Inductance
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© 1998-2008 by Glenn Elert -- A Work in Progress
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Discussion
introduction
Ready? Here we go.
Start with a solenoid. Run current through it and you've got yourself an electromagnet. The field inside is given by the formula …
| B = μ0nI = μ0 | N | I |
| ℓ |
At the same time, a solenoid is also a device for capturing flux.
ΦB = NBA
The static situation is certainly interesting enough, but when it comes to flux, what we really care about is the time rate of change. This is what gives us electromagnetic induction, or an induced electromotive force, or whatever you want to call it. This situation is described by Faraday's law.
| ℰ = − | dΦB |
| dt |
Let's walk through these equations again, but with a time-varying twist. A solenoid with a changing current running through it will generate a changing magnetic field.
| dB | = μ0 | N | dI | |
| dt | ℓ | dt |
This changing magnetic field is then captured by the very solenoid that created it. A captured field is called flux and a changing flux generates an emf -- in this case, a self-induced or back emf.
| ℰ = − | dΦB | = − N | ⎛ ⎝ |
μ0 | N | dI | ⎞ ⎠ |
A | |
| dt | ℓ | dt |
Rearranging things a bit gives us this equation …
| ℰ = − | μ0AN2 | dI | |
| ℓ | dt |
which may not look like much, until you realize that the terms in the first fraction are largely determined by the geometry of the solenoid. Had we chosen a different configuration of wires, the same basic thing would have happened.
| ℰ = − L | dI |
| dt |
The self-induced emf in a circuit is directly proportional to the time rate of change of the current (dI/dt) multiplied by a constant (L). This constant is called the inductance (or more precisely, the self inductance) and is determined by the geometry of the circuit (or more commonly, by the geometry of individual circuit elements). For example, the inductance of a solenoid (as determined above) is given by the formula …
| L = | μ0AN2 |
| ℓ |
The symbol L for inductance was chosen to honor Heinrich Lenz (1804-1865), whose pioneering work in electromagnetic induction was instrumental in the development of the final theory. Lenz was responsible for the minus sign, which is a statement of Lenz' law in mathematical form. (In case you forgot, Lenz' law states that the induced current in a circuit always acts in a manner that opposes the change that created it in the first place.)
Inductance is best defined by its role in the equation derived from Faraday's law of induction. Some people don't like this and prefer definitions written in the subject-verb-object form of a simple sentence.
| L = | V |
| dI/dt |
In English, we would read this as "inductance (L) is the ratio of the induced potential (ℰ) to the time rate of change of the current (dI/dt)." As I already said, I don't particularly like this kind of definition in this case, but it does help us to determine the appropriate units.
| ⎡ ⎣ |
H = | V | = | J/C | = | (kg m2/s2)/(A s) | = | kg m2 | ⎤ ⎦ |
| A/s | A/s | A/s | s2 A |
The unit of inductance is the henry, named after Joseph Henry (1797-1878), the American scientist who discovered electromagnetic induction independently of and at about the same time as Michael Faraday (1791-1867) in England. Faraday published his findings first and so gets most of the credit. Henry also discovered self inductance and mutual inductance (which will be described later in this section) and invented the electromechanical relay (which was the basis for the telegraph). A circuit with a self inductance of one henry will experience a back emf of one volt when the current changes at a rate of one ampère per second.
…
Inductance is something. Inductance is the resistance of a circuit element to changes in current. Inductance in a circuit is the analog of mass in a mechanical system.
| ℰ = − L | dI | ⇔ | cause of change |
= | resistance to change |
× | rate of change |
⇔ | F = m | dv | |
| dt | dt |
inductive loop detector
Traffic at some intersections is controlled with the aid of inductive loop detectors (ILD). An ILD is a loop of conducting wire embedded just a few centimeters below the pavement. When a vehicle passes through the field, it acts as a conductor, changing the inductance of the loop. A change in the loop's inductance indicates the presence of a car above. This information can then be used to activate traffic signals, monitor traffic flow, or issue automated citations.
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examples
inductance is a function of geometry
solenoid
| ΦB | = N | B | A | ||
| ΦB | = N | µ0NI | A | ||
| ℓ | |||||
| ΦB | = | µ0AN2 | I | ||
| ℓ | |||||
| d ΦB | = | µ0AN2 | dI | ||
| dt | ℓ | dt | |||
| L | = | μ0AN2 | = | μ0Aℓn2 | |
| ℓ |
coax
| ΦB | = | ⌠ ⌡ |
B | · | dA | ||||
| b | b | ||||||||
| ΦB | = | ⌠ ⌡ |
µ0I | ℓ dr | = | µ0Iℓ | ⌠ ⌡ |
dr | |
| 2πr | 2π | r | |||||||
| a | a | ||||||||
| ΦB | = | µ0ℓ | ln | ⎛ ⎝ |
a | ⎞ ⎠ |
I | ||
| 2π | b | ||||||||
| d ΦB | = | µ0ℓ | ln | ⎛ ⎝ |
a | ⎞ ⎠ |
dI | ||
| dt | 2π | b | dt | ||||||
| L | = | µ0ℓ | ln | ⎛ ⎝ |
a | ⎞ ⎠ |
|||
| 2π | b | ||||||||
toroid
| ΦB | = | N | B | A | |
| ΦB | ≈ | N | µ0NI | A | |
| 2πR | |||||
| ΦB | ≈ | N | µ0NA | I | |
| 2πR | |||||
| d ΦB | ≈ | µ0AN2 | dI | ||
| dt | 2πR | dt | |||
| L | = | μ0AN2 | |||
| 2πR | |||||
single loop
?
Summary
- The inductance (L) of a circuit element is defined as the ratio
of the induced potential (V) to the rate of change of the current
(dI/dt).
L = V dI/dt
Problems
practice
- The inductance
of the tungsten coil in an incandescent light bulb is 20 μH at 60 Hz.
Make a question out of this basic idea.
- Answer it.
- Write something.
- Answer it.
- Write something.
- Answer it.
- Write something completely different.
- Answer it.
numerical
- problems
Resources
- detectors
- Inductive Loop Detectors, Eberle Design
- Staying in the Loop, David Gibson, Milton K. Mills, & Doug Rekenthaler Jr., Public Roads, September/October 1998
- Never Fail Loop Systems
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