International Scientific Colloquim

Modelling for Electromagnetic Processing

Hannover, March 24-26, 2003

Electromagnetic Devices for Setting up Molten Metal Circulation

R.M. Khristinich, M.V. Pervukhin, V.V. Stafievskaya, T.A. Boyakova

Abstract

The paper considers devices capable of setting up circulation of molten metal through
electromagnetic field acting upon the melt, in installations for production of aluminum and its
alloys; and in installations for off-furnace aluminum refining. Demonstrated are their
advantageous performance and efficient applications. Shown are the outcomes of calculating
and physical simulation in installations equipped with electromagnetic rotators (EMR).

Introduction

Over the recent years, metallurgy employs either mechanical or electromagnetic acting
upon molten and crystallizing metal to start up its circulation, in a number of technologies.
Therefore, molten metal circulation within the induction channel furnace (ICF) provides a
number of advantages such as coagulationing resulting in non-metal inclusion rolling as oxy-
gas conglomerates and are easily removed from the melt, that diminishes the furnace channel
clogging up and raises the produced metal quality. The molten metal circulation speed
difference in linear channels provides the pressure drop between them and leads to the metal
forward motion and subsequently, to a better heat and mass exchange between the channels
and the furnace bath.
In off-furnace aluminum refining, the circulation enables to fulfill a deeper molten
acting, to increase proper metal outcome and to raise the process productivity.
The above-mentioned mechanical method implies a rotator direct contacting the
molten metal and therefore has a lot of disadvantages (need in electric drives systems, low
enough equipment reliability, etc.). That’s why an acute challenge nowadays is the
development of non-contact molten metal acting installations.

1. Electromagnetic Rotators Devices and Performance Principles

The EMR design is determined by technological equipment structure and destinations.

Let’s consider PCs capable of fulfilling a forced metal circulation in linear ICF channels.
ICF within the structure of melting-casting units has found its large-scale applications
for the production of metals and alloys of specified properties [1]. The ICF basic elements
determining its specific technical and economic properties are: induction unit (IU) where
electric energy is transferred into heat one directly.
Fig.1 displays a sketch of an IU. It consists of an inductor starting a magnetic circuit
with a primary winding on [2], a channel section consisting of two linear parts [3], a sectional
linking channel [4] and a bath [5]. The linear and sectional channels are manufactured as
lining blocks and are embedded into metal frames.

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 1

2
3
3

Fig. 1. Induction unit sketch

To start up rotating magnetic field in the area of linear channels, two types of devices
may be used: those operating on electromagnetic shielding principle and the ones powered by
outer power sources.

I?

Φσ I?? 1
Φσ I? Φσ Φσ
Φ0 Φ0

Φ?
1 Φ??

Fig. 2. Induction unit with slots in channel Fig. 3. Induction unit with additional coils.
metal frames

In the devices operating on electromagnetic shielding principle, a torque in IU linear

channels is produced because of the interaction of Foucault currents induced on the metal
shield through the inductor dissemination magnetic field. Metal frames if the IU linear

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channels may be used as an electromagnetic shield (Fig.2). For this purpose, it is necessary to
fulfill slots so that to ensure a specified configuration for Foucault currents eddy locking paths
[2].
The torque in the channel is started in the following way: Alternating magnetic flux
Φ& , started by the inductor winding 1, penetrates the electromagnetic shield 2 and sets up
σ

Foucault current I&в in it. This current creates its own magnetic field Φ & . As a result of fields
э
& and Φ
Φ & overlap and their phase shifting, rotating magnetic field is created that causes
σ э
molten metal circulation in the bath.
Disadvantages of this method are: a low mechanic strength of metal frames; a partial
inductor magnetic field demagnetization; and impossibility of metal circulation speed and
direction controlling. The rotators realized on this principle basis enable to obtain the rotation
speed up to 30 rpm. The most effective method for creating rotating magnetic field in linear
channels with metal is the utilizing of additional coils fed by an outer power source. Fig.3
shows a detachable induction unit in which additional coils cover linear channels [3]. Rotation
magnetic field occurs as a result of the superposition of magnetic fields Φ & and Φ & created
σ дк
by the inductor [1] basic coil and the additional coil [2], correspondingly. The torque, the
molten metal speed and direction depend on the current amount and phase in additional coils
and their spatial layout. The torque is the maximum one when magnetic fluxes Φ & and Φ &
σ дк
0
are spatially and temporally shifted relatively of one another at 90 .
Electromagnetic rotator efficiency research has been fulfilled on a physical
calculation. Gallium was utilized as a simulating metal of the same specific electric
conductivity as molten aluminum, and a low melting temperature t = 29 0 C .
Proceeding from the results obtained on a physical simulation, there has been made the
conclusion that the electromagnetic rotator designed as additional coils fed from an outer
power source (Fig. 3) is the most efficient one from the point of view of providing a specified
metal circulation speed within 200 – 400 rps.

2. Calculating simulation for electromagnetic rotators

A tangible disadvantage of physical simulation implies multi-variant research labor-

consumability as well as significantly high expenditures involved. Therefore, the most
prospective current area is calculating simulation methods in electrotechnical devices.
Fig. 4 displays a 2D calculating simulation for the system Inductor-channel for the
z 3 induction channel furnace with
2 an electromagnetic rotator
E=0y ось симметрии
designed as additional coils
Jи
covering linear channels. Taking
4 4 into consideration symmetry, the
figure represents a part of it. The
-Jдк Jдк
H=0

constituents of electric and

H=0

z
z

magnetic fields voltages in the

µ = f (H ); γ = 0
calculating simulation are as the
following: E& = e E& , y y

x H& = e x H& x + e z H& z .

