Equivalent circuits of complex magnetic systems

In other to analyse electrical machines, the following concepts must first of all be
considered.

i. The principle of electromechanical energy conversion

ii. The derivation of equivalent circuit representations of magnetically coupled circuits
iii. The concept of a sinusoidally distributed windings
iv. The concept of a rotating air-gap magnetomotive force (MMF)
v. The derivation of winding inductances.

Through the principle of electromechanical energy conversion, we are able to generate the
expression of electromagnetic torque in terms of machine variables, (currents and the
displacement of the mechanical systems)

Magnetically coupled electric circuits are key to the operation of transformers and electric
machines. These circuits are very fundamental to power transmission and conversion; for
instance stationary circuits are magnetically coupled for the purpose of changing the voltage
and current levels in transformers, while for electric machines, circuits in relative motion
are magnetically coupled for the purpose of transferring energy between mechanical and
electrical systems.

The need to establish the equations that describe their behaviour, in a form convenient for
analysis, cannot be over-emphasised due to the fact that they are very fundamental to power
transmission and conversion.

m1

m2

i2 +
+ i1

l2 N2 V2
V1 N1 l1

-
-

Figure 1: Two magnetically coupled stationary electric circuits

Let's consider two stationary electric circuits that are magnetically coupled together as shown
in figure 1. The two circuits has two coils N1 and N2, and they are wound on a common
ferromagnetic core with relatively large permeability when compared to that of the air.
Generally, the permeability of a material is expressed as =r o, where r is the relative
permeability.
As can be seen from the figure, each coil produces two types of flux, viz: a magnetizing m
and a leakage l flux. The direction of the flux is determined by applying Fleming's left-hand
rule to the direction of current flow in the coil.
The total flux linking the two coils are expressed as:
1 = m1 + m2 + l1 . 1
2 = m2 + m1 + l2 ..... 2
The leakage flux l1 is produced by the current flowing in coil 1, and it links only the
turns of coil 1 while the magnetizing flux m1 is produced by the current flowing in coil
1, and it links all turns of coils 1 and 2.
Practically, all the leakage fluxes may not link all the turns of the coil producing it; likewise,
all the magnetizing flux of one coil may not link all the turns of the other coil hence the
number of turns is considered to be an equivalent number rather than the actual number. We
can then say that 1 links the equivalent turns of coil 1 and 2 links the equivalent turns of
coil 2, hence the flux linkages can be written as:
1 = 1 1 .. 3
2 = 2 2 .. 4
A magnetic system is analogous to an electrical system as shown in table 1.1 below.

Table 1.1: Comparison between Electrical and Magnetic Systems

MAGNETIC ELECTRICAL
, Magnetomotive force (MMF) V, Voltage or Electromotive force (EMF)
, Flux I, Current
, Reluctance R, Resistance

Let's recall a-bit our undergraduate classes, we'll remember that:

= Ni; = BA; =
where B is flux density, A is area.
Considering a linear system, (a system where saturation is neglected), from our basic
electrical knowledge, the ampere-turn, Ni, is a product of flux and reluctance; hence we can

express the flux as: =
Therefore the various leakage and magnetizing flux can be expressed thus:
1 1
1 = ... 5
1

2 2
2 = ... 6
2

1 1
1 = . 7
1

2 2
2 = . 8
2
When equations 5 to 8 are put in equations 1 and 2, we have:
 1 1 2 2 1 1
1 = m1 + m2 + l1 = + + ... 9
1 2 1
and
2 2 1 1 2 2
2 = m2 + m1 + l2 = + + ... 10
2 1 2

When equations 9 and 10 are put in equations 3 and 4, we have:

1 2 1 1 2 2 1 2 1
1 = 1 1 = + + .... 11
1 2 1
and

2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2
2 = 2 2 = + + .. 12
2 1 2

Since the path of the magnetizing fluxes are the same, 1=2= , hence equations 11 and 12
becomes:

