CVE

Electrical Science

Lesson 9: Simple Magnetic circuits

V. Nundwe, Staff Associate in Electronics & Electrical Engineering
Intended Learning Outcome
• By the end of this lesson, the student should develop a good
understanding of the concepts of simple magnetic circuits

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Outline
• Introduction • Summary
• Discussion- concepts of simple • Next lesson
magnetic circuits

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1. Magnets and Magnetic circuits
Magnets- Materials that attract other
metals
Magnetic circuit- the path which is
followed by magnetic flux. It is the
complete closed path followed by any
group of magnetic flux lines
The magnetic force produced by a magnet
can be detected in the area around a
magnet and is called the magnetic field
The magnetic field is represented by
imaginary lines called lines of magnetic
flux

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2. Properties of
Magnetic flux lines
• The strength of the field is proportional to
the closeness of the lines.
• Magnetic field lines can never cross,
meaning that the field is unique at any
point in space.
• Magnetic field lines are continuous,
forming closed loops without beginning or
end.
• They go from the north pole to the south
pole.
• Flux lines pass with greater ease through
magnetic materials such as iron than
through air or non-magnetic materials
such as glass as shown in (c)

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3. Magnetic flux Density
• Magnetic flux density, B is the amount of flux passing
through a defined area that is perpendicular to the direction
of the flux:

• – Symbol, B
• – Definition, B = Φ/A
• – Units, (Wb/m2), or T (Tesla)

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 4. Magneto-motive force
The “driving force” that causes a magnetic field. The cause of
the existence of a magnetic flux in a magnetic circuit.

• – Symbol, F
• – Definition, F = NI
• – Units, Ampere-turns, (A-t)

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5. Magnetic field strength
The mmf gradient, or mmf per unit length.

– Symbol, H
– Definition, H = F/l = NI/l
– Units, (A-t/m)
6. Permeability
• Relates flux density and field intensity for air, or any non-magnetic
medium

• – Symbol, μ
• – Definition, μ = B/H
• – Units, (Wb/A-t-m)
• μ0, is called the permeability of free space (or the
magnetic space constant) and is equal to 4π ×10−7 H/m.

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 7. Relative permeability
• For all media other than free space, B/H = μ0μr where
μr is the relative permeability, and is defined as

• μr varies with the type of magnetic material and, since

it is a ratio of flux densities, it has no unit.
• From this definition μr for a vacuum (air) is 1.
• μ0μr = μ, and is called the absolute permeability

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7. Reluctance
•–The measure of “opposition” the magnetic circuit offers
to the flux
• The analogy of Resistance in an electrical circuit

•– Symbol, R
•– Definition, R = F/Φ
•– Units, (A-t/Wb)

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8. Magnetization curve
• By plotting measured values of
flux density B against magnetic
field strength H, a B–H curve
or magnetization curve is
produced.
• Typical curves for selected
materials are shown in the
Figure.
• For non-magnetic materials it
is a straight line.
9. Magnetization curve
• The relative permeability of a ferromagnetic material is
proportional to the slope of the B–H curve and thus varies with
the magnetic field strength.
• The approximate range of values of relative permeability for
some common magnetic materials are:
10. Magnetic circuit Ferromagnetism is the
phenomenon of spontaneous
magnetization – the magnetization
exists in the ferromagnetic
material in the absence of applied
magnetic field.
The best-known examples of
ferromagnets are the transition
metals Fe, Co, and Ni.

Ferromagnetic materials have a

very high level of permeability
while non-magnetic materials
such as air and wood have very
low levels

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11. Composite series magnetic circuits
For a series magnetic
circuit having n parts,
the total reluctance S is
given by: S = S1 +S2 + ···
+Sn (This is like resistors
connected in series in an
electrical circuit).
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• Example 1.
A closed magnetic circuit of
cast steel contains a 6cm long
path of cross-sectional area 1
𝑐𝑚2 and a 2 cm path of cross-
sectional area 0.5 𝑐𝑚2 . A coil
of 200 turns is wound around
the 6 cm length of the circuit
and a current of 0.4A flows.
Determine the flux density in
the 2cm path, if the relative
permeability of the cast steel
is 750.
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11. Example-2
The ring shown is formed with two
different materials – cast steel and mild
steel.
Find the total m.m.f. required to cause a
flux of 500 μWb in the magnetic circuit.
Determine also the total circuit reluctance.

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12. BH-curve

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 Prescribed text
• Hughes E. (2008). Electrical & Electronic Technology. 10th Edition.
Pearson Prentice Hall.

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Recommended resources/ Reading lists
• Bird J. (2009). Electrical Circuit Theory and Technology. 3rd Edition.
Elsevier Private Limited. India

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Summary
In this lesson, we have:
• Developed a good understanding of simple magnetic circuits.

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Next lesson
• In the next lesson we will introduce 2nd Assessment Exam

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 THANK YOU

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