Electric Shock Risk for Thermocouple Measurement in Induction Furnaces

[roro36]

Where I work, we have a lot of aluminium induction furnaces. The guys measure the temperature of the melt using a thermocouple straight in. The melt is effectively a single winding of a transformer coil hich has mass currents flowing through it to melt the metal. The guys who stick the thermocouple in, are they at risk of electric shock?

 

[mdjensen22]

From my experience with control systems for smelting plants, I believe that everything is typically double insulated so that this risk of shock is avoided. One way I was taught to think of it is kind of like birds on power lines. If the circuit isn't closed, there is no risk of shock. As a fun side-note, in smelting systems, it is not uncommon for buss bars carrying several Amperes of current to be walked on due to everything being insulated.