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Induction Currents from Circular Coils
SOLVED WITH COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS 3.5a

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I nduc t i on Cur r e nt s f r om Ci r c ul ar
Coi l s
Introduction
A time-varying current induces a varying magnetic field. This field induces currents in
neighboring conductors. The induced currents are called eddy currents. The following
model illustrates this phenomenon by a time-harmonic field simulation as well as a
transient analysis, which provides a study of the eddy currents resulting from switching
on the source.
Two current-carrying coils are placed above a copper plate. They are surrounded by
air, and there is a small air gap between the coils and the metal plate. A potential
difference provides the external source. To obtain the total current density in the coils
you must take the induced currents into account. The time-harmonic case shows the
skin effect, that is, that the current density is high close to the surface and decreases
rapidly inside the conductor.
Model Definition
E Q U A T I O N
To solve the problem, use a quasi-static equation for the magnetic potential A:

A
t
-------
0
1

r
1
A ( ) +
V
loop
2r
------------- =
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Here
0
is the permeability of vacuum,
r
the relative permeability, the electric
conductivity, and V
loop
the voltage over one turn in the coil. In the time-harmonic case
the equation reduces to
F O R C E S
You can compute the forces on the plate caused by the eddy currents by integrating
the expression for the Lorentz force density, F (in N/m
3
):
For the time-harmonic case, the cycle average of the Lorentz force density components
in this axisymmetric model, F
r
and F
z
, are available in postprocessing through the
variables FLtzavr_emqa and FLtzavz_emqa, respectively. In the time domain, the
variables FLtzr_emqa and FLtzz_emqa store the corresponding time-dependent
quantities.
Results and Discussion
The applied voltage is constant across each wire, but the induced current makes the
current density higher toward the end facing the copper plate. Figure 1 shows this
effect for the time-harmonic solution and also displays the field lines from the magnetic
flux.
Similarly, Figure 2 displays a snapshot of the induced current density and magnetic flux
density for the transient solution in a combined surface and arrow plot.
Finally, Figure 3 shows the total axial force between the coils and the plate as a function
of time. For the chosen current direction, the force is repulsive.
jA
0
1

r
1
A ( ) +
V
loop
2r
------------- =
F J B =
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Figure 1: The component of the induced current density for the time-harmonic solution
plotted together with the field lines of the magnetic flux.
Figure 2: Induced current density and magnetic flux density for the transient solution.

