Induction Furnace Installation and Commissioning

The proper installation and commissioning of a induction furnace are crucial for its operational lifespan, production efficiency, and safety.

1. Site Selection for a Medium Frequency Induction Furnace

Site selection is the first and a critically important step for induction furnace installation. Several factors need to be considered:

Power Supply Conditions: Ensure the transformer capacity และ voltage level match the medium frequency furnace’s power requirements, and allow for future expansion. Avoid locations with significant power fluctuations or high harmonic content; if unavoidable, consider installing filters.
Water Source Conditions: The cooling system of a medium frequency furnace requires a stable supply of cooling water. When selecting a site, consider the availability, คุณภาพ (ความแข็ง, impurity content, ฯลฯ), ความดัน, and temperature of the water, and reserve sufficient space for water treatment equipment.
Site Space: Ensure ample space for the main furnace unit, induction coil, power cabinet, compensation capacitor cabinet, ระบบทำความเย็น, control console, and other equipment. Also, leave adequate space for inspection and maintenance access. Consider the flow of material in and out, and the movement of finished products.
Ventilation Conditions: Medium frequency furnaces generate considerable heat during operation. Good ventilation is essential for effective heat dissipation and preventing equipment overheating. Choose a site with natural ventilation or one where forced ventilation systems can be easily installed.
Geological Conditions: The foundation must be solid and capable of supporting the weight of the medium frequency furnace and its load. For soft ground, reinforcement may be necessary.
ด้านสิ่งแวดล้อม Factors: Avoid damp, dusty, or highly corrosive environments. Also, consider the impact of operational noise on the surrounding area.
ความปลอดภัย: The site should be away from areas storing flammable and explosive materials and must comply with local fire and safety regulations.
Future Development: Reserve space for future equipment upgrades or expansion.

2. Foundation Construction

The quality of the medium frequency furnace’s foundation directly affects the stability and lifespan of the equipment.

Foundation Load-Bearing Design: A professional engineer should design the foundation’s load-bearing capacity based on the total weight of the medium frequency furnace equipment (including the weight of the molten metal) and its dimensions. Typically, ก reinforced concrete foundation is required to withstand both static and dynamic loads during operation.
Foundation Excavation and Pouring: Excavate the foundation strictly according to the design drawings, ensuring accurate depth and dimensions. The base of the foundation should be compacted and a waterproof layer laid. Steel reinforcement must be tied according to specifications, and concrete poured densely and cured properly to achieve the designed strength.
Pre-embedded Parts: Before concrete pouring, pre-embed anchor bolts, cable trenches, and water pipe openings according to the equipment installation drawings. Ensure their precise positioning and secure fastening. Pre-embedded parts should be corrosion-treated.
Ground Treatment: After the foundation is complete, the operating area and surrounding ground should be hardened, preferably with wear-resistant, non-slip, and easy-to-clean materials, ensuring a level surface.
Drainage Ditches: Install drainage ditches around the medium frequency furnace to manage potential leaks from the cooling system or drainage during maintenance.

3. Induction Furnace Installation

Equipment installation is a critical step before commissioning and must strictly follow the manufacturer’s installation manual.

Equipment Unpacking and Inspection: Upon arrival, immediately unpack and inspect the equipment. Verify the equipment model, quantity, and check for any damage or missing components against the packing list. Document any damaged parts with photos and contact the manufacturer promptly.
Main Unit Placement: Hoist large equipment such as the medium frequency furnace main unit, induction coil, power cabinet, and compensation capacitor cabinet into their designated positions. During hoisting, prioritize safety, use appropriate lifting gear, and avoid bumping or damaging the equipment. Once in place, use a spirit level to ensure horizontal and vertical alignment, then securely fasten with anchor bolts.
Induction Coil Installation: Install the induction coil strictly according to the drawings, ensuring it fits the furnace body. The cooling water pipes and lead wires of the induction coil should be connected properly and sealed reliably.
Water-Cooled Cable and Copper Bar Connection: When connecting water-cooled cables and copper bars, ensure contact surfaces are clean and flat. Apply conductive paste and use specialized tools to tighten bolts, ensuring good contact and minimal resistance. The bending radius of water-cooled cables should comply with regulations to avoid twisting or excessive bending.
Cooling System Installation:
- Cooling Tower or Chiller Installation: Install the cooling tower or chiller according to the cooling system design. Ensure good ventilation at the installation site and reserve sufficient space for maintenance.
- Circulating Pump Installation: Install the circulating water pump, ensuring correct connection of its suction and discharge pipes, and that pipe diameters meet requirements.
- Piping Connection: Connect the cooling water inlet and outlet pipes for each piece of equipment (medium frequency power supply, capacitor cabinet, induction coil, ฯลฯ). All pipe connections must be securely sealed without leaks. Install monitoring instruments such as flow meters, pressure gauges, and thermometers.
- Water Treatment Equipment Installation: Install water treatment equipment such as water softeners and filters to ensure cooling water quality meets requirements, preventing scaling and corrosion.
- Cooling Water Tank Installation: Install the cooling water tank, ensuring sufficient capacity and equipping it with a water level alarm and replenishment device.

