Moving iron type instruments:

Working Principle of Moving Iron Instruments:

In Moving Iron Instruments, a plate or van of soft iron or of high

permeability steel forms the moving element of the system. The iron van
is so situated that it can move in the magnetic field produced by a
stationary coil. Figure below shows a simple moving iron instrument.

Theory about moving iron type instruments:

This instrument is one of the most primitive forms of measuring

and relay instrument. Moving iron type instruments are of mainly
two types. Attraction type and repulsion type instrument.
Whenever a piece of iron is placed nearer to a magnet it would be
attracted by the magnet. The force of this attraction depends upon the
strength said magnetic field. If the magnet is electromagnet then the
magnetic field strength can easily be increased or decreased by
increasing or decreasing current through its coil.
Accordingly the attraction force acting on the piece of iron would also
be increased and decreased. Depending upon this simple
phenomenon attraction type moving iron instrument was developed.
Whenever two pieces of iron are kept side by side and a magnet is
brought nearer to them the iron pieces will repulse each other. This
repulsion force is due to same magnetic poles induced in same sides
the iron pieces due external magnetic field.
This repulsion force increases if field strength of the magnet is
increased. Like case if the magnet is electromagnet, then magnetic
field strength can easily be controlled by controlling input current to
the magnet. Hence if the current increases the repulsion force between
the pieces of iron is increased and it the current decreases the
repulsion force between them is decreased. Depending upon this
phenomenon repulsion type moving iron instrument was
constructed.
Construction of Repulsion Type Moving Iron Instrument

One variation of moving iron instrument is repulsion type

instrument. Here we keep the shaft of the moving system along the
axis of the coil. We attach a soft iron bar or rod to the shaft so that it
can move with the movement of the moving system. We fix another
soft iron bar or rod with the inner coil body as shown. When there is
no current in the coil, both iron bars are nearest to each other.

Fig. 2 Radial Van Repulsion Type Instrument

Working of Repulsion Type Moving Iron Instrument

The current in the coil produces the magnetic field. The magnetic field
induces same magnetic poles to similar ends in both of the iron bars
or rods. Naturally, these two iron bars repel each other. The repulsive
force causes the deflection of the pointer attached to the moving
system. This is because due to the repulsive force, the bar attached to
the moving system tries to go away from the bar fixed to the inner coil
structure. This repulsion force is approximately proportional to the
square of the current through the coil. Since this force is proportional
to the square of the current, deflection of the pointer is irrespective of
the direction of current in the coil that means the deflecting torque is
unidirectional. This is the reason we can use a repulsion type moving
iron instrument in DC and AC both.

Sometimes, to increase the uniformity of the scale, we use a tongue-

shaped iron strip in place of the fixed rod.

The two different designs of repulsion type instruments are:

i) Radial vane type and
ii) Co-axial vane type
Radial Van Repulsion Type Instrument
The Fig. 2 shows the radial vane repulsion type instrument. Out of
the other moving iron mechanism, this is the most sensitive and has
most linear scale.

Fig. 2 Radial Van Repulsion Type Instrument

The two vanes are radial strips of iron. The fixed vane is attached to
the coil. The movable vane is attached to the spindle and suspended in
the induction field of the coil. The needle of the instrument is attached
to this vane.
Eventhough the current through the coil is alternating, there is
always repulsion between the like poles of the fixed and the movable
vane. Hence the deflection of the pointer is always in the same
direction. The deflection is effectively proportional to the actual current
and hence the scale is calibrated directly to rad amperes or volts. The
calibration is accurate only for the frequency for which it is designed
because the impedance is different for different frequencies.
Concentric Vane Repulsion Type Instrument
Fig. 3 shows the concentric vane repulsion type instrument. The
instrument has two concentric vanes. One is attached to the coil frame
rigidly while the other can rotate coaxially inside the stationary vane.

Fig. 3 Concentric Vane Repulsion Type Instrument

Both the vanes are magnetised to the same polarity due to the
current in the coil. Thus the movable vane rotates under the repulsive
force. As the movable vane is attached to the pivoted shaft, the
repulsion results in a rotation of the shaft. The pointer deflection is
proportional to the current in the coil. The concentric vane type
instrument is moderately sensitive and the deflection is proportional to
the square of the current through coil. Thus the instrument said to have
square low response. Thus the scale of the instrument is non-uniform
in nature. Thus whatever may be the direction of the current in the coil,
the deflection in the moving iron instruments is in the same direction.
Hence moving iron instruments can be used for both a.c. and d.c.
measurements. Due to square low response, the scale of the moving
iron instrument is non-uniform.
Deflecting Torque of Repulsion Type Moving Iron
Instrument

the force between two similarly magnetized iron rods or sheets

produces the deflecting torque in this instrument. So, the deflecting
torque is proportional to the pole strength of both bars.

In other words, we can say that the deflecting torque is proportional to

the product of pole strength of both bars. Again, pole strength is
proportional to the magnetic field strength H.
Hence, we can write the instantaneous deflecting torque is
proportional to the square of magnetic field strength.

Again, the magnetic field strength is directly proportional to the

current in the coil. So, we can write,

As the deflecting torque is proportional to the square of the measuring

current, the scale of the instrument is not uniform or even. Although if
we use a properly shaped iron sheet instead of the iron rod in the
instrument, the scale becomes quite even.

We normally provide gravity control to repulsion type instruments but

in modern days some manufacturers provide spring control also.

We cannot provide eddy current damping in this type of instrument.

Because the presence of the permanent magnet in eddy current
damping system may disturb the magnetization of the fixed and
moving iron pieces. This may cause serious serious error in the
reading of the instrument.

Advantages

 The instruments are suitable for use in AC and DC circuits.

 The instruments are robust, owing to the simple construction of
the moving parts.
  The stationary parts of the instruments are also simple.
 Instrument is low cost compared to moving coil instrument.
 Torque/weight ratio is high, thus less frictional error.

Errors

 Error due to variation in temperature.

 Error due to friction is quite small as torque-weight ratio is high
in moving coil instruments.
 Stray fields cause relatively low values of magnetizing force
produced by the coil. Efficient magnetic screening is essential to
reduce this effect.
 Error due to variation of frequency causes change of reactance of
the coil and also changes the eddy currents induced in
neighbouring metal.
 Deflecting torque is not exactly proportional to the square of the
current due to non-linear characteristics of iron material.