How the power transfers across the Ideal Transformer

[jim hardy]

Sorry to leave, neighbor had a burglar and needed moral support.

Not if area and/or turns aren't constant. Than the flux can be the same but the B can be different.

Flux and flux density... i make lots of arithmetic mistakes swapping between the two.
That's why i start with volts per turn, figure out webers/sec, convert that to amplitude of whatever waveform I'm using (i only mess with sine and triangle because their derivatives are well behaved), then having Webers i change to Webers per square meter B.

Of course one still occasionally runs into Maxwells and Gauss and Oersteds and has to go back to his basice...

 

[jim hardy]

Thats what I thought (about inductance curve having the same shape as μ curve), then I remembered Brms = Vrms/(N*A*2*pi*f)

that's saying flux density is measured by volts per turn per unit area, which is equivalent to flux is measured by volts per turn, and both are true for sinusoids

Isn't μrelative actually a function of B and not flux?
Thats what I thought (about inductance curve having the same shape as μ curve), then I remembered Brms = Vrms/(N*A*2*pi*f)
So Say I was using my 400 turn coil at 50Vrms, we saw that was it's V.s value for 400 turns that gave maximum value of inductance 7.8 H, maximum μrelative,
if I increased or decrease the voltage amplitude we'd move up the BH curve and away from μrelative, (and we saw the impedance of the amp droped under or over 50V) But say I want more inductance for the same 50V supply; so I think I'll increase N because L = N2 μrelative μ0 Area / Length of path
well N2 has gone up, but since B = V/(N*A*2*pi*f), B has gone down, and thus so has μrelative. Same decrease in B if I increase A. So hasn't the overalll inductance gone up, but μrelative has gone down?

I am confused what you mean by u_relative. .

if I increased or decrease the voltage amplitude we'd move up the BH curve and away from μrelative,

Can you point to μrelative on the BH curve?
To me it's the slope not something yu can move away from. T
You can shift operating point so your operating range sweeps regions of the curve having greeter or lesser slopes

i need to resolve that mental sticky point to have faith i understand your question..

 

[tim9000]

Sorry to leave, neighbor had a burglar and needed moral support.

My simpathies to your neighbour, that's aweful! I hope they didn't loose too much of value or anything of sentamental value.

that's saying flux density is measured by volts per turn per unit area, which is equivalent to flux is measured by volts per turn, and both are true for sinusoids...

Well B as volt-seconds per turn per unit area...So is there a problem with that?

I am confused what you mean by urelative. .

Can you point to μrelative on the BH curve?
To me it's the slope not something yu can move away from. T
You can shift operating point so your operating range sweeps regions of the curve having greeter or lesser slopes

i need to resolve that mental sticky point to have faith i understand your question..

(μ) mu or mu relative on the BH curve I just think of as being where the RMS B is operating at, that's the corresponding point of μ or μ_relative:
Ok back to my friend the ferris BH permeability curve:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...Permeability_of_ferromagnet_by_Zureks.svg.png

I assume when I was putting on to the 400 turn coil and load the 50V rms at 50Hz, that I was at μ_max because that's when we got maximum impedacnce (theirfore max inductance). But say I was to slide onto the core more sheets of lamina: increasing A, Than would B not drop because of Brms = Vrms/(N*A*2*pi*f)
Or if I wound more turns, increasing N, than V.s/N would drop wouldn't it?
So L = N² μ_relative μ₀ Area / Length of path might
increase OVERALL, but haven't we moved from μ_MAX down to the left, to a lower point on the BH curve, closer to H = 0?
so L is up but μ and B are down, the A and N terms of the equation outweigh the drop in μ?

I'm sorry for the poor quality of my reply, I'm rushed because I wanted to catch you on your time of day cycle. I have to get to bed to get up for an early doctors appointment.

Control current drives you DOWN.
Load volt-seconds push you UP.
When you cross the brink of saturation, copious load current pushes you further into saturation.
Gain is quite high right around the balance point . Just like an op-amp.

OK so the green line DOES move DOWN when you increase control current. And the Red line moves UP the higher the AC voltage.
So looking at the right side of the two cores as the AC excitation draws a load current that will produce a demagnetising MMF in the cores. But at the same time, if you think of the dot-convention, the AC excitation produces a pair of dots on the bottom of the cores which pushes a current that increases the control current (the positive feedback) by like transformer action?

Thanks!

 

[jim hardy]

Well B as volt-seconds per turn per unit area...So is there a problem with that?

none whatsoever

I assume when I was putting on to the 400 turn coil and load the 50V rms at 50Hz, that I was at μmax because that's when we got maximum impedacnce (theirfore max inductance). I'm with you this far.

