what's a line reactor?
 

So I've got this box that's been sitting around in the yard for about a year
now. Says Trans Tec line reactor. Three phase, gives PN, current rating
etc.

When I open it up, it just looks like a transformer except that it has three
coils around three metal cores.

This works as some sort of filter by using the three phases against
each other? But I don't quite see the point.

Can anyone illuminate?
:-)

Tanks,
DOC

Buy my junk! http://www3.sympatico.ca/doc/robotone/for-sale.html

what's a line reactor?
 

Ignoramus9620 wrote:

A very enlightening article can be found he

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturable_reactor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_amplifier

I have 6 DC power supplies 0-100A, 0-40v, that use saturable
reactors/magnetic amplifiers to achieve regulated voltage output.

Except that you don't deliberately want a line
reactor to saturate and it's not a magnetic amplifier.

There are a couple of things it might be used for.
One is between a VFD and a load. A VFD output
is a series of steps and since the reactor limits
instantaneous current, the steps get smoothed out.

Likewise, since the reactor limits instantaneous
current, they are used to keep short-circuit
fault current down to a reasonable level until
a fuse can blow or a breaker can open.




On Wed, 8 Mar 2006 16:33:47 -0500, DOC wrote:

So I've got this box that's been sitting around in the yard for about a year
now. Says Trans Tec line reactor. Three phase, gives PN, current rating
etc.

When I open it up, it just looks like a transformer except that it has three
coils around three metal cores.

This works as some sort of filter by using the three phases against
each other? But I don't quite see the point.

Can anyone illuminate?
:-)

Tanks,
DOC

Buy my junk! http://www3.sympatico.ca/doc/robotone/for-sale.html

what's a line reactor?
 

In article ,
says...
So I've got this box that's been sitting around in the yard for about a year
now. Says Trans Tec line reactor. Three phase, gives PN, current rating
etc.

When I open it up, it just looks like a transformer except that it has three
coils around three metal cores.

This works as some sort of filter by using the three phases against
each other? But I don't quite see the point.

Can anyone illuminate?

Line reactors are often used on the line side of VFDs to attenuate
electrical noise introduced back into the supply. On the motor side of
the VFD a line reactor can protect the motor from voltage spikes caused
by long motor leads.

You'd have to track down the part number on yours to tell whether it's
intended for either of these uses, or something entirely different.

Ned Simmons

what's a line reactor?
 

Once the line reactor energizes it works like any choke or coil to
oppose a change in current. In essence if the current fed through the
reactor drops then the magnetic field collapses a bit adding current to
the output.
For lower frequencies this works well, for higher frequencies you use
capacitors.
Back when electronics had the warm glow of thermionic emission the
phrase was "pad the low and trim the high"
pads being inductors and trimmers capacitors.

what's a line reactor?
 

Thanks to everyone for the help.

I did a little more digging and found a short summary from
Trans Coil that I have included at the end here. It's a PR
piece but makes for a good summary.

Would anyone know if the phases affect each other?
Do you get the same result if the cores were physically separate?

Does this thing work with single phase?

Tanks,
DOC

TCI KLR series three phase AC line reactors are intended for use as input
filters for adjustable speed DC drives and as input or output filters for
AC-PWM variable frequency drives. Drive performance is significantly
improved, the drives input rectifier is protected from failure or damage,
and drive harmonic demands are tamed with the addition of a K-rated line
reactor. KLR line reactors act as interface buffers between solid state
power circuits and the line or the motor. (Not unlike the surge protector
for your desk-top PC). All drives, in any application, will benefit when
applied with KLR series line reactors.

what's a line reactor?
 

On Thu, 09 Mar 2006 10:24:27 -0500, DOC wrote:

I did a little more digging and found a short summary from
Trans Coil that I have included at the end here. It's a PR
piece but makes for a good summary.

Would anyone know if the phases affect each other?
Do you get the same result if the cores were physically separate?

Does this thing work with single phase?

From the description (which I've left, below), it sounds like an ordinary
hash choke or common-mode choke. I remember having seen sketches of the
magnetic pathe in a three-phase transformer, albeit I haven't done a
thorough http://www.google.com search on it yet - the thing is, on
single-phase, you'd get a similar effect by just using one winding, or
possibly putting them in parallel, although series might be better -
magnetic stuff is black magic to me.

Back to the point, it sounds like you put one winding in series with
each phase from the mains, and it keeps the switching noise coming
out of your equipment from going back up the mains and screwing
up the neighbors' TV. :-)

Good Luck!
Rich

TCI KLR series three phase AC line reactors are intended for use as
input filters for adjustable speed DC drives and as input or output
filters for AC-PWM variable frequency drives. Drive performance is
significantly improved, the drives input rectifier is protected from
failure or damage, and drive harmonic demands are tamed with the
addition of a K-rated line reactor. KLR line reactors act as interface
buffers between solid state power circuits and the line or the motor.
(Not unlike the surge protector for your desk-top PC). All drives, in
any application, will benefit when applied with KLR series line reactors.