Induction furnaces for heating metal. Melting induction furnace for metal, scheme, properties of species. Crucible furnace: design options, do-it-yourself manufacturing
Induction furnaces are widely used in the metallurgical industry. Such ovens are often made independently. To do this, you need to know how they work and design features. The principle of operation of such furnaces was known two centuries ago.
Induction furnaces are capable of solving the following tasks:
- Metal melting.
- Heat treatment of metal parts.
- cleaning precious metals.
Such functions are available in industrial furnaces. For living conditions and space heating, there are stoves of a special design.
Operating principle
The work of an induction furnace is to heat materials by using the properties of eddy currents. To create such currents, a special inductor is used, which consists of an inductor with several turns of wire of a large cross section.
The AC power supply is connected to the inductor. In the inductor, alternating current creates a magnetic field that changes with the frequency of the network, and permeates the interior of the inductor. When a material is placed in this space, eddy currents arise in it, heating it.
The water in the working inductor heats up and boils, and the metal begins to melt when the appropriate temperature is reached. It is conditionally possible to divide induction furnaces into types:
- Furnaces with a magnetic core.
- Without magnetic circuit.
The first type of furnace contains an inductor enclosed in metal, which creates a special effect that increases the density magnetic field, so heating is carried out efficiently and quickly. In furnaces without a magnetic circuit, the inductor is located outside.
Types and features of furnaces
Induction furnaces can be divided into types that have their own characteristics of work and distinctive features. Some are used for work in industry, others are used in everyday life, for cooking.
Vacuum induction furnaces
This furnace is designed for melting and casting alloys by induction. It consists of a hermetically sealed chamber containing a crucible induction furnace with a mold.
In a vacuum, perfect metallurgical processes can be ensured and high-quality castings can be obtained. Currently, vacuum production has switched to new technological processes from continuous chains in a vacuum environment, which makes it possible to create new products and reduce production costs.
Advantages of vacuum melting
- Liquid metal can be kept in vacuum for a long time.
- Increased degassing of metals.
- During the melting process, it is possible to reload the furnace and influence the refining and deoxidation process at any time.
- Possibility of continuous monitoring and adjustment of the temperature of the alloy and its chemical composition during operation.
- High purity castings.
- Fast heating and melting speed.
- Increased homogeneity of the alloy due to high-quality mixing.
- Any form of raw material.
- Ecological cleanliness and economy.
The principle of operation of a vacuum furnace is that in a crucible in a vacuum, a high-frequency inductor is used to melt a solid charge and purify the liquid metal. The vacuum is created by pumping air out with pumps. Vacuum melting achieves a large reduction in hydrogen and nitrogen.
Channel induction furnaces
Electromagnetic core furnaces (channel) are widely used in foundries for non-ferrous and ferrous metals as holding furnaces, mixers.
1 - Bath
2 - Channel
3 - Magnetic core
4 - Primary coil
An alternating magnetic flux passes through the magnetic circuit, the contour of the channel in the form of a ring of liquid metal. In the ring is excited electricity which heats up liquid metal. The magnetic flux is generated by the primary winding, powered by alternating current.
To enhance the magnetic flux, a closed magnetic circuit is used, which is made of transformer steel. The space of the furnace is connected by two holes to the channel, therefore, when filling the furnace with liquid metal, a closed circuit is created. The furnace will not be able to work without a closed circuit. In such cases, the resistance of the circuit is large, and a small current flows in it, which is called the no-load current.
Due to overheating of the metal and the action of the magnetic field, which tends to push the metal out of the channel, the liquid metal in the channel is constantly moving. Since the metal in the channel is heated higher than in the furnace bath, the metal constantly rises into the bath, from which metal with a lower temperature enters.
If the metal is drained below the permissible norm, then the liquid metal will be ejected from the channel by electrodynamic force. As a result, the oven will spontaneously turn off and the electrical circuit will break. To avoid such cases, the furnaces leave a certain amount of metal in liquid form. They call it the swamp.
Channel furnaces are divided into:
- Melting furnaces.
- Mixers.
- Distribution ovens.
To accumulate a certain amount of liquid metal, averaging its chemical composition and exposure, use mixers. The volume of the mixer is calculated equal to at least twice the hourly output of the furnace.
Channel furnaces are divided into classes according to the location of the channels:
- Vertical.
- Horizontal.
According to the shape of the working chamber:
- Drum induction furnaces.
