Need help with sizing a line reactor for my application

[I'mClueless]

A cycle consists of a positive half-cycle and a negative half-cycle.
The voltage reverses, and the current follows it, plus or minus the power factor angle.

So we have an alternator with 6 pole pairs, or 6 South and 6 North poles, which is revolving at 6000 revolutions per minute. By nature of design the altetnator is producing 100VAC @XXXHz.

What does XXX equal?

Yep,
I'mClueless

 

[Hero999]

6000RPM = 6000/60 = 100Hz

F = 100×6 = 600Hz

 

[I'mClueless]

hero999, schmitt trigger,

That's a critical factor so I thank both of you for the correction.

Yep,
I'mClueless

 

[I'mClueless]

If the weld has poor penetration characteristics add another 10 turns and try again. If it has too much penetration and the weld puddle is too wet take 5 turns off and try another weld.

tcmtech,

It appears that once again your recommendation was consistent with the industry. I'm like a snapping turtle in the sense that I don't have enough brains to let go of something once that I have locked on it. I have been reading non-stop in an effort to learn as much as possible on this subject and from the article below I learned that I have been wasting my time on this matter.

Article:
It is very common in ICPT (inductively coupled power transfer) systems to use a DC inductor in a power pickup to increase output power. This is because the DC inductor helps to maintain a continuous current flow in the pick-up circuit so that power can be continuously delivered from the AC side of a rectifier to the DC side. However, how to determine the inductance of this DC inductor remains an unsolved theoretical problem, so trial and error approach is normally used in practical design. This paper analyzes in detail the effect of the DC inductance on the maximum power capacity of a parallel tuned pick-up, and the maximum possible power that can be transferred. Although it is difficult to determine the accurate maximum power when the equivalent series resistance of the inductor is considered, a suitable inductance is recommended for achieving the practical maximum power. Simulations and experimental results have proved the usability of these analyses results and the recommended inductance.

Yep,
I'mClueless

 

[tcmtech]

Back in the old days many of the higher quality welders, both Ac line powered and engine drive, had a large variable inductor built right into them so all you had to do was turn a big knob right on the front of the machine to fine tune your weld.

I have been watching the scrap yards and industrial equipment auctions for some time now for machines that have that big variable reactance system still intact to the point of being rebuildable and usable so I can set one up as an external system to use with the modern welders. The new machines seem to never have the correct range of inductance built in to them.

The good ones now have at best a low, medium, or high internal connection that can be changed if you take the machine apart but many dont even have that option now.

The so called welding experts seem to think that its not needed but for anyone who has ever welded with one of the old school machines that had that feature the weld characteristics are so much smoother and nicer than what is typical of todays best machines.

 

[ElectricSquid]

... However, how to determine the inductance of this DC inductor remains an unsolved theoretical problem, so trial and error approach is normally used in practical design. ...

Hi Clueless, I'm working on the same project.
Just because some $300 research paper says this calculation is impossible (in 2005 for circuitry not exactly the same as what we are trying to do), don't get discouraged just yet.

There are online calculators I have seen that can tell you the inductance of an inductor. All you have to do is type in a few parameters like wire length, loop size, etc. The calculator will take that info and tell you how many uH the inductor will be.

Trying to figure out how many "Henrys" is needed for how many volt/amps seems to still be a mystery to me, but I've vet to give up.

Anyway, here's a link to many pages worth of info on inductors. On page 3 or 4, there is the equation that most of the online calculators use (as I mentioned above).



... and here's the topic I started on "smoothing the DC ripple", where this topic was suggested to me. For a few good images/graphs on AC rectification (via a diode bridge) and rectified DC waveform smoothing, check out the first post.

https://www.electro-tech-online.com/threads/help-diy-ac-conversion-to-steady-flow-dc.109164/