Active temperature control for induction heating

摘要

The present invention generally relates to induction heating. More particularly, the present invention relates to an induction heating system (1) and a method for controlling a process temperature for induction heating of a workpiece (12). The induction heating system (1) comprises: an inductor (8) configured to generate an alternating magnetic field in response to an alternating current supplied thereto; a magnetic load (10) comprising a magnetic material, the magnetic material having a Curie temperature and being configured to generate heat in response to the alternating magnetic field being applied thereto, the magnetic load (10) being connectable to the workpiece (12) in a heat-conducting manner so as to transfer the generated heat to the workpiece (12); and a control unit (20) configured to control the process temperature for manufacturing the workpiece (12) by adjusting the alternating magnetic field when the temperature of the magnetic material is in a temperature control range around or below the Curie temperature of the magnetic material, the temperature control range being dependent on the magnetic material of the magnetic load.