But say I was to slide onto the core more sheets of lamina: increasing A, Than would B not drop because of Brms = Vrms/(N*A*2*pi*f)
Yes B would drop. Flux would remain constant.
Or if I wound more turns, increasing N, than V.s/N would drop wouldn't it?
I agree , keeping excitation at 50 V rms, volts per turn would drop.
That means flux would drop. So would B since area wasn't changed.

So L = N2 μrelative μ0 Area / Length of path might
increase OVERALL, but haven't we moved from μMAX down to the left, to a lower point on the BH curve, closer to H = 0?
Yes.
so L is up but μ and B are down, the A and N terms of the equation outweigh the drop in μ?
That can only be answered by applying numbers to real data. Is your graph above from actual measurements,
and is it to scale or conceptual ?

I'm sorry for the poor quality of my reply, I'm rushed because I wanted to catch you on your time of day cycle. I have to get to bed to get up for an early doctors appointment.

i thought it was pretty cleanly stated. I have trouble with my acuity varying with time of day - mornings are best. But in today's interrupt driven world , discretionary time seems to appear only in evenings, my nadir.

OK so the green line DOES move DOWN when you increase control current. And the Red line moves UP the higher the AC voltage.

yep.

So looking at the right side of the two cores as the AC excitation draws a load current that will produce a demagnetising MMF in the cores. But at the same time, if you think of the dot-convention, the AC excitation produces a pair of dots on the bottom of the cores which pushes a current that increases the control current (the positive feedback) by like transformer action?

Dont understand sentence starting with "but". Which picture are you referring to ?

gotta tend to a doctor's appointment myself, Fair Anne's. Back tonight.

 

[tim9000]

"So L = N2 μrelative μ0 Area / Length of path might
increase OVERALL, but haven't we moved from μMAX down to the left, to a lower point on the BH curve, closer to H = 0?"
Yes.
"so L is up but μ and B are down, the A and N terms of the equation outweigh the drop in μ?"
That can only be answered by applying numbers to real data. Is your graph above from actual measurements,
and is it to scale or conceptual ?

Conceptually and practically they should be the same should they not, that's the point of design?
Well let's look at some data:

Those curves are wL = 2*pi*f*50/0.6 *400^2 * (B/H)
so everything is constant except permeability (B/H). I got max impedance to be 1260 Ohm at 50Vrms at 50Hz, (and you saw the BH curve in post #233) implying that we get maximum impedance when B = 0.72988689 T
I imagine that if current is controlled to be the same that THEN you could just wrap heaps of turns around the core and get heaps of flux. But if it's V.s that is to be the same, then it doesn't seem like I can do that.
Say I wanted to design an inductor to be as big as possible at a certain voltage and frequency, to get to the biggest it's like I want to design to stay on μ_MAX to make the most out of my steel, we were able to do that before by using the cross sectional area of A = 0.000555 m^2 but say I want even more inductance.
To get more inductance I'd need more turns, but if I do that the flux will drop, so to maintain μ_MAX I'd need to drop the area, but I don't want to do that, infact I want to increase the area.
This is my point, is there some fundamental limit on how big an inductor can be for a given V.s at μ_MAX? {I think I recall you saying that the inductance curve always matched the permeability curve, however that only seems to be true for a constant current, not a constant V.s}
Is it like that inductor we were talking about for 1260Ohm that is as efficient as you can get for 50Vrms@50Hz, any bigger than that you're doing so with a smaller flux density? So like μ gets down after an increase of heaps and heaps of turns to stay at μ_initial (where μ is at H = 0) and you can only increase the inductance with μ = μ_initial?

Dont understand sentence starting with "but". Which picture are you referring to ?

Fair Anne's?
I'm referring to Mr Steiner's picture in post #234 for example, re: load current causes demagnetisation MMF on right side and also the positive feedback to control current, by like transformer action, on left side?Also, what did you think of this:

The Series analogue of that parallel circuit, would it be this:

I conceed that it wouldn't be as good as the parallel one but is that correct in principal? So each leg is only ever magnetised in one direction? Wouldn't the dΦ/dt of that picture be half that of the saturatable reactor we've been discussing (that I built)?

 

[jim hardy]

Okay, back now , tended to some pressing matters.

I assume when I was putting on to the 400 turn coil and load the 50V rms at 50Hz, that I was at μmax because that's when we got maximum impedacnce (theirfore max inductance).

okay , i follow that.

