Influence of the channel design on the heat and mass exchange of induction channel furnace

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present in-depth numerical modelling of heat and mass exchange in industrial induction channel furnace (ICF). Design/methodology/approach - The turbulent heat and mass exchange in the melt is calculated using a three-dimensional (3D) electromagnetic model and a 3D transient large eddy simulation method. The simulation model has been verified by flow velocity and temperature measurements, which were carried out using an industrial sized channel inductor operating with Wood's metal as a low temperature model melt. Findings - The ICF is well-established for melting, holding and casting in the metallurgical industry. But there are still open questions regarding the heat and mass exchange in the inductor channel itself and between the channel and the melt bath. Different new designed channel geometries have been investigated numerically in order to find an optimized shape of the channel, which leads to an improved heat and mass transfer. Originality/value - Long-term computations for the industrial ICF have been performed. Low frequency oscillations of the temperature maximum and its position in the ICF channel are considered. © 2011 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.