2 1 2 2 1 2 1
1 = 1 1 +
+ 1
.. 13

and

2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2
2 =

+
+ 2
.... 14

Rule of Thumb: When a magnetic system is considered to be linear, the flux linkages are generally
expressed in terms of inductances and currents; = Li.
A close look at equations 13 and 14 reveals that the right hand side contains both self and mutual
inductive components, as shown below:

1 = 1 1 + 12 2 + 1 1 .... 15
1 2 1 2
where and are the self-inductive components, represented by 1 and 1 respectively,
1
1 2
while represented by 12 is the mutual inductive component; similarly,

2 = 2 2 + 21 1 + 2 2 16
where 2 and 2 are the self-inductive components, while 21 is the mutual inductive
component.

Question:
What do you understand by the terms mutual and self inductances?
Explain the term flux linkage?
 Let

1 + 1 = 11 ....... 17
2 + 2 = 22 ....................................................................................... 18
2 1 1 2
and 21 = 12 = = .......................... 19

1 2 2 2
Since 1 = , and 2 = , then mutual inductance 12 can be expressed in

terms of the magnetizing inductances as:
2 1 2 1
12 = 21 = = 1 = 2 ......................................................................... 20
N1 N2

From the foregoing, we can now formulate our inductance matrix L as:
2
12 1 + 1 1
1
L = [ 11 ] = [ 1 ] ...................................................................... 21
21 22 2 + 2
2
2

hence the flux linkage =Li can be expressed as:

2
1 1 + 1 1

1
[ ] = [ 1 ] [ 1 ] ................................................................................. 22
2 2 + 2 2
2 2

expanding equation 22 gives:

1 = (1 + 1 ) 1 + (2 1 ) 2 ....................................................................................... 23
1

2 = (1 2 ) 1 + (2 + 2 ) 2 ....................................................................................... 24
2

which when simplified, gives

1 = 1 1 + 1 (1 + 2 2 ) ............................................................................................... 25
1

2 = 2 2 + 2 (2 + 1 1 ) ............................................................................................... 26
2

From our basic transformer knowledge, 2 2 = 2 , which means that 2 has been referred to
1
1
the primary side; 1 = 1 means that 1 has been referred to the secondary side. Similarly,
2

since the transformer power is constant, we have 2 1 = 1 and 1 2 = 2 .
1 2

Recall that the rate of change of flux linkage is equal to the induced emf, thus showing that
2
the flux linkage is proportional to the voltage; hence the relation 1 = 1 and 1 2 = 2
1 2
still holds true for the flux linkage.

Substituting 2 2 with 2 in (25) results to
1

1 = 1 1 + 1 (1 + 2 ) .................................................................................................. 27

Since 2 2 = 2, then we can say that 2 = 1 2 .............................................................. 28
1 2

When the value of 2 in (28) is used in (26), we have

2 = (1 )2 2 + (1 )2 (1 + 2 ) ................................................................................... 29
2 2

1
In other to refer the flux linkage to the primary side, we recall that 2 = 2 , hence when we
2

multiply (29) by 1, we obtain:
2

2 = 2 2 + 1 (1 + 2 ) ............................................................................................... 30

where 2 = (1 )2 2 and 1 = (1 )2 2
2 2

If v is the instantaneous applied voltage, i the instantaneous current, R the resistance of the
winding, and the instantaneous flux linkage, we have

d1 d2
v1 r1i1 for the primary side, and v2 r2 i2 for the secondary side.
dt dt
d/ 2
Referring the secondary to the primary side results to: v 2 r 2 i 2
/ / /
,
dt

where r / 2 = (1 )2 r2 .
2

From the foregoing equations, the equivalent circuit with the primary as the reference coil
will be as shown in figure 2 below.

Figure 2: the equivalent circuit diagram with the primary as the reference coil.

L l1 L'l 2 r '2
i1 r1 i'2
+ +
Lm1
v1 v'2
- -