Simulation analysis and experimental study of the temperature characteristics of electromagnetic levitation

This paper aims to realize the electromagnetic levitation of experimental samples with low conductivity and high density at relatively low temperatures. The relationships among the temperature characteristics of an electromagnetic levitation device and the structural size of the induction coil, the size of the experimental sample, the levitation position, respectively, which were studied using Maxwell and ANSYS through simulation analysis. Simulation results show that the maximum temperature produced by the induction coil decreases with an increase in winding turns of a stable coil and increases in the half-taper angles of levitation and stable coils; increases with the levitation position, that is, the temperature of the levitation device is higher at the bottom than in other areas; and increases initially and then decreases with an increase in the radius of the levitation sample. Other parameters, such as the first winding radius of the levitation coil, the planar space between the levitation and stable coils, the winding spacing of coils, and the winding turns of the levitation coil, slightly influence the maximum temperature that the induction coil can provide. Furthermore, constructing an experimental platform allowed for the discovery of the relationships between the parameters of the induction coil and its temperature characteristics; these relationships are consistent with the simulation results. The spherical levitation sample with a radius of 5.1 mm reaches its maximum temperature of 853 °C after 55.65 s, thereby achieving the objective of melting when the first winding radius of the levitation coil is 17 mm, the planar space between the levitation and stable coils is 16 mm, the winding spacing of coils is 8 mm, the winding turns of the levitation coil are 3, the winding turns of the stable coil are 2, the half-taper angles of the levitation and stable coils are 15°, and the levitation position is 17 mm.