But say I was to slide onto the core more sheets of lamina: increasing A, Than would B not drop because of Brms = Vrms/(N*A*2*pi*f)

What did you change? Just area of core?
Same number of turn and same voltage? That says flux stayed the same, same flux over more area is smaller B.
B would drop.

Or if I wound more turns, increasing N, than V.s/N would drop wouldn't it?

,, yes, so would B

So L = N2 μrelative μ0 Area / Length of path might
increase OVERALL, but haven't we moved from μMAX down to the left, to a lower point on the BH curve, closer to H = 0?
so L is up but μ and B are down, the A(?) and N terms of the equation outweigh the drop in μ?

Is this just for the increased turns?
well, inductance varies as square of N
and varies in direct (not square) proportion to u_relative ,
and for your fixed voltage B is in inverse proportion to N
so would we need to find how u_relative varies as f(B) , then see how much it changes for the proposed change in N , and for A? Partial derivative wrt B ?

Thats why i suggested looking at data...

Conceptually and practically they should be the same should they not, that's the point of design?
Well let's look at some data:

Those curves are wL = 2*pi*f*50/0.6 *400^2 * (B/H)
so everything is constant except permeability (B/H). I got max impedance to be 1260 Ohm at 50Vrms at 50Hz, (and you saw the BH curve in post #233) mplying that we get maximum impedance when B = 0.72988689 T

?? This BH curve from post 233 ?

or this one from 230 ?

implying that we get maximum impedance when B = 0.72988689 T

I imagine that if current is controlled to be the same that THEN you could just wrap heaps of turns around the core and get heaps of flux. But if it's V.s that is to be the same, then it doesn't seem like I can do that.[/QUOTE]
You seem to be driving toward maximizing inductance.
Remember the very basic definition,
inductance is flux linkages per ampere ,,, NΦ/I
Is not volt-seconds basically NΦ ? ∫Vdt = N∫Φ ?

[/QUOTE]
Say I wanted to design an inductor to be as big as possible[/QUOTE] you mean most Henries achievable? [/QUOTE] at a certain voltage and frequency, [/QUOTE] okay constant voltage and frequency

to get to the biggest it's like I want to design to stay on μMAX to make the most out of my steel,

okay you've chosen to operate this core a little below the knee [ QUOTE]we were able to do that before by using the cross sectional area of A = 0.000555 m^2 but say I want even more inductance.
To get more inductance I'd need more turns, but if I do that the flux will drop, so to maintain μMAX I'd need to drop the area, but I don't want to do that, infact I want to increase the area.
This is my point, is there some fundamental limit on how big an inductor can be for a given V.s at μMAX? [/QUOTE]

By defining uMAX you've defined flux density B and u_relative
By defining V.s you've defined NΦ, the volt-seconds to reach flux Φ_{where μ = umax},
so if you add turns you'll have to add area to keep B same but that'd increase volt-seconds
L=N^2 U₀μ_relativeA_rea/Length
what's left to adjust ? Length ?
Looks to me like once you define volt seconds and flux density for a given core length you've defined the inductor.
That's how you design one, pick an operating flux for the core then size it for volts per turn.

{I think I recall you saying that the inductance curve always matched the permeability curve, however that only seems to be true for a constant current, not a constant V.s}

probably so. I was thinking of slopes , small excursions of current and voltage.

Is it like that inductor we were talking about for 1260Ohm that is as efficient as you can get for 50Vrms@50Hz, any bigger than that you're doing so with a smaller flux density? So like μ gets down after an increase of heaps and heaps of turns to stay at μinitial (where μ is at H = 0) and you can only increase the inductance with μ = μinitial?

I can't find that post, but
Heaps and heaps of turns will get you operating in a really low flux region.
There won't be much core loss of course.
L = N * Φ/I where Φ and I are both small numbers.
BH curve has some slope at zero, but as you observed there's a liftoff".

 

[jim hardy]

Fair Anne's?

ahhh yes, Fair Anne is my greater half... "Old Jim and Fair Anne " , plain folks.

I'm referring to Mr Steiner's picture in post #234 for example, re: load current causes demagnetisation MMF on right side and also the positive feedback to control current, by like transformer action, on left side?

But at the same time, if you think of the dot-convention, the AC excitation produces a pair of dots on the bottom of the cores which pushes a current that increases the control current (the positive feedback) by like transformer action?

Steiner's 234

the AC excitation produces a pair of dots on the bottom of the cores which pushes a current that increases the control current (the positive feedback) by like transformer action?[

??
Dot convention is result of physically winding the transformer not applying voltage. The dots are painted on and stay put..
If you connect a penlight battery to one coil with + on doted wire, the dotted wire on other coil will go briefly positive while current rises.
That's how i test a transformer for polarity.

