What is Inductive or Inductor Filter? Use, Working Principle

Hey, in this article we are going to learn about inductive filter or inductor filter. You may hear about so many filters in electrical or electronic circuits. Here, we will understand all the basic concepts of an inductive filter as much as possible in a simple way, so it will clear your all doubts.

First of all, let's know what is an Inductor? An inductor is a passive electrical or electronic component that is nothing but a coil of insulated wire which opposes any changes in the electric current flowing through it and it can store electrical energy in the form of a magnetic field. 

What is Inductor Filter?

Any inductor or inductive coil used for electrical or electronic signal filtering purposes can be called an Inductor Filter or Inductive Filter. Although the inductor or inductive coil that will be used for filtration purposes only may be specially designed than a normal Inductor to increase its efficiency, but all types of inductors have the same primary construction.

The inductor filter is just opposite to the capacitor filter. Its property is totally opposite to the capacitor filter. They also work in different ways. But both of them can be used for both AC and DC signal filtration.

The function of Inductor Filter

The main function of an inductor filter is to filter the electrical or electronic signal by removing the unwanted components available in that signal. For example, when it is used to filter an AC signal, it filters the AC signal by removing unwanted DC components present in that signal. Similarly, when it is used to filter a DC signal, it filters the DC signal by removing unwanted AC components present in that signal.

How does an Inductor Filter Works?

The simple working principle of an Inductor Filter is, it removes unwanted components from the signal either blocking them or bypassing them to the ground.

Now if we want to know, how the inductor block or bypass the unwanted components from the signal to be filtered, we must know the properties of the inductor.

The most important property or characteristic of an inductor is, it blocks the AC signal and allows the DC signal to pass through it. Actually, the Inductor has inductive Reactance property that is nothing but a property by virtue of which the inductor block or resist the flow of current through it. And this inductive Reactance property is directly proportional to the frequency of the signal. That means if the frequency is increased the inductive Reactance also be increased and vice-versa.

So, as the AC supply has frequency it is blocked by the Inductor and as the DC supply has not any frequency it will easily pass through the Inductor.

How inductor filters the DC signal?

To filter the DC signal, we need to connect the inductor in series between the input and output circuits. So when the DC signal is applied to the filter circuit, only the DC supply will pass through the inductor as it has not any frequency but the unwanted AC components present in that signal will be blocked by the Inductor as they have a frequency. Thus we will get a pure and filtered DC signal at the output. Which type of or how many AC components will be removed is decided by the inductor value.

How Inductor Filters the AC Signal?

To filter the AC signal we need to connect the inductor in parallel between the input and output circuit. So when the AC signal is applied to the filter circuit, the pure AC supply will be available at the output of the circuit but the unwanted DC components present in the signal will pass through the inductor as it has no frequency. As the inductor is connected in parallel, the DC components will be bypassed to the ground through the inductor. Thus we get a pure and filtered AC signal at the output. Here, also hoe which type of or how many DC components will be removed is decided by the inductor value.

Inductor Filter Uses and Applications

The common applications of Inductor Filter Circuits,

1. Rectifier Circuits
2. Inverter Circuit
3. Reactor Circuit in High Voltage power system
4. Signal Processing Circuits
5. Telecommunication Circuits
6. Audio Processing Circuits

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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