What are Inductor and Inductance? Inductor Types, Uses

What is Inductor, What is Inductance, Inductor Types, Use of Inductor

Most of the Students, as well as most of the people, have many questions about Inductors, like What is Inductor? What is Inductance? Types of Inductor and Use of Inductor.

Even after reading many books, and blogs we have many doubts about the basics of an Inductor. Before reading the details about an Inductor we must have clear knowledge about the basics of an Inductor.
We do always try to focus to give basic knowledge.

In this post, we only discuss the basics of an Inductor. Let,s know, What is Inductor?

What are Inductor and Inductance?

                               A simple wire having a number of turns can be called an Inductor. You may have a question that why it is called an inductor. The answer is that it has the property that is called Inductance. Now you have one more question that what is Inductance? The answer is Inductance is a property of a conductor which tries to oppose the change in current which flows through this conductor. 

                            
                            Now, this is the time to know how it opposes the change in current (This 'change in current' means the changes in magnitude or direction). When a current flows through any conductor or wire it creates some magnetic flux. If the current not changing then the produced flux is also constant. If the conductor has a number of turns and the current is changing then an EMF will be Induced as the flux linking with the turns changes. This induced EMF will try to oppose the current. 
Actually, Inductance can be called as Self Inductance. In the case of DC, the current is constant so the inductance property does not exist. But in the case of AC, the magnitude and direction of the current are not constant so the Inductance exists. 

                         One very important thing is that when we give DC supply to an Inductor flux will be produced. Then it is called an Electromagnet.
An inductor is a passive element. It can store energy in the form of the magnetic field. It can block the AC.
The unit of inductance is Henry.

Important Properties of an Inductor

Here, are some key properties of an inductor explained shortly.

Inductance (L): Inductance is a property of an inductor that shows its ability to store energy in a magnetic field when there is an electric current flowing through it. As we know it is measured in units called henries (H). Higher inductance means a stronger magnetic field for a given current.

Self-Inductance: Self-inductance means an inductor can create a voltage in itself when the current flowing through it changes. This happens because of a law called Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction. This property of inductors is useful for storing energy, making the flow of current smoother, and creating delays in circuits.

Magnetic Field: When there is current flowing through an inductor, it creates a magnetic field around it. The strength of this magnetic field depends on the amount of current passing through the inductor. This magnetic field can interact with nearby components or induce voltages in nearby conductors, causing different effects in circuits.

Reactance: Reactance is basically a resistance property that an inductor shows to the flow of alternating current (AC). It is called inductive reactance (XL) and depends on the frequency of the AC and the inductance of the inductor. Reactance is measured in units called ohms (Ω) and affects how voltage and current are related in an AC circuit.

Series Resistance: Real-world inductors have some resistance due to the wires and materials used. This resistance is called series resistance and is represented by the symbol "Rs." It affects the efficiency and performance of the inductor by causing power loss and voltage drops.

Q Factor: The Q factor, or quality factor, of an inductor, that tells us about its efficiency. It is the ratio of inductive reactance (XL) to series resistance (Rs). A higher Q factor means a more efficient inductor with lower losses.

Saturation: Inductors have a specific current range within which they should operate. If the current exceeds this range, the magnetic core of the inductor can become saturated. This leads to a loss of inductance and changes in how the inductor behaves. To avoid saturation, it's important to use the inductor within its specified current limits.

Different Types of Inductors and Their Uses

There are different types of inductors that are used for different purposes. Here are some of them:

Wire-Wound Inductor: It's a basic type of inductor that has a coil of wire wrapped around a material in the center. These inductors are used in power supplies, filters, and radio circuits.

Toroidal Inductor: It's like a wire-wound inductor, but the coil is wrapped around a donut-shaped material. These inductors are good at reducing electromagnetic interference and are used in power supplies, audio devices, and radios.

SMD Inductor: These inductors are small and designed to be mounted on the surface of circuit boards. They are commonly found in compact electronic devices.

Multilayer Inductor: These inductors have multiple layers of thin conductors stacked together. They are used in small devices like mobile phones and wireless systems.

Ferrite Bead: This is a special type of inductor used to reduce high-frequency noise in circuits. It's commonly used in power supplies and data lines.

Variable Inductor: It's an inductor that can change its inductance value. This can be done by moving a magnetic core or adjusting the number of wire turns. These inductors are used in tuning circuits and radios.

Air-Core Inductor: This type of inductor doesn't have a core material. It's lightweight and used in high-frequency circuits and measurement equipment.

These are just some examples of the different types of inductors. Each type has its own uses depending on the specific needs of the circuit or device.

Read also:

• All Types of Inductor Symbols and Diagrams
• What is Choke Coil? Types, Application, Properties, Diagram
• All Inductance Formula Analysis
• The amazing facts about LC TANK CIRCUIT | Working, Applications
• Electronic Filters Explained-High Pass, Low Pass, Band Pass, Band Reject Filters

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