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Saturable reactor

QuickField simulation example

The AC reactor features a magnetic core that can be deliberately saturated by means of a direct electric current in a control winding. Calculate the reactor inductance for a set of operating currents.

Problem Type
A plane-parallel multiphysics problem of DC magnetics coupled to AC magnetics.

Geometry
Saturable reactor The AC reactor features a magnetic core that can be deliberately saturated by means of a direct electric current in a control winding. Calculate the reactor inductance for a set of operating currents. Core AC winding DC AC flux DC flux

Given
AC winding number of turns n = 800, current value I~ = 50 mA, frequency f = 50 Hz.
Magnetic permeability of the steel core:

Task
Calculate the reactor inductance for a set of operating currents in DC coil.

Solution
Normally you would use Transient magnetics analysis to simulate this problem. DC to AC coupling allows to simplify the problem.
The DC magnetic field is calculated with the DC Magnetics module of QuickField. AC magnetic field is calculated with the AC Magnetics module of QuickField. In order to take saturation into account the link from DC to AC is added. The link transfers the steel core magnetic permeability distribution from one problem to another.
Series of problems were calculated for a number of control currents.

Results
Reactor inductance for a set of operating currents in DC coil

Magnetic flux and permeability distribution at the operating current of 8 A.
Saturable reactor field