Moving Iron Instrument

Moving Iron 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 magnetic field. If the
magnet is electromagnet 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 Moving Iron Instrument

Fig.1 Attraction type moving iron instrument

The basic construction of attraction type moving iron instrument is illustrated in

Fig. 1. A thin disc of soft iron is eccentrically pivoted in front of a coil. This iron
tends to move inward that is from weaker magnetic field to stronger magnetic
field when current flowing through the coil. In attraction moving instrument
gravity control was used previously but now gravity control method is replaced by
spring control in relatively modern instrument. By adjusting balance weight null
deflection of the pointer is achieved. The required damping force is provided in
this instrument by air friction. Fig. 1 shows a typical type of damping system
provided in the instrument, where damping is achieved by a moving piston in an
air syringe.
Theory of Attraction Type Moving Iron Instrument
Suppose when there is no current through the coil, the pointer is at zero, the
angle made by the axis of the iron disc with the line perpendicular to the field is .
Now due current I and corresponding magnetic field strength, the iron piece is
deflected to an angle . Now component of H in the direction of defected iron disc
axis is Hcos{90 - ( + ) or Hsin( + ). Now force F acting on the disc inward to

the coil is thus proportional to H2sin( + ) hence the force is also proportional to
I2sin( + ) for constant permeability.

Working of Moving Iron Instrument

If this force is acting on the disc at a distance l from the pivot,

then deflection torque,

Since l is constant.

Where k is a constant.
Now, as the instrument is gravity controlled, controlling torque will be

Where k' is a constant.

At steady state condition,