ISEF 2009 - XIV International Symposium on Electromagnetic Fields

in Mechatronics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Arras, France, September 10-12, 2009

MAGNETOHARMONIC – TRANSIENT THERMAL – TRANSLATING

MOTION FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF SCANNING INDUCTION
HEATING OF SHEETS IN TRANSVERSAL FLUX

Virgiliu FIRETEANU, Monica POPA and Petrica TARAS

POLITEHNICA University, EPM_NM Laboratory, Bucharest, Romania

http://www.amotion.pub.ro/~epm/

Abstract - Paper deals with the study of scanning induction heating of metallic sheets in transversal flux
inductors based on the finite element analysis of the electromagnetic field and sheet temperature. The
coupling harmonic electromagnetic field – transient thermal field – sheet translating motion is realized
through step-by-step in time domain method. The transversal profile of the volume density of induced power
integrated along the sheet is compared with the transversal profile of sheet temperature at the inductor exit.
The influences of the sheet width, pole pitch length, number of coils, sheet resistivity and speed on the
transversal heating non-uniformity are analyzed.

Introduction

The magnetic field of transversal flux inductors, normal oriented with respect the metallic sheet to be
heated, generates eddy currents whose Joule effect determines the increase of the sheet temperature
during its motion along the inductor airgap. The main feature of such a continuous induction heating
systems is the transversal non-uniformity of the sheet heating. The most part of researches in the field
propose solutions to decrease this non-uniformity.
Many papers [2 – 6] talk about the transversal heating non-uniformity, but they characterize this
property by the non-uniformity of the transversal profile of the volume density of induced power
integrated along the sheet.
This paper is a complete analyze of transversal flux heating, which evaluates the electromagnetic field
and the transient heating and consider the sheet motion with respect the inductor. The transversal
profile of the sheet temperature, which is the natural criterion for the characterization of transversal
non-uniformity of sheet heating, is compared with the transversal profile of induced power. The
influence of some heating system parameters on the differences between the two criteria is evaluated.

Magnetoharmonic models in induction heating

The analysis in frequency domain of the quasi-static harmonic electromagnetic field of pulsation ω
and frequency f = ω/(2π) [1], in a region with the magnetic permeability µ and electric conductivity σ,
evaluates the unknowns (1) complex image of the magnetic vector potential A, which defines the
magnetic flux density B = curlA , and (2) the electric scalar potential V. These two potentials satisfies
the equations:
curl[(1/ µ)curl A] = J = − σgradV − jωσ A, div A = 0

The computation domain of electromagnetic field in transversal flux devices, Fig. 1, contain (a) the
sheet - an eddy current region, where both components - σgradV and - jωσA of induced current
density are present, (b) non-conductive and no-source regions – magnetic cores, insulations, air, where
the quantities σ is null, and (c) source regions of stranded coil type. In the last region type, the source
current density has the amplitude independent on coordinates and a well-defined orientation. Taking
into account the sequence (a), (b), (c) of region types, the analysis of a transversal flux device can use
the AV-A-A model or the vector formulation of the electromagnetic field.
 ISEF 2009 - XIV International Symposium on Electromagnetic Fields
in Mechatronics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Arras, France, September 10-12, 2009

The second formulation in transversal flux devices analysis concerns the evaluation in eddy current
regions (a) of the unknowns (1) electric vector potential T that defines the current density J = curlT,
and (2) scalar magnetic potential Φ, which satisfies the equations:

curl[(1/ σ)curl T] = − jωB = − jωµ(T − grad Φ), div T = 0, div[µ(T − gradΦ )] = 0

In the magnetic cores, which are (d) nonconductive and no-source regions of high magnetic
permeability (µ >>µ0), the unknown Φ that defines the magnetic flux density B = - µgradΦ , satisfies
the equation:
div[µ(gradΦ )] = 0 .

In the non-conductive and non-magnetic (µ = µ0) regions (e), respectively in the source regions of
stranded coil type, insulations and air, the intensity of the magnetic field is expressed by the formula
H = H0 – gradΦr , where the magnetic field H0 , generated in the free space by the source current
density in the stranded coils is evaluated with the Biot-Savart formula. The second component of the
magnetic field intensity in regions of (e) type is defined by the (3) reduced scalar magnetic potential
Φr , which satisfies the equation:
div[µ0(H0 - gradΦr)] = 0

Taking into account the sequence (a), (d), (e) of region types, the analysis of a transversal flux device
can use the TΦ-Φ-Φr model or the scalar formulation of the electromagnetic field.
A quasi-static harmonic electromagnetic field problem is well defined if the properties µ and σ are
known, the sources are defined and the tangential component of the magnetic fields intensity or the
normal component of the magnetic flux density on the computation domain boundaries are known.

