3D solution of electromagnetic and thermal coupled field problems in the continuous transverse flux heating of metal strips

In the design of induction heating systems, the prediction of thermal transients is very important. While for classical longitudinal flux configurations, thermal transients are predictable by classical theory formulae, on the contrary the thermal profiles in transverse flux heating have to be evaluated by experimental results on prototypes or by the use of numerical packages. In this paper, a method based on the use of 3D FEM packages for the electromagnetic and thermal design of transverse flux induction heating systems is presented. The method was used for the design of a heating system for the heat treatment of gold metal strips.