Modeling a working coil coupled with magnetic flux concentrators for barrel induction heating in an injection molding machine

Abstract

In this study, a working coil coupled with magnetic flux concentrators for barrel induction heating in an injection molding machine was investigated. Induction heating process simulations were developed to evaluate the effects of magnetic flux concentrators to the temperature distribution at surface inside a barrel of an injection molding machine. Different pitches of magnetic flux concentrators were applied to study the uniform heating capability of induction heating system with heating coil coupled with magnetic flux concentrators via commercial software, ANSYS. Models of working coils coupled with magnetic flux concentrators were experimented to verify the simulation results. The results from simulation and experiment agreed well. Simulation results showed that, changing diameters of a barrel or varying operation frequency of induction power supply had no effect on uniform temperature distribution at the inside surface of the barrel.