- Cylindrical induction furnaces.
The drum furnace is made in the form of a steel welded cylinder with two walls at the ends. Drive rollers are used to rotate the furnace. In order to rotate the furnace, it is necessary to turn on the electric motor drive with two speeds and a chain drive. The engine has plate brakes.
On the end walls there is a siphon for pouring metal. There are openings for loading additives and removing slags. There is also a channel for issuing metal. The channel block consists of a furnace inductor with V-shaped channels made in the lining using templates. At the first heat, these templates are melted. The winding and the core are cooled by air, the body of the unit is cooled by water.
If the channel furnace has a different shape, then the metal is dispensed by tilting the bath with hydraulic cylinders. Sometimes the metal is squeezed out by excess gas pressure.
Advantages of channel ovens
- Low power consumption due to low heat loss of the bath.
- Increased electrical efficiency of the inductor.
- Low cost.
Disadvantages of channel ovens
- The complexity of adjusting the chemical composition of the metal, since the presence of the left liquid metal in the furnace creates difficulties in the transition from one composition to another.
- The low speed of movement of the metal in the furnace reduces the possibility of melting technology.
Design features
The frame of the furnace is made of low carbon steel sheet with a thickness of 30 to 70 mm. At the bottom of the frame there are windows with attached inductors. The inductor is made in the form of a steel case, a primary coil, a magnetic circuit and a lining. Its body is made detachable, and the parts are insulated with gaskets so that the parts of the body do not create a closed loop. Otherwise, eddy current will be generated.
The magnetic circuit is made of plates of special electrical steel 0.5 mm. The plates are isolated from each other to reduce losses from eddy currents.
The coil is made of a copper conductor with a cross section depending on the load current and the cooling method. With air cooling, the allowable current is 4 amperes per mm 2, with water cooling, the allowable current is 20 amperes per mm 2. A screen is mounted between the lining and the coil, which is cooled by water. The screen is made of magnetic steel or copper. To remove heat from the coil, a fan is mounted. To obtain the exact dimensions of the channel, a template is used. It is made in the form of a hollow steel casting. The template is placed in the inductor until it is filled with a refractory mass. It is in the inductor during heating and drying of the lining.
Wet and dry refractory masses are used for lining. Wet masses are used in the form of stuffing or filling materials. Pouring concrete is used for complex inductor shapes, if it is impossible to compact the mass throughout the entire volume of the inductor.
The inductor is filled with such a mass and compacted with vibrators. Dry masses are compacted with high-frequency vibrators, ramming masses are compacted with pneumatic rammers. If cast iron is smelted in the furnace, then the lining is made of magnesium oxide. The quality of the lining is determined by the temperature of the cooling water. Most effective method lining check is a check on the value of inductive and active resistance. These measurements are carried out using control devices.
The electrical equipment of the furnace includes:
- Transformer.
- Capacitor bank to compensate for electrical energy losses.
- Choke for connecting a 1-phase inductor to a 3-phase network.
- Control boards.
- Power cables.
In order for the furnace to function normally, it is connected to a 10 kilovolt power supply, which has 10 voltage steps on the secondary winding to adjust the power of the furnace.
Lining stuffing materials contain:
- 48% dry quartz.
- 1.8% boric acid, sifted through a fine sieve with 0.5 mm cells.
The mass for lining is prepared in dry form using a mixer, and then sieved through a sieve. The prepared mixture should not be stored for more than 15 hours after preparation.
The lining of the crucible is produced by sealing with vibrators. Electric vibrators are used for lining large furnaces. The vibrators are immersed in the template space and the mass is compacted through the walls. During compaction, the vibrator is moved by a crane and rotated vertically.
Crucible induction furnaces
The main components of a crucible furnace are an inductor and a generator. For the manufacture of the inductor, a copper tube is used in the form of wound 8-10 turns. Forms of inductors can be of various types.
This type of oven is the most common. There is no core in the design of the furnace. A common form of the furnace is a cylinder made of fire-resistant material. The crucible is located in the cavity of the inductor. AC power is supplied to it.
Advantages of crucible furnaces
- Energy is released when the material is loaded into the furnace, so the auxiliary heating elements Not needed.
- High homogeneity of multicomponent alloys is achieved.
- In the furnace, it is possible to create a reduction, oxidation reaction, regardless of the pressure.
- High performance furnaces due to increased power density at any frequency.
