Inductor
According to the Faradays law of Electromagnetic induction, When the current flowing
through an inductor changes, the time-varying magnetic field induces a voltage in the
conductor. According to lens law, the direction of induced EMF opposes the change in
current that created it. Hence, induced EMF is opposite to the voltage applied across the
coil. This is the property of an inductor.
The following figure shows how an inductor looks like.
An inductor blocks any AC component present in a DC signal. The inductor is
sometimes wrapped upon a core, for example a ferrite core. It then looks as in
the figure below.
The following figure shows an inductor with various parts labelled.
Symbols
The symbols of various types of inductors are as given below.
Storage of Energy
One of the Basic properties of electromagnetism is that the current when flows through an
inductor, a magnetic field gets created perpendicular to the current flow. This keeps on
building up. It gets stabilized at some point, which means that the inductance wont build
up after that. When the current stops flowing, the magnetic field gets decreased.
This magnetic energy gets turned into electrical energy. Hence energy gets stored in this
temporarily in the form of magnetic field.
An inductor is a passive electrical component that stores energy in a magnetic field when electric
current flows through it. It's characterized by its inductance, measured in Henrys, which is the
ability to resist changes in current. Inductors are commonly found in power electronics and other
circuits where energy storage or filtering is needed.
What is an inductor?
An inductor is essentially a coil of wire, often wrapped around a core (ferromagnetic or air).
When current flows through the coil, a magnetic field is generated, and energy is stored in that
field.
Inductors resist changes in current flow; they impede sudden increases or decreases in current.
Key properties:
Inductance (L):
This is the fundamental property of an inductor, measured in Henries (H). It quantifies the
inductor's ability to store magnetic energy.
Core Material:
The material around which the coil is wound (ferromagnetic or air) significantly impacts
inductance. Ferromagnetic cores increase inductance, while air cores provide lower inductance.
Number of Turns:
More turns in the coil generally lead to higher inductance.
Current (I):
The amount of current flowing through the inductor affects the strength of the magnetic field and
the energy stored.
Voltage (V):
The voltage across an inductor is related to the rate of change of current (di/dt). A larger voltage
is needed to cause a larger change in current.
How inductors work:
Energy Storage:
When current increases, the inductor opposes the change by building a magnetic field, storing
energy.
Resisting Current Changes:
When current decreases, the magnetic field collapses, releasing energy and trying to maintain the
current flow.
DC vs. AC:
Inductors readily pass DC (direct current) but oppose AC (alternating current), especially at
higher frequencies, acting as a "choke". This is because AC currents are constantly changing,
causing the inductor to constantly build and collapse its magnetic field.
Common uses:
Power Supplies:
Inductors are crucial in power supplies for filtering, voltage regulation, and energy storage.
Filters:
They are used in filters to block or allow specific frequencies of electrical signals.
Oscillators:
Inductors are used in oscillators to generate signals of specific frequencies.
Chokes:
In some applications, inductors are specifically designed to block high-frequency AC, known as
chokes.