H=0
x
1 When a calculating simulation
designing, the following
Fig. 4. Calculating simulation of the calculated area

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assumptions were taken into account:
- an induction unit has infinitely big dimensions alongside the axis y ;
- the magnetic circuit 1, is simulated through the medium of the specific electric conductivity
γ = 0 , and through the permeability µ = f (H ) ;
- the channel with metal 2 is simulated through medium with electric conductivity equal to
aluminum electric conductivity and permeability µ = 1 ;
- the inductor primary winding 3 and additional coils 4 are replaced with infinitely thin
current layers with linear complex densities J& и and J& дк , correspondingly.
The calculating simulation magnetic field analyses (Fig.4) was fulfilled through the
method for medium property discretization [4,5]. The method implies the following. Assume
a calculating area consisting of lump-non-homogeneous media as a combination of
elementary volumes for instance, parallelepipeds in a rectangular axis system with dimensions
∆ ,δ , l (Fig.5,а). The parallelepiped dimensions may be specified so that to obtain a minimum

δ
γ −δ2 ; µа −δ2 ; ε а −
2

l γ∆−
2
∆ l l l
µа −2 µа − γ − ε а−
2 2 2
ε а∆
−
2
а) б)

Fig. 5. Calculating area discrete element

change in electromagnetic field within the elementary field. In this case, a massive
parallelepiped with the specific
∗ ∗ ∗
cosϕ P эм, M, Q эм ×10 , electric conductivity of γ , absolute
о.е.
permeability µ а and absolute
cosϕ dielectric penetration of ε а , is
∗
Qэм possible to be replaced with
infinitely thin conductive mutually
perpendicular surfaces (Fig.5,b),
∗
which properties are specified
Pэм
proceeding from the similarity of
electric and magnetic conductivity
∗
M
of the massive element and its
discrete analog. The parameters for
∗
Fдк space between the surfaces have the
values of γ = 0; µ а = 0; ε а = 0 . In
Fig.6. Integral parameters for induction unit this case, electric current and

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magnetic flux exist in infinitely thin surfaces only. Fig.6 displays the calculation results
showing the impact of electromagnetic rotators upon induction channel furnace parameters,
* *
e.g. power coefficient cos ϕ , relatively active P эм and reactive Q эм , electromagnetic
*
capacities, the torque M . As follows from the figure 6, when raising F дк , electromagnetic
torque rises but mostly the active and reactive capacities increase and cos ϕ decreases.
*
Therefore, it is reasonable to limit the value F дк within 0,3 − 0,4 . As the trial research
displayed both on the physical simulation and production installations, sufficient metal
*
circulation frequency is provided with the values F дк with accepted power indices.

Conclusion

Electromagnetic rotators are an efficient and reliable tool for starting up molten metal
circulation and provides a great number of beneficiary impacts while exploiting technological
equipment and performing technological processes of molten aluminum production and
recycling.
Fig. 7 displays IU linear channel sectional saw cuts in a production furnace for ИАК
40/3,5 aluminum melting that has been exploited at «Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Plant» Co. On
the left, shown is a IU channel sector without an electromagnetic rotator; on the right, there is
a channel sector where metal forced circulation was started up through an electromagnetic
rotator that follows the pattern shown on Fig.3. As it is clear from the figure, metal forced
circulation tangibly reduces the
speed of linear channel
clogging that enables to extend
the IU life expectancy.
In an aluminum
refining out-of-furnace
installation designed on the
induction unit basis,
electromagnetic rotators
provide a deeper working out
of the molt than that one when
using mechanic rotators that
allows to increase the
acceptable metal outcome and
Fig. 7. IU channel sectional view to raise the refining process
productivity.

References
[1] S.A. Farbman, I.F. Kolobnev: Induction Furnaces for Metal and Alloys Melting Metallurgy, 1968
[2] A.C. 1195168 USSR, МКИ3 F 27 Д11/06 Detachable Induction Unit /V.N. Timofeyev, А.А. Temerov,
Y.M. Gorislavetz and others – No.3717363/22-02; Applied on 30 March.84; Publ. 30 Nov.85, Bul.No.44
[3] A.C. 1300284 USSR, МКИ3 F 27 Д11/06 Detachable Induction Unit /S.А. Boyakov, V.А. Zolotukhin, А.А.
Temerov, V.N. Timofeyev, R.М. Khristinich. – Publ. in БИ, 1987, No.12.
[4] V.N. Timofeyev, R.M. Khristinich, S.A. Boyakov., M.V. Pervukhin: Method for Analyzing
Electromagnetic Field in Induction Installations. Electricity, No. 10 (1999) pp.58-67
[5] V.N. Timofeyev, R.M. Khristinich, M.V. Pervukhin: Analyses of Electromagnetic Field in Induction Systems
Containing Non-linear and Anisotropy Property Media Items of Electro-engineering Equipment and Electric
Technology Improvement. Ekaterinbourg, USTU – UPI. No. 8 (2000), pp. 134-139.

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Authors
Prof. Khristinich, Roman, DSc.
Associate Prof. Pervukhin, Mikhail, CSc.
Associate Prof. Stafievskaya, Valeria, CSc.
Doctorate Student Boyakova, Tatiyana
Electromechanics Department
Krasnoyarsk State Technical University
26 Kirensky Str, Krasnoyarsk, 660074
Russia
e-mail: eltech@fivt.kgtu.runnet.ru

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