Dr.

AMITAVA BISWAS
Department of Applied Physics
Electrical Engineering Section
University of Calcutta
92, APC Road, Kolkata 700 009

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MAGNETIC COUPLED CIRCUITS

SELF INDUCTANCE
Whenever the magnetic flux linking with a circuit changes, an electromotive force (e.m.f.) is
induced in the circuit. This e.m.f. is given by
df
e = -N
dt
The change in the flux is due to a change in the current flowing in the circuit itself (by which
current the interlinking magnetic flux is produced) and the reluctance of the path of the magnetic flux is
constant, then
f = ki
where i is the current in the circuit. Thus, e.m.f. is given by
di
e = - Nk
dt
Since, k = /i, the above emf expression can be written as
Nf di di
e=- = -L
i dt dt
Nf
where L = .
i
The term L(N/i) i.e. flux linkages/ampere is called the coefficient of self-induction or simply,
inductance of the circuit. The unit of L is henrys.

MUTUAL INDUCTANCE
If two coils are close together and unit current flows in one coil is accompanied by a change of
flux linked with the other coil and therefore by an e.m.f. induced in the latter, the two coils are said to
have mutual inductance.
It is denoted by M. The unit of mutual inductance
is measured in henrys and two coils have a mutual
inductance of 1 henry if an e.m.f. of 1 volt is induced in
one coil when the current in the other coil varies uniformly
at the rate of 1 ampere per second.
If two circuits possess a mutual inductance of M
henrys and if the current in one circuit termed the primary
circuit increases by di amperes in dt seconds, e.m.f.
induced in secondary circuit is
di
e2 = -M 1 Fig.1 : Mutual inductive circuit.
dt
The induced e.m.f. tends to circulate a current in the secondary circuit in such a direction as to oppose
the increase of flux due to the increase of current in the primary circuit. The e.m.f. induced in
secondary circuit is
df
e2 = - N 2
dt
where N2 is the number of secondary turns. From the above two expressions, we have
di df
M 1 = N 2 12
dt dt
df
M = N 2 12
di1
Change of linkages with secondary
Mutual inductance =
Change of current in primary
If the relative permeability of the magnetic circuit remains constant, the ratio df12/di1 must also
remain constant and is equal to the flux per ampere, so that
N f
M = 2 12
i1
where f12 is the flux linked with the secondary circuit due to a current I1 in the primary circuit.
Nf
Similarly, M = 1 21
i2

COEFFICIENT OF COUPLING
Consider two coils 1 and 2 having N1 and N2 turns respectively and coupled magnetically. Mutual
inductance between the coils-1 and 2 is given by,
Nf Nkf
M = 1 21 = 1 1 2
i2 i2
where f2 is the flux produced by the current i 2 flowing in the coil-2. However, only a fraction K 1f2 links
the coil-1. Mutual inductance between the coil-1 and coil-2 can also be written as,
N f N k f
M = 2 12 = 2 2 1
i1 i1
where f12 is the flux produced by the current I1 flowing in the coil-1. However, only a fraction K 2f12
links the coil-2.
Multiplying these two equations, we get
Nkf N k f Nf N f
M 2 = 1 1 2 2 2 1 = k1k 2 1 1 2 2 = k1k 2 L1L 2
i2 i1 i1 i2
where L1 and L2 are the self-inductances of coil-1 and coil-2 respectively.
M
M = k1k 2 L1L 2 \ k = k1k 2 =
L1L 2
The constant K in the above equation is called the coefficient of coupling. Hence coefficient of
coupling depends upon the mutual inductance between the two coils and also upon the self-inductances
of these coils.

INDUCTANCES IN SERIES CIRCUITS

In Fig.3(a), two coils of self inductances L1 and L2 connected in series such that the voltage
induced in coil-1 is vL1 and that in coil-2 is vL2 while a current flow them. Let M is the mutual
inductance.

(a) (b)
Fig.3 : Two coils connected in series
 di di di di di di
e L1 = -L1 - M = - ( L1 + M ) and eL2 = - L 2 - M = - ( L2 + M )
dt dt dt dt dt dt
di di
Total emf induced in the coils are eL = eL1 + eL 2 = - ( L1 + L 2 + 2M ) = -Leq
dt dt
The equivalent inductance of the series circuit is Leq = L1 + L 2 + 2M
In Fig.3(b), where the coils are still series connected but the flux of both coils oppose each other,
di di di di di di
e L1 = -L1 + M = - ( L1 - M ) and eL2 = -L2 + M = - ( L 2 - M )
dt dt dt dt dt dt
di di
Total emf induced in the coils is e L = e L1 + eL2 = - ( L1 + L 2 - 2M ) = -Leq
dt dt
The equivalent inductance of the series circuit is Leq = L1 + L 2 - 2M
INDUCTANCES IN PARALALLEL CIRCUITS
Figure 5(a) shows two coils of self inductances L 1 and L2 connected in parallel. Let the total
current I be divided into the parts I1 through coil-1 and I2 through coil-2. Then, I = I1 + I2. Assuming that
the mutual flux aids the self flux, the total e.m.f. induced in coil-1 and coil-2 are
di di di di
e1 = -L1 1 - M 2 and e 2 = -L 2 2 - M 1
dt dt dt dt

Fig. 5 : Two inductances connected in parallel.