The AC excitation in above picture is not AC when it gets to the transformer. The diodes assure each coil sees only one polarity.
Look at bottom right coil. Conventional current enters at bottom un-dotted wire and exits through top dotted wire.
Look at the top right coil. Conventional current enters at bottom un-dotted wire and exits through top dotted wire.
Look at the top left coil Conventional current enters at top dotted wire and exits through bottom undotted wire.
Look at bottom left coil Conventional current enters at top dotted wire and exits through bottom undotted wire.

Control current establishes starting point for each half cycle's flux increase during volt-second integration.
If flux does not integrate up to saturation, load current remains low and impedance high.
If the flux starting point is raised by adjusting control current, flux will integrate up to saturation and load current will flow.

Perhaps you were saying that AC cannot flow in control winding side because of the series connection there ?

 

[tim9000]

"But say I was to slide onto the core more sheets of lamina: increasing A, Than would B not drop because of Brms = Vrms/(N*A*2*pi*f)"
What did you change? Just area of core?
Same number of turn and same voltage? That says flux stayed the same, same flux over more area is smaller B.
B would drop.

Honest to God that 'not' was a typo, yeah the point I was making was that it WOULD drop. Woops, how aggravating. So sorry.

?? This BH curve from post 233 ?

Yes that BH curve in 233, not the impedance curve below it, which was incorrect because of the wrong length used in H. (I realized some posts later) The impedance curve in post #245 is the correct one

I can't find that post, but
Heaps and heaps of turns will get you operating in a really low flux region.
There won't be much core loss of course.
L = N * Φ/I where Φ and I are both small numbers.
BH curve has some slope at zero, but as you observed there's a liftoff".

The 'inductor' I was talking about was the amp at 400 turns with no DC, how it acted like an inductor to block load current.

Is this just for the increased turns?
well, inductance varies as square of N
and varies in direct (not square) proportion to urelative ,
and for your fixed voltage B is in inverse proportion to N
so would we need to find how urelative varies as f(B) , then see how much it changes for the proposed change in N , and for A? Partial derivative wrt B ?

I'm talking about varying A area and/or N turns. To get maximum inductance per kg. To get maximum inductance per kg I assume you'd want to be at the maximum permeability of the BH curve (max of BH gradient). So if you have a material and you're working on a specific V.s adding cross sectional area after you're at the maximum permeability. I.e. when we were already at 1260 Ohms, possibly would have reduced our inductance or done nothing as it would have decreased B and thus decreased permeability. So my realisation is that if you want a really big inductor for a set V.s it's going to be opperating right down the bottom of the BH curve.
Similarly you can increase the inductance by adding more turns because it's propertional to N^2, but you will decrease the flux.
So the only way to maintain the same efficiency of inductance per kg is to decrease the cross sectional area to get B back up. But my point was that I wanted a BIG inductor (for a set V.s), that was also at maximum inductance per kg. (the implication that there is maximum inductance per kg when operating at permeability max may be a faulse assumption, I haven't really thought about that, but my point about wanting to operate there stands. I assume there is some benefite to operating at permiability max)

 

[tim9000]

??
Dot convention is result of physically winding the transformer not applying voltage. The dots are painted on and stay put..
If you connect a penlight battery to one coil with + on doted wire, the dotted wire on other coil will go briefly positive while current rises.
That's how i test a transformer for polarity.

Sorry I must have poorly chosen my words.

If the flux starting point is raised by adjusting control current, flux will integrate up to saturation and load current will flow.

This line troubles me because the control current only goes down the BH curve, the larger the control current, the lower down.
The load current will start from the green line and go up, the larger the AC supply, the higher the red bar can get. The impedance of the windings depends on the change in flux, and if the green bar is too low the change in flux is too low and the impedance collapses and current can flow in quantity.
However you said the starting point was 'raised by adjusting the control current' but that would only be true if you were decreasing the control current. So this 'Positive feedback' from the load current to the control current I'm still not clear on. Let's look at what's actually going on inside those cores:

The blue flux will oppose the larger Red control flux, the larger the blue flux the less saturated the core is. So the red flux is DC so there's no back EMF limiting the left side current so how do we get positive feedback (more left coil current) the larger the blue flux is?

 

[jim hardy]

Red coil gets DC control current.
Blue coil gets halfwave rectified AC from load circuit.
Red coil's amp-turns keep blue coil's amp turns from making enough flux to saturate the core so long as we don't exceed volt-seconds for saturation.
Remember that's a definite integral with a starting value.

