnetic core.
The Magnetic Circuit
The path taken by the flux in an
electrical machine is called the magnetic
circuit. Transformers, motors and generators,
solenoids and relays all obey similar rules and
are made up from similar magnetic materials.
By understanding the principles of the
Figure 2
magnetic circuit of a transformer, we can
extend our knowledge of other electrical machines.
Before studying these in detail, we can obtain an understanding of a typical
magnetic circuit by comparing it with an electrical circuit as in Figure 2.
In the Electrical Circuit, a voltage V is connected to a resistor R, causing a
current I to flow round the circuit. In this case, if R is fixed the current is directly
proportional to applied voltage. In the Magnetic Circuit, a coil of T turns is wound
around one section of a magnetic core. When there is current i flowing in the coil, it
will produce a magnetic field and this will cause a flux to be set up in the magnetic
material which forms the core.
We say that current flowing through the turns of the coil produces a
magnetomotive force MMF (expressed in ampere-turns) and that the field strength
due to this is H (ampere-turns per meter of the flux path length). The flux set up in
the magnetic core due to this field is  (expressed in weber). Looking again at the
magnetic and electrical circuits of Figure 2, we can see that the relationship between
flux  and magnetomotive force MMF is similar to that between current I and voltage
V in an electrical circuit with resistive elements. However, there is one basic
difference between the two
circuits. In the electrical circuit,
the graph of current against
voltage is a straight line through
the origin; whereas in a
magnetic circuit, the graph of
flux against magnetomotive Figure 3
force is not linear (see Figure
3).
Electrical Circuit Magnetic Circuit
where the resistance R does not where Rm is the reluctance of the
change appreciably with current I. magnetic circuit expressed as ampere-
V MMF
I= turns per weber. Rm =
R ∅

Here we have used the reluctance, R m as an element in the magnetic circuit.

Although this corresponds approximately to resistance in the electrical circuit, we can

MMF
see that the ratio Rm = is not constant; the reluctance increases rapidly as the
∅
flux in the core is progressively increased.
Question 1: We are told that the primary coil of the transformer shown
in Figure 3-4-1 has 270 turns and requires a magnetizing
current of 0.2A to produce a flux in the core of 1.3
milliweber. What is the reluctance of the magnetic path at
that flux level?
MMF
Answer 1: Rm = ; MMF=( 0.2 A ) ( 270 turns ) , ∅=1.3 milliweber
∅
54 ampere−turns
Rm = =41 538.46 ampere−turns per weber
0.0013 weber

Transformer with no Secondary Load

When an ac voltage is applied to the primary of a transformer and there is no
load on the secondary, the current which flows is limited by the impedance of the
primary. There is a small voltage drop due to the resistance of the winding and a
much larger drop due to the induced voltage in the primary.
The induced voltage is caused by the changing flux in the core and always
opposes the applied voltage. This is a direct application of Lenz's Law, 'induced
voltages act in such a direction as to oppose the action by which they are due'. Here
the applied alternating voltage causes current to flow in the primary coil which
produces an alternating flux in the core. The voltage induced in the primary will be
proportional to the rate of change of flux in the core, therefore, sufficient current must
flow in the primary to produce the required value of flux.
Phase Relationship between Core Flux and Induced Voltage
We can show that the rate of change of any
sine wave can be represented by another sinusoidal
curve, but displaced by 90.
In the full-line sine curve of Figure 4(a), the
rate of change or slope is a maximum where the
curve crosses the zero axis and is a minimum at the
crests of the sine wave. The broken line curve,
Figure 4(b), represents the rate of change of the
sine curve and is itself sinusoidal (it is a cosine Figure 4

π
curve) and leads by radians or 90.
2

If curve (a) represents flux  in the core and curve (b) the induced voltage
EMF in either the primary or secondary due to the rate of change of flux, we can see

that the flux will lag the voltage by 90 . The magnetizing current is in phase with the

flux which it produces and also lags the induced voltage by 90 .

Magnetizing Current Waveform

We have seen in Figure 3 that the curve of flux  against magnetomotive force
MMF is not linear. In this curve, if the flux is progressively increased the
magnetomotive force required to produce that flux will increase in greater proportion.
From this we can see that as the voltage applied to the primary is increased, the
core flux will have to increase by the same amount to maintain equality between the
induced voltage and the applied voltage. This will require a proportionately greater
increase in magnetomotive force and hence in the current flowing in the primary,
particularly as the core approaches saturation.
The applied alternating
voltage has a sinusoidal waveform
and the flux in the core will also be
sinusoidal, but the current producing

Figure 5
that flux will have a waveform which will depend on how near the core is to
saturation (see Figure 5).

PROCEDURE:
Preliminary Set –up
Switch off all power by setting the ‘3 phase circuit breaker with no volt release’
on the Universal Power Supply to the ‘off’ position.
Primary Current and Voltage Transformer on No Load
In the test which follows, the current taken by the primary will be measured,
with the secondary on no-load, for increasing values of applied voltage. By
connecting an oscilloscope in series with the primary, we can also look at the shape
of the current waveform and note how it develops a peak in each half cycle as the
applied voltage is increased.

