Modeling tape-wound magnetic switches

An empirical ferromagnetic model developed by M.L. Hodgdon (1988) has been incorporated into the NET-2 Circuit Analysis Program to allow detailed simulation of magnetic modulators. The model is capable of representing the rate dependency of the material B-H characteristics and internal losses. This tool was successfully used to simulate nonuniform magnetization within magnetic switch cores during the switching process. Comparison is made with published experimental results on amorphous tape-wound cores subjected to 0.1 T/μs and 1 T/μs magnetization rates. It is concluded that the proposed model is significant in its ability to simulate magnetic switch behavior throughout all phases of switch operation, and to do so accurately, accounting for rate dependent effects and nonuniform magnetization within the switch core. Model parameters can be fit to core material data in a straightforward manner