Transient heating model

The time dependent field θ (r,t) characterizing the thermal conduction phenomenon in the sheet heated
in transversal flux by the Joule effect of induced currents satisfies the equation:

γc dθ / dt = p + div(λ grad θ)

where p = J2/(2σ) is the volume density of the induced power. The uniqueness of the transient
temperature field needs to know the thermal conductivity λ and the specific heat capacity (γc), the heat
source p(r,t), the initial condition θ(r,0) and the boundary condition that reflect the thermal convection
and thermal radiation phenomena on the sheet surface.

Coupling between magnetoharmonic and transient heating. Models taking into

account the sheet translating motion

In the study of scanning induction heating in transversal flux the coupling between the magneto-
harmonic model of electromagnetic field and the model of transient sheet heating, updates each time
step the geometry of the computation domain.
The main interest in the study of sheets scanning induction heating in transversal flux is represented by
the evaluation of the steady state inductor parameters and sheet temperature. This result is obtained at
the end of the step-by-step in time domain study, starting from initial computation domain geometry
and an initial temperature of the sheet. The end of this study corresponds to the moment when the
steady state of inductor parameters and sheet temperature in the inductor coordinate system are
reached.
 ISEF 2009 - XIV International Symposium on Electromagnetic Fields
in Mechatronics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Arras, France, September 10-12, 2009

Numerical applications: results analysis

Magneto-harmonic (MH) models results. The results of the vector model AV-A-A, scalar model
TΦ-Φ-Φr and mixed model AV-Φ-Φr are compared. The reference computation data are the
rezistivity 0.8e-6 Ωm for nonmagnetic steel sheet, or 0.04e-6 Ωm for aluminum, thickness 0.5 mm,
width b2 = 1000 mm, pole pitch length,
tau = 450 mm, airgap thickness 420 mm,
magnetic core width 600 mm, current in each
inductor coil 14000 A, frequency 1000 Hz.
The computation domain in Fig. 1 that
contains the inductor coils, the magnetic core
and sheet regions, takes into account all the
heating system symmetries.
The results on computation parameters for the
three formulations / models with the same
mesh, Table 1, indicates the TΦ-Φ-Φr model
as the more efficient model.
Based on the volume density of induced
power pJ, Fig. 2, the transversal profile of
density integrated along the inductor
(x coordinate), Fig. 3, is given by the formula
Fig. 1. Electromagnetic field computation domain Profil_pJ(y) = 100*{Integral[pJ(x, y, 0)] –
– four coils inductor Integral[pJ(x, 0, 0)]}/ Integral[pJ(x, 0, 0)].

Table 1
MH model AV-A-A AV-Φ-Φr TΦ-Φ-Φr
Number of equations 151205 67340 46038
SOLVER time [s] 629 238 126
Iterative solution [s] 581 175 8
Number of iterations 2234 1990 216
P2 [kW] 131.49 133.52 133.38
Ecart_Profil_pJ [%] 46.44 46.78 41.61

Fig. 2. Chart of induced power volume density Fig. 3. Transversal profile of the induced power
 ISEF 2009 - XIV International Symposium on Electromagnetic Fields
in Mechatronics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Arras, France, September 10-12, 2009

The differences between the results in Table 1 related the power P2 induced in the sheet region and the
quantity Ecart_Profil_pJ = max{Profil_pJ(y)} – min{Profil_pJ(y)}, which express the non-uniformity
of the transversal profile of this power, for the three magneto-harmonic models being very small, the
choice of TΦ-Φ-Φr is based on the reduced computation time and memory requirements.
Magneto-harmonic results. Influence of sheet width, pole pitch length, number inductor
coils and sheet rezistivity. Taking into account the interest to reduce the over- or under values of
the induced power density in transversal sheet direction, the figures 4 and 5 show an optimal set of
pole pitch length – sheet width values. This set, which is (450 mm, 1000 mm) for the reference
computation data, depends on the frequency, sheet resistivity and airgap thickness.

Fig. 4. Sheet width influence on transversal profile Fig. 5. Pole pitch length influence on transversal profile

The transversal non-uniformity of induced power is much higher for aluminum sheet, Fig. 6, whose
resistivity is 0.8/0.04 = 20 times lower than the resistivity of steel sheet.

