The Investigation of Furnace Operating Characteristics Using the Long Furnace Model

Shuaibu Ndache MOHAMMED Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria shuaibu_mohammed@yahoo.com

Abstract This work reports the results o the !umerical e"aluatio! o some ur!ace operati!# characteristics by use o the $lo!# ur!ace model%. The ur!ace characteristics co!sidered i!clude the ur!ace output& e icie!cy& heat i!put& stock emissi"ity a!d li!e speed. '! this a!alysis& it is ou!d that the computed wall to stock "iew actors di er rom those obtai!ed by #raphical method i! the ra!#e o ( ) (.*+,. This su##ests that computed results could be used with co! ide!ce. The e ects o stock emissi"ity o! both the ur!ace e icie!cy a!d output i!creased as the ur!ace -o!es i!crease. .ur!ace per orma!ces are i! lue!ced by the heat i!put to the e!closure with the ma/imum per orma!ce bei!# at a heat i!put o 0((k1. 't was ou!d i! all a!alyses that the hi#her the !umber o ur!ace -o!es& the better will be the ur!ace per orma!ce. Keywords 2o!# .ur!ace Model& Stock Emissi"ity& Absorbi!# Medium& Mea! 3eam 2e!#ths& E icie!cy& Output& Heat '!put& Number o 4o!es

Introduction '! hi#h temperature ur!aces& that is& abo"e about 5((67 89(0:;<& radiatio! ca! be the domi!a!t mode o heat tra!s er a!d a co!siderable e ort has bee! e/pe!ded i!

de"elopi!# methods o estimati!# rates o radiati"e heat e/cha!#e i! these ur!aces. The methods are also "alid or lower temperatures but i! these cases& combi!ed e ects o co!"ecti"e a!d radiati"e heat tra!s er must be take! i!to accou!t. The calculatio!s e!able ur!ace per orma!ce to be predicted rapidly a!d reliably without usi!# e/perime!tal ur!aces& thus a"oidi!# i!here!tly lar#e costs o the latter 8=ray a!d Muller& 9>0*<. '! 9>5+& Tucker obser"ed that i! systems with lar#e temperature #radie!ts& subdi"isio! o the ur!ace i!to -o!es may be !ecessary a!d the "ariatio!s o emissi"ity a!d?or absorpti"ity will be re@uired o"er a ra!#e o beam le!#ths a!d temperatures. '! 9>0A& Ba!takar a!d Spaldi!# prese!ted a orm o solutio! or the radia!t heat e/cha!#e withi! a! e!closure usi!# the -o!i!# method while utili-i!# the method applied by Hottel a!d 7ohe! 89>C5<. Matsu!#a a!d Hiraoka 89>0A< used e/perime!tal modeli!# or the simulatio! o #as low patter!s i! a reheati!# ur!ace. They obser"ed that co!sideratio! o low patter!s may lead to some desi#! alteratio!s so as to pre"e!t local lame impi!#eme!t a!d co!se@ue!t o"erheati!# o the walls a!d stock. They also co!cluded that model studies are use ul i! assessi!# the de#ree o u!i ormity o heati!# i! ur!aces. The processes i! a ur!ace are hi#hly complicated or e/ample& the low distributio! ca! be turbule!t& three dime!sio!al a!d there is ormatio! a!d e/ti!ctio! o soot co!ti!uously 8lumi!osity<. Thus& comprehe!si"e modeli!# is di icultD howe"er& other less i!"ol"ed models ca! be used to i!"esti#ate ur!ace per orma!ce. Ese ul predictio!s o o"erall ur!ace per orma!ce ha"e bee! obtai!ed with these simple models. These assume that the #as compositio! is u!i orm a!d that the temperatures o the #ases a!d ur!aces remai! i!"aria!t.

