[go: up one dir, main page]

WO2025153709A1 - Dispositif de chauffage par induction à haute densité de puissance - Google Patents

Dispositif de chauffage par induction à haute densité de puissance

Info

Publication number
WO2025153709A1
WO2025153709A1 PCT/EP2025/051199 EP2025051199W WO2025153709A1 WO 2025153709 A1 WO2025153709 A1 WO 2025153709A1 EP 2025051199 W EP2025051199 W EP 2025051199W WO 2025153709 A1 WO2025153709 A1 WO 2025153709A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
electrically conductive
inductor unit
conductive element
unit
inductor
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
PCT/EP2025/051199
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Kenneth FROGNER
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Frogner Innovation AB
Original Assignee
Frogner Innovation AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Frogner Innovation AB filed Critical Frogner Innovation AB
Publication of WO2025153709A1 publication Critical patent/WO2025153709A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B6/00—Heating by electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields
    • H05B6/02—Induction heating
    • H05B6/10—Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications
    • H05B6/101—Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications for local heating of metal pieces
    • H05B6/103—Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications for local heating of metal pieces multiple metal pieces successively being moved close to the inductor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B6/00—Heating by electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields
    • H05B6/02—Induction heating
    • H05B6/10—Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications
    • H05B6/101—Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications for local heating of metal pieces
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D1/00—General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
    • C21D1/34—Methods of heating
    • C21D1/42—Induction heating
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B6/00—Heating by electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields
    • H05B6/02—Induction heating
    • H05B6/10—Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications
    • H05B6/101—Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications for local heating of metal pieces
    • H05B6/103—Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications for local heating of metal pieces multiple metal pieces successively being moved close to the inductor
    • H05B6/104—Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications for local heating of metal pieces multiple metal pieces successively being moved close to the inductor metal pieces being elongated like wires or bands
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B6/00—Heating by electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields
    • H05B6/02—Induction heating
    • H05B6/36—Coil arrangements
    • H05B6/365—Coil arrangements using supplementary conductive or ferromagnetic pieces

