Modelling and Simulation of

Mechatronic systems
Bond graphs - Topic 12
Transducers: electromagnetic transducer - reluctance

Prof. Andrea Tonoli

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Politecnico di Torino
andrea.tonoli@polito.it
 From the assumption that the magnetic flux lines cross the air gap just where the polar
expansion overlap we have
𝐿!
𝜇! 𝑁 " 𝜇! 𝑁 " 𝑤 𝑞
𝐿 𝑞 = 𝑤− 𝑞 = 1−
2𝑔 2𝑔 𝑤
𝑞
= L! 1−
𝑤
𝜇! 𝑁 " 𝑤
𝐿! =
2𝑔 −𝑤 𝑤

𝜕𝐸 1 𝜆" 𝜕𝐿 𝑞
𝐹= =− " Considering the expression of the inductance we get
𝜕𝑞 2 𝐿 𝑞 𝜕𝑞

1 " sgn 𝑞 For a given current the force to displacement characteristic is discontinuous in
𝐹= 𝑖 𝐿!
2 𝑤 the origin

This behaviour is not corresponding to the experimental evidence that for small displacements (relative to w)
shows a linear characteristic.
 The reason of the bad approximation of our model is the expression of the
inductance.
The magnetic flux lines cross the gap not just where the polar expansion overlap.
The stray flux crosses the gap following the easiest path exploiting also the lateral
surfaces
For small displacements, the inductance can be approximated with a
polynomial function. Considering the symmetry of the inductance
relative to positive and negative displacements, the polynomial includes
just the the even contributions.
1 𝜕"𝐿 "
𝐿! L Experimental 𝐿 𝑞 = 𝐿! + 𝑞 +⋯ That can be rewritten as
2 𝜕𝑞 "
𝑞"
𝐿 𝑞 = 𝐿! 1 − 𝑎# " …
𝑤
The coefficient 𝑎# can be found by best fitting the inductance as
−𝑤 𝑤 function of the displacement obtained from the experimental
measurement or the numerical model of the magnetic field.
𝐹$%&$'() 1 𝜕𝐿 𝑞 𝑞
L Parabolic aprox 𝐹 = − 𝑖" = 𝑖 " 𝐿! 𝑎# "
𝐹&*+,- 2 𝜕𝑞 𝑤
 𝐿! L Experimental 1 𝜕𝐿 𝑞 𝑞
𝐹 = − 𝑖" = 𝑖 " 𝐿! 𝑎# "
2 𝜕𝑞 𝑤

For positive displacements the external force is positive. This

means that the electromagnetic force tries to restore the centred
−𝑤 𝑤 position. The effect is similar to that of a mechanical spring
whose equivalent stiffness is.
𝐹$%&$'() 𝑎#
L Parabolic aprox 𝑘$. = 𝑖 " 𝐿!
𝐹&*+,- 𝑤"

𝑘$.
Application: stepper motor
Stepper motor