When inductors are connected in series, their total inductance adds up, much like resistors in series. However, unlike resistors, inductors don't simply sum up due to their unique behavior caused by electromagnetic induction.
The total inductance (
total
L
total
) of inductors connected in series can be calculated using the following formula:
total
=
1
+
2
+
3
+
…
+
L
total
=L
1
+L
2
+L
3
+…+L
n
Where
1
,
2
,
3
,
…
,
L
1
,L
2
,L
3
,…,L
n
are the individual inductances of the inductors connected in series.
It's important to note that when inductors are connected in series, the total inductance increases. This means that it will take longer for the current to reach its maximum value in the circuit compared to having a single inductor with the equivalent total inductance. The total inductance value is simply the sum of the individual inductances.
Additionally, it's worth mentioning that when inductors are connected in series, the total resistance in the circuit doesn't affect the total inductance, unlike when resistors are connected in series where their resistances simply add up. The behavior of inductors is a result of the way electromagnetic fields build up and interact within the components.
Keep in mind that mutual inductance (the interaction between inductors due to their magnetic fields) can become a factor in more complex setups, but for the basic case of inductors connected in series, the formula provided above is applicable.