4048 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, VOL. 41, NO.

10, OCTOBER 2005

Designing of Suitable Construction

of High-Frequency Induction Heating
Coil by Using Finite-Element Method
Alexander Boadi, Yuji Tsuchida, Takashi Todaka, and Masato Enokizono, Member, IEEE
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Oita University, Oita 870-1192, Japan
This paper describes the three-dimensional (3-D) modeling of an induction heating system. To realize the suitable construction of a
high-frequency induction heating coil, numerical computations of eddy currents and heat conduction have been carried out by using the
finite-element method (FEM) and also taking into account the dependence of material properties on temperature. For a high-frequency
induction heating coil, which is normally applicable for heat treatment, the tubular solenoid design is the most appropriate due to its
high coil efficiency. Coil efficiency is that part of energy delivered to the coil, which is transferred to the workpiece. Besides coil efficiency,
the heating pattern and the production rate are also important. As the heating pattern reflects the coil geometry, optimal coil design is
a prerequisite to attain the desired heating. Several modifications, such as spacing in between coil turns, the motion of the workpiece
relative to the coil, and dimensional parameters, were carried out until optimal design was achieved.
Index Terms—Finite-element method (FEM), high-frequency, induction heating, optimized coil.

I. INTRODUCTION

O NE typical example of magnetic-field/heat coupled anal-

ysis is demonstrated during induction heating. The basic
components of an induction heating system are the alternating
current supply, the induction coil, and material to be treated
or heated, normally referred to as the workpiece. The power
supply sends alternating currents through the coil, generating
a magnetic field. When a workpiece is placed in the coil and
enters the magnetic field, eddy currents are induced within the
workpiece, thereby generating precise amounts of clean local-
ized heat without contact between the coil and workpiece.
With regard to the fact that material properties change Fig. 1. Analysis model. (a) Proposed coil. (b) Original coil. (c) Tubular
drastically with temperature variations during an induction dimensions of coil.
heating process and the difficulty in combining magnetic field
and thermal analyses, analytical methods are very difficult to
implement. Therefore, a powerful computer-aided numerical simulations, which are cumbersome and complicated but give
tool, by using the finite-element method (FEM) is proposed to a vivid view of how the heating is being effected in the work-
numerically model these coupled analyses [1]. This program piece, thereby giving us a better understanding and approach
has a high capability of handling various geometries and ele- for its applications. Computer simulations by using FEM, for
ments. Input and output techniques are exceptionally versatile this project, were carried out to access the heating process of a
and efficient. nonmagnetic material, using original and proposed coils under
In high-frequency induction heating, the induced current is a frequency of 60 kHz.
usually not uniform throughout the workpiece. It is concen-
trated at the surface. However, the surface heat concentration II. CONFIGURATION OF MODEL
can create unwanted results or waste. Overheating of locations
Fig. 1 shows the configuration of half of the model with the
such as the outside corner can result in quench cracking or inad-
original and proposed coils, of the induction heating system,
equate ductility for the intended service. If the potential benefits
which comprises a cut rectangular tube workpiece, 3 mm in
are to be achieved, the induction tool must be designed carefully.
thickness, and a tubular copper coil of six turns, with a current
Thus, a good coil design is needed, which normally depends on
of 960 A flowing through it. Water is flushed through the coil to
experience [2].
cool it during the heating process. The half model is preferred
Most past researchers have engaged in two-dimensional
due to symmetry, and also it can give us adequate knowledge of
(2-D) simulations, with regard to this topic, due to its sim-
how the heating is being effected. The workpiece has a specific
plicity. However, we have to perform three-dimensional (3-D)
heat capacity of 516 (J/kg) C and a density of 7800 kg/m .
In a solenoid work coil, the magnetic flux tends to concentrate
toward the center, and this renders the heating rate produced in
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TMAG.2005.854993 this area generally greater than that produced toward the ends.
0018-9464/$20.00 © 2005 IEEE
BOADI et al.: CONSTRUCTION OF HIGH-FREQUENCY INDUCTION HEATING COIL BY USING FEM 4049

Fig. 2. Material properties for magnetic-field analysis.

Fig. 4. Induction heating after 50 s using original coil. (a) Joule loss
distribution. (b) Temperature distribution.

Fig. 3. Material properties for the thermal analysis.

