Short Notes for SSC JE SCORE ACADEMY
Electric Heating
Electric Heating is a process in which electrical energy is converted to heat energy.
According to the Joule’s Law the resistance Loss 𝑰𝟐 𝑹 𝒕 is used to producing the heat from electrical
energy for various industrial purposes like electric heating, welding etc.
Power Frequency Heating
1. Electric Resistance Heating
Electric Resistance Heating is defined as “the heat produced by passing an electric current through a
material that has high resistance.” As the current passes through the material, ohmic losses
(I2R losses) occur. These losses cause the conversion of electrical energy into heat.
There are two methods of electric resistance heating:
1. Direct electric resistance heating
2. Indirect electric resistance heating
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Short Notes for SSC JE SCORE ACADEMY
1. Direct electric resistance heating
In direct electric resistance heating, the current is passed directly through the material that has to
be heated, for example, resistance welding, electrode boiler, salt-bath furnace.
Direct electric resistance heating
Current is passed through the fluid to be heated via electrodes
2. Indirect electric resistance heating
In indirect electric resistance heating, the current is passed through a highly resistive material placed
inside an oven, for example, room heaters, immersion heaters, resistance ovens, domestic and
commercial cooking and heat treatment of metals.
Indirect electric resistance heating
In the indirect resistance heating, the current does not flow through the body to be heated but it flows
through the resistance elements which get heated up. The heat is then transferred from the heating
element to the charge mainly by radiation or convection.
Indirect electric resistance heating
Immersion Heaters (example: of Indirect Resistance Heating)
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Short Notes for SSC JE SCORE ACADEMY
High Frequency Heating
1. Induction Heating
Induction heating is the process of heating an electrically conducting object (usually a metal)
by electromagnetic induction, through heat generated in the object by eddy currents.
An induction heater consists of an electromagnet and an electronic oscillator that passes a
high-frequency alternating current (AC) through the electromagnet. The rapidly
alternating magnetic field penetrates the object, generating electric currents inside the
conductor, called eddy currents. The eddy currents flowing through the resistance of the
material heat it by Joule heating.
An important feature of the induction heating process is that the heat is generated inside the
object itself
Working Principle:
Large AC current are sent through the copper coil. The large current in the coil generate strong
magnetic fields. These magnetic field lines causes cause EDDY currents (electrons to flow internally
within the piece of metal).
Frequency of the magnetic field lines is tuned based on the objects size and material
composition. Properly tuning the pulse frequency causes stronger eddy currents. The natural
electrical resistance of the metal and the strong eddy currents eventually make the metal hot enough
to melt.
Internally what happens in Induction Heating?? Induction Heating
Applications:
1. Heat treatment in metallurgy
2. Zone refining used in the semiconductor industry
3. To melt refractory metals that require very high temperatures.
4. It is also used in induction cook-tops for heating containers of food; this is called induction
cooking.
5. Plastic processing: Induction heating is used in plastic injection moulding machines
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Short Notes for SSC JE SCORE ACADEMY
2. Dielectric Heating (or Electronic Heating or Radio Frequency Heating )
Dielectric heating is the process in which a radio frequency (RF) alternating electric field,
or radio wave or microwave electromagnetic radiation heats a dielectric material. At higher
frequencies, this heating is caused by molecular dipole rotation within the dielectric.
High
Frequency
Supply
In dielectric heating, it is desirable to use HIGH FREQUENCY than high voltage
Dielectric heating involves the heating of electrically insulating materials by dielectric loss.
Frequencies in the range of 10–100 MHz are necessary to cause dielectric heating.
In dielectric heating the heat is produced within the material itself. Because heat generation is
uniform, the dielectric material is heated uniformly. This is the important property of dielectric
heating.
Note: The AC Bridge used to find the dielectric loss / dissipation factor??
Ans: Schering’s Bridge
Applications: (Most number of applications)
1. Preheating of Plastic Preforms ( moulds)
2. Gluing of Wood ( plywood manufacturing ) , furniture industry
3. Baking of foundry cores ( in casting & moulding industry )
4. Diathermy (Dielectric heating is also employed for heating tissues and bones of the body required
for the treatment of certain types of pains and diseases.
5. In agriculture to kill pests
6. Sterilization: The dielectric heating is quite suitable for sterilization of bandages, absorbent cotton,
sterile gauge, instruments
7. Textile Industry
8. Food Processing: The use of dielectric heating for food processing is one of the most modern
methods. It has brought many advantages for the food processing industry
The dielectric heating can be appreciably employed for the following purposes:
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Short Notes for SSC JE SCORE ACADEMY
a. Pasteurising of milk and beer inside bottles.
b. Dehydrating of fruits, milk, cream, vegetables and eggs etc.
c. Cooking of foods without removing the outer shells.
d. Defrosting of frozen foods such as meat and vegetables.
e. Germicidal heating-In dielectric heating process the products do not loose flavour.
Disinfestation of cereals and grains-Dielectric heating may be used to destroy the eggs of insects
and pests saving grains and cereals from damage and also to prevent these eggs, larva or moth
etc. to pass on to cereal processing equipment and develop into dangerous worms later on under
favourable conditions of temperature and humidity.
Note: The cost of the equipment required for dielectric heating is so high that it is employed where
other methods are impracticable or too slow.
Microwave Heating: Above 100 MHz, Dielectric Heating is categorised as Microwave heating.
Modern microwave ovens make use of electromagnetic waves with electric fields of much higher
frequency and shorter wavelength than RF heaters.
Domestic microwave ovens operate at 2.45 GHz - 915 MHz range. This provides for highly
efficient, but less penetrative dielectric heating
Microwave volumetric heating is a commercially available method of heating liquids, suspensions,
or solids in a continuous flow on an industrial scale.
Application for microwave volumetric heating:
Pasteurization
Microwave chemistry
Sterilization
Food preservation
Biofuel production
NOTE: For SSC JE / Sub Engineer level exams, an overall idea of Electric Heating is sufficient
(Please refer to course outline shared in class).
Points indicated in RED should be carefully studied.
Applications of each methods are asked frequently in SSC JE level exams
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