Using Non-Linear Material Properties for the Optimization of Heat Generation in Inductive Heating Applications

Inductive power transfer is nowadays a widely used technology, e.g. for inductive heating in industrial applications and household appliances. An inductive heating system usually consists of a coil (transmitter) which is powered by an alternating current and a ferromagnetic material (receiver) which is heated by the generated eddy currents where the dissipated power is proportional to the square of the current density. With regard to energy efficiency and comfort it is desirable to be able to manipulate the current density distribution within the ferromagnetic material in a specific way. Here, we propose an approach which utilizes the non-linear material properties of the receiver in combination with a variable magnetic field generated by the transmitter that allows us to optimize the heat generation.