Flow of Liquid Metal in High Freqency Induction Furnace

Abstract

Flow of liquid metal in a high frequency induction furnace due to electromagnetic forces was studied theoretically.
Electromagnetic forces were calculated by LAVERS' model of which applicability to laboratory-scale induction furnaces had been confirmed experimentally in the previous study. It was shown that the force and velocity distribution under a constant geometric condition of the furnace were described by two dimensionless parameters, C_I(=γ²₁μ_e(NI_m/L)²/ρν²) and γ₁/δ(=γ₁(πμ_eσ_ef)^1/2), by considering the dimensionless equations of electromagnetic field and flow field, where γ₁ is the radius of melt, L the bight of coil, N the number of turns in coil, I_m the coil current, f the frequency, μ_e the magnetic permeability, σ_e the electrical conductivity, ρ the density, and ν the kinematic viscosity of melt.
Velocities of liquid metal were obtained by solving Navier-Stokes equation numerically under the conditions of γ₁/δ=1.03-22.5, C_I=1.6×10³-2.83×10⁹.