KitchenAid GIC3051X, Technical Education, Page: 15 / 44

3-1
PRODUCT OPERATION
Understanding The Makeup Of A Magnet
Metals are available to us in many different
shapes and make-up. Copper, Cast Iron,
Tin, Aluminum, Stainless steel and so on.
They are all made up of positive and
negatively charged electrons that distinguish
metals from each other. In some materials
it is possible for the positive and negatively
charged electrons to end up more or less
aligned. These electrons tend to separate
into distinct areas of the material, called
"domains". So, in some metals, all the
positively charged electrons are grouped
together and the negatively charged
electrons are in another domain, separated
from the each other. This is the makeup of
a magnet. Because the metal has defined
positive and negative domains, it is possible
to make the two metals attract each other.
This is done by using the positively charged
electrons of one metal and placing them in
contact with the negatively charged electrons
of another piece of metal. Let's remember,
at one time in science class, we were taught
that opposites attract. On the other hand, if
you try to stick the metals together by using
the positively charged side of one metal and
the positive side of a second piece of metal,
they will resist each other and make it im-
possible to put them together. Try it with two
magnets, in one direction the magnets stick
together because the negative electrons
of one magnet are attracted to the positive
charged electrons in the other magnet. But if
you try to put the magnets together with the
positive side of one magnet and the positive
side of another magnet, it can’t be done.
This is the theory behind induction
cooking. We need to use the electrons in
metals to create movement, friction and re-
sistance causing heat. We talk about using
ferromagnetic pots and pans to cook with
induction. What is ferromagnetic metal?
Metals with randomly arranged positive and
negatively charged electrons in no
particular order (as shown below), providing
the characteristic of a magnet but have no
net magnetic ability. Because of that
make-up, a ferromagnetic metal will attract to
both the positive and the negative sides of a
magnetic, meaning a magnet will attract or
stick to ferromagnetic metal, but the
ferromagnetic material will not attract other
metals by itself. If we provide a stimulus to
ferromagnetic metals, and arrange the
electrons so that they form domains,
ferromagnetic pots and pans have the
potential to work very well within a magnetic
field.
Let's look at the set-up. The system will
include a glass cooktop, Induction coils, a
frequency converter, an insulator between
the coils and glass cooktop and a
ferromagnetic piece of cookware.
You can see in the ferromagnetic pan the
positive and negative electrons move around
freely. By providing a very strong electrical
stimulus into the system (240 VAC), we can
arrange the electrons in the pan to have the
characteristics of a magnet. Remember,
opposites attract and by providing voltage,
the positive and negative charges in the
induction coil create a tremendous magnetic
field.
By providing a very strong electrical stimulus
into the system (240 VAC), we can arrange
the electrons in the pan to have the
characteristics of a magnet.
Figure 1
Theory Of Induction Cooking