- Breaks in the melting of the metal do not affect the efficiency of work, since a lot of electricity is not required for heating.
- The possibility of any settings and simple operation with the possibility of automation.
- There are no local overheating, the temperature is equalized throughout the volume of the bath.
- Rapid melting to create quality alloys with good uniformity.
- Environmental Safety. The external environment is not exposed to any harmful effects of the oven. Melting also does not harm nature.
Disadvantages of crucible furnaces
- Low temperature of slag used for processing the melt mirror.
- Low resistance of the lining under sudden temperature changes.
Despite the existing shortcomings, crucible induction furnaces have gained great popularity in manufacturing and other areas.
Induction furnaces for space heating
Most often, such an oven is installed in the kitchen. In its design, the main part is a welding inverter. The design of the furnace is usually combined with a water heating boiler, which makes it possible to heat all rooms in the building. It is also possible to connect the supply hot water into the building.
The efficiency of such a device is small, however, often such equipment is still used for heating a house.
The design of the heating part of an induction boiler is similar to a transformer. The outer circuit is the windings of a kind of transformer that are connected to the network. The second internal circuit is a heat exchange device. It circulates the coolant. When the power is connected, the coil creates a variable. As a result, currents are induced inside the heat exchanger, which carry out its heating. The metal heats the coolant, which usually consists of water.
The operation of household induction cookers is based on the same principle, in which dishes made of a special material act as a secondary circuit. Such a stove is much more economical than conventional stoves due to the absence of heat loss.
The water heater of the boiler is equipped with control devices that make it possible to maintain the temperature of the heat carrier at a certain level.
Heating with electricity is an expensive pleasure. It cannot compete with solid fuel and gas, diesel and liquefied gas. One of the methods to reduce costs is to install a heat accumulator, as well as connect the boiler at night, since at night there is most often a preferential charge for electricity.
In order to decide on the installation of an induction boiler for the home, it is necessary to get advice from professional specialists in heat engineering. An induction boiler has practically no advantages over a conventional boiler. The disadvantage is the high cost of the equipment. Ordinary boilers with heating elements are sold ready for installation, and an induction heater requires additional equipment and settings. Therefore, before purchasing such an induction boiler, it is necessary to make a careful economic calculation and planning.
Lining induction furnaces
The lining process is necessary to ensure that the furnace body is protected from elevated temperatures. It makes it possible to significantly reduce heat loss, increase the efficiency of metal melting or material heating.
For lining, quartzite is used, which is a modification of silica. There are some requirements for lining materials.
Such a material should provide 3 zones of material states:
- Monolithic.
- Buffer.
- Intermediate.
Only the presence of three layers in the coating is able to protect the furnace casing. The lining is adversely affected by improper material placement, poor material quality and harsh furnace operating conditions.
The very principle of operation of an induction furnace is that the heat for melting is obtained from electricity, which is generated by an alternating magnetic field. In such furnaces, energy is converted from electromagnetic, then to electrical and, ultimately, to heat. How is an induction furnace made by hand?
Such furnaces are divided into two types:
- Crucible. In such furnaces, the inductor and core are inside the metal. This type of furnace is used in industrial foundries, for melting copper, aluminum, cast iron, steel, as well as in jewelry factories for melting precious metals.
- Channel. In this type of furnace, the inductor and core are located around the metal.
Compared to boilers or other stoves, induction stoves have several advantages:
- warm up instantly.
- focus energy in a given range;
- environmentally friendly device and relative safety;
- there is no fumes;
- huge possibilities for adjusting temperature and capacity;
- homogeneity of the metal that is being melted.
Induction furnaces are also used for heating. This is a convenient and at the same time silent heating method.
Does not require a special room for the boiler. Scale does not accumulate on the heating element, and for circulation along heating system You can use any liquid, be it oil, water and others. Also, the oven is durable, as it wears out minimally. As mentioned earlier, it is very environmentally friendly, because there are no harmful emissions into the air, and it also meets all the requirements fire safety.
Collection of information
For a person who understands how to read and understand an electrical circuit, it will not be difficult to figure out how to make such an induction furnace. On the Internet, you will see dozens, if not hundreds, of options for making various induction furnaces using household junk, for example, from an old microwave oven or a welding inverter.
Be sure to remember that electric current is a dangerous thing. And for the manufacture of an induction furnace, you need to have an idea of \u200b\u200bwhat heating using induction is. It is advisable that you have a person with you who understands at least the basics of electrical engineering well or has experience working with electrical equipment.