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Figure 3: Resultant repulsive axial Lorentz force (N) between the coils and the plate vs.
time (s).
Model Library path: ACDC_Module/Electrical_Components/
coil_above_plate
Modeling Using the Graphical User InterfaceHarmonic Analysis
MO D E L N A V I G A T O R
1 From the Space dimension list, select Axial symmetry (2D).
2 Select the AC/DC Module>Quasi-Statics, Magnetic>Azimuthal Induction Currents, Vector
Potential>Time-harmonic analysis application mode.
3 Click OK.
O P T I O N S A N D S E T T I N G S
1 From the Options menu, choose Axes/Grid Settings.
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2 Set axis and grid settings according to the following table. Before enter the settings
on the Grid page, clear the Auto check box. When done, click OK.
G E O ME T R Y MO D E L I N G
1 Draw the surrounding rectangle R1 with opposite corners at (0, 0.05) and
(0.1, 0.05).
2 Draw the rectangle representing the metal plate R2 with the corners at (0, 0.02)
and (0.08, 0). Now change the position of R2 by clicking the Move button on the
Draw toolbar or selecting it in the Draw menu under Modify. Set the z displacement
to 0.001, then click OK.
3 Draw a circle C1 representing the first current-carrying coil, centered at
(0.0125, 0.0025) with radius 0.0025.
4 Select C1 and click the Array button. Set the Displacement in the r direction to 0.006
and the Array size in the r direction to 2.
P H Y S I C S S E T T I N G S
Scalar Variables
1 From the Physics menu, select Scalar Variables.
AXIS GRID
r min -0.05 r spacing 0.01
r max 0.15 Extra r 0.0125
z min -0.08 z spacing 0.01
z max 0.08 Extra z 0.0025 0.005
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2 Set the frequency variable nu_emqa to 50, then click OK.
Subdomain Settings
In this model, use the COMSOL Multiphysics materials library to specify material
parameters in the subdomains. Only the conductivity, the permeability, and the
permittivity are determined by the material selected.
1 From the Physics menu, open the Subdomain Settings dialog box.
2 Select Subdomains 24.
3 On the Electric Parameters page, click the Load button. In the dialog box that
appears, select Copper. Click OK.
4 Enter subdomain settings according to the following table; when done, click OK.
Boundary Conditions
1 From the Physics menu, open the Boundary Settings dialog box.
2 Specify boundary conditions according to the following table; when done, click OK.
ME S H G E N E R A T I O N
1 Initialize the mesh by clicking the Initialize Mesh button on the Main toolbar.
2 Click the Refine Mesh button to refine the mesh.
C O MP U T I N G T H E S O L U T I O N
Click the Solve button on the Main toolbar.
PO S T P R O C E S S I N G A N D V I S U A L I Z A T I O N
The magnetic potential is the default visualization quantity. In this case it is of interest
to plot the eddy currents together with the magnetic flux density. These fields are used
to examine the magnetic forces that arise in current-carrying conductors.
1 Click the Plot Parameters button on the Main toolbar.
2 On the General page, select the Surface and Streamline check boxes.
3 Click the Surface tab. Select Induced current density, phi component from the
Predefined quantities list on the Surface Data page.
SETTING SUBDOMAINS 1, 2 SUBDOMAINS 3, 4
V
loop
0 1e-4
SETTING BOUNDARIES 1, 3, 5 BOUNDARIES 2, 7, 9
Boundary condition Axial symmetry Magnetic insulation
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4 Click the Streamline tab. Select Magnetic flux density from the Predefined quantities
list on the Streamline Data page.
5 From the Streamline plot type list, select Magnitude controlled.
6 On the Line Color page, click first the Use expression option button and then the Color
Expression button.
7 In the Streamline Color Expression dialog box, select Magnetic flux density, norm from
the Predefined quantities list. Type uT in the Unit edit field and select Thermal from
the Color table list. Click OK to close the Streamline Color Expression dialog box.
8 Click OK to close the Plot Parameters dialog box and generate the plot.
9 For a better view of the current-intensive region, use the Zoom Window button on
the Main toolbar. The current density is highest near the edge of the plate.
The resulting plot should resemble that in Figure 1 on page 3.
Next, calculate the cycle average of the total axial force on the plate from the currents
in the coils:
1 From the Postprocessing menu, choose Subdomain Integration.
2 Select Subdomain 2 (the plate).
3 From the Predefined quantities list in the Expression to integrate area, select Lorentz
force contribution cycle average, z component.
4 Select the Compute volume integral (for axisymmetric modes) check box. (Note that
the default entry in the Unit of integral list changes from N/m to N, as appropriate.)
5 Click Apply. The value of the integral appears in the message log below the drawing
area. The result should be approximately 9.610
7
N, or 0.96 N. The minus sign
indicates a downward force, corresponding to a repulsive force between the plate
and the coils.
As a consistency check and to get an idea of the accuracy of the result, compute the
axial force from the plate on the coils; from Newtons third law of motion, it follows
that this force is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to that from the coils
on the plate.
6 Select Subdomains 3 and 4 only (the coils), then click OK. The result that appears in
the message log should be approximately 9.610
7
N.
Modeling Using the Graphical User InterfaceTransient Analysis
The previous model was an example of harmonic field variations. To study a transient
case where the current increases abruptly from zero to a constant value, you only need
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to make a few alterations. To adapt the application mode to a transient analysis, you
must first change the analysis type.
C O MP U T I N G T H E S O L U T I O N
1 From the Solve menu, open the Solver Parameters dialog box and select Transient
from the list of analysis types in the Analysis types area.
2 In the Times edit field, type 0 10^(range(-4,1/3,-1)). This gives solution output
times t = 0 followed by 10 exponentially increasing values in the range 10
4
to 10
1
.
3 Set the Absolute tolerance to 1e-8, then click OK.
4 Click the Solve button on the Main toolbar.
P O S T P R O C E S S I N G A N D V I S U A L I Z A T I O N
In a way similar to the harmonic analysis, you can visualize the magnetic flux density,
the induced currents, and the magnetic forces.
To reproduce the plot in Figure 2 on page 3, follow these steps:
1 Open the Plot Parameters dialog box.
2 In the Plot type area on the General page, select the Surface and Arrow check boxes
and clear the Streamline check box. From the Solution at time list, select 0.002154.
3 Click the Arrow tab. On the Subdomain Data page, select Magnetic flux density from
the Predefined quantities list. In the Arrow positioning area, set the Number of points
to 25 in both directions. In the Arrow parameters area, set the Arrow length to
Normalized and the Scale factor to 0.5.
4 Click OK to close the Plot Parameters dialog box and generate the plot.
5 Use the zoom features to see the eddy current distribution.
6 To see how the current distribution changes in time, return to the Plot Parameters
dialog box and change the evaluation time on the General page or click Start
Animation on the Animate page.
To reproduce the plot in Figure 3 on page 4 of the axial force on the coils as a function
of time, follow these steps:
1 From the Postprocessing menu, choose Subdomain Integration.
2 Select the coil subdomains from the Subdomain selection list (Subdomains 3 and 4).
3 Keep the selections you made in the time-harmonic case, that is select Lorentz force
contribution, z component from the Predefined quantities list and leave the Compute
volume integral (for axisymmetric modes) check box selected.
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4 Click Plot, then click Cancel or OK to close the Subdomain Integration dialog box.
5 In the figure windows toolbar, click to select both the X log and Y log buttons.
6 Click the Edit Plot toolbar button and edit the plots title and axis labels as desired.
7 When done, click OK to finish the plot.
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