Hi all,
As I dimly remember from Motors and Machines 1 and 2, THE TRANSFORMER
IS A HIGHLY NON-LINEAR DEVICE. WE USE THESE SIMPLE FORMULAS for TR
and ZR but in reality YOU NEED ADVANCED CALCULUS TO adequately
explain BOTH THE Hysteresis and eddy current losses and
distortions. The open circuit and short circuit tests can get that
info out of a particular device, I haven't done these in years but it
is a valuable tool for analyzing any transformer. You need power and
the correct frequencies however. Its the hysteresis losses that
result in the poor LF response. The secondary voltage lags the
primary current (I think I remember that correctly) more and more as
the frequency is decreased. The problem is especially acute at the
polarity change, ie the zero crossing where the magnetic field must
reverse instantly. The non linear effects generate a discontinuity
in the waveform and the harmonic components and odd phases are the
result. What is happening the primary power is converted to a
magnetic flux which is then converted back to power in the
secondary. Its the medium - the IRON that causes the problems. This
cannot be analysed except by non-linear mathematics Messy at
best. The DC current, if present polarizes the magnetic field making
the effects worse. MacIntosh got around this with his patented
transformer and circuit which greatly minimized the magnetic
non-linearity, circuits which are still used in MacIntosh audio amps today.
BTW audio analog tape recorders minimized this problem with the head
by using a high frequency bias, say 22 kcs, to keep the flux
constantly changing and allowing good LF response while making the
recording. The HF signal is filtered out on playback either by the
playback head or immediately before the first preamp.
Larry W3LW
Some folks on here surely can amplify this and correct my fuzzy
memory if needed.
The problem is the energy transfer medium - THE IRON.
At 01:02 PM 3/13/2006, John E. Coleman (ARS WA5BXO) wrote:
Perhaps I should clarify one point that we may all be forgetting
here. A XFMR will only transfer energy during the movement of the magnetic
field (EXPANDING OR CONTRATING). If the magnetic field becomes stationary
then no energy will be transferred to the secondary regardless of the amount
of iron. But if the magnetic movement is fast enough then transfer
efficiency can be high. As the frequency is lowered the magnetic movement
is slowed down then the efficiency drops off. I'm not sure if this is the
proper term mathematically but it is as if the coefficiency of coupling is
not as good when the frequency becomes too low.
I hope I'm not boring folks with this and some may say I am making a
mountain of a mole hill. I just find it fascinating. I guess it is just my
type of thing.
John, WA5BXO
----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of John E. Coleman (ARS
WA5BXO)
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2006 11:36 AM
To: 'Discussion of AM Radio'
Subject: RE: [AMRadio] Class AB and B audio XFMRS
The Band pass and energy Xfer of a transformer with no load is one thing but
it all changes depending on the load and the DC involved. In class A
balanced PP circuits the XFMR will still saturate at some frequency and load
even if it is perfect balance on the PP circuit. XFMR saturation distortion
in class A single ended service has a trapezoidal shape if the quiescent
current is too high but in PP class A the shape is weird because the XFMR
remains balance as for as DC is concerned but yet the XFMR will not produce
the sign wave on the output if the frequency is too low. It resembles cross
over distortion even though there is no cross over in class A push-pull.
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