Definitions

  • Soft magnetic material is used in some applications to improve the efficiency to a certain extent, and also to improve the heating pattern.
  • Modern additive manufacturing, often referred to as three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies for copper alloys have opened new opportunities in terms of geometrical complexity and inductor lifetime, which is particularly good for small geometries. Adding more turns of the coil reduces the current demand and thereby enables longer extensions to be used.
  • the cooling flow is a limiting factor.
  • Litz wires can be used to increase the efficiency of the inductor to more than 95%, commonly found in for example cook-tops, but with limited use for heat treatment applications due to its limited temperature resistance. Thus, there is room for improvements.
  • the inductor unit is in operative communication with a processing means configured to generate current in the coil unit.
  • the processing means can indirectly control the temperature induced in the workpiece to be heated.
  • the inductor unit further includes at least one cooling channel for fluid media.
  • the at least one cooling channel is provided in the electrically conductive element.
  • the cooling channel is beneficial in that it can cool the workpiece and/or the inductor unit, which improves process efficiency.
  • a system for inductive heat treatment of a metal workpiece includes an inductor unit according to the above, a metal workpiece to be heated, at least one capacitor, and at least one processing means which is in operative communication with the inductor unit and/or the at least one capacitor.
  • the at least one capacitor is arranged in series and/or in parallel with the at least one coil unit of the inductor unit. This is beneficial in that the system is adaptable to different kinds of applications where the configuration and the number of processing means, capacitors and coils of the inductor unit can be varied.
  • a method of providing a system for inductive heat treatment of a metal workpiece according to the above includes the steps of: providing an inductor unit with a coil unit according to the above; providing at least one metal workpiece to be heated; arranging the inductor unit in conjunction with the at least one metal workpiece to be heated; and providing a processing means to be in operative communication with the inductor unit.
  • the use of an inductor unit according to the above is provided, with the purpose of inductively heating a metal workpiece to be heated.
  • Examples of applications that can benefit from the invention are heat treatment of static metal components of solid or powder-based type, but also continuous or semi- continuous processes where objects such as sheets, wires, bars, rods, tubes or powder streams are being heated while moving.
  • the types of heat treatment may for example be hardening, tempering, annealing, softening, and melting.
  • the major benefits can be found in applications benefiting from high excitation frequency, in the order of hundreds of kilohertz or more.
  • High-power density and high frequency in combination enables shallow heating due to the small skin depth, meaning that heat treatments otherwise only seen from laser sources is enabled, but in a more scalable and cost-effective manner.
  • modifications of the surface layer can be done to tailor the properties of the metal in a desired way in terms of hardness, ductility, micro- and crystallographic structure.
  • shallow heat treatment is enabled, including surface melting.
  • small powder particles that are usually not easily heated by induction, can be heated.
  • thin sheets can be heated also when the currents are going in counteracting directions on each side of the material. This applies also to non-magnetic metals, or magnetic workpieces above the Curie temperature, assuming sufficient frequency is used.
  • Fig. l is a perspective view of a part of a system for heat treatment of a workpiece according to an embodiment
  • Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a part of a system for heat treatment of a workpiece according to another embodiment
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a system for heat treatment of a workpiece
  • Fig. 4 is a cross section view of an inductor unit mirrored on both sides of a workpiece to be heated according to an embodiment
  • Fig. 5A is a perspective view of an inductor unit according to another embodiment
  • Fig. 5B is an alternative embodiment to the one illustrated in Fig. 5A,
  • Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a part of an inductor unit according to yet an embodiment
  • Fig. 8 is a cross-section view of the inductor unit partly shown in Fig. 7,
  • Fig. 10 is a schematic circuit diagram showing a system for inductive heating according to another embodiment
  • Fig. 11 is a schematic circuit diagram showing a system for inductive heating according to yet an embodiment
  • Fig. 13 is a cross section view of an inductor unit according to another embodiment.
  • Fig. 14 is a schematic block diagram of a method of inductively heating a workpiece according to an embodiment.
  • Fig. 1 illustrates a part of a system for heat treatment of a workpiece 20 according to the invention.
  • the workpiece 20 may be a metal workpiece.
  • the workpiece 20 may also be referred to as an object to be heated.
  • the metal object may be a large range of steel alloys, or other metals benefitting from thermal processing.
  • the workpiece 20 is ferromagnetic. More preferably, it is at least an area A of the workpiece 20 that is to be heated.
  • Inductive power is caused by inductor unit 100 that induce a current into the workpiece 20 to be heated. In Fig. 1, four inductor units 100 are shown.
  • inductor unit 100 there may be only one inductor unit 100, or more.
  • the inductor unit 100, 200, 300, 400 is a compact, lightweight unit that can easily be mounted as the end effector of any type of robot. It can also handle a long, flexible wire between the processing means 30 and the inductor unit 100, 200, 300, 400 with stable operation, without substantial losses, and without EMC interference.
  • the compact size in combination with high efficiency further means that higher power can be fed into the inductor unit 100, 200, 300, 400.
  • a concentration of a relatively small current entering the coil unit 110 can be achieved in the active side 100b of the inductor unit 100 configured to be arranged in the vicinity of the workpiece 20 to be heated.
  • the induced current travels through the electrically conductive element 120 (or its parts), it is forced down towards the tapered portion of the longitudinally extending funnel shaped electrically conductive element 120, i.e. the current travels from the generative side 100a, via the transfer side 120c to the active side 100b of the inductor unit 100.
  • the current is concentrated from a relatively broad surface area (i.e.
  • the heated area A of the workpiece 20 is illustrated in Fig. 4 as a pattern of crossed lines.
  • the inductor unit 100 may include two different coils, which may be connected in parallel or in series for the best result in terms of impedance matching, voltage, etc.
  • the current density is substantially higher than at the generative side 200a of the inductor unit 200.
  • the current is more concentrated at the active side 200b of the inductor unit 200 due to the difference in surface area between the generative and active sides of the electrically conductive element 220.
  • the workpiece 20 to be heated is to be arranged in between the two active sides 220b, in a similar way as in Fig. 4, since the current (and thereby also the heat) is concentrated in this region of the inductor unit 200 during use.
  • Figs. 5A and 5B respectively, two of the transfer sides 220c of the electrically conductive elements 200 are visible, linking the current from the generative side 220a to the active side 220b to form closed current loops.
  • Fig. 5 A the windings of the coil unit 210 is shown having several turns.
  • Fig. 5B an alternative visualization is shown in which the coil unit 210 is illustrated as having a substantially flat surface.
  • the flat surface of the coil unit 210 of Fig. 5B illustrates what the coil unit 210 may look like after electrical insulation has been applied.