Long Furnace Model '! a co!ti!uous ur!ace& stock e!ters o!e e!d at a low temperature a!d emer#es at a hi#h temperature. Thus& there are substa!tial cha!#es i! sur ace a!d #as temperatures alo!# the ur!ace. ' the ur!ace le!#th is lar#e compared to the cross) sectio!al dime!sio!s& temperature #radie!ts will also occur a!d the simplest model to use i! this case is the $plu# low% model. The #ases are assumed to low alo!# the

ur!ace as a plu# with co!sta!t tra!s"erse temperatures a!d compositio!s. The ur!ace #eometry is di"ided i!to sectio!s called -o!es as show! i! .i#ure 9.

Figure 1. A chematic of the !ong Furnace Model Each sur ace a!d the #as "olume withi! each sectio! 8-o!e< is assumed to be isothermal. The le!#th o the i!di"idual sectio!s depe!ds upo! the close!ess with which the temperature #radie!t i! the ur!ace is to be modeled. The simplest orm o calculatio! co!siders each sectio! to be thermally isolated& that is& the bou!daries betwee! each sectio! a!d its !ei#hbours are co!sidered to be adiabatic walls across which there is !o !et heat tra!s er. This model is usually called the $lo!# chamber% or $lo!# ur!ace model%. ' the side walls are totally re lecti!# re ractories& the our walls o the sectio! may be possible to treat the roo i! the same way. The a!alysis the! becomes similar to the well)stirred model& a separate calculatio! bei!# per ormed or each sectio! 8-o!e<. '! additio!& whe! there are si#!i ica!t temperature "ariatio!s throu#hout a! e!closure& it becomes !ecessary to subdi"ide 8co!ceptually< the e!closure i!to lar#e 8!< sur ace -o!es& each -o!e bei!# characteri-ed by the !ear co!sta!cy o its temperature a!d emissi"ity. .or ! sur aces& !A "iew actors ha"e to be determi!ed. Heat tra!s er calculatio!s ca! be carried out by assumi!# thatF Temperature a!d co!ce!tratio!s "ary o!ly alo!# the le!#th o the ur!ace. =aseous radiatio! 8i.e. !o!)lumi!ous lame has small beam le!#th< is !e#lected. 7o!se@ue!tly& each -o!e may be a!aly-ed as ollows 8see i#ure A<F "eat transfer to surface # "eat released $ "eat input from previous section % % "eat lost &y gases flo'ing out of section That isF 89< *in % n+m,p-+Tg%Ti-.N # h'A'+Tg%T'- $ hsAs+Tg%Tswhere n is the -o!e !umber& that is& n # 1, /, 0, 1, a!d N is the total !umber o -o!es. *in or the irst -o!e is assumed to be *in.N a!d that or subse@ue!t -o!es bei!# *in. The i!itial a!d i!al temperatures 8Ti G Tf< o the stock are assumed& while the stock temperature i! each -o!e Ts is calculated as ollowsF "eat input % "eat in e(iting gases # "eat transfer in )one

Ts+i$1- # T2s+i- % 3Ts, i # 1, /, 0, 1, +N$m%1where T s+i- # 4Tf $ Ts+i- -./ a!d 3Ts # +Tf 5 Ti-.+N$m2