If i make red coil's current progressively smaller , blue coil will eventually succeed in pushing flux over the knee, voltage will collapse and blue coil current will then go to the limit.

Load current only furthers saturation, that's the positive feedback.
There's no demagnetization every other half cycle from load current as there is when you rely on control current to push you up to saturation.

 

[jim hardy]

The Series analogue of that parallel circuit, would it be this:

I conceed that it wouldn't be as good as the parallel one but is that correct in principal? So each leg is only ever magnetised in one direction? Wouldn't the dΦ/dt of that picture be half that of the saturatable reactor we've been discussing (that I built)?

Been trying to figure that one out, not quite there yet.

As shown one leg aids and the other opposes control current flux
what would happen if you swapped polarity of left leg so both opposed control flux ?

 

[tim9000]

I just made that picture myself by the way, to try and figure out what the series analogue to the parallel one would be.

As shown one leg aids and the other opposes control current flux
what would happen if you swapped polarity of left leg so both opposed control flux ?

Wouldn't a better question be 'what would happen if you swapped the polarity the left leg, so neither oppsed the control flux?'

 

[tim9000]

Red coil gets DC control current.
Blue coil gets halfwave rectified AC from load circuit.
Red coil's amp-turns keep blue coil's amp turns from making enough flux to saturate the core so long as we don't exceed volt-seconds for saturation.
Remember that's a definite integral with a starting value.

If i make red coil's current progressively smaller , blue coil will eventually succeed in pushing flux over the knee, voltage will collapse and blue coil current will then go to the limit.

Load current only furthers saturation, that's the positive feedback.
There's no demagnetization every other half cycle from load current as there is when you rely on control current to push you up to saturation.

Ah, so that's the trick, it will saturate itself if there is no control current. That's the difference b/w what I was doing, it wouldn't necessarily saturate itself. Mine was kind of the opposite, the more control current, the more saturation. Steiner tunes his control current to give maximum inductance.If you're designing an inductor for a set control current, then I imagine that's just a matter of getting a big enough area to accommodate betting B down to max permeability. Because with a set current turns are proportional to flux. But when designing for a controlled V.s, 1/turns is proportional to flux.

Did I make my point about where I was coming from regarding maximum inductance per V.s or V.s/N clear enough in post #248?

...but my point was that I wanted a BIG inductor (for a set V.s), that was also at maximum inductance per kg.

I assume there is some benefite to operating at permiability max)

Also, observation: It seems like for a set V.s I can't have a big cross sectional area, with heaps of turns and still be at permeability max.

 

[jim hardy]

It's sure heartening to see your progress - I've learned too.

Have company right now, will have to ponder these at breakfast.

Wouldn't a better question be 'what would happen if you swapped the polarity the left leg, so neither oppsed the control flux?'

She'd sure saturate then !

I think of the self saturator as being held back by control winding, instead of helped along.

 

[tim9000]

Good morning, ah no worries, it's important to be a good host :p

I think of the self saturator as being held back by control winding, instead of helped along.

Indeed, which was contrary to the way mine operated I think.

 

[tim9000]

Hey Jim, are you still with company? How did your pondering go?

Cheers

 

[jim hardy]

Hey Jim, are you still with company? How did your pondering go?

Company left a couple days ago, spent yesterday recovering and today preparing to re-side the front of the house. Chopping out ivy..

Also, observation: It seems like for a set V.s I can't have a big cross sectional area, with heaps of turns and still be at permeability max.

if i follow you, you're trying to lock too many things at once.
Locking volt-seconds locks flux -turn product,
You set B by choosing that sweet permeability spot on BH curve,
so if you add area with fixed B you increase flux meaning you have to decrease turns .

Write simultaneous y = mx + b equations...

I'm talking about varying A area and/or N turns. To get maximum inductance per kg. To get maximum inductance per kg I assume you'd want to be at the maximum permeability of the BH curve (max of BH gradient). So if you have a material and you're working on a specific V.s adding cross sectional area after you're at the maximum permeability. I.e. when we were already at 1260 Ohms, possibly would have reduced our inductance or done nothing as it would have decreased B and thus decreased permeability. So my realisation is that if you want a really big inductor for a set V.s it's going to be opperating right down the bottom of the BH curve.
Similarly you can increase the inductance by adding more turns because it's propertional to N^2, but you will decrease the flux.
So the only way to maintain the same efficiency of inductance per kg is to decrease the cross sectional area to get B back up. But my point was that I wanted a BIG inductor (for a set V.s), that was also at maximum inductance per kg. (the implication that there is maximum inductance per kg when operating at permeability max may be a faulse assumption, I haven't really thought about that, but my point about wanting to operate there stands. I assume there is some benefite to operating at permiability max)

I had an answer typed up once but don't know where it is. I think i decided to ponder it, and a good thing, that.