  • Electrical insulation of the coil unit 210, between different turns and between the coil unit 210 and the electrically conductive element 220 and the soft magnetic element 230 is beneficial in all configurations and may be applied in different ways. In some configurations, insulation between different areas belonging to the same element may be feasible, such as in the slit in the electrically conductive element 320 shown in Fig. 7.
  • a workpiece 20 is arranged between the respective active sides 220b of each of the alternative inductor units 200 shown in Figs. 5A and 5B, respectively.
  • the heated area A is achieved in the upper part of the workpiece 20 arranged between the transfer sides 220c.
  • the embodiment of Fig. 5 is shown in cross-section in Fig. 6.
  • the coil unit 210 induces current in the generative side 220a of the electrically conductive element 220. When the induced current reaches transfer sides 220c, it is transferred to the active side 220b to form a close current loop, since the other surfaces of the inductor unit 200 are covered by the soft magnetic element 230.
  • the soft magnetic element 230 creates a path for the electromagnetic flux, flowing all around the coil unit 210 as well as the electrically conductive element 220 and inducing currents in the workpiece 20 to be heated.
  • the cooling channels are useful during cooling with liquid or gas of the electrically conductive element 220 as well as the coil unit 210, soft magnetic material 230 and potentially also the workpiece 20 to be heated.
  • the openings may be equipped with fittings or other connection means to feed the cooling fluid.
  • the cooling channels are configured to transfer cooling media to maintain a steady temperature of the entire inductor unit 200.
  • Figs. 12 and 13 show an inductor unit 400 having a coil unit 410, an electrically conductive element 420 and a soft magnetic element 430 similar to the inductor units 100, 200, 300 described above.
  • the inductor unit 400 has a generative side 400b, and an active side 400b in which the current is concentrated.
  • the inductor unit 400 shown in Figs. 12 and 13 includes a first electrically conductive element 421 and a second electrically conductive element 422, where the second electrically conductive element 422 surrounds the soft magnetic element 430.
  • Both Figs. 12 and 13 show a cooling channel 425 in line with what has been described previously.
  • the second electrically conductive element 422 is provided to enhance the power density. This is done by reducing undesired heating further away from the active side 400b of the inductor unit 400. If this element 422 is located close to the active side 400b of the inductor unit 400, counteracting currents will be induced in this element 422, resulting in a more concentrated heating pattern.
  • the return part of the coil unit 410 is preferably located close to an electrically conductive element 420 which aims to reduce the inductance.
  • the design may look in many different ways, where one opportunity is to utilize the counteracting current in the electrically conductive element 420 in such a way that the heating pattern is further concentrated. This type of solution enables higher power densities that otherwise possible.
  • the electrically conductive element 420 of the inductor unit 420 may include one single unit or several pieces, such as two pieces 421, 422 as shown in Fig. 13. Clever use of soft magnetic materials 430 may contribute to keeping the inductance low.
  • Fig. 14 illustrates a method 500 for inductively heating a workpiece 20 using any of the systems as described above.
  • the method begins by providing 510 an inductor unit 100, 200, 300, 400 and arranging 515 it in conjunction with the workpiece 20 to be heated.
  • a processing means 30 is also provided 520.
  • An alternating voltage is applied 530 to the inductor unit 100, 200, 300, 400 by the processing means 30 and thereby induces an electric current in the electrically conductive element 120, 220, 320, 420 of the inductor unit 100, 200, 300, 400 via the coil unit 110, 210, 310, 410.
  • the current in the electrically conductive element 120, 220, 320, 330 further induces currents in the at least partially susceptive workpiece 20.
  • the aim is to inductively heat the workpiece 20 in the heating area A (cf. Fig. 1 and 4).
  • the alternating voltage is an input signal to the inductor unit 100, 200, 300, 400 and is applied via the processing means 30.
  • the method is not restricted to controlling the voltage level only, but also other electromagnetic properties may be controlled as well, such as a current I or a frequency F.
  • an inductor unit 100, 200, 300, 400 is provided 510 according to any of the embodiments described above.
  • the inductor unit 100, 200, 300, 400 is arranged 515 in conjunction with the workpiece 20 to be heated.
  • a processing means 30 is provided 520 to control the overall functioning of the process.
  • an electromagnetic field is generated, inducing currents in the electrically conductive element 120, 220, 320, 420 of the inductor unit 100, 200, 300, 400.
  • the current in the electrically conductive element 120, 220, 320, 420 further creates electromagnetic field that induces currents in and thereby heats the workpiece 20 in the heating area A.
  • a step 540 of providing a movement means configured to move the workpiece 20 or the inductor unit 100, 200, 300, creating a relative movement during or after the heating is provided, as well as a step 550 of providing a cooling means configured to cool the inductor unit 100, 200, 300 during the heating process.
  • the processing means 30 generates a current in the coil unit 110, 210, 310, 410.
  • This current generates a magnetic field which induces opposite directed currents in the electrically conductive element 120, 220, 320, 420 preferably made of copper and/or aluminum or its alloys and thereby counteracting electromagnetic fields, reducing the magnetic flux density of the circuit.
  • a soft magnetic element 130, 230, 330, 430 is provided around the electrically conductive element 120, 220, 320, 420 guiding the resulting electromagnetic flux to the workpiece 20 and forcing the current in the electrically conductive element 120, 220, 320, 420 to flow on desired surfaces, thereby improving efficiency and inducing the desired heating pattern.
  • an isolation of the air gaps may be required to avoid short circuits.
  • the soft magnetic element is arranged and configured to concentrate the current induced in the electrically conductive material and lead the current in a predetermined direction throughout the inductor unit. This way, there will be small self-generated losses in the inductor unit 100, 200, 300, 400 heating the workpiece during use. Furthermore, there may be an insulation between the soft magnetic element 130, 230, 330, 430 and the electrically conductive element 120, 220, 320, 420.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Induction Heating (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne une unité d'inducteur pour le traitement thermique par induction d'une pièce à travailler métallique, comprenant au moins une unité de bobine (110) et au moins un élément électroconducteur (120) ayant un côté génératif (120a) et un côté actif (120b). Le côté actif (120b) est conçu pour faire face à la ou aux pièces à travailler métalliques (20) à chauffer, et a une surface de section transversale plus petite que le côté génératif (120a). L'unité d'inducteur comprend également au moins un élément magnétique doux (130). La ou les unités de bobine (110, 210) sont conçues pour induire des courants dans l'élément électroconducteur (120), et le ou les éléments magnétiques doux (130) sont disposés au moins partiellement sur le ou les éléments électroconducteurs (120) de telle sorte que le courant induit est dirigé du côté génératif (120a) vers le côté actif (120b) de l'élément électroconducteur (120) et concentré à l'intérieur de celui-ci.
PCT/EP2025/051199 2024-01-19 2025-01-17 Dispositif de chauffage par induction à haute densité de puissance Pending WO2025153709A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE2450056-3 2024-01-19
SE2450056A SE547407C2 (en) 2024-01-19 2024-01-19 High power density induction heater

