A type of
magnet that utilizes the principles of electromagnetism to generate the
magnetic field. Typically large current values and significant cooling of the
magnet coils is required. The resistive
magnet does not require cryogens, but needs a constant power supply to maintain a homogenous
magnetic field, and can be quite expensive to maintain.
Resistive magnets fall into two general categories - iron-core and air-core.
Iron-core electromagnets provide the advantages of a vertically oriented
magnetic field, and a limited
fringe field with little, if any, missile effects due to the closed iron-
flux return path.
Air-core electromagnets exhibit horizontally oriented fields, which have large fringe fields (unless magnetically shielded) and are prone to missile effects. Resistive magnets are typically limited to maximum field strengths of approximately 0.6T.