Heat Transfer and Energy Analysis of a Pusher Type Reheating Furnace Using Oxygen Enhanced Air for Combustion Original Research Article

Oxy-fuel firing is more energy efficient and environmental friendly than conventional air-fuel firing and its application to reheating furnaces has hegun since 1990s. A computational method was presented to predict the steady heat transfer to the billets and temperature distribution in a continuous pusher type reheating furnace in which combustion air was enhanced by oxygen. Radiation heat flux calculated from the radiation heat exchange within the furnace was modeled using the FVM considering the effects of furnace walls and billets. Energy consumption per ton of steel, production rate and thermal efficiency of furnace, and trend of NOx emission in various levels of oxygen enrichment were investigated by comparing with baseline furnace (21% of O2 in air). The results showed that the best range of oxygen enrichments was between 21% and 45% by volume, as the higher slope of flame temperature and production increase occur in this range. The reduction of energy consumption can be obtained up to 18% per ton of steel for oxygen enrichment of 60% by volume.