Principle of operation
The basis of the operation of such a stove is the extraction of heat from an electric current, which produces an alternating magnetic field using an inductor. It turns out that we get heat first from electromagnetic energy, and then from electrical energy. The closed nature of the currents that flow through the turns of the inductor (inductor) generates heat and heats the metal from the inside.
Such a stove can work, have a simplified version and operate from a 220V home network. But this requires a rectifier, that is, an adapter.
Furnace device
The design of an induction device is similar to a transformer. In it, the primary winding is powered by alternating current, and the secondary serves as a heated body.
The simplest inductor is considered to be an insulated conductor (having the form of a spiral or core), which is located on the surface of a metal pipe or inside it.
Here are some knots that work by induction:
- inductor;
- compartment for melting furnace;
- heating element for heating furnace;
- generator;
- frame.
Induction furnaces are used for smelting metals and are distinguished by the fact that they are heated by means of electric current. The excitation of the current occurs in the inductor, or rather in a non-variable field.
In such constructions, energy is converted several times (in this sequence):
- into the electromagnetic
- electrical;
- thermal.
Such ovens allow the use of heat from maximum efficiency, which is not surprising, because they are the most advanced of all existing models powered by electricity.
Note! Induction designs are of two types - with or without a core. In the first case, the metal is placed in a tubular chute, which is located around the inductor. The core is located in the inductor itself. The second option is called the crucible, because in it the metal with the crucible is already inside the indicator. Of course, there can be no talk of any core in this case.
In today's article we will talk about how to makeDIY induction oven.
Among the many benefits are the following:
- environmental cleanliness and safety;
- increased homogeneity of the melt due to the active movement of the metal;
- speed - the oven can be used almost immediately after switching on;
- zone and focused orientation of energy;
- high melting rate;
- lack of waste from alloying substances;
- the ability to adjust the temperature;
- numerous technical possibilities.
But there are also disadvantages.
- The slag is heated by the metal, as a result of which it has a low temperature.
- If the slag is cold, then it is very difficult to remove phosphorus and sulfur from the metal.
- Between the coil and the melting metal, the magnetic field dissipates, so a reduction in lining thickness will be required. This will soon lead to the fact that the lining itself will fail.
Video - Induction furnace
Industrial Application
Both design options are used in the smelting of iron, aluminium, steel, magnesium, copper and precious metals. The useful volume of such structures can range from several kilograms to several hundred tons.
Furnaces for industrial use are divided into several types.
- Medium frequency designs are commonly used in mechanical engineering and metallurgy. With their help, steel is melted, and when using graphite crucibles, non-ferrous metals are also melted.
- Industrial frequency designs are used in iron smelting.
- Resistance structures are intended for melting aluminum, aluminum alloys, zinc.
Note! It was induction technology that formed the basis of more popular devices - microwave ovens.
domestic use
For obvious reasons, the induction melting furnace is rarely used in the home. But the technology described in the article is found in almost all modern houses and apartments. These are the microwaves mentioned above, and induction cookers, and electric ovens.
Consider, for example, plates. They heat the dishes due to inductive eddy currents, as a result of which the heating occurs almost instantly. It is characteristic that it is impossible to turn on the burner on which there are no dishes.
The efficiency of induction cookers reaches 90%. For comparison: for electric stoves it is about 55-65%, and for gas stoves - no more than 30-50%. But in fairness, it is worth noting that the operation of the described stoves requires special dishes.
Homemade induction oven
Not so long ago, domestic radio amateurs clearly demonstrated that you can make an induction furnace yourself. Today, there are a lot of different schemes and manufacturing technologies, but we have given only the most popular of them, which means the most effective and easy to implement.
Induction furnace from high frequency generator
Below is circuit diagram for the manufacture of a home-made device from a high-frequency (27.22 megahertz) generator.
In addition to the generator, the assembly will require four high-power light bulbs and a heavy lamp for the ready-to-work indicator.
Note! The main difference between the furnace, made according to this scheme, is the condenser handle - in this case, it is located outside.
In addition, the metal in the coil (inductor) will melt in the device of the smallest power.
There are a few things to keep in mind when making important points, affecting the speed of the board of the metal. This:
- power;
- frequency;
- eddy losses;
- heat transfer rate;
- hysteresis loss.
