Experimental Analysis of a High-Frequency Induction Furnace and its Impact on Power Quality

The use of induction furnaces in metal industry has grown very much in the last decade throughout the world. But, as the use of this kind of furnaces has increased, the power quality problems generated by their operation have also intensified and diversified. This work focuses on measurement of conducted electromagnetic disturbances generated by a high-frequency coreless induction furnace, having a small capacity. The measurements were carried out in the case of an aluminum melting process, using the power quality analyzer CA8334B. The operation of furnace causes harmonics, unbalance, transient overcurrents, reactive power consumption and low power factor. Finally, some measures have been proposed, in order to mitigate the electromagnetic disturbances under the standard limitations.