A Quick Look at Reactors

Reactors/Inductors: CTM'S Cost-Effective Solution for Protecting Electronic Equipment

“Reactor” is another name for an inductor, which is a passive electrical component which resists changes in electric current. An inductor consists of a conductor, which is most often wound into a coil pattern, usually around an iron or ferrite core. As electrical energy flows through a reactor, a magnetic field is created (according to Faraday’s law of inductance), which temporarily stores energy. When the current flowing through the coil changes, as it does AC power applications, the magnetic field induces a voltage in the wire that opposes the changing current.

Inductors (reactors) are characterized by their inductance, a measure of the voltage generated to oppose changes in current. A closely related term is inductive reactance, which measures the voltage generated to oppose a given change in current. While closely related, inductive reactance is a measure which is dependent on a specific change in current (in a given application); while inductance is a property of an inductor which is independent of its application. More simply stated, for a given inductor, inductive reactance is proportional to the frequency of the current, whereas inductance is constant.

This basic principle of electromagnetism gives reactors the ability to limit current flow in an AC circuit and smooth rapid changes in current. Since a reactor's impedance increases with frequency, reactors can suppress unwanted high frequency harmonics and transient noise, thereby protecting the load device from damage. The lower frequency (fundamental) current signal passes through the inductor relatively unscathed due to lower impedance at this frequency.

CTM created the world's first liquid cooled inductor in 2006, paving the way for power quality regarding heat transfer in electronics. CTM's line of RLL Liquid Cooled Reactors prevent nuisance tripping and absorb power grid disturbances that can damage electronic equipment. By providing a cost-effective solution for reducing downtime caused by initial trips, protecting equipment and absorbing voltage spikes, etc., this product is reliable and economical.