Induction heating apparatus

摘要

Induction heating apparatus are disclosed herein. An example induction heating apparatus disclosed herein includes a housing and a susceptor wire positioned in the housing. The susceptor wire is composed of a material having a relatively high magnetic permeability and a relatively high electrical resistivity sufficient to induce an eddy current in the susceptor wire when a magnetic field is applied to the susceptor wire via an induction source. The magnetic field generates the eddy current in the susceptor wire when a temperature of the susceptor wire is below a Curie point of the material of the susceptor wire. The susceptor wire limits heating to a temperature that is equal to or less than a Curie temperature associated with the material of the susceptor wire.

主权项

1. A heating apparatus comprising:
a container including a side wall and a bottom wall, the side wall defining a length between an upper edge and a lower edge; a plurality of first susceptor wires embedded in the side wall of the container and radially spaced relative to a center axis of the container, each first susceptor wire includes an elongate body defining a first longitudinal axis, the first longitudinal axis of each first susceptor wire is substantially parallel relative to the center axis such that a first end of each first susceptor wire is adjacent the upper edge of the side wall and a second end of each first susceptor wire is adjacent a lower edge of the side wall, each first susceptor wire being composed of a first material having a relatively high magnetic permeability and a first Curie temperature characteristic, each first susceptor wire including a first outer surface extending along the first longitudinal axis, and a first core within the first outer surface and extending along the first longitudinal axis, a plurality of first conductor wires embedded in the side wall of the container, a respective one of the first conductor wires being wrapped about a corresponding respective one of the first susceptor wires, the respective one of the first conductor wires to receive electrical current from a power source to generate a corresponding respective first magnetic field, the corresponding respective first magnetic field to generate eddy currents circumferentially adjacent the first outer surface of the corresponding respective first susceptor wire when a temperature of the corresponding respective first susceptor wire is below the first Curie temperature characteristic and to generate eddy currents adjacent the first core of the corresponding respective first susceptor wire when the temperature of the corresponding respective first susceptor wire is equal to the first Curie temperature characteristic.