Encyclopedia Magnetica™

Calculator of induction heating power

This section is an interactive calculator.

^{S. Zurek, E-Magnetica.pl, CC-BY-4.0}

The order of magnitude for the required induction heating power can be estimated as a rough approximation, through a number of simplifying assumptions:

only the heated layer is taken into account (the rest of the material is ignored)
adiabatic heating conditions (no cooling due to convection, radiation, or conduction)
the same heating power is delivered to the material during the whole heating time (it is controlled regardless of temperature of the material)
magnetic permeability is assumed constant
transition to paramagnetism is not taken into account
skin depth is calculated for resistivity at the hottest temperature
the suggested frequency is estimated by assuming the skin depth being 4 times thinner than the heated layer
apart from resistivity all other values are assumed constant, and melting or any phase transition is ignored.

Input values
*shape: metal: heating efficiency* (%) = (typically: Al = 40%, Cu = 30%, non-magnetic steel = 60%, magnetic steel = 85%) *heating time t* (s) = *T start* (°C) = *T end* (°C) = *length L* (mm) = *width w* (mm) = *heated thickness d* (mm) =

Output values	Auxiliary output values
*Suggested frequency* (kHz) = *Skin depth (at suggested freq.)* (mm) = *Required heating power* (kW) = *Required generator power* (kW) =	*Volume of heated layer* (cm³) = *Mass of heated layer* (kg) = *Density* (kg/m³) = *Thermal coefficient of resistivity* (%/K) = *Resistivity at T end* (Ω·m) = *Specific heat capacity* (J/(kg·K)) = *Relative magnetic permeability* (-) =

Material data such as resistivity, heat capacity, and permeability was taken from several sources, but mainly from Engineering Toolbox {accessed 2023-08-13}.
This calculator was inspired by Plustherm, Online induction heating power calculation {accessed 2023-08-12}.

Calculators, Induction heating power, Skin depth, Skin effect