Resumen de Compensation of induction heating load edge‐effect by space control

Michele Forzan, Sergio Lupi, Ezio Toffano

• Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a calculation optimization method that is able to achieve the best induced power profile (and subsequent temperature distribution) in a disk or billet workpiece processed by induction heating.

  Design/methodology/approach – A volume integral method, also known as the mutually coupled circuits method, is implemented in MatLab® environment to solve axial‐symmetrical induction systems. It is completed with an optimization procedure based on Nelder‐Mead simplex algorithm, with the goal of obtaining a specified distribution of the induced power in the load. In this way, it is possible to predict current amplitudes for implementing the so‐called “zone controlled induction heating” (ZCIH) process.

  Findings – Some examples of calculation results are given, both for disc and billet loads. By the excitation of the inductor coils with a set of currents of appropriate amplitude and phase values, it is possible to achieve an optimized profile of induced power distributions.

  Originality/value – This paper validates a method to predict currents and phases in a load‐inductor ZCIH system, confirming the possibility of obtaining specified induced power density distributions, according to the process requirements, e.g. for compensation of the load edge‐effect.