Magnetic Field

Lecture # 1b
Hamdard Institute of Engineering & Technology
FEST, Hamdard University
 The Magnetic Field
 Magnetic fields are the fundamental mechanism by which energy
is converted from one form to another in motors, generators, and
transformers.
 Four basic principles describe how magnetic fields are used in
these devices:
1. A current-carrying wire / coil produces a magnetic field in the
area around it.

Hamdard Institute of Engineering & Technology

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 The Right Hand Rule
The right hand rule helps demonstrate the relationship between
conductor current and the direction of magnetic field.

Grasp a wire conductor in the

right hand, put your thumb on the
wire pointing upward, and wrap
your four fingers around the wire.
As long as the thumb is in the
direction that current flows
through the wire, the fingers curl
around the wire in the direction of
the magnetic field.

Hamdard Institute of Engineering & Technology

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 Faraday's Law
Any change in the magnetic environment of a coil of wire will
cause a voltage (emf) to be induced in the coil (no matter how the
change is produced). Voltage induced is directly proportional to the
rate of change in the flux with respect to time.
d
eind  
dt
If the coils has N turns, then the voltage induced across the whole
coil is given by
d
eind   N
Where, dt
eind = voltage induced in the coil The minus sign in the
N = number of turns of wire in coil equations is an expression
φ = flux passing through coil of Lenz slaw.

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 Lenz’s Law
When an emf is induced by a change in magnetic flux according to
Faraday's Law, the polarity of the induced emf is such that it
produces a current whose magnetic field opposes the change, which
produces it.

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 The Magnetic Field
2. A time-changing magnetic field induces a voltage in a coil of wire if it
passes through that coil. (Basis of transformer action)

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 The Magnetic Field
3. A moving wire in the presence of a magnetic field has a
voltage induced in it. (Basis of generator action)

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 Fleming’s Left Hand Rule
Whenever a current carrying conductor (producing it’s own
magnetic field) is placed inside (an external) magnetic field, then
the opposing fields repel each other and a force acts on the
conductor (causing physical motion) in a direction perpendicular to
both the directions of the current and the magnetic field.

The pointer finger points in the

direction of the magnetic field,
the middle finger points in the
direction of the current, and the
thumb shows which way the
conductor will be forced to
move.

Hamdard Institute of Engineering & Technology

FEST, Hamdard University
 The Magnetic Field
4. A current-carrying wire in the presence of a magnetic field has
a force induced on it. (Basis of motor action)

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 Magnetic Flux
Magnetic flux (φ) is the number of magnetic field lines passing
through a surface.
  BA
Were B is Magnetic flux density, defined as the amount
of magnetic flux through a unit area taken perpendicular to the
direction of the magnetic field. 

A is cross-sectional area of the core

The SI unit of magnetic flux is the weber (Wb)

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 Magnetic Field Intensity & Flux density 
The strength of the magnetic field produced in the core depends on
the material of the core. It can be expressed in two ways:
 Magnetic field intensity H
 Magnetic flux density B
the two are related by a simple numerical relationship:
 
B  H H
ampere  turns At

meter m
where, μ = magnetic permeability of Henrys H
 
material and is the measure of the ability of meter m
a material to support the formation of Webers
B  Tesla (T )
a magnetic field within itself. meter 2

 Permeability or magnetic permeability (μ) Permeability of free

space is given by μ0 = 4π × 10-7 H/m
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 Relative Permeability
 Permeability of any other material compared to the permeability of
free space is called relative permeability (μr). It is unit less quantity
as it is the ratio of two quantities 
r 
 Relative permeability is a convenient way 0
  0  r
to compare the magnetizability of materials
 For example, the steels used in modern machines
have relative permeabilities of 2000 to 6000 or even more.
 This means that, for a given amount of current, 2000 to 6000 times
more flux is established in a piece of steel than in a corresponding
area of air
 The permeability of air is essentially the same as the permeability
of free space

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Production of a Magnetic Field–Ampere’s Law
 The basic law governing the production of a magnetic field by a
current is given by Ampere's law:
“The line integral of the magnetic field intensity around a closed
curve equals the enclosed current”

 where, H = magnetic field

intensity produced by the
current Inet
 dl = differential element of
length along the path of
integration.
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Production of a Magnetic Field–Ampere’s Law
 Previous figure shows a rectangular core with a winding of N
turns of wire wrapped about one leg of the core.
 The core is composed of a Ferromagnetic material & essentially
all the magnetic field produced by the current will remain inside
the core. (flux leakage is very small and can be neglected)
 Thus the path of integration in Ampere's law is the mean path
length of the core lc

 The current passing within the path of integration Inet is then Ni,
since the coil of wire cuts the path of integration N times while
carrying current i
Hlc  Ni
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Production of a Magnetic Field–Ampere’s Law

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Analogy between Electric and Magnetic Circuits
 In electric circuits, it is the voltage or electromotive force that
drives the current flow

 The corresponding quantity in the magnetic circuit is called the

magnetomotive force (mmf)

The mmf of the

magnetic circuit is
equal to the effective
current now applied to
the core.
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 Polarity of the mmf Source
Like the voltage source in the electric circuit, the magnetomotive
force in the magnetic circuit has a polarity associated with it.
 The positive end of the mmf source is the end from which the flux
exits, while The negative end of the mmf source is the end at
which the flux reenters
 The polarity of the mmf from a coil of wire can be determined
from a modification of the right-hand rule:

“If the fingers of the right hand curl in

the direction of the current flow in a coil
of wire, then the thumb will point in the
direction of the positive mmf”

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 Reluctance & Permeance
 In an electric circuit, the applied voltage causes a current I to
flow
 Similarly, in a magnetic circuit, the applied magnetomotive force
causes flux to be produced.
 The relationship between magnetomotive force and flux is

 The reluctance of a magnetic circuit (At/Wb) is the counterpart

of electrical resistance
 The permeance of a magnetic circuit is the reciprocal of its
reluctance. (and is defined as the property of allowing the passage
of lines of magnetic flux.)
Thus,
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 Reluctance & its relations

Reluctance of the core can be found by:

Like resistances, reluctances can be solved in series or parallel as

well using:

(in series)

(in parallel)

Hamdard Institute of Engineering & Technology

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Analogy between Electric and Magnetic Circuits

Magnetic circuit Electric circuit

Term Symbol Term Symbol

Magnetic flux F Electric current I

Flux density B Current density J

Magnetomotive force F Electromotive force E

Permeability μ Permitivity e

Reluctance R Resistance R

Hamdard Institute of Engineering & Technology

FEST, Hamdard University