Performance of 450 kW permanent magnet heater for aluminum billets

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the main experimental results obtained on the first prototype of an innovative induction heating system. MAGNHEAT was a LIFE project, funded by EU Commission, proposed to demonstrate the possibility of industrial application of a new technology for the induction heating of aluminum billets before extrusion. This technology uses permanent magnet heaters (PMHs), which constitute a high efficiency solution for the heating of high conductive metals. Design/methodology/approach The paper briefly describes the main steps of the project: the design of the PMH, the realization and installation of the demonstrator on an extrusion production line of Pandolfo Alluminio SpA and, mostly, the performance of the system. Findings The main results achieved during the preliminary tests on an industrial line have been summarized by evaluating some key performance indicators, as reported in the paper. Originality/value The new technology allows a significant reduction of the energy consumption and guarantees the same performance of a classical induction heater.