Development of a three-dimensional coupled electromagnetic-thermal model of induction heating process of moving bars

In this paper, a set of coupled and uncoupled mathematical models of induction heater will be presented. Those models based on the finite volume technique have been used in the three-dimensional structure. The heater is designed to treat aluminum bars prior to the deformation of the moving case. For this reason, the operation requires the knowledge of desired temperature. Therefore, the purpose of this work has physical and mathematical aspects. The first aspect copes with the various physical phenomena: electromagnetic, thermal and moving as well as their coupling. Once this is done, we shall attempt to show the influence of the input quantities on the output quantities of uncoupled models. The second aspect is to look for a way to solve such multi-physics mathematical problem, strongly nonlinear with complex boundary conditions not previously well defined. The problems that the development of this new software tool encounters show the importance of the work compared to similar work which has been published. © 2014 Allerton Press, Inc.