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2025153709A1 true WO2025153709A1 (fr) 2025-07-24

Family

ID=94386266

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP2025/051199 Pending WO2025153709A1 (fr) 2024-01-19 2025-01-17 Dispositif de chauffage par induction à haute densité de puissance

Country Status (2)

Country Link
SE (1) SE547407C2 (fr)
WO (1) WO2025153709A1 (fr)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2378890A (en) * 1941-02-05 1945-06-26 Monarch Machine Tool Co Surface hardening metal areas of limited size
US5397877A (en) * 1992-06-24 1995-03-14 Celes Device for the homogeneous inductive heating of metallic flat products on the move
JP2001006861A (ja) * 1999-06-22 2001-01-12 Sumitomo Heavy Ind Ltd 電磁誘導加熱装置

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BRPI0509961A (pt) * 2004-04-21 2007-09-25 Inductoheat Inc aparelho para tratamento térmico por indução de uma peça de trabalho, e, método para aquecer uma peça de trabalho
DE102012004439B3 (de) * 2012-03-03 2013-07-18 Elisabeth Braun Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur induktiven Erwärmung von Werkstücken
CN106661647A (zh) * 2014-07-10 2017-05-10 高周波热錬株式会社 加热装置和加热方法
US20230371140A1 (en) * 2022-05-15 2023-11-16 Magnus Metal Ltd. System and method for induction heating

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2378890A (en) * 1941-02-05 1945-06-26 Monarch Machine Tool Co Surface hardening metal areas of limited size
US5397877A (en) * 1992-06-24 1995-03-14 Celes Device for the homogeneous inductive heating of metallic flat products on the move
JP2001006861A (ja) * 1999-06-22 2001-01-12 Sumitomo Heavy Ind Ltd 電磁誘導加熱装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
SE547407C2 (en) 2025-09-16
SE2450056A1 (en) 2025-07-20

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US9907120B2 (en) Control unit of induction heating unit, induction heating system, and method of controlling induction heating unit
US10707011B2 (en) Multilayer conductors with integrated capacitors and associated systems and methods
JP4579534B2 (ja) 物体の温度を制御する方法および装置
EP1354499B1 (fr) Serpentin de rechauffage par induction refroidi
JP6803387B2 (ja) ワークピースを加熱するための微調整された出力を有する高周波電源システム
JP2025111831A (ja) 平坦な製品を加熱するための横磁束誘導加熱装置
WO2025153709A1 (fr) Dispositif de chauffage par induction à haute densité de puissance
JP2016520249A (ja) ヒーター装置および制御可能な加熱プロセス
US20090145894A1 (en) Passive inductor for improved control in localized heating of thin bodies
JP2001006861A (ja) 電磁誘導加熱装置
US12396072B2 (en) Multi-layer parallel plane inductor with field control pockets
Patil et al. A Critical review on different coil configurations used for induction heating system
Larrabee et al. Design and fabrication of inductors for heat treating, brazing, and soldering
JP4963947B2 (ja) 薄板製部材の熱処理方法および装置
EP4558329A1 (fr) Soudage par induction de pièces
US20220201811A1 (en) Coil for induction heating, method for manufacturing the same, and method for manufacturing quenched product
JP2007305555A (ja) 平板状複数巻きコイル
EA043812B1 (ru) Устройство для индукционного нагрева с поперечным потоком для нагрева плоского изделия
EP2928266A1 (fr) Chauffage par induction haute puissance

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 25701832

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1