Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: syhprum on 15/07/2009 08:11:48

Title: Stored energy
Post by: syhprum on 15/07/2009 08:11:48

I understand that the energy stored in an inductor is I^2*l/2 if I steadily increase the current in an Iron cored inductor until the core saturates what happens ?

Title: Stored energy
Post by: lyner on 15/07/2009 09:02:42

When the core saturates, the effective  Inductance reduces for any increase in current so lesss energy is stored for a given current.

Title: Stored energy
Post by: daveshorts on 15/07/2009 09:09:38

Yes, so the total amount of energy stored doesn't decrease, it just starts increasing much, much more slowly.

Title: Stored energy
Post by: lyner on 15/07/2009 23:42:31

Yes. The core doesn't 'absorb' any more energy - the permeability of free space is all that's left when the fields are high enough.