- #1
chahya
- 1
- 0
inductor can discharge or not?
Can Inductors Discharge Their Stored Energy?
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Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around whether inductors can discharge their stored energy, focusing on the nature of energy storage in inductors compared to capacitors and batteries. Participants explore terminology and practical experiences related to inductors and their energy discharge characteristics.
Discussion Character
- Debate/contested
- Conceptual clarification
- Technical explanation
Main Points Raised
- Some participants assert that inductors can discharge their stored energy.
- One participant clarifies that the term "discharge" is typically associated with capacitors and batteries, suggesting that inductors store magnetic energy rather than electric charge.
- A participant shares a personal anecdote about experimenting with batteries and fluorescent ballasts, implying a sense of energy discharge without technical precision.
- Another participant discusses superconducting magnets, noting that they can discharge energy into external resistances under controlled conditions, and mentions self-discharge modes where the coil can absorb its own stored energy.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express differing views on the terminology and nature of energy discharge in inductors, indicating that multiple competing perspectives remain without a clear consensus.
Contextual Notes
The discussion includes varying interpretations of energy storage and discharge terminology, and the practical implications of inductors in different contexts, which may depend on specific definitions and conditions.
- #2
zhermes
- 1,253
- 3
Yes, and inductor can discharge.
- #3
berkeman
Admin
- 69,531
- 25,111
chahya said:
Well, at least in English, the term "charge" refers to electric charge storage, or electrical potential energy storage (like in a battery). So you would charge and discharge a capacitor or battery, for example.
The energy stored in an inductor is magnetic in nature, so the terms charge and discharge would not normally be used, I believe. I'm not sure what alternate term might be used with an inductor, as you store and release the magnetic energy...
- #4
Mike_In_Plano
- 700
- 35
Hey Berke,
When I was a kid, I used to put batteries to most anything. I tried tried it on a flourescent ballast I had salvaged. It "felt" like it discharged >
<
- Mike
When I was a kid, I used to put batteries to most anything. I tried tried it on a flourescent ballast I had salvaged. It "felt" like it discharged >
<- Mike
- #5
mdjensen22
- 161
- 0
Mike_In_Plano said:Hey Berke,
When I was a kid, I used to put batteries to most anything. I tried tried it on a flourescent ballast I had salvaged. It "felt" like it discharged >
- Mike
That made me chuckle a little Mike...- #6
Bob S
- 4,662
- 8
Superconducting magnets used in MRI's are essentially large zero-resistance inductances running in persistent mode (large dc current, shorted coil). Even though they have a large inductance, the L/R time constant is extremely long. These inductances can be discharged into external resistances under controlled conditions. Sometimes the magnet coil can absorb its own stored energy under certain self-discharge modes.
Bob S
Bob S
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