Simulation and Implementation of an Induction Heating System for Heating Brittle Thin Metal Sheets by Various Excitation Current Frequencies

Abstract

Abstract The induction heating process is a highly nonlinear problem since it is associated with so many different variables. The mathematical analysis of this problem is very challenging and needs to be simplified. In most cases, calculating these parameters based on spatial geometry is also non-trivial. This paper deals with a simulation model of induction heating problem. The induction heating properties of brittle metal sheets under various currents and frequencies of an Archimedean spiral coil are simulated in this work using the finite element method of COMSOL Multiphysics, a solution to complicated constructions. In order to distinguish between partial influences, the coil model is adjusted to closely resemble the geometry of the actual coil. The simulation process includes two phases. The former case is obtained by evaluating the heating process and temperature change by gradually increasing the excitation current frequency flowing through induction coil in frequency domain analysis and the latter case is obtained by applying a constant frequency current in a frequency transient condition and evaluating the heating process in model. Hence, the simulation model provides essential information about the nonlinear electromagnetic and thermal properties of the workpiece material in both cases. To verify the simulation model results, a laboratory model is developed and experimental measurements of temperature are compared with simulation results.