Magnetic Flux Controllers In Induction Heating And Melting

634 / Equipment Precise control of the magnetic field andresulting heat pattern Improvement in efficiency of high-frequencypower supplying circuitry Reduction of external magnetic fields inclose proximity to the coilIn most applications, more than one of thesebenefits usually occurs (Ref 3–7). Recently,better understanding of the role magnetic fluxcontrollers in induction heating systems has beenobtained through comprehensive studies usingcomputer simulation and experiments, such asthose conducted at Fluxtrol, Inc. Results showthat a magnetic flux controller properly usedis typically beneficial in an induction heatingsystem (Ref 3). Magnetic flux controllers playdifferent roles in induction heating installations.Depending on the application, they are referredto as concentrators, controllers, diverters, cores,impeders, yokes, shunts, and screens. The effectsof controllers in different types of induction heating applications are described here.Materials for MagneticFlux ControlTwo main categories of materials for magnetic flux control are electrically conductivematerials and magnetic materials. Electricallyconductive materials typically are used in theform of shunts and screens to reduce externalmagnetic fields.Two main forms of magnetic materials are hardand soft. The difference is the amount of flux density that remains after they are no longer exposedto a magnetic field. Hard magnetic materialsretain a significant amount of the magnetic field,while soft materials retain almost no magneticfield when the source is turned off. Soft magneticmaterials are used almost exclusively as concentrators, controllers, diverters, cores, impeders,yokes, shunts, and screens for magnetic flux control in induction systems.Highly Conductive Materialsfor Field ReductionHighly conductive materials in the form ofclosed loops are commonly used in inductionsystems to reduce the level of magnetic fieldsin certain areas. The effect on the distributionof the magnetic field is described by Lenz’sLaw, which states an induced electromotiveforce always produces a current whose magnetic field opposes the original change inmagnetic flux. This current creates a field ofreaction that influences the distribution of themagnetic field, and increases both the reluctance of the magnetic circuit and the currentin the coil to produce the same amount of heatin the workpiece. These closed loops, commonly referred to as Faraday, or “robber” ringscarry high frequency currents, which result inheating by Joule losses. The losses reduce theefficiency of the system, and are not desirable.Therefore, nonmagnetic materials with highelectrical conductivity are preferred for use asFaraday rings. Copper is the most commonmaterial used, but other materials, such as aluminum, are used due to cost and/or weightconsiderations.Soft Magnetic Materials forMagnetic Flux ControlSoft magnetic materials most commonly usedin induction systems are laminations and softmagnetic composites. Soft magnetic ferrites areused occasionally in some high-frequency applications. The main requirements are that it shouldhave a relative magnetic permeability 1 andshould not have a good electrically conductivepath for strong eddy current generation.Placing the material in the path of magneticflux lowers the reluctance of that part of themagnetic circuit. Therefore, it requires less current to drive the magnetic flux through thatpart of the circuit, and a higher percentage offlux flows in the magnetic material than wouldflow in the same space containing only air.However, this positive effect has some limitations because the magnetic circuit is almostalways open.For the same coil current, workpiece powerincreases with increasing concentrator permeability very fast initially, then approachesthe threshold value asymptotically. At thesame time, losses in the induction coil oftenincrease slowly with increasing concentratorpermeability.Computer simulation was used to demonstrate the diminishing positive effect of veryhigh permeabilities in induction applications.In a real induction heating application, the magnetic permeability of a magnetic flux controllerdepends on magnetic flux density, frequency,and temperature of the controller itself (notthe part it is heating). In the study, permeabilityin the magnetic flux controller is considered tobe constant in the cross-section and at a fixedvalue for each calculation. The study was notconducted for a particular material, but is usedonly to show the effect of conductor permeability on induction coil parameters.Figure 2 shows the effects of magnetic permeability on coil current and efficiency forheating a flat plate using a single leg of aninductor at frequencies of 3 and 10 kHz. Similar studies show that in most induction heatingapplications, the threshold value for workpiecepower occurs when concentrator permeabilityis 100. In high-frequency induction heatingapplications, the threshold value occurs atlower levels of permeability. Therefore, increasing permeability to higher values will notimprove coil parameters significantly (Ref 3).In some cases, use of materials with higherthan optimal magnetic permeability reducesinduction coil lifetimes without any benefits(Ref 3, 8, 9).Other important properties of soft magneticmaterials, such as good saturation flux density,stable mechanical properties, low magneticlosses, chemical resistance, and resistance toelevated temperature depend on the application.Laminations are commonly made of coatedthin sheets of silicon electrical steel with 3 or4% silicon. The laminates are cut (by waterjet, laser, CNC, and electrical discharge machining) or stamped to the required shape for use ininduction coils.For induction coils, multiple laminations arestacked between mechanical supports calledkeepers (Fig. 3). The large lamination crosssection is oriented so it is in the plane of theflow of the magnetic field; intense eddy currentheating occurs if it is not in the plane.Lamination thickness varies based on frequency used to limit eddy-current losses fromthe in-plane magnetic field. The lamination coating prevents an electrical connection betweenindividual laminations. In line-frequency applications, individual laminations are typicallybetween 0.020 to 0.040 in. (0.5 to 1 mm) thick.Laminations can be as thin as 0.002 in. in applications using higher frequencies.Laminations have very high magnetic permeability and saturation flux density. They alsohave high temperature resistance limited primarily by the coating. The primary drawbacksof laminations are intense heating in 3-D magnetic fields and limited frequency range (up toabout 30 kHz).Soft Magnetic Composites consist of asoft-magnetic component (typically iron andiron-base alloy powder metal) and a dielectriccomponent (usually an organic polymer binder).The soft-magnetic component provides a favorable path in which the magnetic field can flow.The dielectric component electrically insulatesmagnetic particles from each other to limit eddycurrent losses.Two main forms of soft-magnetic compositesare machinable and formable. Machinablematerials are commonly produced via powdermetallurgy compaction techniques and heattreated to improve magnetic and mechanicalproperties. Machining soft-magnetic composites is easier than machining laminations.The composites are applied on induction coilsusing an adhesive and mechanical supports(Fig. 4).Machinable-soft magnetic composites havegood magnetic permeability and saturation fluxdensity, as well as good temperature resistance,which is limited primarily by the polymerbinder. Unlike laminations, soft-magnetic composites can be tailored to work in the entirerange of frequencies for induction heating andmelting, and perform well in 3-D magneticfields (Ref 3–7).Formable soft-magnetic composites are shapedaround the induction-coil surfaces, held in placemechanically, and cured in an oven, which fixestheir shape. Magnetic properties of formablesoft magnetic composites are not as favorable asthose of machinable composites, and are used in

