Electrical – Practicality of using flat-spiral coil as electromagnet

electromagneticinductorproximity-sensor

For my project, I'm using a 3D magnetic sensor to track the proximity of a local electromagnet at any time, no more than a finger length away.

Ideally, I would like the the electromagnet to be:

  • between 5-10mm radius
  • flat, with a height below < 5mm, lower the better
  • be able to produce a magnetic field strong enough that my 3D magnetic sensor (BNO055) can pick up within range of 5-7cm.

Something like this, but assuming my qualifications:

enter image description here


  1. With this in consideration, is this possible or practical having an electromagnet this small and powerful enough to produce the necessary field?

  1. Bad question, but from what I've researched, an inductor is an essentially a single coil wrapped around a core, so it is by definition an electromagnet when a current passes through it. That being said I've looked online attempting to find one to buy, and I've come across strikingly different looking inductors, making me question if I actually understand what an inductor is. This fixed inductor is the same as the image above (besides being axial, radial, or ..etc) and both will produce a magnetic field when a current is passed through?

  1. If I'm missing something altogether or if anyone has any recommendations related or otherwise please comment, I appreciate any feedback.

Best Answer

1) With this in consideration, is this possible or practical having an electromagnet this small and powerful enough to produce the necessary field?

Taken from this website, the following picture explains that with 2 turns (as originally specified) and 40 mA current, the magnetic field density at 5 cm from the coil is about 10 nT: -

enter image description here

With 5 turns (as recently specified), the flux density will be 5 times larger at 50 nT.

2) so it is by definition an electromagnet when a current passes through it.

An inductor produces a magnetic field when current passes through its coils.