Description
Compare ideal inductor energies at two signed currents and return the stored-energy change.
Capacitors and inductors store energy under voltage and current conventions, respectively. An ideal endpoint energy difference, charge balance or flux-linkage balance does not determine the transient path or how energy is dissipated.
Compare ideal inductor energies at two signed currents and return the stored-energy change.
When to use this tool
Use Inductor Current Step Energy when checking one ideal storage-state comparison or supplied balance.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter inductanceHenries, firstCurrentAmps, secondCurrentAmps. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read firstEnergyJoules, secondEnergyJoules, energyChangeJoules. Use the output convention below.
Require nonnegative inductanceHenries. Compute 0.5*L*I² separately for firstCurrentAmps and secondCurrentAmps using their absolute current magnitudes. energyChangeJoules = secondEnergyJoules-firstEnergyJoules.1
The single-state inductor energy function is evaluated at each absolute current magnitude. The wrapper then subtracts the first stored energy from the second.2
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| inductanceHenries | Inductance Henries | Required. Finite number; minimum 0. |
| firstCurrentAmps | First Current Amps | Required. Finite number. |
| secondCurrentAmps | Second Current Amps | Required. Finite number. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| firstEnergyJoules | First Energy Joules | Required. Finite number. |
| secondEnergyJoules | Second Energy Joules | Required. Finite number. |
| energyChangeJoules | Second stored energy minus first stored energy, potentially negative. | Required. Finite number. |
{
"input": {
"inductanceHenries": 2,
"firstCurrentAmps": 3,
"secondCurrentAmps": 4
},
"output": {
"firstEnergyJoules": 9,
"secondEnergyJoules": 16,
"energyChangeJoules": 7
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- The change can be negative, and reversing a current at equal magnitude leaves energy unchanged. This compares two ideal states, not a switching trajectory or dissipated energy.
- Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
- Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Use a complete switching and loss model, with component limits, when analyzing practical connections or energy transfer.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Inductor Energy Current Sign Invariance
energy = 0.5*inductance*current² and reversedEnergy returns the same value.
- Inductor Flux Linkage Current Point
fluxLinkage = inductance*current; differentialInductance = inductance.