4. Electrical Connection

Electrical connection is the core of medium frequency furnace installation and must be performed by qualified professional electricians.

Main Circuit Connection:
- Transformer to Power Cabinet: Connect the secondary side output terminals of the power transformer to the incoming terminals of the medium frequency power cabinet. Conductor cross-sectional areas must meet current carrying capacity requirements, and connections should be tight and secure.
- Power Cabinet to Capacitor Cabinet: Connect the output terminals of the medium frequency power cabinet to the incoming terminals of the compensation capacitor cabinet.
- Capacitor Cabinet to Induction Coil: Connect the output terminals of the compensation capacitor cabinet to the lead wires of the induction coil.
- Grounding: All equipment casings, capacitor cabinets, control consoles, and other metal components must be reliably grounded. Grounding resistance should comply with national standards to ensure personal and equipment safety. Grounding wire cross-sectional areas must meet requirements.
Control Circuit Connection:
- Connect all control modules, sensors, actuators, alarm devices, operation buttons, indicator lights, ฯลฯ, according to the equipment’s electrical schematic diagram. All control cables should be numbered, bundled, and properly protected against water and moisture.
- ความปลอดภัย Interlocks: Ensure all safety interlock devices (such as furnace lid limits, cooling water pressure protection, overcurrent protection, overvoltage protection, ฯลฯ) are correctly connected and perform functional tests.
Cable Laying: All cables should be laid in cable trays or conduits and properly labeled. Power cables and signal cables should be laid separately to avoid electromagnetic interference. Cable bending radii must comply with specifications.
Power Supply Check: Before energizing the equipment, check all electrical connections for correctness, security, and absence of short circuits or open circuits. Use a multimeter or other tools to test resistance and insulation resistance in the circuits.

5. Water System Commissioning

Water system commissioning is a critical guarantee for the safe operation of the medium frequency furnace and must be thorough and comprehensive.

Pipeline Flushing: Before formal operation, thoroughly flush the entire cooling water pipeline system to remove impurities, welding slag, ฯลฯ, to prevent blockages.
Water Filling and Air Bleeding: Fill the cooling water system with water, gradually open the cooling water inlet and outlet valves of each piece of equipment (แหล่งจ่ายไฟ, ตัวเก็บประจุ, induction coil, ฯลฯ), and bleed all air from the pipelines.
Circulating Pump Test Run: Start the circulating water pump and check for smooth operation and any abnormal noise. Verify that cooling water flow rate and pressure meet design requirements.
Leakage Inspection: Carefully check all water pipe connections, วาล์ว, and equipment interfaces for leaks. If a leak is found, immediately shut down and address it.
Water Quality Testing and Treatment: Regularly test the cooling water quality, including hardness, ค่า pH, ค่าการนำไฟฟ้า, and suspended solids. Based on test results, activate water treatment equipment (water softeners, filters, ฯลฯ) to treat the water, ensuring it meets the requirements for medium frequency furnace use. If necessary, add anti-scaling agents and corrosion inhibitors.
Cooling Performance Test: After the equipment is energized and running, continuously monitor the inlet and outlet temperatures of the cooling water for each component, ensuring the temperature rise is within the allowable range. Adjust the cooling water flow rate to achieve optimal cooling performance.
ความปลอดภัย Protection Test: Simulate fault conditions such as low cooling water pressure or insufficient flow to test whether the cooling water protection device activates promptly, cuts off power, and triggers an alarm.

6. Precautions

ความปลอดภัย อันดับแรก: Throughout the entire installation and commissioning process, safety must be paramount. Operators must wear personal protective equipment and strictly adhere to safety operating procedures. High-altitude work and electrical work must be supervised by professional personnel.
Strict Adherence to Manufacturer’s Manual: Different brands and models of medium frequency furnaces may have specific installation details. Always strictly follow the installation and commissioning manual provided by the equipment manufacturer.
Professional Personnel Operation: Medium frequency furnace installation and commissioning involve high voltage, high current, high temperature, and high-pressure water. It must be performed by experienced professional engineers and technicians.
Record Keeping and Archiving: Detailed records of all data, test results, problems encountered, and solutions during the installation and commissioning process should be kept. Establish equipment archives for future maintenance reference.
ระบบ Grounding: Ensure all electrical equipment and metal structures are reliably grounded to prevent electric shock accidents and electromagnetic interference.
Cooling Water Quality: Cooling water is the “lifeline” of a medium frequency furnace. It is essential to ensure water quality meets requirements and to regularly monitor and treat it to prevent scaling, corrosion, and blockages that could damage the equipment.
Power Supply Stability: Ensure a stable power supply and avoid excessive voltage fluctuations, which could affect normal equipment operation or cause damage.
Spare Parts Preparation: Before installation and commissioning, prepare some wearing parts and common spare parts for timely replacement to minimize downtime.
Personnel Training: After equipment installation and commissioning are complete, provide comprehensive technical training to operation and maintenance personnel. They should be familiar with the equipment’s working principles, operating procedures, daily maintenance, and troubleshooting methods.

By strictly following these steps and precautions, you can ensure the quality of เตาเหนี่ยวนำ installation and commissioning, laying a solid foundation for long-term, มีประสิทธิภาพ, and safe operation of the equipment.