A comparison of single-layer coaxial coil mutual inductance calculations using finite-element and tabulated methods

Quick and accurate methods to calculate the mutual inductance of coaxial single layer coils remains important to this day in a large variety of engineering and physical disciplines. While modern finite-element electromagnetic field codes can do this accurately, the engineer often requires only a first- or second-order estimate before proceeding to the numerical analysis stage. Grover's tabular data, developed in the first half of the 20th century, remains the standard for manually calculating mutual inductance for a wide variety of coil and wire forms. This investigation reports the accuracy of mutual inductance calculations for single-layer coaxial coils based on Grover's tables when compared to estimates obtained with a finite-element electromagnetic field code (FEEFC). Since it is impractical to construct and characterize the numerous coils needed for this type of investigation, the FEEFC results are treated as actual inductance measurements. Grover reported his tabular data to be accurate within five significant digits excluding the cases when the coils are loosely coupled and when the coils are short. This investigation found Grover's tabular method to be inaccurate for loosely coupled and short coils, but also found that significant error for closely coupled coils as well. The maximum error between Grover's tabular method and the FEEFC results is 9.8%. Knowing the error associated with Grover's method and the coil geometry for which the error occurs is an important aid for the engineer and scientist.