Mathematical Modeling of Induction Heating of Waveguide Path Assemblies during Induction Soldering

Abstract

The waveguides used in spacecraft antenna feeders are often assembled using external couplers or flanges subject to further welding or soldering. Making permanent joints by means of induction heating has proven to be the best solution in this context. However, several physical phenomena observed in the heating zone complicate any effort to control the process of making a permanent joint by induction heating; these phenomena include flux evaporation and changes in the emissivity of the material. These processes make it difficult to measure the temperature of the heating zone by means of contactless temperature sensors. Meanwhile, contact sensors are not an option due to the high requirements regarding surface quality. Besides, such sensors take a large amount of time and human involvement to install. Thus, it is a relevant undertaking to develop mathematical models for each waveguide assembly component as well as for the entire waveguide assembly. The proposed mathematical models have been tested by experiments in kind, which have shown a great degree of consistency between model-derived estimates and experimental data. The paper also shows how to use the proposed models to test and calibrate the process of making an aluminum-alloy rectangular tube flange waveguide by induction soldering. The Russian software, SimInTech, was used in this research as the modeling environment. The approach proposed herein can significantly lower the labor and material costs of calibrating and testing the process of the induction soldering of waveguides, whether the goal is to adjust the existing process or to implement a new configuration that uses different dimensions or materials.

Keywords

• induction heating
• mathematical modeling
• process
• control
• automation
• optimization