Iron losses

Iron losses are losses that occur in the magnetic core of electrical machines and transformers. They are made up of eddy current losses and hysteresis losses and are caused by the periodic remagnetization of the iron core.

The amount of iron losses depends in particular on the magnetic flux density and the frequency. In addition, material properties, sheet thickness and the processing of the electrical sheet influence the actual losses, which is why they can only be calculated approximately.

For comparability, iron losses are specified as specific losses in watts per kilogram (W/kg) under defined conditions, typically at a defined flux density and frequency.

Depending on the quality of the electrical sheet used and its thickness, the iron losses at a flux density of 1.5 T and a frequency of 50 Hz are typically in the range of around 0.8 to 12 W/kg.