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Reluctances and air gap flux of two-winding core

Short answer

Core reluctance = 1.33×10⁵ AT/Wb, gap reluctance = 1.02×10⁶ AT/Wb. Summing the two MMFs (149.5 AT) and dividing by total reluctance gives air-gap flux = 0.130 mWb.

A magnetic circuit with a single air gap is shown in fig below. The core dimensions are: Cross-sectional area Ac = 1.8×10⁻³ m², Mean core length lc = 0.6 m, Gap length g = 2.3×10⁻³ m, N1 = 83 turns, N2 = 20. Assume that the core relative permeability of 2000. i) Calculate the reluctance of the core and that of the gap Rg. For a current of i1 = 1.5 A and i2 = 1.25 A calculate ii) The total flux φ in the air gap. [Figure: rectangular core; winding N1 (current i1) on the left limb and winding N2 (current i2) on the right limb; a single air gap in the bottom yoke near the right limb.]

Both windings are on the same single-loop core, so their mmfs add (assuming they are wound to aid each other) and drive one flux through the core and gap in series. Gap area is taken equal to core area (fringing neglected).

i) Reluctances

Rc=lcμ0μrAc=0.64π×10−7×2000×1.8×10−3=1.326×105 AT/WbRg=gμ0Ac=2.3×10−34π×10−7×1.8×10−3=1.017×106 AT/Wb\begin{aligned} R_c &= \frac{l_c}{\mu_0\mu_r A_c} = \frac{0.6}{4\pi\times10^{-7}\times2000\times1.8\times10^{-3}} = 1.326\times10^{5}\ \text{AT/Wb} \\ R_g &= \frac{g}{\mu_0 A_c} = \frac{2.3\times10^{-3}}{4\pi\times10^{-7}\times1.8\times10^{-3}} = 1.017\times10^{6}\ \text{AT/Wb} \end{aligned}

Total reluctance: R=Rc+Rg=1.149×106R = R_c + R_g = 1.149\times10^{6} AT/Wb.

ii) Flux in the air gap

F=N1i1+N2i2=83×1.5+20×1.25=124.5+25=149.5 ATϕ=FR=149.51.149×106=1.30×10−4 Wb\begin{aligned} F &= N_1 i_1 + N_2 i_2 = 83\times1.5 + 20\times1.25 = 124.5 + 25 = 149.5\ \text{AT} \\ \phi &= \frac{F}{R} = \frac{149.5}{1.149\times10^{6}} = 1.30\times10^{-4}\ \text{Wb} \end{aligned}

Gap flux density: Bg=ϕ/Ac=1.30×10−4/1.8×10−3=0.0723B_g = \phi/A_c = 1.30\times10^{-4}/1.8\times10^{-3} = 0.0723 T.

Answer: Rc=1.33×105R_c = 1.33\times10^5 AT/Wb, Rg=1.02×106R_g = 1.02\times10^6 AT/Wb, ϕ=0.130\phi = 0.130 mWb (B = 0.072 T).

(If the two windings opposed each other, F=124.5−25=99.5F = 124.5 - 25 = 99.5 AT and ϕ=0.0866\phi = 0.0866 mWb.)

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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