Fluxgate Sensor Analysis

Dennis Steward
EM Application Engineer
Ansoft Corporation
Pittsburgh, PA
 Flux Gate Sensor Basics

Z Simple Construction
Z Easily Saturable Core
Z Drive Coil
Drive Coil Core

Z Variable Inductance
Z Function of Drive Current
Z Function of External
Magnetic Field
 Flux Gate Sensor Basics
Typical B-H Curve
2

Saturated
Saturated Linear
1.5
Saturated
Region
Region Region 1
Region
0.5
B (T)

0
-8.0E+05 -6.0E+05 -4.0E+05 -2.0E+05 0.0E+00 2.0E+05 4.0E+05 6.0E+05 8.0E+05

-0.5

Low -1
High Low
Inductance Inductance Inductance
Arrows
-1.5
Indicate
-2 Magnetizatio
H (A/m) n Direction

Sensor is Driven Between Linear and Saturated

Regions of the B-H Curve
 Flux Gate Sensor Applications
Z Typical Flux Gate Sensor Applications include:
Z Proximity Sensing
Z Magnetic Field Measurement (Navigation, Geomagnetics)
Z Speed & Position Sensing
Z Sensor has Linear Response Characteristic

Arrows
Indicate
Magnetizatio
n Direction
 Maxwell Setup
How do I model a Flux Gate Sensor Using Maxwell?

Z Electromagentic Component
Maxwell 3D Analysis

Z Parametric Study of Component

Optimetrics
Z Model Extraction

Z Initial Verification of Component

SIMPLORER
Z Full System Simulation using
Component
 Parametric Analysis
Linear Region

Saturated
Region

Z Curve Shifts Due To Influence of External Field

 Export Component Model

Z Model Type

Z Coil Parameters

Z Extra Port (Bz)

 Component Analysis
Fluxgate_Sensor_1
R1
oi_p External Field Source
Z Waveform
E1
oi_m Bz
E2
Distortion Caused
EMF := 0 by traversing the
B-H Curve

Sensor Current Response to a 2.5V, 100kHz Sinusoid

20.00m
Z Positive and
10.00m Negative Areas
Current (A)

are Equal
0

-10.00m

-20.00m
80.00u 85.00u 90.00u 95.00u 100.00u
Time (s)
 Component Analysis
Z External Field Shifts Curve Positively or Negatively
Z Positive and Negative Areas are No Longer Equal
Sensor Current Response to a 2.5V, 100kHz Sinusoid w/ External Field

25.0m

20.0m

15.0m

10.0m
Current (A)

5.0m

-5.0m

-10.0m

-15.0m

-20.0m

-25.0m
8.00e-005 8.20e-005 8.40e-005 Force = 3.72N
8.60e-005 8.80e-005 9.00e-005 9.20e-005 9.40e-005 9.60e-005

Time (s)
 Component Analysis
Sensor Current Response to a 1.5V, 100kHz Sq. Wave w/ External Field

15.0m
12.5m

10.0m

7.5m

5.0m
Current (A)

2.5m

-2.5m

-5.0m

-7.5m

-10.0m

-12.5m
-15.0m
1.80e-004 1.83e-004 1.85e-004 1.88e-004 1.90e-004 1.93e-004 1.95e-004 1.98e-004 2.00e-004

Time (s)

Z Sensor Behaves Similarly When Excited With a Square Wave

 Component Drive Signal
Z Three State Drive
Z 5V Flux Gate Sensor Drive Voltage
6.00
Z Ground 5V 5V
5.00
Z Float
Voltage (V)

2.50

Float GND Float Float GND Float

0
0 2.50e-006 5.00e-006 7.50e-006 1.00e-005 1.25e-005 1.50e-005 2.00e-005

Time (s)
 Component Drive Circuit
Z Drive Circuit Implementation
Z 2 MOSFETS Are Fired alternately to create the 3 States
for the Flux Gate Sensor

TRAPEZ1 Fluxgate_Sensor_1

oi_m

oi_p Bz

GZ1

Delay EMSS - LINK

 System Analysis
TRAPEZ1 Fluxgate_Sensor_1
Sensor Drive
oi_m
External Field Source
oi_p Bz

GZ1

Delay

AM1 Component Model

A
+
used in sensing circuit
Low Pass Filter

Integrator

+ + Output
- -

+
NSC_LM_741_1 NSC_LM_741_2
V

Translated SPICE Models

 System Analysis
Z System Output Voltage is Proportional To Magnitude of
External Field
Flux Gate Sensor System Output Voltage
2.50
2.49

2.48
Voltage (V)

2.47

2.46
2.45

2.44

2.43

2.42

2.41
2.40
3.00e-003 3.50e-003 3.80e-003
Time (s)
 System Analysis
Final Differential Flux Gate Sensor Circuit Model
Fluxgate_Sensor_1

oi_m External Field Source 1

oi_p Bz
MOS1
Sensor Drive E2

5V Float_1
1k
Fluxgate_Sensor_2
MOS2
Float_2 Ground oi_m External Field Source 2
oi_p Bz

E9

AM1
A
+

220n Low Pass Filter

2k
Integrator
1n
10n
2.5

665
+ 1k + Output
- -
10k 68n +
NSC_LM_7411 NSC_LM_7412 VM1
V

2.5

Z State Machines Used to Fire MOSFETS

 System Analysis
Z Differential Sensor Response
Z External Field For Sensor 2 Changes from 0G to 2G at 2ms
Z Output Voltage Shifts Downward to Reflect the Change
Differential Flux Gate Sensor System Output Voltage
2.50
2.49
2.48
2.47
2.46
2.45
2.44
2.43
2.42
2.41
2.40
1.00e-003 2.00e-003 3.00e-003 4.00e-003
 Conclusions
Z Using Maxwell 3D and Optimetrics, the electromagnetic
behavior of a Flux Gate Sensor may be accurately
analyzed.

Z A component model may be extracted from the Finite

Element Analysis which may then be used to examine
the impact of the component within a larger system.

Z SIMPLORER provides an environment where the finite

element component model may be combined with circuit,
block diagram, and state machine elements to study the
role of the component in a complete system.