Inductance and Instantaneous Current

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the required inductance for an inductor connected to a 20.0-Hz sinusoidal power supply with a 50.0-V peak voltage, aiming to keep the instantaneous current below 77.4 mA. The initial calculations incorrectly used RMS values instead of peak values, leading to an erroneous inductance of 7.27 Henry. The correct inductance, accounting for peak current, is determined to be 5.14 Henry. The key takeaway is the importance of using peak values in calculations involving instantaneous current.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of inductance and its role in AC circuits
  • Familiarity with sinusoidal power supply characteristics
  • Knowledge of RMS and peak current calculations
  • Proficiency in using the formula for inductive reactance, X(L) = 2πfL
NEXT STEPS
  • Review the concept of inductive reactance and its calculation
  • Study the differences between RMS and peak values in AC circuits
  • Learn how to apply Kirchhoff's laws in AC circuit analysis
  • Explore the implications of inductance in power supply design
USEFUL FOR

Electrical engineering students, circuit designers, and anyone involved in AC circuit analysis and design will benefit from this discussion.

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Homework Statement



An inductor is connected to a 20.0-Hz sinusoidal power supply that produces a 50.0-V peak voltage. What inductance is needed to keep the instantaneous current in the circuit below 77.4 mA?

Homework Equations



X(L)min = V(rms)/I(rms)
I(rms) = I(max)/√2
X(L) = 2pi*f*L

The Attempt at a Solution



I(rms) = 77.4E-3 A / sqrt(2) = 0.0547300649 A
X(L)min = 50 V / 0.0547300649 A = 913.5746527 ohms
L = X(L)/(2pi*f) = 913.5746527 ohms / 2 / pi / 20 Hz = 7.27 Henry

But the answer is actually 5.14 Henry and I can't figure out why. Where did I go wrong?
 
Last edited:
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The problem speaks about the instantaneous current value, so you'll want to deal with peak values rather than RMS ones.
 
Or, equivalently, you didn't use the rms voltage when you calculated the reactance.
 

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