Since, the two coils are in parallel,

e = e1 = e2
di di di di
L1 1 + M 2 = -e and L 2 2 + M 1 = -e
dt dt dt dt
By using Cramers rule,
di1 L -M di 2 L1 - M
= -e 2 and = - e
dt L1L 2 - M 2 dt L1L 2 - M 2
di di1 di 2 L + L 2 - 2M
Now, = + = -e 1
dt dt dt L1L 2 - M 2
L1L 2 - M 2 di di
e = - = - Leq
L1 + L 2 - 2M dt dt
The equivalent inductance of the parallel circuit is
L L - M2
Leq = 1 2
L1 + L 2 - 2M
If the mutual flux opposes the self flux, the equivalent inductance will be
L1L 2 - M 2
Leq =
L1 + L 2 + 2M
If M = 0, the equivalent inductance of two inductances in parallel will be
LL 2
Leq = 1 2
L1 + L2

ENERGY STORED IN MAGNETIC FIELD

Consider a coil having a constant inductance of L henry, in which the current grows at a uniform
rate from zero to di amperes in dt seconds. The induced e.m.f. in the coil is then given by,
di
e=L
dt
di
The power in an inductor is P = v i = L i
dt
Hence, total energy absorbed by the magnetic field when the current increases from zero to I amperes,
we get
I I di I 1
W= P dt = L i dt = L idi = LI 2
0 0 dt 0 2
1 2
Total energy stored in the inductor is W = LI
2

DOT CONVENTION IN COUPLED COILS

To determine the relative polarity of the induced voltage in the coupled coil, the coils are marked
with dots. On each coil, a dot is placed at the terminals which are instantaneously of the same polarity
on the basis of mutual inductance alone. When the currents through each of the mutually coupled coils
are going away from the dot or towards the dot, the mutual inductance is +ve while for the case when
the current through the coil is leaving the dot for one coil and entering the other, the mutual inductance
is ve, as shown in Fig.5.

Fig.5 : Dot convention for series connected mutually coupled coils.

The dot convention of few possibilities of mutually coupled transformer coils are indicated
below in Fig.6.

Fig.6 : Dot convention of transformer coils.

ELECTRICAL EQUIVALENTS OF MAGNETICALLY COUPLED CIRCUITS

Figure 7(a) and 8(a) represents circuit in time domain. In electrical equivalent representation of
this circuit as in Fig.7(b) and 8(b), the mutually induced voltages may be shown as controlled voltage
sources (M is +ve for both the loops as in both the coils the currents enter the dot).

Fig.7(a) : Coupled circuit Fig.7(b) : Electrical equivalent of coupled circuit

 Fig.8(a) : Coupled circuit Fig.8(b) : Electrical equivalent of coupled circuit

Numerical Examples

Example-1: Find the total inductance of the three series connected coupled coils as shown in figure. The
values of inductances and mutual inductances are L1 = 1H, L2 = 2H, L3 = 5H, L1 = 1H, L1 = 1H,
M12=0.5H, M13 = 1H, and M23 = 1H.

Solution : For coil-1 : Leq1 = L1 + M12 - M13 = 1 + 0.5 - 1 = 0.5 H

For coil-2 : Leq2 = L 2 + M12 - M 23 = 2 + 0.5 - 1 = 1.5 H
For coil-1 : Leq3 = L3 - M13 - M 23 = 5 - 1 - 1 = 3 H
Net inductance of the circuit, Leq = Leq1 + Leq2 + Leq3 = 0.5 + 1.5 + 3 = 5 H

Example 2 : Following data refers to two coupled coils 1 and 2 as shown

in figure. f11 = 0.5 mWb, f12 = 0.3mWb, N1 = 100 turns, N 2 = 500 turns,
I1 = 1A. Find, K, the coefficient of coupling, the inductances L 1 and L2 and
the mutual inductance M.

Solution. Total flux of coil of coil-1, f1 = f11 + f12 = 0.8mWb.

(i) Self inductance of coil-1,
N1f1 100 0.8 10 -3
L1 = = = 0.08 H
I1 1
f12 0.3 10-3
(ii) The coefficient of coupling, K = = = 0.375 H
f1 0.8 10-3
N 2f12 500 0.3 10-3
(iii) Mutual inductance, M = = = 0.15 H
I1 1
M2 0.152
(iv) Self inductance of coil-2, L 2 = = = 2H
K 2 L1 0.3752 0.08