Myself i see no advantage to operating at μ_max except that the core will stay cool.

What if i assume weight is proportional to volume of core, its area X length ?

L = μμ₀N² A_rea/L_ength
kg = A_rea X L_ength
L/kg = (μμ₀N² A_rea/L_ength ) / (A_rea X L_ength)
L/kg = μμ₀(N² / L_ength²)

I didnt expect that. Area falls out? Inductance /kg proportional to (turns/inch)² ? No wonder Toroids do so well.

Check my arithmetic ?

 

[tim9000]

Understandable, lol.

today preparing to re-side the front of the house. Chopping out ivy..

There are apparently types of creepers that grow that don't damage; I quite like climbing plants, they look nice.

if i follow you, you're trying to lock too many things at once.
Locking volt-seconds locks flux -turn product,
You set B by choosing that sweet permeability spot on BH curve,
so if you add area with fixed B you increase flux meaning you have to decrease turns .

Yeah so can fix flux through V.s or Current but not both, you have to design for one, although I'm not sure how you'd design for current unless you were using a currnent source?
(but you could control the V.s on a coil by adding or subtracting other loads that were in series with the amp or inductor)
From a design point of view is there any reason why you'd want to decrease the turns number of an inductor when you could happily get more on? (say material size wasn't a problem and you wanted a very big inductor)

Myself i see no advantage to operating at μmax except that the core will stay cool.

Interesting that there may not be any advantage about operating at μ_max, I was convinced it would be more efficient to get the most permeability out of your steel. What if you want to push current through your inductor, wouldn't μ_max be a good point to be working at, rather than down the bottom of the curve?
Though you said the core would stay cool'er, but (since we'd never want an inductor in saturation, because then it would lose it's inductance) wouldn't it actually be hotter than if the operating point was down the bottom of the curve (like it ordinarily otherwise would be)?

With all you've had going on lately I take it you're still pondering posts #251 and 252, after you get time to think about that I'd like to throw this into the mix:

P.S my preliminary thoughts on if you flipped one coil: well I think they're opposite (in a saturatable reactor) so they cancel AC on the control. But if you flipped one coil (the left one) so they both pushed flux in the direction of the control winding, the effect would be that when you rectified the control winding and also the input winding, then that non symmetry on the control winding wouldn't matter and (I'm still interested to know what you say about if rectification affects dΦ/dt, but IF it didn't then: ) you'd have more inductance because the centre leg would be used for flux when there was no control current, unlike before when it wasn't.
Thanks

 

[jim hardy]

I was convinced it would be more efficient to get the most permeability out of your steel.

That'd reduce magnetizing current a little bit... Inductance is flux linkages per amp, but you were after inductance per pound...

What if you want to push current through your inductor, wouldn't μmax be a good point to be working at, rather than down the bottom of the curve?

not quite sure what you mean 'push' ... Volts push the current, I = V/Z , I= V/2∏fL ,
current transformers operate at low flux so as to preserve current ratio by minimizing magnetizing current
voltage transformers operate at higher flux so as to have a not excessively large core

inductors often have an air gap in the core so as to keep flux from reaching saturation so inductance will be linear over expected range of current

From a design point of view is there any reason why you'd want to decrease the turns number of an inductor when you could happily get more on? (say material size wasn't a problem and you wanted a very big inductor)

Not that i can see.
Transformer guys aim for losses in core and losses in the copper about equal
they have formulas for "window area", how much room they have for the coils. Bigger window means longer core length or smaller area.
So they make that tradeoff, balancing the amount of wire that has to fit in the available space against core size.
If your wire is big because of high current, t might be advantageous to use fewer turns of it and make the core fatter. Doesn't area go up faster than circumference? So you'd buy a little more iron but save copper.
Here's a picture of a transformer that's sitting right next to that 1891 motor i just posted in photo thread..
I'm sure the transformer is sitting upside down...
You can see he's run out of window area on that core.

What i haven't figured out is why one winding extends so far out into the air.
Maybe he was experimenting with leakage flux, X_P ?
(Gorgetown Colorado still runs a small hydro plant left over from 1800's . They have some old stuff on display.)

 

[tim9000]

That'd reduce magnetizing current a little bit... Inductance is flux linkages per amp, but you were after inductance per pound...

