An Efficient Simulation Method for Current and Power distribution in 3-Phase Electrical Smelting Furnaces*

A simplified simulation method for 3-phase AC smelting furnaces is presented and analyzed. The DC potential equation is first solved for three basis problems where the potential is 1 V at the top of one electrode and 0 V at the two others. Then these three solutions are combined, taking the phase shift between the electrodes into account. The method ignores electromagnetic induction. Mathematical analysis shows that this approximation is better the smaller the furnace. Further studies are required to find how well it performs for large furnaces. The method has been tested using COMSOL Multiphysics. Computed results are compared with a pure DC approach. The method is suitable to provide more understanding of AC effects in 3-phase furnaces. When simulation results are compared with full AC computations, effects of the phase shift between the electrodes can be separated from effects due to electromagnetic induction.