Magnetic Flux Controllers in Induction Heating and Melting / 635Fig. 2Fig. 3Effect of magnetic permeability on coil current (a) and efficiency (b); curves generated from computer simulation of heating a flat plate using a single leg of an inductor;50 kW in the part under the coil face. Source: Ref 3.Induction coil with laminations stacked between mechanical supports. Courtesy of TuckerInduction.instances of irregular geometries and use of amachined material is difficult.Figure 5 shows relative magnetic permeability versus magnetic field strength of some common soft-magnetic composites (Ref 4). Theirdiverse properties offer the opportunity for finecontrol using different materials on the sameinduction coil.Fig. 4Induction coil with soft magnetic composites.Source: Ref 3hybrids and have components made of morethan one of the basic coil types. Therefore, itis important to understand how magnetic fluxflows and how it is affected by a magnetic fluxcontroller to properly apply it on more complexinduction coils.Design Guidelines for UsingMagnetic Flux Controllers onInduction CoilsEffects of Magnetic Flux Controllerson Common Coil StylesThe decision of where to use a magnetic fluxcontroller depends strongly on the shape of theinduction heating coil. Many induction coils areOuter Diameter (OD) Coils. The basicmagnetic circuit for an OD coil (Fig. 1) wasdescribed previously. Computer simulation isused to visualize and quantify the effects ofa magnetic flux controller on an induction heating system (Ref 3–7). Figure 6 shows magneticfield lines and current density in a single-turnOD coil for heating a cylindrical copper workpiece with and without the use of a magneticflux controller. The same voltage (similar valueof magnetic flux) is applied to each coil. Theprocess was simulated using Cedrat Technologies Flux 2D software. A copper workpiecewas used so current density values in the induction coil and workpiece were similar to makevisualization of the effects easier.The magnetic field is distributed in a smallerarea for the coil with the magnetic flux controller, and the resulting current density in the partis concentrated under the coil heating face.Nearly all of the power induced into the partis useful, and leads to an increase in temperature in the desired heating area. Nearly all ofthe current in the coil with the magnetic fluxcontroller flows on the heating face.In the coil without a magnetic flux controller, asignificant portion of the current flows in areasoutside of the heating face, which does not helpheating the part, but instead, draws additionalpower from the power supply. A significant portion of current in the coil flows up the sides of theturn and around the back; this current is not useful and only leads to additional losses in the coil,busswork, and matching components.The reduction in current in the coil and concentration of power under the heating face iscalled the concentrator effect (Ref 3, 10, 11),and can be explained by considering the systemfrom a magnetic circuit point of view (seeFig. 1). The concentrator effect is a result ofthe magnetic flux controller lowering the