Figure /. !ong Furnace 6one "eat 7alance There are two u!k!ow! temperatures& Tg& #as temperature& a!d T'& roo temperature& or each -o!e. A heat bala!ce o! the adiabatic re ractory roo pro"ides a seco!d e@uatio!. The roo a!d stock sur aces may be co!sidered as two parallel pla!es. There ore& 8A'F's9T:' % T:s; . 91.<' $ 1. <s % 1; # h'A'+Tg % T'8A< Heat bala!ce e@uatio!s are the! sol"ed or u!k!ow! #as temperatures. Thus& the temperature distributio! is appro/imated by a series o steps. The shorter the steps& the more accurate the solutio! is. E!e@ual steps ca! be used& or e/ample& short steps i! re#io!s o hi#h temperature #radie!ts or heat release. 7ha!#es i! lame le!#th may be allowed or by alteri!# #as compositio! alo!# ur!ace le!#th. ' radiatio! betwee! di ere!t sectio!s is i#!ored& a si!#le marchi!# solutio! rom the i!itial -o!e is possible a!d this is o te! su icie!tly accurate or practical purposes. Ne"ertheless& e/cha!#e betwee! di ere!t sectio!s ca! be allowed or althou#h the comple/ity o the problem i!creases si!ceF 't is di icult to determi!e e/cha!#e area actorsD E!er#y bala!ce i! each -o!e?sectio! co!tai!s all the #as temperatures a!d !ot Hust the temperature at the -o!e u!der e/ami!atio!. He!ce e@uatio!s must be sol"ed simulta!eously. E@uatio!s 89< a!d 8A< were sol"ed or temperature "alues Tw a!d T# usi!# the modi ied Newto!)Iaphso! method because o the !o!)li!earity o "ariables i! the simulta!eous e@uatio!s.

Furnace fficiency This is obtai!ed as the ratio o the total heat tra!s er to -o!es to the total heat i!put to the ur!ace. That is =th # >*) . *in a!d *) # h'A'+Tg % T'- $ hsAs+Tg % Tsor each -o!e. Furnace Output This is the ratio o the total heat tra!s er to -o!e to the heat co!te!t o stock. 'ts u!it is kilo#ram per seco!d 8k#?s<. That is ?utput # >*) . *c where *c # ,p+Tf 5 TiLine !peed 't is the ratio o ur!ace output to the product o stock cross)sectio!al area a!d the de!sity. That isF peed # output . +As@s'ts u!it is meter per seco!d 8m?s< 8+< 8C< 8*< 8:<

't is there ore e"ide!t that the correct!ess o ur!ace e icie!cy& output a!d li!e speed which are the maHor parameters #o"er!i!# the ur!ace per orma!ce re@uire that the #as a!d roo temperatures be accurately determi!ed.

ffect of an Absorbing Mediu" on the #adiative $eat Transfer within an nclosure ' a! absorbi!# medium is prese!t i! the e!closure described by Mohammed 89>55< is still "alid but Iadiatio! passi!# rom o!e sur ace to a!other is atte!uated by the mediumD a!d 3y "irtue o its temperature& the medium itsel radiates e!er#y to each sur ace. The #o"er!i!# e@uatio!s or this a!alysis areF "i # >nA#1 BAFiACiA $ Mi 80<

