EEE 121

Circuit Theory 1

Chapter 3
MAGNETIC CIRCUITS

LECTURER : NURAIZA BINTI ISMAIL

CONTENTS Chapter 3
1. INTRODUCTION
2. AMPERES CIRCUITAL LAW
3. KIRCHOFFS VOLTAGE LAW (KVL) IN
4.
5.
6.
7.

MAGNETIC CIRCUIT
KIRCHOFFS CURRENT LAW (KCL) IN
MAGNETIC CIRCUIT
AIR GAPS
SERIES MAGNETIC CIRCUIT
SERIES-PARALLEL MAGNETIC CIRCUIT

1. INTRODUCTION
Magnetism or magnetic circuit is important in

almost all electrical device such as generator,

motor, transformer, television, computer,
telephone, etc.
Few terms that have to be understood are:

Flux Density, B
b. Permeability,
c. Relative Permeability, r
a.

a. Flux Density, (B)

When magnetomotif force (mmf) applied

to magnetic material, flux will be induced

Magnetic flux () measured in Webers (Wb)
Flux density (B) is the number of flux lines
per unit area
and measured in Tesla (T)

Where, = flux [Wb]

A = area [m2]
B = flux
density [T]

b. Permeability,
The strength of magnetic field will vary

in accordance with the core used

This variation in strength is due to the
number of flux lines passing through the
core

o r

Where,
free
H/m)

o = permeabilty of
space (4 x 10-7

r = relative permeabilty of
the core
A.m]

= permeability [Wb/

c. Relative Permeability, r
It is the ratio of permeability of a material, to that of free

space, o

r
o

Where, r = relative permeabilty of the

core
o = permeabilty of free
space (4 x 10-7 H/m)
= permeability of material

Example:

Material

used [Wb/ A.m]

Relative
Permeability, r

Air

Permalloy

100,000

Cast Steel

1,000

Sheet Steel

4,000

Iron

5,195

Ferromagnetic

r >> 1

2. AMPERES CIRCUITAL
LAW
Magnetic circuit is like an electric circuit in the

sense that flux, (similar to current, I) is produced

in a core (conductor) by mmf (magnetomotif force),
similar to electromotif force, emf in electric circuit.
A

typical problem in magnetic circuits is to

determine the amount of current that must be
supplied to a winding in order to produce a
specified flux in a core.

2. AMPERES CIRCUITAL
LAW
Similarity between electric circuit and magnetic

circuit
Electric Circuit

Magnetic Circuit
I

Electromotif Force (emf), E = V = IR [V]

Magnetomotif Force (mmf), = NI [A.t]

Current, I = V/R

Magnetic Flux, = BA [Wb]

[A]

Reluctance ,

A A

Conductivity, [1/m]

Permeability,

[Wb/ A.m]

Current Density, j [A/m2]

Magnetic Flux Density, B

Electric Field Intensity, E [V/m]

Magnetic Field Intensity or, H B

Magnetizing Force

Resistance, R = V/I

[]

[ At / Wb ]

[Wb/m2 or T]
[At/m]

3. KIRCHOFFS VOLTAGE LAW

(KVL) IN MAGNETIC CIRCUIT
Electric Circuit

V 0

Magnetic Circuit

F 0
F NI 0

Practical equation for mmf drop:

F H
NI H
where;

H = magnetizing force
= length of section

Amperes Circuital Law

Example 1: Consider the magnetic circuit in figure below, where the

circuit is made
up of 3 different ferromagnetic materials (iron, cast
& sheet steel)

F 0
NI ( H) cast iron ( H) cast steel ( H) sheet steel
NI ( H)
- All terms are known except magnetizing force (H) for each
material
- H can be obtained from B-H Curve (if flux, or flux density, B is
known)

4. KIRCHOFFS CURRENT LAW

(KCL) IN MAGNETIC CIRCUIT
Fluxes entering a junction is equal to the sum of fluxes

leaving the junction

Junction
x

b
N

=0

At junction x:

a = b + c

5. AIR GAPS
Many practical electromagnetic has a small opening call an air gap.
When an air gap occurs in magnetic circuit, the flux at the edge

bends outwards as shown in Figure (a). Thus,

g c

Known as fringing

Figure (a)
Figure (b)
For our purpose, the fringing effect is neglected and the flux
distribution is assume to be as Figure (b).
Flux density of air gap, where;

g core

Ag

Ag Acore

Bg

Magnetizing Force of air gap, where;

Bg
Hg

g o
Bg Bcore

6. SERIES MAGNETIC
CIRCUIT
Example 2: Series Magnetic Circuit
Determine the current, I required to establish the
indicated flux of
the core.

ab cd ef af 10 cm

Given:

bc de 1 cm
cross sec tional area; A 4 10 4 m 2
magnetic flux; 3.5 10 4 Wb

6. SERIES MAGNETIC
CIRCUIT
Example 3: Series Magnetic Circuit with Air Gap
Find the current, I required to establish the magnetic
flux,

= 0.75 x 10-4 Wb in the series magnetic circuit below.

Given:

bc air gap 2 10 3 m
cdefab 100 10 3 m
cross sec tional area; A 1.5 10 4 m 2

7. SERIES-PARALLEL
MAGNETIC CIRCUIT
The close analogies between electric and magnetic circuits

will lead to magnetic circuits.

Example 4:
Find the current, I required to establish a
magnetic flux of
-4 Wb
1.5
bafex10
bcde
0.2inm,cd.beGiven,
0.05m

A 6 10 4 m 2

Example 5: Series-Parallel Magnetic Circuit with Air Gap

Figure below shows a cross-sectional view of a
magnetic circuit. It has a cross-sectional area of 870 x
10-3 m2 and the length of the air gap is 2mm. The outer
limbs are made of sheet steel and the centre limb is
made of cast steel. Determine the required current, I to
establish a magnetic flux of 180 x 10-3 Wb in the air
gap. The permeability of free space, o = (4 x 10-7
H/m). Assume that the magnetic flux leakage and flux
fringing in the air gap is negligible.