10.8 Eddy Currents
Up to this point, we assumed that an induced emf (induced voltage) can be generated in a loop, or any conducting wire,
regardless of shape. If the loop is closed in a circuit, the induced emf produces an induced current. However, Faraday’s law
as written in Eq. (10.1) does not require the existence of a physical loop: Induction of flux, and therefore electromotive force,
exists even if an actual loop is not obvious. To see this, consider a time-dependent, uniform magnetic flux density as in
Figure 10.18a. If we place a loop in this flux density, an induced emf is generated in the loop. Now, consider the situation in
Figure 10.18b, where a cylindrical conductor is placed in the changing magnetic flux density.We do not have a loop per se,
but we can view the cylinder as being composed of thin short-circuited cylindrical loops, as in Figure 10.18c. Each one of
these loops will have an emf that produces an induced current in each loop. Now, considering again the cylinder in
Figure 10.18b, it is obvious that the magnetic flux density induces currents in the volume of the cylinder. These currents are
called induced currents, eddy currents, or Foucault currents3. Normally, we view eddy currents as undesirable because they
dissipate power in the volume of materials and therefore generate heat (losses) in the material. This is certainly the case in
transformers and in some machines. However, as we will see in examples that follow, there are important applications of
eddy currents including levitation, heating and melting of materials, nondestructive testing for material integrity, and
induction machines, where eddy currents are essential.