Deformation of the Aluminum Bath Surface in an Induction Melting Furnace
Résumé
The electromagnetic forces in an induction furnace deform the free surface of a molten aluminum bath into a dome shape. The deformation may also be affected by the oxide skin present at the free surface. A structured light technique was used to measure the free surface deformation and its variations in a laboratory scale induction furnace, as a function of operating parameters – current intensity and liquid metal filling inside the crucible. A numerical model capable of taking into account the strong electromagnetic–hydrodynamics coupling was developed to simulate the electromagnetic stirring phenomena. The Volume Of Fluid (VOF) method was applied to model the free surface deformation. A comparison of the measured and the calculated dome shapes is presented.