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Steinmetz's equation - mklabgr - 08-01-2026
Steinmetz's equation
Summary
Steinmetz's equation is an empirical mathematical formula used in electrical engineering to calculate total power loss—known as core loss—per unit volume in magnetic materials subjected to alternating, sinusoidally varying magnetic fields. Proposed by Prussian-American electrical engineer Charles Steinmetz, the equation ($P_v = k \cdot f^a \cdot B^b$) models energy dissipated as waste heat due to magnetic hysteresis and eddy currents in component cores like transformers, inductors, electric motors, and generators.
While the basic formulation relies on empirical material parameters ($k, a, b$) derived from hysteresis curves and applies primarily to pure sinusoidal waveforms without DC bias, modified variations (such as the improved Generalized Steinmetz Equation) allow engineers to approximate core losses under complex, non-sinusoidal excitation common in modern power electronics.
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