Passive loop current

[maarten-ic]

name

passive_current

units

A

documentation

Passively induced currents in a conducting loop.

Sign convention:

• For axisymmetric loops (such as the poloidal field coils), the current is positive when it flows in the direction of $\mathbf{\hat{\phi}}$ (counter-clockwise when viewed from above).
• For non axisymmetric loops, the current is positive when it flows in the direction in which conductor elements are ordered.

tags

pf_passive loop current

options

• overwrite
• high priority

[maarten-ic]

This standard name is closely related to #7. Where coil_current is meant to describe current flowing through a coil, passive_current is to describe current through passively conducting loops.

If we choose two different standard names, then this brings an interesting discrepancy to light:

• The Data Dictionary indicates that only passive axisymmetric conductors in the form of non-connected loops should be stored in pf_passive. A passive axisymmetric conductor that forms a connected loop should be stored in pf_active with no power supply attached. (link)
• Now, passively induced currents can be described with two possible standard names: coil_current when the passive loop is a closed loop and therefore modeled as an active coil, or passive_current when the passive loop is non-connected.