3-D optimal design of laminated yoke of billet heater for rolling wire rod using ON/OFF

The optimization method using the ON/OFF sensitivity analysis has an advantage that an epoch-making construction of magnetic circuit may be obtained. Therefore, it is attractive for designers of magnetic devices. We have already developed the ON/OFF method for the optimization of a static magnetic field problem, and the effectiveness is verified by applying it to the optimization of magnetic recording heads. In this paper, the ON/OFF sensitivity method is extended to the optimization of the eddy current problem using the adjoint variable. The newly developed ON/OFF method is applied to the determination of the optimal topology of the yoke of the billet heater for rolling wire rod. As a result, the optimal shape of yoke, which we could not imagine beforehand can be obtained. It is shown that the local heating of the yoke was reduced without decreasing the heating efficiency.