DC voltage across the inductor?

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    Dc Inductor Voltage
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SUMMARY

Applying DC voltage across an inductor primarily results in a voltage drop across the series internal resistance of the coil, as the inductive reactance becomes negligible at DC. The impedance of an inductor is defined as Z = R + jωL, where R is the resistance and jωL represents the inductive reactance. At DC, the reactance term disappears, leading to heating of the wire due to current flow. For AC signals, the impedance increases with frequency, affecting the perceived resistance of the inductor.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic electrical concepts, including voltage, current, and resistance.
  • Familiarity with inductors and their properties, specifically inductive reactance.
  • Knowledge of impedance and its components (real and imaginary parts).
  • Basic calculus for understanding the relationship between voltage, current, and inductance (di/dt).
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the behavior of inductors under AC conditions and how frequency affects impedance.
  • Study the concept of inductive reactance and its calculation using X_L = ωL.
  • Explore the thermal effects of current flowing through inductors and how to mitigate overheating.
  • Learn about the applications of inductors in AC circuits and their ratings at various frequencies.
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Electrical engineers, circuit designers, and students studying electromagnetic theory who seek to understand the behavior of inductors under different voltage conditions.

php
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what happens when u apply DC voltage across the inductor? i.e is the voltage drop only across the series internal resistance of the coil? can we just determine this resistance by simply saying: V_supply = I x r(series)? or do we have to include the inductance?
 
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hint: Do you know the impedance of an inductor?
 


Ouabache said:
hint: Do you know the impedance of an inductor?

whats an impedance?
do you mean X_L=wL?
 


V = Ri + L*di/dt

i = (V/R)*(1 - exp(-Rt/L))

If R=0 (superconducting), then

i = Vt/L

Claude
 


Before we get too far along, I hope you have more in your circuit besides the inductor, otherwise what do you think would happen when you apply a voltage across a coil of wire?
php said:
whats an impedance?
do you mean X_L=wL?
You're on the right track, however you've given only the inductive reactance.
The impedance Z of an inductor includes both real (pure resistance) and imaginary terms (reactance).
Z = R + jX_L = R+ j \omega L
So the voltage across it would be? V = IZ = I (R + j \omega L)

Since you are applying only a DC voltage (no frequency component), what happens to the reactance term?
 


Most likely the wire will get hot. You are right, at DC the resistance is only the series resistance of the wire.

If you were to apply an AC signal then it is different. As you increase the frequency the perceived resistance to the AC signal would increase. Many small signal inductors are rated at 100MHz. The rating will be something like 300 ohms at 100MHz meaning that to the source, the line the signal is traveling on will look like a 300 ohm resistor. This is in magnitude impedance format, which is the perceived resistance. At slightly over DC the perceived resistance will be near zero ohms, as the frequency increases, so will the perceived resistance. There is a point at which the resistance will reach a maximum and then it will go back down

There are a few simplifications here but the concept is sound.
 

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