Evaluation of experimental methods for determining magnetically nonlinear characteristics of electromagnetic devices

This paper describes and evaluates six different experimental methods used for determining magnetically nonlinear characteristics of electromagnetic devices. A tested iron core inductor was supplied by the stepwise changing voltages, by the sinusoidal voltages, and by the sinusoidal voltages with offset. Characteristics are determined from the measured applied voltages and responding currents by numerical integration and by impedance-based methods.