The device will be powered by a standard 220 V network, but with a pre-installed rectifier. If the furnace is intended for heating a room, then it is recommended to use a nichrome spiral, and if for melting, then graphite brushes. Let's get acquainted with each of the structures in more detail.
Video - Welding inverter design
The essence of the design is as follows: a pair of graphite brushes is installed, and powdered granite is poured between them, after which a step-down transformer is connected. It is characteristic that when smelting, one can not be afraid of electric shock, since there is no need to use 220 V.
Assembly technology
Step 1. The base is assembled - a box of fireclay bricks measuring 10x10x18 cm, laid on a refractory tile.
Step 2. Boxing is finished with asbestos cardboard. After wetting with water, the material softens, which allows you to give it any shape. If desired, the structure can be wrapped with steel wire.
Note! The dimensions of the box may vary depending on the power of the transformer.
Step 3 The best option for graphite furnace - transformer from welding machine with a power of 0.63 kW. If the transformer is designed for 380 V, then it can be rewound, although many experienced electricians say that you can leave everything as it is.
Step 4. The transformer is wrapped with thin aluminum - so the structure will not get very hot during operation.
Step 5. Graphite brushes are installed, a clay substrate is installed on the bottom of the box - so the molten metal will not spread.
The main advantage of such a furnace is the high temperature, which is suitable even for melting platinum or palladium. But among the minuses is the rapid heating of the transformer, a small volume (no more than 10 g can be smelted at a time). For this reason, a different design will be required for melting large volumes.
So, for the smelting of large volumes of metal, a furnace with nichrome wire. The principle of operation of the design is quite simple: an electric current is applied to a nichrome spiral, which heats up and melts the metal. There are a lot of different formulas on the Web for calculating the length of the wire, but they are all, in principle, the same.
Step 1. For the spiral, nichrome ø0.3 mm is used, about 11 m long.
Step 2. The wire must be wound. To do this, you need a straight copper tube ø5 mm - a spiral is wound on it.
Step 3. A small ceramic pipe ø1.6 cm and 15 cm long is used as a crucible. One end of the pipe is plugged with asbestos thread - so the molten metal will not flow out.
Step 4. After checking the performance and the spiral is laid around the pipe. At the same time, the same asbestos thread is placed between the turns - it will prevent a short circuit and limit the access of oxygen.
Step 5. The finished coil is placed in a cartridge from a high power lamp. Such cartridges are usually ceramic and have the required size.
The advantages of such a design:
- high productivity (up to 30 g per run);
- fast heating (about five minutes) and long cooling;
- ease of use - it is convenient to pour metal into molds;
- prompt replacement of the spiral in case of burnout.
But there are, of course, downsides:
- nichrome burns out, especially if the spiral is poorly insulated;
- insecurity - the device is connected to the mains 220 V.
Note! You can not add metal to the stove if the previous portion is already melted there. Otherwise, all the material will scatter around the room, moreover, it may injure the eyes.
As a conclusion
As you can see, you can still make an induction furnace on your own. But to be frank, the described design (like everything available on the Internet) is not quite a furnace, but a Kukhtetsky laboratory inverter. It is simply impossible to assemble a full-fledged induction structure at home.
For many years, people have been smelting metal. Each material has its own melting point, which can be reached only with the use of special equipment. The first furnaces for melting metal were quite large and were installed exclusively in the workshops of large organizations. Today, a modern induction furnace can be installed in small workshops when setting up the production of jewelry. It is small, easy to handle and highly efficient.
Operating principle
The melting unit of the induction furnace is used to heat a wide variety of metals and alloys. The classic design consists of the following elements:
- Drain pump.
- Water cooled inductor.
- Frame in stainless steel or aluminium.
- Contact area.
- Hearth made of heat-resistant concrete.
- Support with hydraulic cylinder and bearing unit.
The principle of operation is based on the creation of eddy induced Foucault currents. As a rule, when working household appliances such currents cause failures, but in this case they are used to heat the charge to the required temperature. Almost all electronics start to heat up during operation. This negative factor in the use of electricity is used to its full potential.
Device advantages
The induction melting furnace has been used relatively recently. Famous open-hearth furnaces, blast furnaces and other types of equipment are installed at production sites. Such a metal melting furnace has the following advantages:
It is the latter advantage that determines the spread of the induction furnace in jewelry, since even a small concentration of foreign matter can adversely affect the result.