I just had a gut feeling there'd be some use, somewhere, to operating at the maximum permeability.

not quite sure what you mean 'push' ... Volts push the current, I = V/Z , I= V/2∏fL ,

Push was the wrong word, I mean like you need to get a fair amount of current through but still have the inductance.

current transformers operate at low flux so as to preserve current ratio by minimizing magnetizing current
voltage transformers operate at higher flux so as to have a not excessively large core

Could you please elaborate on how low flux and mag current, preserves the current ratio?
So Ideally in a perfect world you'd be operating down the bottom of the BH curve for any magnetic core?

Hmm. Why is it most efficient when copper loss in a VT is equal to the core loss?

You can see he's run out of window area on that core.

I can't understand what you mean by that statement when you then say this>

What i haven't figured out is why one winding extends so far out into the air.

At first I thought you meant he wound the primary inside, then was like 'oh crap, there's not enough space left to wind the secondary, so then the flared the secondary out the sides, around it like a rectangle. But then you said 'one winding extends int to the air' which winding? do you mean by that? because both harlfs seem to be symmetrically flaring out the sides into the air.

 

[jim hardy]

ahhh that's the one you've built isn't it ?
It's different from post 251 because load windings there were rectified.

Reversing left winding in this one will induce tremendous voltage in control winding... because load mmf's would oppose and flux would have to return through center leg
DC in control winding would aid saturation in both outer legs on one half cycle and hinder it on the other half cycle.
I think it would not be very useful, might even rectify load current ?

This one it aids one leg and opposes other, alternating every half cycle ?
Main effect of rectification is it removes that alternation.

(I'm still interested to know what you say about if rectification affects dΦ/dt, but IF it didn't then: ) you'd have more inductance because the centre leg would be used for flux when there was no control current, unlike before when it wasn't.

I'm still trying to get my head around what that author did in post 211
i haven't tried it yet with pencil and paper..

 

[tim9000]

ahhh that's the one you've built isn't it ?
It's different from post 251 because load windings there were rectified.

No, that's not the one I built, though I did try that out, but I didn't have a burdon rated big enough to limit the rectified DC safely. So I used a separate propper DC supply, not something I built myself.
Yes it is different, I just wanted to see also what you thought about that too.
No the load windings in that picture aren't rectified, just the control. But in 251 the load windings were rectified.
EDIT: I suppose without switching the left leg, moving the load to before the amp, you could rectify the amp current and the control current, and that would be the analogue of the Parallel amp we were discussing? But then you'd get clipping of the ac and harmonics.

 

[tim9000]

Reversing left winding in this one will induce tremendous voltage in control winding... because load mmf's would oppose and flux would have to return through center leg
DC in control winding would aid saturation in both outer legs on one half cycle and hinder it on the other half cycle.
I think it would not be very useful, might even rectify load current ?

Yeah, so it would be dangerious to switch the left leg because you'd get voltages in the control induced that were tooooo high. I see.

This one it aids one leg and opposes other, alternating every half cycle ?
Main effect of rectification is it removes that alternation.

Well in that picture it would remove the alternation, it'd just go up to zero and back to zero again, not reversing which was up and which was down.
Ok I'll ask a simpiler question about dΦ/dt, concidering flux being the integral of voltage: well if we look at the sine voltage, it runs up to a peak, then runs back down again. It might run to negative the peak or to zero again, depending on if it's rectified. Now I know that if we increase the frequency then it runs up steeper. But does rectifiying it, that is to say if it runs to and from zero, as opposed to if it runs from peak to negative peak and back again, does that change the dΦ/dt? I wouldn't think it would, because the frequency is the same, like the 'steepness' of where it's running.

 

[tim9000]

As a following thought experiment to my EDIT to post #262, I wonder what would happen if you Did create that dangerous situation where you flipped the left leg (and rectified everything) so it looked like this:

The huge voltage that appeared on the control coil, would then be further impressed on the amp. But is that going to be voltage for or against the orginal?
EDIT: Or maybe like this (where the left leg has also been flipped):

I reckon the first picture in this post, the voltage induced on the control from the Back EMF will create more voltage on the outer windings, and thus more on the control, like positive feedback.
The second picture below seems a bit trickier to me, but it also seems more analogus to the Steiner's parrallel one. I suppose it could be self saturating? Seems like it would be safe because the control winding is de-saturating them. HOWEVER it seems like there wouldn't be much back EMF so does that mean heaps of current would still be drawn? Is it still positive feedback?

