Moving Iron Instrument
This instrument is one of the most primitive forms of measuring and
relay instrument. Moving-iron instruments are generally used to
measure alternating voltages and currents. In moving-iron
instruments the movable system consists of one or more pieces of
specially-shaped soft iron, which are so pivoted as to be acted upon
by the magnetic field produced by the current in coil.
Moving iron type instruments are of mainly two types.
1. Attraction type and
2. repulsion type instrument.
Principle
Attraction type moving iron instrument
Whenever a piece of iron is placed nearer to a magnet it would be
attracted by the magnet.
The force of this attraction depends upon the strength said
magnetic field.
If the magnet is electromagnet then the magnetic field strength can
easily be increased or decreased by increasing or decreasing
current through its coil.
Accordingly the attraction force acting on the piece of iron would
also be increased and decreased. Depending upon this simple
phenomenon attraction type moving iron instrument was
developed.
Repulsion type moving iron instrument
Whenever two pieces of iron are kept side by side and a magnet is
brought nearer to them the iron pieces will repulse each other.
This repulsion force is due to same magnetic poles induced in
same sides the iron pieces due external magnetic field.
This repulsion force increases if field strength of the magnet is
increased.
Like case if the magnet is electromagnet, then magnetic field
strength can easily be controlled by controlling input current to
the magnet.
Hence if the current increases the repulsion force between the
pieces of iron is increased and it the current decreases the
repulsion force between them is decreased. Depending upon this
phenomenon repulsion type moving iron instrument was
constructed.
Construction of Moving Iron Instrument
The basic construction of attraction type moving iron instrument is
illustrated bellow
The brief description of different components of a moving-iron
instrument is given below:
Moving element: a small piece of soft iron in the form of a vane
or rod. A thin disc of soft iron is eccentrically pivoted in front of a
coil. This iron tends to move inward that is from weaker magnetic
field to stronger magnetic field when current flowing through the
coil.
Coil: to produce the magnetic field due to current flowing
through it and also to magnetize the iron pieces.
In repulsion type, a fixed vane or rod is also used and
magnetized with the same polarity.
Control torque is provided by spring or weight (gravity).
Damping torque is normally pneumatic, the damping device
consisting of an air chamber and a moving vane attached to the
instrument spindle.
Deflecting torque produces a movement on an aluminum
pointer over a graduated scale.
In attraction moving instrument gravity control was used previously
but now gravity control method is replaced by spring control in
relatively modern instrument. By adjusting balance weight null
deflection of the pointer is achieved. The required damping force is
provided in this instrument by air friction.
Theory of Attraction Type Moving Iron Instrument
Suppose when there is no current through the coil, the pointer is at
zero, the angle made by the axis of the iron disc with the line
perpendicular to the field is .
Now due current I and corresponding magnetic field strength, the iron
piece is deflected to an angle .
Now component of H in the direction of defected iron disc axis is
Hcos{90 - ( + ) or Hsin ( + ).
Now force F acting on the disc inward to the coil is thus proportional
to H2sin( + ) hence the force is also proportional to I2sin( + ) for
constant permeability.
If this force is acting on the disc at a distance l from the pivot, then
deflection torque,
Since l is constant.
Where, k is constant. Now, as the instrument is gravity controlled,
controlling torque will be
Where, k' is constant. At steady state condition,
Where, K is constant.