636 / Equipmentreluctance of this portion of the magnetic circuit and reducing the need for current in thisarea of the induction coil to drive the magneticflux around the back path.The primary benefits of magnetic flux controllers on OD induction coils are:Fig. 5 Higher efficiency Improved heat pattern control (ability to heatfillets, not overheat shoulders, obtain sharpertransition zones, etc.) Better use of power in the workpiece (energysavings)Magnetic permeability of some Fluxtrol soft-magnetic composite materials as a function of magnetic fieldstrength.Color Shade ResultsQuantity : Current density A/(square mm)Phase (Deg): 0Scale / Color0 / 14.812514.8125 / 29.62529.625 / 44.437544.4375 / 59.2559.25 / 74.062574.0625 / 88.87588.875 / 103.6875103.6875 / 118.5118.5 / 133.3125133.3125 / 148.125148.125 / 162.9375162.9375 / 177.75177.75 / 192.5625192.5625 / 207.375207.375 / 222.1875222.1875 / 237 Reduction in the induction coil current(reduced losses in power supplying circuitry) Reduction in heating of unintended areas ofthe part Reduction in heating of machine/structuralcomponents Reduction in external magnetic fieldsThe aspect ratio of the induction coil must beconsidered to determine the impact of a magnetic flux controller on an OD coil. Two keyvariables are the ratio of coil length to diameter,and the ratio of the coupling gap to the lengthof the coil. Magnetic flux controllers are mostbenefitial when the length-to-diameter ratio andcoupling gap-to-length ratio are small. The effectsof the magnetic flux controller are reduced asthese ratios increase. For very large coupling gapsrelative to coil length, a magnetic flux controllercan result in lower electrical efficiency.Inner Diameter (ID) Coils. The basic magnetic circuit for an ID coil is shown in Fig. 7.The return path for magnetic flux is on theinside of the coil. Power density in the workpieceis proportional to the magnetic flux densitysquared, and flux density is magnetic flux dividedby the cross-sectional area through which it isflowing. The magnetic impedance of an area isdirectly proportional to the length of the regionand inversely proportional to the cross-sectionalarea. Therefore, the magnetic resistance (Rm)component is a higher percentage of the totalreluctance on an ID coil than it is on an OD coil.Due to the larger influence of Rm, the effectof a magnetic flux controller on ID coils is muchlarger than on OD coils (Ref 3, 12). Benefits ofmagnetic flux controllers on ID induction coilsinclude: Improved coil efficiency (energy savings) Better use of power in the workpiece (energysavings) Reduction in induction-coil current (reducedlosses in power supplying circuitry, coil leads) Reduction in heating of unintended areas ofthe part Improved heat pattern controlMagnetic flux controllers significantly improvenearly all ID coils. To determine the impactColor Shade ResultsQuantity : Current density A/(square mm)Phase (Deg): 0Scale / Color0 / 14.812514.8125 / 29.62529.625 / 44.437544.4375 / 59.2559.25 / 74.062574.0625 / 88.87588.875 / 103.6875103.6875 / 118.5118.5 / 133.3125133.3125 / 148.125148.125 / 162.9375162.9375 / 177.75177.75 / 192.5625192.5625 / 207.375207.375 / 222.1875222.1875 / 237Fig. 6Magnetic field lines and current density for a single-turn OD coil with (left) and without (right) a magnetic fluxcontroller. Courtesy of Fluxtrol, Inc.Fig. 7Magnetic circuit for ID coil. Source: Ref 3

Magnetic Flux Controllers in Induction Heating and Melting / 637on the coil, it is necessary to consider the coilaspect ratio. Similar to OD coils, two key variables are the coil length-to-diameter ratio andthe coupling gap-coil length ratio. Unlike ODcoil

Magnetic Flux Controllers in Induction Heating and Melting Robert Goldstein, Fluxtrol, Inc. MAGNETIC FLUX CONTROLLERS are materials other than the copper coilthat are used