Physics

project
On

principles and applications

of
eddy current

Presented by:- SAHEEFA ATAM

XII-science B

Certificate
Jamia Girls sr. sec. school
This is to certify that, Saheefa Atam a
student of class XII-sci-B has
successfully completed the research on
the below mentioned project under the
guidance of Dr. Ehtesham-ul-Haque
(Subject Teacher) during the year 201516 in partial fulfillment of physics
practical examination.
Signature of external examiner

Signature of physics teacher

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Primarily I would thank God for being able to complete this
project with success. Then I would like to thank my
physics teacher, Dr. Ehtesham-ul -Haque whose
valuable guidance has been the ones that helped me
patch this project and make it full proof success his
suggestions and his instructions has served as the major
contributor towards the completion of the project. Then I
would like to thank my parents and friends who have
helped me with their valuable suggestions and guidance
has been helpful in various phases of the completion of
the project. Last but not the least I would like to thank my
classmates who have helped me a lot.

Index
Contents :1. Certificate
2. Acknowledgment
3. Index
4. Introduction
5. Definition of
Eddy
Current
6. Origin of the term
7. History
8. Explanation
9. Applications of
Eddy
Current
10.Bibliography

Introduction
Eddy Currents are closed loops of induced current
circulating in planes perpendicular to the magnetic
flux. They normally travel parallel to the coil's
winding and the flow is limited to the area of the
inducing magnetic field. Eddy Currents concentrate
near to the surface adjacent to an excitation coil
and their strength decreases with distance from the
coil i.e. Eddy Current density decreases
exponentially with depth. Skin effect arises when
the Eddy Currents flowing in the test object at any
depth produce magnetic fields which oppose the
primary field, thus reducing the net magnetic flux
and causing a decrease in current flow as the depth
increases. Alternatively, Eddy Currents near the
surface can be viewed as shielding the coil's
magnetic field, thereby weakening the magnetic

Eddy Currents
Eddy currents(also calledFoucault currents) are
loops ofelectric currentinduced withinconductors
by a changing magnetic fieldin the conductor, due
tofaraday's law of induction.
Eddy currents flow in closed loops within conductors,
in planes perpendicular to the magnetic field.
They can be induced within nearby stationary
conductors by a time-varying magnetic field.
The magnitude of the current in a given loop is
proportional to the strength of the magnetic field, the
area of the loop, and the rate of change of flux, and
inversely proportional to theresistivityof the
material.

Origin of the term

The termeddy currentcomes from analogous
currents seen inwaterwhenrowingusing anoar,
causing localized areas of turbulence known
aseddiesgive rise to persistent vortices.
Analogously, eddy currents can take time to build
up and can persist for very short times in
conductors due to their inductance.

History
The first person to observe eddy currents wasFranois Arago
(17861853), the 25th Prime Minister of France, who was
also a mathematician, physicist and astronomer.
In 1824 he observed what has been called rotatory
magnetism, and that most conductive bodies could be
magnetized; these discoveries were completed and explained
byMichael Faraday(17911867).
In 1834,Heinrich LenzstatedLenz's law, which says that the
direction of induced current flow in an object will be such that
its magnetic field will oppose the change of magnetic field
that caused the current flow.
French physicistLon Foucault(18191868) is credited with
having discovered eddy currents. In September, 1855, he
discovered that the force required for the rotation of a copper
disc becomes greater when it is made to rotate with its rim
between the poles of a magnet, the disc at the same time
becoming heated by the eddy current induced in the metal

Explanation

A magnet induces circular currents in a metal sheet

moving past it. See the diagram at right. It shows a
metal sheet(C)moving to the right under a
stationary magnet. The magnetic field(B, green
arrows)of the magnet's north poleNpasses down
through the sheet. Since the metal is moving, the
magnetic flux through the sheet is changing. At the
part of the sheet under the leading edge of the
magnet(left side)the magnetic field through the
sheet is increasing as it gets nearer the magnet,.
FromFaraday's law of induction, this creates a
circularelectric fieldin the sheet in a
counterclockwise direction around the magnetic
field lines. This field induces a counterclockwise
flow of electric current(I, red), in the sheet. This is
the eddy current. At the trailing edge of the
magnet(right side)the magnetic field through the
sheet is decreasing,, inducing a second eddy
current in a clockwise direction in the sheet.

 Another way to understand the current is to see

that the freecharge carriers(electrons) in the
metal sheet are moving to the right, so the
magnetic field exerts a sideways force on them
due to theLorentz force, Since the velocityvof
the charges is to the right and the magnetic
fieldBis directed down, from theright hand rule
the Lorentz force on positive
chargesF=qvBis toward the rear. This
causes a currentI toward the rear under the
magnet, which circles around through parts of the
sheet outside the magnetic field, clockwise to the
right and counterclockwise to the left, to the front
of the magnet again. The mobile charge carriers
in the metal, theelectrons, actually have a

Due toAmpere's circuital laweach of these circular

currents creates a counter magnetic field (blue
arrows), which due toLenz's lawopposes the change
in magnetic field which caused it, exerting a drag force
on the sheet. At the leading edge of the magnet(left
side)by theright hand rulethe counterclockwise
current creates a magnetic field pointed up, opposing
the magnet's field, causing a repulsive force between
the sheet and the leading edge of the magnet. In
contrast, at the trailing edge(right side), the clockwise
current causes a magnetic field pointed down, in the
same direction as the magnet's field, creating an
attractive force between the sheet and the trailing
edge of the magnet. Both of these forces oppose the
motion of the sheet. Thekinetic energywhich is
consumed overcoming this drag force is dissipated as
heat by the currents flowing through theresistanceof
the metal, so the metal gets warm under the magnet.

