How Solid State Induction Heaters Provide Targeted, Rapid Heating and Melting
Generating, directing, and controlling heat to accomplish goals in localized areas can be challenging in a lab or production environment for numerous reasons.
Across International 15KW mid-frequency compact induction heater with WAC-1 chiller.
Problem: Generating, directing, and controlling heat to accomplish goals in localized areas can be challenging in a lab or production environment for numerous reasons. Whether heating a reactor or vessel, soldering a joint between two parts, helping an electronic bond with nano-metal doped adhesives, experimenting with alloys, mixtures, and molds, or even zapping a tumor out of a live mouse, the need for efficient and effective heat treatment is widespread.
Beyond the sheer electrical demand associated with traditional resistance heating, wait times for traditional chambers are often limited to heating rates between 5-15ºC per minute, and restricts labs to a hard upwards temperature limit of roughly 1800ºC. When it comes to having high temperature requirements, this can seriously inhibit sample testing or production. This is largely due to the ceramic insulation within the chamber, which can crack as a result of temperature shock. Not only that, but the geometry of either an insulated tube or box furnace is very cumbersome, not lending itself well to certain types of MOCVD (metal-organic chemical vapor deposition), reactors, or other jobs in general.
One theoretical solution is recirculating heating liquid, however the speed, upward temperature limitations, and practicality of this kind of set-up is always a roadblock to high temperature or high volume work. This is all without discussion of work facilities that still use open flame for certain work. Induction heating, however solves most of these problems.
Solution: With induction heating, an electrical current runs through an induction coil, customizable to a wide variety of geometries depending on the job, creating an electromagnetic field which generates resistance and thus heats any ferrous, magnetic materials (metals) in close proximity and with incredible speed. Flexible induction cables can allow a bracket, robot, or human operator to mount, move, reach, spin, and remove samples from heating. This can allow for the successful heat treatment of an entire row of samples, one right after the other.
The only limitation is that induction heating only works with magnetic materials. Fortunately, Across International’s high, mid, and low frequency induction heaters offer the full gamut of functionality. High frequency induction heaters are suitable for use on small parts or skin heating of powders, sheet metal, thin-wall or surface work. Lower frequency induction heaters are suitable for deep heat penetration with minimum gradient between the outside surface and inner center of thick, heavy magnetic parts, or 100kg+ melts. Not only will these machines increase the speed, safety, and versatility of delivering heat to the user’s sample, but the solid state design of Across International’s induction heaters also minimizes electrical consumption. This ensures both durability and reliability in laboratory and production environments, alike.
Now comes the question—if it gets so hot, so quick, what do I use to hold my sample? If the material is not metal, graphite can act as a great susceptor, provided that there is chemical compatibility with carbon (if not, other magnetic options are available). If the sample is metal, encased or doped, silicon dioxide stands up to even the quickest temperature changes.
From plumbing coils through glove box walls to coating and soldering production lines, Across International has a wide range of industry experience to draw from when finding each customer and application the proper solution.
For more information or to request a quote, please contact Maxwell Puebla Dubin at 888-988-0899 x 105 (office), 201-888-0896 (cell), or maxwell.dubin@acrossinternational.com; or the rest of Across International’s sales team at quotes@acrossinternational.com