 

[jim hardy]

Well in that picture it would remove the alternation, it'd just go up to zero and back to zero again, not reversing which was up and which was down.

center leg i think i agree, but it'll still alternately aid and oppose each outer leg's mmf , no ?

As a following thought experiment to my EDIT to post #262, I wonder what would happen if you Did create that dangerous situation where you flipped the left leg (and rectified everything) so it looked like this:

The huge voltage that appeared on the control coil, would then be further impressed on the amp. But is that going to be voltage for or against the orginal?

Now i see three windings all pushing flux same direction up outer legs and down center, all receiving DC. It'll just magnetize the core, won't it ?

I reckon the first picture in this post, the voltage induced on the control from the Back EMF will create more voltage on the outer windings, and thus more on the control, like positive feedback.
The second picture below seems a bit trickier to me, but it also seems more analogus to the Steiner's parrallel one. I suppose it could be self saturating? Seems like it would be safe because the control winding is de-saturating them. HOWEVER it seems like there wouldn't be much back EMF so does that mean heaps of current would still be drawn? Is it still positive feedback?

Now i see the outer legs trying to magnetize the core down outer legs and up center
control current opposes that
With no control current i think it'll saturate , applying control current will delay saturation and enough control current will prevent saturation
When it's saturated current is set by the load
I think you've drawn a self saturating magamp of some sort... observe interaction between load current and control current, though

Progress my friend !

 

[tim9000]

Ok I'll ask a simpiler question about dΦ/dt, concidering flux being the integral of voltage: well if we look at the sine voltage, it runs up to a peak, then runs back down again. It might run to negative the peak or to zero again, depending on if it's rectified. Now I know that if we increase the frequency then it runs up steeper. But does rectifiying it, that is to say if it runs to and from zero, as opposed to if it runs from peak to negative peak and back again, does that change the dΦ/dt? I wouldn't think it would, because the frequency is the same, like the 'steepness' of where it's running.

center leg i think i agree, but it'll still alternately aid and oppose each outer leg's mmf , no ?

Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking, this would have been more appropreate:

 

[tim9000]

Now i see three windings all pushing flux same direction up outer legs and down center, all receiving DC. It'll just magnetize the core, won't it ?

Yes, definitely, but just as a quick thought experiment, when we adjust the control winding from very high resistance to very low resistance, what's the voltage on the control coil doing? And what feedback affect is that then having on the other coils fed from the same node(s)? [like decreasing or increasing the voltage on the outer legs? Its saturated, so there isn't much back emf on the control, which means it draws more current? which means?]

Now i see the outer legs trying to magnetize the core down outer legs and up center
control current opposes that
With no control current i think it'll saturate , applying control current will delay saturation and enough control current will prevent saturation
When it's saturated current is set by the load
I think you've drawn a self saturating magamp of some sort... observe interaction between load current and control current, though

Ah, sounds like I hit on the series analogue of Steiner's parallel, amp. That was just for personal satisfaction and purely interest.
Similarly though I still have the lingering question that: since the control and side leg coils are fed from the same nodes, I was thinking like the flux from the side legs passs through the control coil, does that induce a further the voltage on the control coil, pushing more current through it, making more control flux?

 

[jim hardy]

(from post 267)Yes, definitely, but just as a quick thought experiment, when we adjust the control winding from very high resistance to very low resistance, what's the voltage on the control coil doing? And what feedback affect is that then having on the other coils fed from the same node(s)? [like decreasing or increasing the voltage on the outer legs? Its saturated, so there isn't much back emf on the control, which means it draws more current? which means?]

This image from 264?

That's very interesting.
Load current has a choice, it can flow through either the load windings on outer legs OR it can flow through control winding on center leg.
Of course it can divide between them.
If R is very high no current will flow in center winding so it seems to me the core will saturate and current will be set by Rload
If R is zero, we have center leg in parallel with series connection of outer legs so those two voltages must be equal
tells me current will reverse in center leg wrt outers ? We'll arrive at some voltage across windings as required to force that current?

or this one, also from 264 ?

With R very high, no current in center leg same as above
with R zero, center leg current is aided by outer legs
i think it'll really saturate

just first thoughts from looking at it , you know how inarticuate i am with algebra. Will have to dedicate some time to pencil and paper, then translate to keyboard (ugh i dread the frustration)

 

[jim hardy]

Similarly though I still have the lingering question that: since the control and side leg coils are fed from the same nodes, I was thinking like the flux from the side legs passs through the control coil, does that induce a further the voltage on the control coil, pushing more current through it, making more control flux?

i think it will, see previous post

 

[tim9000]

I need a second to digest this, could you please take another look at post # #260?