Glossary Flashcards
Air Gap
A low permeability gap in the flux path of a magnetic circuit. Often air, but inclusive of other materials such as paint, aluminum, etc.
Anisotropic Magnet
A magnet having a preferred direction of magnetic orientation, so that the magnetic characteristics are optimum in one preferred direction.
Closed Circuit
This exists when the flux path external to a permanent magnet is confined within high permeability materials that compose the magnet circuit.
Coercive Force H_c
The demagnetizing force, measured in Oersteds, necessary to reduce observed induction, B, to zero after the magnet has previously been brought to saturation.
Curie Temperature, T_c
The temperature at which the parallel alignment of elementary magnetic moments completely disappears, and the material is no longer able to hold magnetization.
Demagnetization Curve
The second quadrant of the hysteresis loop, generally describing the behavior of magnetic characteristics in actual use. Also known as the B-H Curve.
Eddy Currents
Circulating electrical currents that are induced in electrically conductive elements when exposed to changing magnetic fields, creating an opposing force to the magnetic flux. Eddy currents can be harnessed to perform useful work (such as damping of movement), or may be unwanted consequences of certain designs, which should be accounted for or minimized.
Electromagnet
A magnet, consisting of a solenoid with an iron core, which has a magnetic field existing only during the time of current flow through the coil.
Energy Product
Indicates the energy that a magnetic material can supply to an external magnetic circuit when operating at any point on its demagnetization curve. Calculated as B_d x H_d, and measured in Mega Gauss Oersteds, MGOe.
Ferromagnetic Material
A material whose permeability is very much larger than 1 (from 60 to several thousand times 1), and which exhibits hysteresis phenomena.
Flux
The condition existing in a medium subjected to magnetizing force. This quantity is characterized by the fact that an electromotive force is induced in a conductor surrounding the flux at any time the flux changes in magnitude. The cgs unit of flux is the Maxwell.
Fluxmeter
An instrument that measures the change of flux linkage with a search coil.
Fringing Fields
Leakage flux particularly associated with edge effects in a magnetic circuit.
Gauss
Lines of magnetic flux per square centimeter, cgs unit of flux density, equivalent to lines per square inch in the English system, and Webers per square meter or Tesla in the SI system.
Gaussmeter
An instrument that measures the instantaneous value of magnetic induction, B. Its principle of operation is usually based on one of the following: the Hall effect, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), or the rotating coil principle.
Hysteresis Loop
A closed curve obtained for a material by plotting corresponding values of magnetic induction, B, (on the abscissa) against magnetizing force, H, (on the ordinate).
Induction, B
The magnetic flux per unit area of a selection normal to the direction of flux. Measured in Gauss, in the cgs system of units.
Initial Permeability
Refers to the slop of the curve in the first quadrant as a material acquires magnetization. High initial permeability materials generate less hysteresis loss in an AC field.
Intrinsic Coercive Force, Hci
Measured in Oersteds in the cgs system, this is a measure of the material’s inherent ability to resist demagnetization. It is the demagnetization force corresponding to zero intrinsic induction in the magnetic material after saturation. Practical consequences of high Hci values are seen in greater temperature stability for a given class of material, and greater stability in dynamic operating conditions.
Intrinsic Induction, Bi
The contribution of the magnetic material to the total magnetic induction, B. It is the vector difference between the magnetic induction in the material and the magnetic induction that would exist in a vacuum under the same field strength, H. This relationship is expressed as: Bi = B - H