To address this unwanted heating pattern, a proposed coil is de-

sired to the original, as shown in Fig. 1. Optimization was done
by varying and , which are the distances from the coil to
the workpiece. Our objective was to attain some extent of uni-
form heating. After several modifications, optimized coil, which
is the proposed coil was achieved when 10 mm and
20 mm. The original coil has its 10 mm. The space in be-
tween the coil turns was maintained as 5 mm. These and other
parameters are shown in Fig. 1.

III. COMPUTATIONAL PROCEDURE

The 3-D frequency response analysis is used for the mag-
netic-field analysis, and nonsteady-state analysis is used for the
thermal analysis. The reason for using frequency response anal-
ysis is that the magnetic field varies with time faster than the
temperature of the workpiece. It can therefore be assumed that
the magnetic field is always in a steady state for the time scale
Fig. 5. Induction heating after 50 s using proposed coil. (a) Joule loss
of the temperature variations. The joule loss distribution is first distribution. (b) Temperature distribution.
determined for the model, using magnetic-field analysis, which
outputs the joule loss distribution as a file. This is then read for
Figs. 2 and 3 show the material properties for the magnetic-
the thermal analysis and used as a heat source of the model in
field and thermal analyses, respectively. The electrical conduc-
the thermal analysis.
tivity against temperature showed some sort of linearity. The
The distribution of electrical conductivity is determined by
thermal conductivity against temperature also showed some lin-
temperature distribution, and the magnetic-field analysis is re-
earity up until around 800 , after which there was no change.
peated. Therefore, for the magnetic-field analysis, calculation
of the joule loss distribution as a heat source for the thermal
IV. RESULTS
analysis is determined. Thermal conductivity, density, and spe-
cific heat capacity are assigned to the workpiece. In the thermal The results below illustrate the joule loss distribution and
analysis, calculation of temperature is determined as the local temperature distribution ( C) when sinusoidal currents flow in
electrical conductivity for the magnetic-field analysis. the coil at 60-kHz operating frequency. The eddy currents or the
4050 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, VOL. 41, NO. 10, OCTOBER 2005

To ascertain our satisfaction of this work, some points on the

workpiece were selected, and their temperature variations with
time observed, using the proposed coil. This shows the advan-
tage of pinpoint accuracy of induction heating. Fig. 7 shows the
temperature variations at the points that are comprehensible, by
their various locations on the workpiece.
Selected points showed temperature rise as time increased.
The total number of nodes is 7833 and that of elements is 9200.
Fig. 6. Selected points on workpiece for observation. From inference of the graph (Fig. 7), the temperature of any
point on the workpiece can be predicted.

V. CONCLUSION
An efficient coupling technique has been demonstrated
through an induction heating process using the finite-element
method (FEM). The proposed coil rendered more uniform
heating. Three-dimensional (3-D) simulations, though cum-
bersome and complicated, give us a better knowledge of the
heating process and render the temperature at any point on the
workpiece accessible, which would not have been possible with
two-dimensional (2-D) simulations.
The techniques developed in this study can be used to predict
the transient temperature distribution and power densities of the
workpiece during an induction heating process and help in in-
duction heating coil design.

REFERENCES
Fig. 7. Temperature variations of selected points on workpiece. [1] M. Enokizono and S. Hasama, “Thermal and magnetic field analysis of
high frequency induction heating by finite element method,” in Proc.
ISEM, vol. 1. Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 476–479.
power density induced in the workpiece heated the workpiece [2] A. Boadi, M. Enokizono, and T. Todaka, presented at the ICEMS, Jeju,
surface slightly above 800 C within 50 s. South Korea, 2004. PC 31.
[3] M. B. Richard, Ferro-Magnetism. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1993.
The results are appreciated as an efficient heating of the sur- [4] C. A. Balanis, Advanced Engineering Electromagnetics. New York:
face of the workpiece has been illustrated. The bending corners Wiley, 1989.
of the workpiece were most heated, as the joule loss density [5] M. Enokizono and H. Tanabe, IEEE Trans. Magn., vol. 31, no. 4, pp.
2438–2444, Jul. 1995.
was the highest there. The proposed coil rendered more uniform
heating than the original, which had most of the heat concen-
trated in the center. Manuscript received February 7, 2005.