Depending on the design features, floor and desktop induction furnaces are distinguished. Regardless of which option was chosen, there are several basic rules for installation:
The device may become very hot during operation. That is why there should not be any flammable or explosive substances nearby. In addition, according to fire safety regulations, nearby should be installed fire shield.
Only two types of furnaces are widely used: crucible and channel. They have similar advantages and disadvantages, the differences are only in the method of work used:
The crucible variety of induction furnaces is more popular. This is due to their high performance and ease of operation. In addition, a similar design, if necessary, can be made independently.
Homemade versions are quite common.. To create them you need:
- Generator.
- Crucible.
- Inductor.
An experienced electrician, if necessary, can make an inductor with his own hands. This structural element is represented by a winding of copper wire. The crucible can be purchased at the store, but a lamp circuit, a do-it-yourself battery of their transistors or a welding inverter is used as a generator.
Using a welding inverter
A do-it-yourself induction furnace for melting metal can be created using a welding inverter as a generator. This variant is the most widely used since the efforts made concern only the manufacture of the inductor:
- Thin-walled copper tube is used as the main material. The recommended diameter is 8-10 cm.
- The tube is bent according to the desired pattern, which depends on the features of the body used.
- Between the turns there should be a distance of no more than 8 mm.
- The inductor is placed in a textolite or graphite case.
After the creation of the inductor and its placement in the housing, it remains only to install the purchased crucible in its place.
Such a circuit is rather complicated in execution, it involves the use of resistors, several diodes, transistors different capacity, film capacitor, copper wire with two different diameters and rings from chokes. Assembly recommendations are as follows:
The created circuit is placed in a textolite or graphite case, which are dielectrics. Scheme, involving the use of transistors, is quite difficult to implement. Therefore, it is necessary to undertake the manufacture of such a furnace only if there are certain work skills.
Furnace with lamps
Recently, lamp stoves have been created less and less, as they require care when handling. The applied circuit is simpler in comparison with the case of using transistors. Assembly can be carried out in several stages:
The lamps used must be protected from mechanical impact.
Equipment cooling
When creating an induction furnace with your own hands, the most problems arise with cooling. This is due to the following points:
- During operation, not only the molten metal is heated, but also some elements of the equipment. That is why effective cooling is required for long-term operation.
- The method based on the use of air flow is characterized by low efficiency. In addition, it is not recommended to install fans near the oven. This is due to the fact that metallic elements can affect the generated eddy currents.
As a rule, cooling is carried out with water supply. Creating a water cooling circuit at home is not only difficult, but also uneconomical. Industrial versions of the furnace have an already built-in circuit, to which it is enough to connect cold water.
Safety
When using an induction furnace, certain safety precautions must be observed. Key recommendations:
When installing the equipment, consideration should be given to how the charge will be loaded and the molten metal will be extracted. It is recommended to allocate a separate prepared room for the installation of an induction furnace.
A do-it-yourself induction furnace is an excellent solution for heating various rooms.
In addition to heating induction oven can perform the following functions:
- metal melting;
- cleaning of precious metals;
- heating metal products, after which they go through a hardening procedure or through other processes.
However, the functions described above provide industrial plants, and if you need to carry out heating at home, then a stove for the kitchen is usually installed, and you can buy it ready-made or make it yourself. Homemade induction oven it is quite simple to create, and you do not need to spend a lot of time on this process. However, it is important to know not only the rules for the formation of this design, but also its other features, so that, if necessary, you can repair or replace any of the main parts on your own.
The principle of operation of the equipment
It is important to know the features of the operation of this type of furnace in order to understand its operation and parameters well. The equipment works due to the fact that with the help of special eddy currents material is heated. Such currents are obtained due to special inductor, which is an inductor. It has how many turns of wire, which has a fairly significant thickness.
The inductor can heat up due to welding inverter or other equipment. The principle of operation of the induction furnace assumes that the inductor is powered by an alternating current network, and a high-frequency generator can also be used for this. The current flowing through the inductor generates variable field penetrating space. If there are any materials in it, then currents are induced on them, ensuring their effective heating.
If a furnace is used to create, then usually the material is water, which is heating up. If the equipment is intended for industrial purposes, then metal can be used as a material, which begins to melt under the influence of current. So the working principle induction cooker It is considered simple and understandable, so creating it on your own is quite simple.
