Magnets are all around us. From cabinet latches and stereo speakers to material handling devices and manufacturing machines, they are used in countless commercial and consumer applications. While all types of magnets are capable of producing a magnetic field, some of them use a different method of operation than others. There are permanent magnets, for instance, and there are electromagnets.
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An electromagnet is a type of magnetic device that’s characterized by the use of an electrical current. In other words, they produce a magnetic field using electricity. Electromagnets typically consist of wire or conductive material that’s wrapped around a metal base. As electricity flows through the wire or conductive material, a magnetic field is produced.
While they may look and sound complex, electromagnets have a simple method of operation. Electromagnets are able to produce a magnetic field by leveraging the natural properties of electricity as it moves. When electricity moves, it creates a magnetic field. These effects can be amplified by using a long wire or piece of conductive material and wrapping it around a metal base, such as a piece of iron. Electricity will flow through the wire or conductive material while simultaneously producing a magnetic field.
Electromagnets offer several benefits when compared to traditional permanent magnets. One of the main benefits of electromagnets is that they can be controlled. You can control the magnetic field of an electromagnet, for example, by increasing or decreasing the amount of electricity that flows through it. Increasing the electricity will result in a stronger magnetic field being produced, whereas decreasing the electricity will result in a weaker magnetic field being produced. You can even disable an electromagnet completely by cutting off all electricity to it. Without any electricity, electromagnets can’t produce a magnetic field.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that electromagnets are powerful. When supplied with an adequate amount of electricity, they can lift heavy objects. Some material handling devices feature an electromagnet. These electromagnet material handling devices allow workers to lift and move heavy objects, resulting in higher levels of productivity and a lower risk of bodily injury.
The downside to electromagnets, of course, is that they are dependent upon a power source. Unlike permanent magnets, all electromagnets require a power source. If electricity running to an electromagnetic is disrupted, it will stop producing a magnetic field.
Electromagnetism is the branch of science that studies the interactions of electric fields and magnetic fields on an object.
Faraday's law is utilized to produce induced EMF.
Electromagnetism can be applied to a variety of fields, including the industrial, transportation, communication, and medical fields.
Innovative engineering ideas have completely changed the world we live in; modern homes, infrastructure, automobiles, and wireless communication systems are all the result of planned engineering. These amenities make use of fundamental principles in various engineering disciplines such as civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, etc. For example, there are many applications of electromagnetism in engineering—power generators, electrical machines, and transformers all rely on electromagnetism.
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Electromagnetism is the branch of science that studies the interactions of electric fields and magnetic fields on an object. The table below provides a few examples of where electromagnetism can be applied.
Applications of electromagnetism
Most of the applications of electromagnetism in engineering are governed by Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction. According to Faraday’s law, EMF is induced and the magnitude is equal to the rate of change of the flux linkages when a magnetic field associated with a coil or conductor changes. The direction of the induced EMF is given by Lenz’s law, which states that direction is opposite to the cause producing the EMF.
Faraday's law is utilized to produce induced EMF in two ways: by moving the conductor or varying the magnetic field. The EMF generated by moving the conductor is called dynamically induced EMF. The time-varying magnetic field linking the conductor generates statically induced EMF.
To better understand how electromagnetism can be applied, let’s take a look at three common applications of electromagnetism in engineering.
Generators utilize the principle of electromagnetic induction to generate voltage. The construction of generators consists of two parts:
A transformer is a static machine that revolutionized the power transmission and distribution sector. In transformers, the secondary voltage is statically induced EMF. Electromagnetism is the basic fundamental that helps to either step up or step down the voltage in transformers.
In electric motors, the application of electromagnetism is different from transformers and generators. Here, the role of electromagnetism is in the conversion of electrical energy to mechanical energy.
This is by no means a comprehensive list of the applications of electromagnetism in engineering—that list would be very long. However, we hope that this serves as a brief introduction to electromagnetism and all the wonderful ways it can be applied. For your next design, consider using Cadence software, which provides tools to predict the electromagnetic fields in your system.
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