Component Inputs Component Input Parameters This page details all input parameters used across the VIC Matrix Calculator modules. Understanding what each parameter means and how to determine its value is essential for accurate calculations. Choke Design Inputs Core Parameters Parameter Symbol Units Description Core Type — — Toroid, E-core, rod, bobbin, or air-core Core Material — — Ferrite mix, iron powder, or air Relative Permeability μᵣ — Material permeability (1 for air, 2000+ for ferrite) AL Value Aₗ nH/turn² Inductance factor (from core datasheet) Outer Diameter OD mm Core outer diameter (toroids) Inner Diameter ID mm Core inner diameter (toroids) Height H mm Core height/thickness Finding Core Parameters: Check manufacturer datasheet for Aₗ and μᵣ Measure physical dimensions with calipers For unknown cores, estimate μᵣ from material type Wire Parameters Parameter Symbol Units Description Wire Gauge AWG AWG American Wire Gauge number Wire Material — — Copper, aluminum, silver Number of Turns N turns Total turns wound on core Number of Layers n layers — Winding layers (affects parasitic C) Winding Style — — Single, bifilar, or multi-filar Bifilar-Specific Parameters Parameter Description Choke Role Primary (L1), Secondary (L2), or Bifilar Set Coupling Coefficient k value between bifilar windings (typically 0.95-0.99) Inter-winding Insulation Thickness and material of insulation between wires Water Profile Inputs Electrode Geometry Parameter Symbol Units Description Electrode Type — — Parallel plates, concentric tubes, tube array Electrode Area A cm² Active electrode surface area Electrode Gap d mm Distance between electrodes Inner Radius r i mm Inner tube radius (cylindrical) Outer Radius r o mm Outer tube radius (cylindrical) Tube Length L cm Submerged tube length Number of Tubes n — Tube pairs in array Water Properties Parameter Symbol Units Description Water Conductivity σ µS/cm Electrical conductivity of water Water Temperature T °C Operating temperature Dielectric Constant ε r — Relative permittivity (~80 for water at 20°C) Measuring Conductivity: Use a TDS or conductivity meter Distilled water: 1-10 µS/cm Tap water: 200-800 µS/cm If unknown, 500 µS/cm is a reasonable tap water estimate Circuit Profile Inputs Component Selection Parameter Description Primary Choke (L1) Select from saved choke designs or enter values Secondary Choke (L2) Select from saved choke designs or enter values Water Profile (WFC) Select from saved water profiles or enter values Primary Capacitor (C1) Capacitance value for primary resonance Tuning Capacitor Optional capacitor in parallel with WFC Operating Parameters Parameter Symbol Units Description Operating Frequency f op kHz Pulse generator frequency Input Voltage V in V Peak pulse voltage Duty Cycle D % Pulse on-time percentage Source Resistance R s Ω Driver output impedance Direct Value Entry If you have measured values for components (rather than designing from scratch), you can enter them directly: For Chokes: Inductance (measured at low frequency) DC Resistance (measured with ohmmeter) Self-Resonant Frequency (if known) For WFC: Capacitance (measured with LCR meter) ESR or solution resistance Best Practice: When possible, measure actual component values and compare to calculated values. This helps identify measurement errors and improves your understanding of the calculator's accuracy for your specific components. Next: Simulation Tab Explained →