Study on Electromagnetic Force Characteristics and Deformation Behavior of Pipe Fittings in Electromagnetic Bulging Loaded by Eddy Current Attraction Effect
Liang Shuai1,2, Qiu Li1,2, Wang Zhonghong3, Fang Chunhua1, Jiang Jinbo1
1. College of Electrical Engineering and New Energy China Three Gorges University Yichang 443002 China;
2. Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Operation and Control of Cascaded Hydropower Station Yichang 443002 China;
3. Shandong Branch of Beijing Anxinyiwei Technology Co.,Ltd. Jinan 250101 China
To improve the axial deformation uniformity in electromagnetic tube bulging (EMTB), a new method is investigated in which a passive conductor is coaxially inserted between the solenoid coil and the target metal tube to exploit an eddy-current attraction effect that reshapes the electromagnetic force distribution during forming. The induced eddy currents in the inserted conductor generate an inward magnetic force on the tube, which counterbalances the natural non-uniformity of the Lorentz forces and expands the region of uniform plastic deformation along the tube’s length. A coupled electromagnetic-solid-thermal finite element simulation model was developed in COMSOL Multiphysics to analyze the proposed configuration. This transient multiphysics model includes the coil, conductor, and tube, and it captures the interaction of the pulsed magnetic field with the conductor and tube, the resulting eddy currents and electromagnetic forces, the structural deformation of the tube, and the Joule heating that occurs in the metals. Using this model, the influence of the conductor’s material properties and geometry on the tube’s deformation behavior was examined through a parameter study. Conductors made of different metals (titanium, copper, and aluminum) and with varying outer diameters (from 29?mm to 34?mm) were simulated to evaluate their effects on the axial distribution of deformation. The simulation results show that introducing the passive conductor fundamentally alters the magnetic pressure profile acting on the tube, producing a more uniform distribution of radial electromagnetic force and thereby leading to a greater extent of uniform bulging. Specifically, the presence of the conductor increases the magnetic pressure applied near the tube ends while slightly reducing the peak pressure at the midsection, relative to the coil-only baseline case without a conductor. This redistribution of force prevents the deformation from concentrating at the center, thus enlarging the length of the tube that deforms uniformly along the axial direction. In all cases examined, the conductor-assisted scheme improved the uniformity of axial deformation compared to the baseline, but the magnitude of improvement depended on the conductor’s material and size. Among the materials tested, titanium exhibited the most pronounced enhancement of the axially uniform deformation zone, while the highly conductive copper and aluminum inserts yielded smaller improvements; this outcome indicates that a material with moderate electrical conductivity and magnetic permeability optimizes the eddy-current attraction effect. Likewise, the conductor’s outer diameter showed an optimal value: both smaller and larger diameters were less effective at expanding the uniform deformation region, with an intermediate size (around 32?mm in this study) maximizing the beneficial force redistribution. Under the optimal configuration identified (a titanium conductor with a 32?mm outer diameter), the length of the axially uniform deformation region increased from about 19.61?mm in the baseline EMTB process to 32.74?mm, approximately a 1.71-fold expansion. This extension of the uniform deformation zone confirms the effectiveness of the conductor insertion approach in mitigating end-localized deformation. Incorporating a passive conductor between the coil and tube is shown to improve the axial deformation uniformity in electromagnetic bulging. The findings underscore the important influence of the conductor’s characteristics in this approach and provide a useful basis for optimizing EMTB process designs to achieve more uniform deformation outcomes.
梁帅, 邱立, 汪仲弘, 方春华, 江进波. 基于涡流吸引效应加载管件的电磁胀形电磁力特性及变形行为研究[J]. 电工技术学报, 0, (): 20250777-20250777.
Liang Shuai, Qiu Li, Wang Zhonghong, Fang Chunhua, Jiang Jinbo. Study on Electromagnetic Force Characteristics and Deformation Behavior of Pipe Fittings in Electromagnetic Bulging Loaded by Eddy Current Attraction Effect. Transactions of China Electrotechnical Society, 0, (): 20250777-20250777.
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