Induction furnace steelmaking
When the capacity of the steelmaking production line is relatively small, the intermediate frequency coreless induction furnace is a very suitable choice.
The induction hob is equipped with a converter that converts the 50 Hz frequency of the mains into the necessary intermediate frequency. The regulation of the converter is performed by the built-in control electronics.
Control of the furnace is carried out using the equipment in the operating cabinet and, if necessary, with the aid of a processor.
Most of the time, induction furnaces also require a transformer for energy supply. The furnace transformer is connected to the power supply network. A transformer converts the mains voltage to the voltage required for the furnace to operate. Transformers are often equipped with built-in monitoring devices such as thermometers, oil level monitoring, Brinell relays and air dehumidifiers.
Smelting is carried out in refractory crucibles, usually made of acidic or neutral amorphous refractory materials. The crucible is heated by induction furnace coils surrounding the crucible.
Heating in an induction furnace consists of certain cyclic activities. These activities are called “thermal cycles” or “production cycles”. The thermal cycle has two components, the melting cycle and the non-productive cycle.
The melting cycle is the period during which maximum power is continuously applied to the furnace and charges are added. Non-productive periods are when power is not being used or reduced, such as when adding initial charge, when removing slag, when temperature drops, or when taking samples for analysis, when waiting for analysis results, and when the furnace is empty when tapping.
Furnace utilization is melting cycles divided by thermal cycles, expressed as a percentage.
If the melting cycle is 80 minutes and the non-production cycle is 40 minutes, the heating cycle is 120 minutes. Dividing the melting cycle of 80 minutes by the heating cycle time of 120 minutes yields a utilization rate of 66.67%.
If in the induction furnace, each furnace needs to tap 10 tons of molten steel, and the thermal cycle can only achieve a utilization rate of 66.67%, then a power supply of 15 tons of molten steel is required.
That’s what we share today about Induction Furnace Steelmaking.
Welcome to Luoyang Hongteng to learn more about the melting furnace.