Electromagnetic and Thermal Analysis of the Induction Heating of Aluminium Billets Rotating in DC Magnetic Field

The paper deals with the induction heating of metal billets rotating in a DC magnetic field. This innovative technology appears to be very promising for improving the efficiency of the through heating of high conductivity metals (e.g. copper, aluminum) before hot working, by using superconducting magnets. In the paper the induced power distributions are analysed and the main heating parameters are estimated with reference to an infinitely long aluminum billet 200 mm diameter. The paper refers of the activity developed in the frame of a National Italian project carried out by research groups of the Universities of Bologna, Padua and Roma “La Sapienza”. Other results obtained for the power distributions in finite length billets and the optimization of the exciting coils are presented in separate papers.