Press Release
Development of IH Aluminum Melting and Holding Furnace ~ Efficient heating of iron crucibles ~
March 10, 2011
Chubu Electric Power Co.,Inc.
Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. (President and Director: Akihisa Mizuno; Headquarters: 1 Higashi-Shincho, Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 461-8680, Japan) has developed an IH aluminum melting and holding furnace in collaboration with Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd. (President and Representative Director: Mitsunori Shirakura; Headquarters: Gate City Ohsaki, East Tower, 11-2, Osaki 1-chome, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0032, Japan). Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.*) will commence selling the product from April this year.
At aluminum casting factories making car parts, etc., parts are cast by introducing molten aluminum to iron crucibles, where it is heated, maintained at the required temperature, and poured little by little into metal molds. At present, these iron crucibles are normally heated by the combustion of gas. However, a variety of issues are associated with this method, and it was necessary to reduce energy use, realize the manufacture of higher-quality parts, and reduce temperatures within factories, thus improving the work environment.
The developed product uses induction heating (IH). The iron crucible is heated by electromagnetic induction when a current is passed through coils positioned around its circumference. The use of IH eliminates the heat loss due to exhaust gas associated with the gas combustion heating method, leading to a reduction of approximately 20% in energy consumption on a primary energy basis and a reduction of approximately 50% in CO2 emissions.
The use of IH rather than gas combustion also enables extremely precise control of temperatures, in units of ±1.0°C.
In addition, because the furnace uses no gas, it does not produce any high-temperature exhaust gas. This means that temperatures in factories do not increase, significantly improving the work environment.
Main characteristics of IH aluminum melting and holding furnace
- High level of energy conservation
The use of IH eliminates heat loss due to exhaust gas, leading to a reduction of approximately 20% in energy consumption on a primary energy basis and a reduction of approximately 50% in CO2 emissions against the gas combustion heating method.
- Superior temperature control
The use of IH enables precise control of set temperatures in units of ±1.0°C.
- Significant improvement in work environment
The fact that no high-temperature exhaust gas is produced means that temperatures in factories do not increase.
*)Following a merger with the Fuji Electric Holdings Group, Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd. will change its name to Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. from April this year.