Modeling of velocity field for vacuum induction melting process

Abstract

The numerical simulation for the recirculating flow of melting of an electromagnetically stirred alloy in a cylindrical induction furnace crucible was presented. Inductive currents and electromagnetic body forces in the alloy under three different solenoid frequencies and three different melting powers were calculated, and then the forces were adopted in the fluid flow equations to simulate the flow of the alloy and the behavior of the free surface. The relationship between the height of the electromagnetic stirring meniscus, melting power, and solenoid frequency was derived based on the law of mass conservation. The results show that the inductive currents and the electromagnetic forces vary with the frequency, melting power, and the physical properties of metal. The velocity and the height of the meniscus increase with the increase of the melting power and the decrease of the solenoid frequency.