How Do I Use an Inductor in a Circuit?

bination is just the sum of the voltages across each inductor. Solving for this voltage
yields:
dI
dI
dI
V = V 1 + V 2 = L 1 ----- + L 2 ----- = ( L 1 + L 2 ) ----dt
dt
dt
Clearly, inductors in series act like a single inductor of a value equal to the sum of
the inductances.
Inductors in parallel must have the same voltage across them. The total current
through the combination will just be the sum of the individual currents as given
below.
I = I1 + I2
If this is true, it must also be true that the first derivatives match up.
dI
dI
V V
1
1
dI
----- = -------1 + -------2 = ----- + ----- = V ----- + -----
L 1 L 2
dt
dt
L1 L2
dt
This can be written as:
1
1 1 dI
V = ----- + ----- ---- L 1 L 2 dt
which shows that inductances in parallel act like the reciprocal of the sum of their
reciprocals. Or, in other words, inductors in series and parallel combine just like
resistors. It is important to recall that caps did just the opposite.

How Do I Use an Inductor in a Circuit?

Once again, our discussion here will be the dual of our discussion concerning
capacitors. The simplest circuit we can consider is an inductor connected to a voltage source as shown below. Note the symbol for an inductor - a stylized coil.

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Dj Vue

V(t)
V
V(t)

I(t)

To solve this circuit, we need an initial condition. In this case, we will presume that
the initial current through the inductor for t < 0 is zero. We can now directly apply
the integral form of the inductor relationship.
t

1
Vt
I = --- V dt = ----L
L
0

This result applies for t 0. A rough sketch is shown below.

I(t)
V/L
t

This should all look very familiar. It is just like the result for the capacitor, except
that I and V are flipped, and we now have L instead of C. Just as caps cant change
their voltage instantaneously without infinite current, inductors cant change their
current instantaneously without an infinite voltage. Of course, you cant really have
infinite voltages, but you can get very high ones. In fact, rapidly changing the current in an inductor is frequently used as a way of generating high voltages. (The
ignition coil in an automobile is a wonderful example.)
Lets consider a circuit consisting of an inductor in series with a resistor and a voltage source.
Writing the KVL equation for this single loop gives:
dI ( t )
V ( t ) = V R ( t ) + V L ( t ) = I ( t )R + L -----------dt

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A Pragmatic Introduction to the Art of Electrical Engineering

How Do I Use an Inductor in a Circuit?

Vr(t)
V(t)
R

V
t

IR

V(t)

IL
L

Vl(t)

Once again, we will assume that the current through the inductor is zero for t 0.
Solving the equation for t > 0 allows us to say that V(t > 0) = V, making this a separable equation. Rearranging the terms gives:
dI ( t )
L ----------------------- = dt
V I ( t )R
Integrating both sides yields:
dI ( t )

- = dt
L ---------------------
V I ( t )R

L
------ log V I ( t )R = t + K
R

tR
log V I ( t )R = -------- + K
L
where K and K are constants to be determined from the initial condition. Next we
exponentiate both sides, creating yet another constant K.
V I ( t )R = Ke

tR
--------L

Solving for I(t) produces:

tR
--------L

V Ke
I ( t ) = -------------------------R

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