Fig. 6. Sheet resistivity and transversal profile Fig. 7. Number of coils and transversal profile

If the results for four coils inductor and eight coils inductor are compared, the transversal profile of
induced power in the figure 7 shows a decrease of the quantity Ecart_Profil_pJ from 41.6 % to
28.3 %. The power induced in the sheet related the inductor unit length decreases from 8 x 133.38 kW/
(2 x 0.5875) m = 908.12 kW/m for the four coils inductor at 8 x 202.42 kW/ (2 x 1.0375) m =
= 780.41 kW/m for the eight coils inductor.
 ISEF 2009 - XIV International Symposium on Electromagnetic Fields
in Mechatronics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Arras, France, September 10-12, 2009

Magneto-thermal (MGTH) with translating motion results. The main interest of the
magneto-thermal model with sheet motion consists in the evaluation of the transversal profile
Profil_temp(y), of the steady state sheet temperature at the inductor exit. This profile is compared with
the corresponding profile, Profil_pJ(y) of the volume density of induced power. The thermal
properties are 17 W/m/°C and 7800*500 J/m3/°C for steel and 230 W/m/°C and 2700*950 J/m3/°C for
aluminum.
For the reference data and steel sheet speed 0.8 m/s, the figure 10 shows the temperature field after the
first time step, 0.025 s, and the figure 11, the steady state temperature field of the moving sheet in the
inductor coordinate system. The last chart corresponds to the end of the MGTH study, respectively to
the time tf = 1.7 s, when the sheet was displaced 0.8 x 1.7 = 1.36 m from the starting position, a little
more than the inductor length, 2 x 0.5875 = 1.175 m.

Fig. 10. Chart of the sheet temperature after Fig. 11. Chart of the steady state sheet temperature
the first time step in the inductor coordinate system

The time variation of the temperature in ten equidistant points in transversal direction on the sheet
surface, Fig. 12, reflects the increases from the initial ambient value 20 °C to the steady state value,
around 600 °C, excepting the sheet border point, where the heating is more important. The transversal
variation of the sheet steady state temperature at the inductor exit is presented in figure 13.

Fig. 12. Transient variation of the sheet temperature Fig. 13. Transversal variation of sheet temperature

The comparison of the two transversal profiles, of the sheet temperature and of the induced power
volume density integrated along the sheet, Fig. 14, confirms the following statement: For the heating
of a nonmagnetic steel sheet, moving with 0.8 m/s in the airgap of the considered transversal flux
inductor, the transversal profile of volume density of induced power integrated along the sheet is a
very good approximation for the evaluation of the transversal non-uniformity of sheet heating.
If the evaluation of the temperature transversal non-uniformity through the non-uniformity of the
power density can be accepted for the input data leading to the results in figure 14, in other cases the
 ISEF 2009 - XIV International Symposium on Electromagnetic Fields
in Mechatronics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Arras, France, September 10-12, 2009

two transversal profiles can be different enough. For example, the analyze of the sheet speed influence
based on the temperature profiles in figure 15 shows the decrease of the heating transversal non-
uniformity if the sheet speed decreases. Consequently, the difference between the transversal profile of
the sheet heating and the transversal profile of the power induced in the sheet becomes more and more
important when the sheet speed decreases. For low values of speed, the influence of thermal
conduction becomes non negligible in the establishment of the shape of transversal heating profile.

Fig. 14. Comparison of transversal profiles of sheet Fig. 15. Influence of sheet speed on the transversal
temperature and induced power profile of temperature

Conclusions

The results of this paper confirm the high efficiency of the TΦ-Φ-Φr scalar formulation in finite
element analysis of electromagnetic field in transversal flux induction heating devices. With such a
formulation the coupling of electromagnetic field and transient heating computations with the sheet in
motion through the method step-by-step in time domain needs reasonable values of the computation
time and memory requirements until the sheet steady state heating is reached.
The comparison of transversal profiles of induced power volume density and of sheet temperature
shows for the first time the limits in using the first profile in the characterization of transversal non-
uniformity of sheets continuous heating in transversal flux.

References
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Modelisation d’un Inducteur a Flux Transverse, FLUX Magazine Revue, 1998.

[2] Tudorache, T., Fireteanu, V., Bourhis, J.C.: 3D Numerical Modeling of New Structures for Transverse Flux
Heating of Metallic Sheets, Proc. of ISH’98, Padua, Italy, 1998.
[3] Fireteanu, V., Geri, A., Tudorache, T., Veca, G.M.: Transverse Flux Induction Heating: Comparison between
Numerical Models and Experimental Validation, Proc. of HIS’01, Padua, Italy, 2001.
[4] Fireteanu, V., Neau, Y., Paya, B., Tudorache, T.: Parameters of Transversal Non-uniformity of Induced
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[5] Dughiero, F., Lupi, S., Muhlbauer, A., Nikanorov, A.: – TFH – Transverse Flux Induction Heating of Non-
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