Variable Inductor

(To be removed) Discrete variable inductor

The Specialized Power Systems library will be removed in R2026a. Use the Simscape™ Electrical™ blocks and functions instead. For more information on updating your models, see Upgrade Specialized Power System Models to use Simscape Electrical Blocks.

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Libraries:
Simscape / Electrical / Specialized Power Systems / Passives

Description

The Variable Inductor block represents a linear time-varying inductor. It implements a discrete variable inductor as a current source. The impedance is specified by the Simulink^® input signal. The inductance value can be negative.

When you use a Variable Inductor block in your model, set the powergui block Simulation type to Discrete and select the Automatically handle Discrete solver and Advanced tab solver settings of blocks parameter in the Preferences tab. The robust discrete solver is used to discretize the electrical model. Simulink signals an error if the robust discrete solver is not used.

Equations

The block uses the following equations for the relationship between the voltage, v, across the device and the current through the inductor, i. The block input specifies the value of the inductance. The flux linkage of the inductor is equal to the specified inductance multiplied by the inductor current:

$$v=\frac{d(phi)}{dt},$$

$$phi=L\ast i.$$

Ports

Input

L — Inductance

Simulink signal

Input port associated with the inductance. The inductance can be negative and must be finite.

Conserving

+ — Positive terminal

specialized electrical

Specialized electrical conserving port associated with the inductor positive voltage.

- — Negative terminal

specialized electrical

Specialized electrical conserving port associated with the inductor negative voltage.

Parameters

Discrete Solver — Solver type

Backward Euler (default) | Trapezoidal

Robust integration method used by the block. The discrete solver method is automatically set to Trapezoidal when, in the powergui block, in the Preferences settings, you select Automatically handle discrete solver and Advanced tab solver settings of blocks.

The Trapezoidal robust solver is slightly more accurate than the Backward Euler robust solver, especially when the model is simulated at larger sample times. The Trapezoidal robust solver may produce slight damped numerical oscillations on machine voltage in no-load conditions, while the Backward Euler robust solver prevents oscillations and maintains good accuracy.

Minimal inductance absolute value (H) — Minimal inductance

1e-6 (default) | nonnegative scalar

Lower limit on the absolute value of the signal at port L. This limit prevents the signal from reaching a value that has no physical meaning. The value of this parameter must be greater than 0.

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Version History

Introduced in R2019b