Electric Induction Heating of a Rail Head with Non-Uniform Longitudinal Temperature Distribution

摘要

A method is provided for making the longitudinal temperature distribution of the bulbous end of a longitudinally oriented workpiece, such as a rail's head, generally uniform when the head has a non-uniform longitudinal temperature distribution. A combination of crown and skirt electric inductors is used to achieve the generally uniform temperature distribution by modulating the magnetic field intensity produced by current flow through one or more of the combination of crown and skirt inductors as required for the non-uniformly heated regions of the rail's head.

主权项

1. A method of electric induction heating of a bulbous end of a longitudinally oriented workpiece, wherein at least the bulbous end is electrically conductive, the method comprising:
alternately passing the longitudinally oriented workpiece through an at least one crown inductor and an at least one skirt inductor with the bulbous end oriented beneath the at least one crown inductor and between the at least one skirt inductor, the at least one crown inductor comprising a central longitudinal section under which the top of the bulbous end passes through, and a right flank longitudinal section and left flank longitudinal section within which the flanks of the bulbous end passes though, the at least one skirt inductor comprising opposing right and left side skirt inductor sections which the sides of the bulbous end passes through; and applying alternating current power to the at least one crown inductor and the at least one skirt inductor to generate a magnetic field around the at least one crown inductor and the at least one skirt inductor so that magnetic flux couples with the electrically conductive bulbous end to induce heating by eddy current.