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Significance Statement
Electromagnetic levitation (EML) is a contact-less, high-temperature technique which has had extensive applications encompassing many areas, under both terrestrial and microgravity conditions. Microgravity electromagnetic levitation experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) were supported by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA) since the last century. Microgravity electromagnetic levitation experiments helped with the determination of thermo-physical properties as well as solidification aspects.
Recently, the applications of terrestrial electromagnetic levitation are gaining significance in nanomaterial processing as well as novel coating techniques. Novel electromagnetic levitation techniques with customized design and engineering against gravity were developed for different purposes. Compared to electromagnetic levitation systems utilized in microgravity, customized terrestrial electromagnetic levitation systems require better understanding of levitation force generation. The levitation force can be simply described as: the varying magnetic field which generates an induced current inside the metal droplet, and produces a Lorentz force which counters gravity. There is also a Joule heating effect that melts the levitated specimen. Since metal droplets are opaque, numerical modeling techniques were utilized in the present study. In the paper, Dimensionless Analysis and Mathematical Modeling of Electromagnetic Levitation (EML) of Metals, the relationship between levitation force, and parameters affecting the levitation process were investigated by dimensionless analysis. The general formula developed by dimensionless analysis was tested, and evaluated by numerical modeling. This technique can be employed to design levitation systems for a variety of materials and is believed to contribute into the future of space mining and metallurgy.
Journal Reference
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, pp 1-9, 2015.
Lei Gao 1,2,Zhe Shi 1,Donghui Li 2,Yindong Yang 2,Guifang Zhang 1,Alexander McLean2, Kinnor Chattopadhyay 2
[expand title=”Show Affiliations”]- Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Complex Non-Ferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Process Metallurgy and Modeling group (PM2G), University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E4, Canada
Abstract
Electromagnetic levitation (EML), a contactless metal melting method, can be used to produce ultra-pure metals and alloys. In the electromagnetic levitation process, the levitation force exerted on the droplet is of paramount importance and is affected by many parameters. In this paper, the relationship between levitation force and parameters affecting the levitation process were investigated by dimensionless analysis. The general formula developed by dimensionless analysis was tested and evaluated by numerical modeling. This technique can be employed to design levitation systems for a variety of materials.
Go To Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B
