Induction heating

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Thread Starter

Experimentonomen

Joined Feb 16, 2011

331

Mar 29, 2011

• #1

Heres a project i've worked on on and off for the last 4-5 years.

A 2-3kW induction heating machine.

A video of the current prototype: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_nxQapTmQU

Some specs: Resonant frequency around 30kHz, PLL control with a CD4046 pll ic.
power control with a buck converter feeding the DC bus, not yet hooked up, series resonant tank circuit with transformer from old 3kW smps.

 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008

23,797

Mar 29, 2011

• #2

Nice! Would that work for aluminum? A fantasy (and it is just a fantasy) is to melt aluminum cans and make sheet stock. The stuff is expensive, hugely so.

How are you powering it? It isn't exactly house current.

 

magnet18

Joined Dec 22, 2010

1,227

Mar 29, 2011

• #3

That is a LOT of capacitors.

Does it really turn purple IRL, or is that a trick of the camera and uv filters?

 

E

Thread Starter

Experimentonomen

Joined Feb 16, 2011

331

Mar 29, 2011

• #4

I run it off the 230V 10A outlet in the kitchen, living room only has a 6A breaker.

No its not purple irl, thats just the crappy cheap camera with no uv filter.

140pcs of cheap 150nF 1000V capacitors from TME in parallel to share the current, some hundred amps total.

And yes it can melt aluminum no problem.

 

CDRIVE

Joined Jul 1, 2008

2,219

Mar 29, 2011

• #5

Where do you live that you have 6A breakers?

 

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Thread Starter

Experimentonomen

Joined Feb 16, 2011

331

Mar 30, 2011

• #6

I live in sweden in an old apartment.

 

CDRIVE

Joined Jul 1, 2008

2,219

Mar 30, 2011

• #7

Experimentonomen said:

I live in sweden in an old apartment.

Click to expand...

Aah, I just re-read some of your posts. Your outlet standard is 230V. That explains it. By the way, I loved the video. It is very impressive!

 

E

Thread Starter

Experimentonomen

Joined Feb 16, 2011

331

Mar 30, 2011

• #8

Heres some melting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gHDi9HHdIE

Melting the aluminum bit from cold: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HdLehzusvM

This thing draws so much power that i pop the breaker almost every second time i turn it on.

 

CDRIVE

Joined Jul 1, 2008

2,219

Mar 30, 2011

• #9

Experimentonomen said:

This thing draws so much power that i pop the breaker almost every second time i turn it on.

Click to expand...

Be aware that repeated trips will eventually damage the breaker where it will trip below its current rating. Also, have you asked your neighbors if they're experiencing any TV, radio or other interference? It's always best to not make your neighbors despise your work.

 

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Thread Starter

Experimentonomen

Joined Feb 16, 2011

331

Mar 30, 2011

• #10

This think only runs at 30kHz = nowhere near enuf to cause radio/tv disturbance. And we have digital tv here = almost immune to disturbance.

The kinda breakers we have here are round ceramic ones with a melt wire inside.

 

CDRIVE

Joined Jul 1, 2008

2,219

Mar 30, 2011

• #11

Experimentonomen said:

This think only runs at 30kHz = nowhere near enuf to cause radio/tv disturbance. And we have digital tv here = almost immune to disturbance.

The kinda breakers we have here are round ceramic ones with a melt wire inside.

Click to expand...

When I was watching the video I thought I saw something throwing a large arc, hence the reference to RFI. Probably an illusion. BTW, that's not a breaker, it's a fuse.