A new method for the numerical simulation of induction hardening processes

Abstract
Numerical simulation of induction heating operations rests on the modelling of coupled non-linear thermal and magnetodynamic analyses. Strong couplings come from, on one hand, the power dissipated through Joule effect, and on the other hand, electromagnetic properties that depend on temperature. Usually, an indirect or staggered method is used to solve such problems. Several magnetodynamic and thermal simulations are therefore performed alternatively and sequentially. This paper presents a new method solving thermo-metallurgical and magnetodynamic problems together and based on the harmonic balance finite element formulation (HBFEM) of the electromagnetic problem. The temperature and the different harmonics of the Fourier series of the unknown electromagnetic variables are now calculated in a same finite element. An example of the numerical simulation of an induction hardening process is presented. The results obtained with different approaches are compared.