Saturable reactor - QuickField simulation example
The AC reactor features a magnetic core that can be deliberately saturated by means of a direct electric current in a control winding. Calculate the reactor inductance for a set of operating currents.
How to find inductance variation in saturable reactors?
Answer Typical applications Geometry
Given
Task
Solution
Results
Magnetic flux and permeability distribution at the operating current of 8 A.
Engineering question
Set up a plane-parallel QuickField Multiphysics problem for a saturable reactor and evaluate inductance variation from computed field results.
saturable reactors, magnetic control reactors, nonlinear magnetic cores
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Simulation problem
Problem Type
A plane-parallel multiphysics problem of DC magnetics coupled to AC magnetics.
AC winding number of turns n = 800, current value I~ = 50 mA, frequency f = 50 Hz.
Magnetic permeability of the steel core:
Calculate the reactor inductance for a set of operating currents in DC coil.
Normally you would use Transient magnetics analysis to simulate this problem. DC to AC coupling allows to simplify the problem.
The DC magnetic field is calculated with the DC Magnetics module of QuickField. AC magnetic field is calculated with the AC Magnetics module of QuickField. In order to take saturation into account the link from DC to AC is added. The link transfers the steel core magnetic permeability distribution from one problem to another.
Series of problems were calculated for a number of control currents.
Reactor inductance for a set of operating currents in DC coil
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