Segmented Induction Heating Coil for Uniform Recessed Surface Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating apparatuses and coils struggle to uniformly heat the bottom portion and corner portions of an annular workpiece with a recessed surface, as corner portions are often insufficiently heated during induction heating processes.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs two heating coils with corner conductor portions and bottom conductor portions that are specifically positioned and designed to oppose the corner and bottom portions of the workpiece, allowing for relative movement to ensure uniform heating, with the corner conductor portions being longer than the bottom conductor portions to accommodate the larger volume of the corner regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a zigzag heating coil is inserted into the recessed surface and the workpiece and heating coil are moved relative to each other for induction heating, then the bottom portion can be heated, but the corner portions cannot be sufficiently heated together with the bottom portion
Solution Approach 1:
The heating coil is divided into multiple independent heating sections: corner conductor portions and bottom conductor portions. Each section can be independently positioned and controlled to heat specific areas (corner portions or bottom portion) separately, allowing both corner portions and bottom portion to be heated uniformly without the limitations of a continuous zigzag configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the heating system are designed with different properties: the corner conductor portions are positioned to specifically target corner portions, while the bottom conductor portions target the bottom portion. This localized heating approach ensures that each region receives appropriate heat treatment, resolving the issue of insufficient corner portion heating while maintaining bottom portion heating effectiveness.
2Temperature
If the heating coil is positioned to heat the bottom portion, then the bottom portion receives heat, but the corner portions remain insufficiently heated
Solution Approach 1:
The heating coil is segmented into corner conductor portions and bottom conductor portions that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows the system to reliably heat both corner portions and bottom portion simultaneously by activating the appropriate sections, rather than relying on a single continuous coil where corner heating is unreliable.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating coil is pre-positioned with corner conductor portions aligned to corner portions and bottom conductor portions aligned to the bottom portion before heating begins. This preliminary positioning ensures that both corner portions and bottom portion are ready to be heated uniformly from the start, eliminating the reliability issue of corner portion heating that occurs with conventional positioning methods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows for reliable and equal heating of both corner and bottom portions, accommodating deformations and ensuring accurate positioning of the coils for efficient heat distribution, thus achieving uniform heating of the recessed surface.
Implementation Method 1
the heating coils and the annular workpiece moved relative to each other in the circumferential direction to heat a recessed surface of the annular workpiece by induction heating
Data Source
AI summary
Heating coils are opposed to a portion of an annular workpiece having a continuously provided recessed surface, and the heating coils and the annular workpiece are moved relative to each other to heat the recessed surface by induction heating. The heating apparatus includes a first heating coil having a first corner conductor portion to be opposed to a first corner portion of the recessed surface and a first bottom conductor portion connected to the first corner conductor portion to be opposed to the bottom portion, and a second heating coil having a second corner conductor portion to be opposed to a second corner portion of the recessed surface and a second bottom conductor portion connected to the second corner conductor portion to be opposed to the bottom portion.