The device of induction furnaces can be different, since two completely different types can be distinguished:
- equipment equipped with a magnetic circuit;
- furnaces without a magnetic circuit.
In the first case, the inductor is inside special metal , which begins to melt under the influence of currents. In the second, the inductor is located outside. The scheme of each option has its own specific differences.
Read also: Homemade stove for a tent
It is believed that the features of the design with a magnetic circuit are more efficient, since this element increases the density of the generated magnetic field, so the heating is more efficient and high quality.
The most popular example of a furnace equipped with a magnetic circuit is channel structure. The scheme of this equipment consists of closed magnetic circuit, made from transformer steel. This element has an inductor, which is the primary winding, and crucible having an annular shape. It is in it that the material intended for melting is located. The crucible is made from a special dielectric with good fire resistance. These designs are used to create high quality cast iron or to melting non-ferrous metals.
Varieties and characteristics of various induction furnaces
There are several types of induction furnaces, the principle of operation of which has certain differences. Some are intended only for industrial work, while others can be used in the home, so they are often intended for the kitchen, where they provide quality heating. Most often, the latter options are formed from a welding inverter, have simple design, due to which they maintenance and repair are simple jobs.
The main types of induction furnaces include:
- Vacuum induction furnace. In it, melting is carried out in a vacuum, which allows you to remove harmful and dangerous impurities from various mixtures. The result is products that completely safe for use, are of high quality. It should be noted that their repair is considered a difficult job, and the creation process itself, as a rule, cannot be carried out on its own without specialized equipment and unusual conditions.
- Channel construction. It is manufactured using conventional welding transformer which operates at a frequency of 50 Hz. Here, the secondary winding of this device is replaced by an annular crucible. A video of the creation of such a furnace can be found on the Internet, and its scheme is not considered complicated. Well-designed equipment can be used to melt a large amount of non-ferrous metals, and energy consumption is considered small. Repair is considered specific and complex.
- crucible furnace. The scheme of this design involves the installation of an inductor and a generator, which are the most basic parts of the equipment. To form an inductor, a standard copper tube. However, it must be observed required amount turns, which should not be more than 8, but also less than 10. The circuit of the inductor itself may be different, it may have figure eight or other configuration. It should be noted that the repair of this equipment is considered a fairly simple job.
- Induction oven for space heating. As a rule, it is intended for the kitchen, created on the basis of a welding inverter. This setting is usually used in combination with hot water boiler, which allows you to provide heating for each room in the building, in addition, it will be possible to supply hot water to the structure. The principle of operation is that the inductor is powered by a welding inverter. It is believed that the efficiency of this equipment is low, but often it is the only one possible to create heating in the house.
Read also: wood burning stove with high level efficiency
Furnace Formation Process
You can make an inverter-based induction oven for the kitchen or other room in the house with your own efforts. To do this, it is recommended not only to study the theoretical part this process but also watch the tutorial video.
To form electromagnetic field, which will be available outside the inductor, it is necessary to use a special coil in which there will be enough a large number of turns. Additionally, you will need to bend the pipe, and this work has certain difficulties, so a more rational solution in this case would be the location straight pipe directly inside the coil, as a result of which it will work as a core.
Typically used metal pipe , however, it is considered a weak coolant, so it can be used instead polymer pipe, inside which there will be small pieces of metal wire. For a current generator, the use of a standard inverter is considered optimal. Its maintenance and repair are considered simple and understandable works, so it will be possible to provide long service life of the equipment.
Thus, to create a structure, you will need:
- polymer pipe;
- steel wire;
- copper wire;
- wire mesh;
- the presence of the inverter itself.
Steel rod cut into small pieces. One end of the polymer pipe is closed with a mesh, and metal pieces of wire are loaded into the other. The second end is also closed with a mesh. On top of the pipe is created induction winding, what is it used for copper wire. The ends of this winding are well insulated and brought to the output of the inverter. As soon as the device is turned on, an electromagnetic field is created from the coil, which ensures the appearance of eddy currents in the core. This will cause it to heat up, so water flowing through the pipe will begin to heat up. Thus, an ideal design for a kitchen or other room is obtained, and its maintenance and repair are considered simple.
Best to check before work instructional video so as not to make mistakes. After creating the equipment, you can install it in the desired room. It can be intended not only for the furnace, but even for the kitchen. It is important to choose a room in which it will be easy to care for the stove and carry out its repair.