I am trying to make the strongest electromagnet using two AA batteries. This means low voltage (1.2 volt in parallel, .03 ohm internal resistance, 40 amps maximum discharge when in parallel, .7 volts at full discharge). When I first started, I thought it was simple, just pile on as many turns as I can with as much current as I can. Then I heard about magnetic saturation. After reading the wikipedia article I am not sure what to do. **broken link removed**).
The magnetic saturation wikipedia article makes it seem like the physical size of the core does not matter. It makes it seem that it is just flat out impossible to get above 1.8 magnetic force regardless of what size or shape the core is. Doesn't the length of the core or it's cross sectional area matter?
I am limited to core materials of: (their permeability can be found in the wikipedia permeability article, but im not sure how that factors in)
Silicon Grain orient steel
Low Carbon Steel
I can use any size wire, although with such low voltage and high maximum discharge, the lower AWG range seems best because of it's low resistance. More facts like turns per inch and resistance of the wire can be found on the AWG wikipedia article.
If someone could help me understand the optimum configuration for the strongest electromagnet using these materials, I would appreciate it. (For example, is a higher permeability core good or bad? Is a longer core good or bad or neutral? etc.-- Basically, how does each property of an electromagnet effect the strength?)
If there is a maximum limit to the strength of the magnet, what is the most efficient way to achieve this maximum? (For example, maybe I only need 12 amps to achieve that)
The magnetic saturation wikipedia article makes it seem like the physical size of the core does not matter. It makes it seem that it is just flat out impossible to get above 1.8 magnetic force regardless of what size or shape the core is. Doesn't the length of the core or it's cross sectional area matter?
I am limited to core materials of: (their permeability can be found in the wikipedia permeability article, but im not sure how that factors in)
Silicon Grain orient steel
Low Carbon Steel
I can use any size wire, although with such low voltage and high maximum discharge, the lower AWG range seems best because of it's low resistance. More facts like turns per inch and resistance of the wire can be found on the AWG wikipedia article.
If someone could help me understand the optimum configuration for the strongest electromagnet using these materials, I would appreciate it. (For example, is a higher permeability core good or bad? Is a longer core good or bad or neutral? etc.-- Basically, how does each property of an electromagnet effect the strength?)
If there is a maximum limit to the strength of the magnet, what is the most efficient way to achieve this maximum? (For example, maybe I only need 12 amps to achieve that)