Feed pump rotors are multi-component structures featuring high interference between the shaft and impeller hubs. During repair works, these rotors require disassembly and subsequent reassembly. To avoid damaging the mating surfaces, a thermal method is employed for disassembly and reassembly. Induction heating of the impellers proves to be the most efficient and cost-effective solution. This study presents the design, fabrication, and operational testing of an induction heater comprising two copper coils connected in series and configured in a Scott connection scheme. Magnetic flux concentrators were used to direct the magnetic flux precisely to the required sections of the component. The thermal balance during heating, the necessary heating power, and the key parameters of the induction heater were calculated. The induction heater operates on three-phase industrial-frequency current and was designed in SolidWorks. Experimental validation confirmed that sequential activation (first the upper coil for 90 s, followed by a 10-s interval, then the lower coil for 60 s) ensures reliable disassembly of connections with the maximum permissible interference fit. Throughout the process, the temperature of any heated part of the impeller remains within the allowable limit for the given material. The proposed induction heater design is highly efficient and can be adapted for similar steel interference-fit assemblies.

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Application of Induction Heating for Disassembling Feed Pump Rotors

  • Serhey Romanov,
  • Oleksandr Kupriyanov,
  • Dimitar Dichev,
  • Hanna Hrinchenko,
  • Kostyantin Lomanov

摘要

Feed pump rotors are multi-component structures featuring high interference between the shaft and impeller hubs. During repair works, these rotors require disassembly and subsequent reassembly. To avoid damaging the mating surfaces, a thermal method is employed for disassembly and reassembly. Induction heating of the impellers proves to be the most efficient and cost-effective solution. This study presents the design, fabrication, and operational testing of an induction heater comprising two copper coils connected in series and configured in a Scott connection scheme. Magnetic flux concentrators were used to direct the magnetic flux precisely to the required sections of the component. The thermal balance during heating, the necessary heating power, and the key parameters of the induction heater were calculated. The induction heater operates on three-phase industrial-frequency current and was designed in SolidWorks. Experimental validation confirmed that sequential activation (first the upper coil for 90 s, followed by a 10-s interval, then the lower coil for 60 s) ensures reliable disassembly of connections with the maximum permissible interference fit. Throughout the process, the temperature of any heated part of the impeller remains within the allowable limit for the given material. The proposed induction heater design is highly efficient and can be adapted for similar steel interference-fit assemblies.