Coreless Induction Furnaces /Crucible furnaces

Are made from robust steel shell that is mounted on trunnions /pivot and
fitted with mechanism for tilting. The furnace has a cylindrical refractory unit
with a top open for charging. Around the cylinder it is used a spiral watercooled electrical coil. A refractory lid is used to reduce the heat losses from the
surface of the liquid metal and some facility are used to extract the fume and
toxic gases.
The furnace can operates at
50Hz or at hundreds of Hz. The
50Hz furnaces have a better
stirring process, but a lower high
power density (the necessity for a
higher volume for the furnace).
The stirring process is very
useful to assure the mixture of
the composition in order to be
homogenous.

Operation
The induction coil act as a primary of a
transformer, with many turns, and the charge acts
as a secondary with only a single turn. When the
a.c. current is applied to the cooper coil of the
furnace, a large current is induced in the metallic
charge. A joule-Lenz effect will heat up the charge
until it melts. Once the metal is molten the
magnetic fields generate a stirring motion in the
crucible, resulting a homogeneity of the chemical
composition and assimilation of the substances in
addition (for alloy materials).
Water cooling system
It is a very important component because the flow of current through the
induction coil generates heat and heat is also generated through the refractory
walls from the molten metal inside the crucible. Different sensing systems are
used to provide warning if liquid metal is penetrating the crucible refractory.
Any leakage could bring to an explosion. Also, if the cooling system fails the
refractory could be rapidly brake down.

In some situations are used two furnaces as a multi-installation system. In

this case, one will be in melting mode and the second will be holding for
pouring. This will reduce the production time and will increase the efficiency of
the process.
The coil turns are electrically insulated to reduce the risk of shortcircuits.
A refractory screen (in many layers) is used between the coil turns and the
crucible to protect it from the heat and the molten damage.
The crucible is a highly refractory material, but also a very resistant to the
important forces inside the molten metal. The material depends on the melted
metals and alloys.
An important drawback is the low power factor, which has a negative
impact over the supply system. So, a capacity group is used to increase the
power factor.
The limits of the crucible furnaces could be:
- the stirring of the metal;
-The meniscus of the molten metal (in some situation it needs about 1/3 of the
total volume);
- the electro-dynamic forces could be to strong;
-- an overheat of the installation.

Iron core Induction furnaces

Two main types of iron-core furnaces exist: (i) furnace with closed
horizontal channel and (ii) furnace with closed vertical channel.
The Inductor 1 is realized from
copper as a cylindrical coil placed on a
ferromagnetic core. The magnetic
circuit 2 is from plates /tole and it is
removable. The channel 4 is a
refractory one and it contains the
molten metal 3.
Usually, the furnace has a
tank/reservoir to keep the metal.

1
2

Fe

Operation:
For starting, the channel is filled with molten metal, and the furnace is
connected to the supply. Because of the stirring effect the metal will flow
between the channel and the tank. Solid metal pieces can be added.
The furnace is not entirely depleted, a part of the molten metal being
kept inside it.

Electrodynamic effects/Forces into the channel

1. Shrinkage effect/ Fc:

Fc1 the repulsion force results as an interaction between the magnetic field
H1 and the induced current I2. This is orientated from the inductor to the
exterior of the channel and is minimum at the interior, so it results a
movement of the molten metal along the channel walls.
Fc2 the attractive force is due to the interraction between the elementary
currents I2*, with a maximum value in the center of the channel.
The transversal section of the channel will shrink with the danger of the cut
off for the molten metal (and for the currents), which could stop the
molten process.

2. Eddy effect Ft:

Is due to the interaction between the currents with different densities J2 and
the own magnetic field H2. The resulted force Ft acts to the channel axle.
3. Centrifugal effect Fm:
Is due to the interaction between the currents in the channel and the
leakage flux s . The forces Fm will press the metal to the exterior of the
channel. Combined with the force G, due to the mass, the surface of the
metal will be oriented after the combined force F.
4. Thermal convective effect:
Is due to the different densities of the molten metal between the channel
and the tank. This thermal convection is helping the mixture of the metal (the
colder metal) fall down because it has a higher density.

A basic block diagram of one induction furnace is illustrated.

Normally the input voltage from the secondary side of the power
transformers which feed the induction furnaces are 230V or 400V, the first
block.
In the second block, incoming voltage will be converted to the fixed
DC voltage. By means of power electronic switching devices, incoming DC
current to the third block will be inverted to the one phase AC current.
Adoption of the required load and inverters output will be done in
the fourth block.
Frequency or phase of inverter or both of them, output of the system
and the DC level of converters output will be adjusted in the control section.