transform some forms of energy, such as

kinetic energy, into heat. ThisJoule heating
reduces efficiency of iron-coretransformers
andelectric motorsand other devices that
use changing magnetic fields. Eddy
currents are minimized in these devices by
selectingmagnetic core materials that have
low electrical conductivity (e.g.,ferrites) or
by using thin sheets of magnetic material,
known aslaminations. Electrons cannot
cross the insulating gap between the
laminations and so are unable to circulate
on wide arcs. Charges gather at the
lamination boundaries, in a process
analogous to theHall effect, producing
electric fields that oppose any further
accumulation of charge and hence
suppressing the eddy currents. The shorter
the distance between adjacent laminations
(i.e., the greater the number of laminations
per unit area, perpendicular to the applied
field), the greater the suppression of eddy

Applications

(i) Electromagnetic braking

Conductive surface will exert a drag force

on a moving magnet that opposes its
motion, due to eddy currents induced in the
surface by the moving magnetic field. This
effect is employed ineddy current brakes
which are used to stop rotating power tools
quickly when they are turned off.
One is in the brakes of some trains known
aseddy current brakes. During braking, the
metal wheels are exposed to a magnetic
field from an electromagnet, generating
eddy currents in the wheels. This eddy
current is formed by the movement of the
wheels. So, by Lenz's law, the magnetic field
formed by the Eddy current will oppose its
cause. Thus the wheel will face a force
opposing the initial movement of the wheel.
The faster the wheels are spinning, the
stronger the effect, meaning that as the
train slows the braking force is reduced,

(ii) Electromagnetic damping

(iii) Induction furnace
When a magnetic field (magnet) Induction heatingis the process
moves through a conductor an ofheatingan electrically
eddy currentis induced in the
conducting object (usually ametal
conductor due to the magnetic
) byelectromagnetic induction,
field's movement. The flow of
through heat generated in the
electrons in the conductor
object byeddy currents(also
creates an opposing magnetic
field to the magnet which results called Foucault currents). An
induction heater consists of an
in damping of the magnet and
electromagnet, and an
causes heating inside of the
conductor similar to heat buildup electronic oscillatorthat passes a
inside of power cords. The loss of high-frequencyalternating current
energy used to heat up the
(AC) through the electromagnet.
conductor is equal to the loss of
The rapidly alternating
kinetic energy by the magnet.
magnetic fieldpenetrates the
Eddy currents induced in
conductors are much stronger as object, generating
electric currentsinside the
temperatures approach
conductor called eddy currents.
cryogenic temperatures. This
The eddy currents flowing through
allows forcritical dampingfor
cryogenic applications and
theresistanceof the material heat
testing in the aerospace industry. it byJoule heating.

superconductor),
v) Repulsive effects and levitation
surface eddy currents
exactly cancel the
In a varying magnetic
field inside the
field the induced
conductor, so no
currents exhibit
magnetic field
diamagnetic-like
penetrates the
repulsion effects. A
conductor. Since no
conductive object will
energy is lost in
experience a repulsion
resistance, eddy
force. This can lift
currents created when
objects against
a magnet is brought
gravity, though with
near the conductor
continual power input
persist even after the
to replace the energy
magnet is stationary,
dissipated by the eddy
and can exactly
currents.
balance the force of
An example
gravity, allowing
application is
magnetic levitation.

(v) Attractive effects

In some geometries
the overall force of
eddy currents can be
attractive, for
example, where the
flux lines are past 90
degrees
to a surface,
(vi) Structural testing
Eddy current techniques are commonly used for
the
induced
currents
in
thenondestructive
examination(NDE)
and
condition monitoring of a large variety of metallic
including conductor
heat exchangertubes, aircraft
astructures,
nearby
fuselage, and aircraft structural components..
cause a force that
pushes a conductor
towards an
electromagnet.

(vii) Identification of
metals
In coin operated
vending machines, eddy
currents are used to detect
counterfeit coins, orslugs.
The coin rolls past a
stationary magnet, and
eddy currents slow its
speed. The strength of the
eddy currents, and thus the
retardation, depends on the
conductivity of the coin's
metal. Slugs are slowed to a
different degree than
genuine coins, and this is
used to send them into the

(viii) Speedometer
As the magnet spins, it sets up a rotating magnetic field,
creating forces that act on the speedcup. These forces cause
electrical current to flow in the cup in small rotating eddies,
known aseddy currents.
the case of a speedometer, the eddy currents create a drag
torque that does work on the speedcup. The cup and its
attached needle turn in the same direction that the magnetic
field is turning -- but only as far as the hairspring will allow it.
The needle on the speedcup comes to a rest where the opposing
force of the hairspring balances the force created by the
revolving magnet.
the permanentmagnetinside the speedcup will rotate faster,
which creates a stronger magnetic field, larger eddy currents
and a greater deflection of the speedometer needle and vice
versa.

Bibliography
https://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.innospection.com