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The Basics of Inductance
Inductance is the link between electric circuits
and magnetic fields
By R. Fehr, P.E., Engineering Consultant
An impedance triangle for a system with an inductive reactance equal to 48.4% of the resistance.
V
oltage and current sine waves are
in-phase when they peak and
cross the zero axis at the same
time. However, this rarely hap-
pens and only in alternating
current (AC) circuits containing pure re-
sistances. Most AC circuits contain some type
of inductance, in which case the current
waveform lags the voltage or reaches its peak
slightly after the voltage waveform. A lag-
ging current indicates an inductive circuit.
Sources of inductance. An inductor
consists of a coil of wire wound around an
iron or non-magnetic (air) core. Current
passing through the inductor establishes a
magnetic flux. The resulting magnetic field
can store energy that is transferred back and
forth between the electric circuit and the
magnetic circuit produced by the inductor.
The amount of inductance is measured in
Henrys, the amount of magnetic flux pro-
duced by each ampere of current. Induc-
tive reactance is the inductance multiplied
by the radian frequency of the system.
Many AC devices contain coils of wire.
Transformers, for example, are two or more
coils of insulated wire wrapped around an
iron core. Motors typically have a stator, a
74 EC&M February 2003
fixed coil of insulated wire that surrounds
a second coil of insulated wire, which is free
to rotate (the rotor). Transformers and
motors are used extensively on most power
systems, which makes most AC power sys-
tems inductive in nature.
The basics of inductance. The current
flowing through the coiled wire of an in-
ductor produces a magnetic field that circles
the conductor. The direction of the mag-
netic field is found using the right-hand rule.
Point the thumb of your right hand in the
direction of the current flow. The fingers
curl in the direction of the magnetic field.
An alternating current flowing through
an inductor produces a time-varying mag-
netic field. As the field increases in magni-
tude, it stores energy provided by the elec-
tric circuit. As the field collapses, its energy
is returned to the electric circuit. This in-
crease/collapse cycle happens 120 times per
sec on a 60-Hz system.
Application of inductance. Inductors,
often called reactors in power applications,
are used to change the performance of the
power system. When connected in series,
reactors greatly increase the impedance
seen by out-of-phase current. Since the cur-
rent that flows during a fault is almost 90°
out of phase with the system voltage, series
reactors can be used to limit short circuit
current. Current-limiting reactors can pro-
vide a cost-effective alternative to replac-
ing circuit breakers when fault current
magnitudes exceed equipment ratings.
Connecting reactors from line to neutral
(in shunt) counteracts the capacitive effects
of line charging, which can cause unaccept-
ably-high voltages on very long transmis-
sion lines. Shunt reactors are common on
extra-high voltage (EHV) lines with lengths
in the hundreds of miles.
Effects of inductance. As the amount
of inductance in an AC circuit increases, so
will the amount by which the current lags
the voltage. The amount of lag is measured
in electrical degrees. The cosine of the num-
ber of degrees of lag is called the power fac-
tor (PF) of the circuit. A purely resistive
circuit has no lag (0°). The cosine of 0° is 1,
or unity. A unity PF is what you want to
achieve in power circuits.
Inductive current is 90° out-of-phase
from resistive current. A right triangle,
called an impedance triangle, can be
formed by drawing a hypotenuse between
the resistance and inductive reactive mag-
nitudes. If the inductive reactance in a cir-
cuit is 48.4% of the resistance, trigonom-
etry can be used to illustrate that the cur-
rent will lag the voltage by 25.8°. The co-
sine of 25.8° is 0.90, or 90%, so the circuit
has a 90% lagging PF (Figure above).
We’ll later discuss how to bring a 90%
lagging PF circuit closer to unity. Good PF
is important for the proper operation of a
power system. When PF is too low, an elec-
trical system can suffer from poor voltage
regulation and excessive losses. EC&M
Fehr is an engineering consultant based in
Clearwater, Fla.