Charged inductor with no discharge path?

[ShawnD]

Suppose I have a simple DC circuit. If I wrap the wire around a piece of iron, I create an inductor. Having a steady flow of current creates a steady magnetic field around the piece of iron. If I remove the power supply and put a wire in its place, the magnetic field will collapse and send a current back in the opposite direction of the current which created the field.

What happens if I don't have a nice discharge path? What if I charged the inductor then cut the wire? The field still collapses, but where does my current/voltage go?

 

[Meir Achuz]

For DC current, the inductor will have a current, but only a small voltage, due to its resistance, across it. When you cut the wires, a large back EMF will be applied as the magnetic field collapses. This could institute a spark whose current will end the voltage due to the EMF. This is what you notice sometimes when you remove a plug.
If there is no spark, the EMF will first cause a current pulse in the inductor that will charge the ends, followed by a back current pulse that neutralizes the inductor.

 

[astrokreng]

If there is no discharge path for the charged inductor, the current and voltage will continue to circulate within the inductor until it finds a path to dissipate. This can potentially cause damage to the circuit or components if the current and voltage build up to high levels. It is important to always have a discharge path for charged inductors to avoid any potential hazards. In the scenario where the wire is cut after charging the inductor, the current and voltage will still circulate within the inductor, but without a complete circuit, the energy will not be dissipated and will continue to build up until a discharge path is created. This can also lead to potential hazards and damage to the circuit. It is always important to have a complete circuit and a discharge path for any charged inductors to ensure safe and proper functioning of the circuit.