Simulation of multiphase induction heating systems

Multiphase induction heating systems have particular features which make them attractive for application to some heating and melting processes in industry. Among the advantages is the possibility of heating quite uniformly, limited regions of a body without moving the inductor above its surface, the reduction of the vibrations of an inductor and load due to the electrodynamic forces and hence the noise produced by them, and the provision of a nearly balanced three phase load of a power network. These advantages may be achieved in the best manner by the so called “travelling wave induction heating” (TWIH). The authors present a simulation and study of some the peculiar characteristics of this type of inductors. Particular attention is paid to the simulation of TWIH systems for heating thin cylindrical and plain bodies including transverse flux heating