Numerical Modeling of Cold Crucible Induction Melting

I. Quintana[1], Z. Azpilgain[1], D. Pardo[2], and I. Hurtado[1]
[1]Mechanical and Industrial Production Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mondragon Unibertsitatea, Loramendi 4, Mondragon 20500 Gipuzkoa, Spain
[2]Department of Applied Mathematics, Statistics, and Operational Research, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain, and IKERBASQUE (Basque Foundation for Sciences), Bilbao, Spain
Published in 2011

This paper describes a numerical solution method for the simulation of a cold crucible induction melting (CCIM) process involving the coupling of electromagnetic, temperature and turbulent velocity fields. During the CCIM process, the metal charge is contained on a water cooled segmented copper crucible, and the energy necessary to heat, melt, and overheat the charge is generated by an electromagnetic field induced by a solenoidal coil surrounding the crucible.

Once the charge is melted, the induced electromagnetic forces push the metal away from the wall. Hence, the electromagnetic field and the associated force fields are strongly coupled to the free surface dynamics of the liquid metal, the turbulent fluid flow within it, and the heat mass transfer.