Analytical, numerical and experimental validation of induction heating of different materials using pancake coil for E-waste treatment application

<jats:p>The rapid growth of electronic waste (E-waste) poses significant environmental and health risks due to the presence of hazardous elements such as heavy metals and toxic compounds. Efficient and controlled processing methods are therefore essential to ensure safe recycling and material recovery. This study investigates the use of induction heating as an effective technique for the removal of components from waste printed circuit boards (WPCB). A pancake-shaped induction coil and disc-shaped workpieces were considered, with copper, aluminum, and stainless steel employed as workpiece materials. Analytical formulations were used to estimate the equivalent parameters across different frequencies (10–50 kHz). Analytically estimated parameters were compared with measured values, and the results showed strong agreement. Induction heating being a multiphysics phenomenon, combining electromagnetism and heat transfer. Mathematical modeling was carried out using Maxwell’s equations for electromagnetism and Fourier’s equation for heat transfer. A three-dimensional geometry of the coil and workpiece was employed to accurately simulate the heating process. Numerically obtained workpiece temperatures were validated against experimental results, demonstrating close correlation. An experiment was conducted to demonstrate that induction heating is a simple, efficient, and environmentally friendly technique for the removal of electronic components from PCBs.</jats:p>