Product Version

230 V 120 V
Make all connections shown in Figure 6.

On the Universal Power Supply, ensure the ‘variable output

voltage control is set to 0% then set the ‘3 phase circuit breaker’ to
the on position.
Leave the oscilloscope switched off.

On the Universal Power Supply, set the ‘3 phase circuit breaker’ to 240 V in 125 V
the on position and then increase the voltage from 0 V to a steps of in steps
maximum of …. 50 V of 25 V
At each voltage step, record the primary current in a copy of
Results Table (230 V or 120 V).
Reduce the voltage supplied from the power supply to zero and
switch on the oscilloscope.
If conventional instrumentation is being used, switch on the
Differential probe and ensure that the attenuation ratio is set to
1/20. The Y1 input to the oscilloscope is measured, via the
differential probe, across a 2 Ohms resistor connected in series
with the primary winding; the voltage drop across the resistor is
directly proportional to the primary current.
Set the time base to 5 ms/div

Set the Y amplifier to 10 mV/div.

 Increase the voltage using the power supply dial from zero up to a
maximum of … 300 V 160 V
and observe the change in current waveform as the voltage is
increased.

Turn the “variable output voltage’’ control to 0% on the

Universal Power Supply and then switch off the ‘3 phase circuit
breaker’.

Question 2: Why does the current waveform develop peaks as the

voltage is increased?
Answer 2: It’s because the current (I) and the voltage (V) are linearly
dependent or directly proportional to one another at
constant resistance (R) according to Ohm’s Law.
Therefore, current increases whenever voltage is
increased.

Exercise 1
Plot the results from Results Table (230 V or 120 V). The resulting curve

MMF
should have a similar shape to the curve in Figure 3. The suggested graph
∅
axes are given with the Results Table.

Practical Aspects
Working flux level
One of the most important points in the design of a transformer is to fix the
working flux level since the current taken from the supply on load and off load
depends upon this. If the working flux is too high and the core becomes saturated,
the input current will be high and the transformer will overheat. If the working flux is
low, the transformer will be larger and more costly than it need be.
The designer makes a compromise, usually fixing the working flux at a point
just beyond the linear part of the flux–MMF curve.
When a transformer has to cover a wide range of applied voltages, tapings
are provided on the primary winding so that saturation of the core is avoided.
Figure 6: Circuit Diagram
RESULTS, DATA, AND GRAPHS

Tables and Graphs (230 V Product Version)

Primar
y
0 50 100 150 200 240
Voltage
(V)
Primar
y
0 0.0499 0.0998 0.1497 0.1996 0.2395
Current
(A)

Formulas Used :
V
I=
R
|Z| = 1000 Ω
|Z|=R

Solution :
V 0 V 150
I= = =0 I= = = 0.1497
R 1000+2 R 1000+2
V 50 V 200
I= = = 0.0499 I= = = 0.1996
R 1000+2 R 1000+2
V 100 V 240
I= = = 0.0998 I= = = 0.2395
R 1000+2 R 1000+2
Discussion and Analysis
As the results presented above where it shows in both graph that as the
primary voltage (V) increase the primary current (A) also increases. In the 230 V
Product version it is shown that the trend of the graph is in a linear path while in 120
V product version the path is linear at the beginning, but it then showed a curve at
150 V and a 75 A. With these data we can incur what stated in given statements in
the theory that “In the electrical circuit, the graph of current against voltage is a
straight line through the origin; whereas in a magnetic circuit, the graph of flux
against magnetomotive force is not linear”, with these it is proven that the
graph/figures above correspond to the theory stated in the experiment.
The results proved that in an ideal transformer, the secondary voltage is equal
to the primary voltage multiplied by the ratio of the secondary to primary turns. The
ratio of primary voltage to secondary voltage, and primary current to secondary
current, are both expressed in terms of the ratio between the number of turns on
each of those windings, known as the transformer, turns ratio. When a magnetic flux
flow in a circuit the magnetic lines of forces pass through the core which then cause
alignment of domains in particular direction. Due to the spinning of electron an
alignment occurs which then produce a net magnetic field in a permitted direction
thus causing a domino effect where magnetic field is produce from the spinning then
the next electron spins in the same direction and this process continues till the end of
the core. This means that the magnetic lines of force are extend due to the electrons,
when these forces are extended, a flux also get extended. This is how the magnetic
flux affect affects a circuit.

CONCLUSION
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of magnetic flux in
a circuit. The graph shows such results. As the voltage increases, the current also
increases. The current waveform develops peaks as the voltage is increased
because the current an the voltage are linearly dependent or directly proportional to
one another at constant resistance according to Ohm’s Law. The magnetic flux is
similar to the electric current. The magnetomotive force is equivalent to the
electromotive force and may be considered the factor that sets up the flux. If either
the current through a coil or the number of turns of wire in the coil is increased, the
magnetomotive force is greater; and if the rest of the magnetic circuit remains the
same, the magnetic flux increases proportionally. In addition, the primary coil of the
transformer shown in Figure 3-4-1 has 270 turns and requires a magnetizing current
of 0.2A to produce a flux in the core of 1.3 milliweber. Using the formula for magnetic
circuit, it turns out that 41538.56 ampere - turns per weber is the reluctance of the
magnetic path at that flux level.

REFERENCES
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