where CiA is the tra!smissi"ity o the medium betwee! sur aces i a!d A a!d Mi is the lu/ emitted by the medium which is i!cide!t upo! sur ace i. Mi ca! be writte! as DmE&m so that e@uatio! 80< becomesF "i # >nA#1 BAFiACiA $ DmE&m 85< where Dm is the emissi"ity o the medium a!d E&m is the black)body emissi"e power o the medium. The emissi"ity o the medium is de i!ed byF Dm # 1 % e%+E!ms8>< where !ms is the mea! beam le!#th e"aluated by co!sideri!# the radiatio! rom the medium to the sur ace. The tra!smissi"ity CiA i! e@uatio! 89>b< is de i!ed byF CiA # e%+E!iA89(< where !iA must be determi!ed by co!sideri!# radiatio! rom sur ace i which is tra!smitted to sur ace A. Du!kle 89>+*< has computed "alues o !iA or parallel a!d perpe!dicular plate #eometries. The #eometrical co! i#uratio!s o #reatest i!terest are those or radiatio! betwee! two recta!#les& either parallel or at ri#ht a!#les 8Du!kle& 9>+*D 3e"a!s G Du!kle& 9>+(D Oppe!heim G 3e"a!s& 9>+(<. .or parallel recta!#les with e@ual sides o le!#ths a a!d b a!d spaced a dista!ce c apart 8.i#. :a<& the dime!sio!less mea! beam le!#th parameter !iA # +Far-iA . +a&ci! terms o the ed#e dista!ce ratios F # a.c& G # &.c is #i"e! by !iA # FAriA.a&c # # :.Htan%19FG.I+1 $ F/ $ G/- $ 1.F ln9+F$ I+1$F/ $G/ --. .++I+1 $ F/ -+G $ I+1 $ G/ --; $ 1.G ln9+F $ I+1 $ F/ $ G/ --. .++I+1 $ G/ -+F $ I+1 $ F/ --; $ 1.FG 9I+1 $ F/ - $ I+1 $ G/ - % %1 % I+1 $ F/ $ G/ -; The e@uatio! or the #eometric mea! beam le!#th parameter !iA or recta!#les a& a!d &c at ri#ht a!#les with a commo! ed#e & 8.i#ure :b< is e/pressed i! terms o the le!#th ratios F # a.& a!d G # c.& as ollowsF !iA # FAriA.a&c # 1.H G.F ln 941$ I+1 $ G/- I+F/ $ G/--.+G+1 $ I+1 $ F/ $ G/--; $ a.G ln941$ I+1 $ F/- I+F/ $ G/--. +F+1 $ I+1 $ F/ $ G/--; $ $ 1.0FG9+1 $ G/-0./ $+1 $ F/-0./ $ +F/ $ G/-0./ % +1 $ F/ $ G/-0./; $ $ F.G9I+1 $ F/ $ G/- % I+F/ $ G/- 5 I+1 $ F/-; $ G.F9I+1 $ F/ $ G/- % I+F/ $ G/- 5 I+1 $ G/-; $ 0./9G/.F/ $ F/.G % 1./FG; 89:< 89A< 899<

Figure 0a. Jdentical, Karallel Lectangular Klates

Figure 0&. Touching Jnclined Klates Co"puter %rogra" 1ith the i!creasi!# a"ailability o hi#h speed di#ital computers& atte!tio! has tur!ed to the de"elopme!t o computer pro#rams capable o calculati!# accurately the combustio! withi! ur!aces. The pro#ram or the a!alyses e"aluates the #as a!d wall temperatures o the ur!ace e!closure& Tg a!d T' by calli!# SE3IOET'NE SO2JE. 't& there ore& a!alyses ur!ace per orma!ce while employi!# -o!i!# tech!i@ue. '! all& the pro#ram calls two subrouti!es& "is)a)"i-F SE3IOET'NES SHABEK a!d SO2JE. The parameters were "aried usi!# this pro#ramF 8i< 8ii< 8iii< Number o -o!es& ND Total heat i!put& LLD a!d Stock emissi"ity& Es. #esults and &iscussion ollowi!#

The Long Furnace Model Analysis The !umerical results obtai!ed usi!# the computed wall to stock "iew actors a!d those obtai!ed by #raphical method compare a"orably well with di ere!ce i! "alues ra!#i!# rom ( ) (.*+,D a! i!dicatio! that the prese!t !umerical results ca! be used with co! ide!ce 8see Tables 9 a!d A& respecti"ely<. Ta&le 1. Numerical Lesults for the !ong Furnace Model Analysis 4o!e Heat Tra!s er 8k1< Heat i!put 8k1< Ioo Temp. =as Temp. 8;< 8;< 9 99:.9(5 AA(.((( 9AA9.C>* 9:0>.0A( A 9A+.*+( :A+.5>A 99C5.(9C 9:9A.A5: : 9:>.*09 *A(.*:A 99((.0:0 9A*C.>>5 * 9CA.AA+ C((.>+9 9(*5.:5: 995(.+** C C*.*A* :*5.0:C 5*:.(:: 9(*:.A9( + C(.*+C A>*.:99 0+5.9:+ >9C.00A Ta&le /. Mraphical Lesults for the !ong Furnace Model Analysis 4o!e Heat Tra!s er 8k1< Heat i!put 8k1< Ioo Temp. 8;< =as Temp. 8;< 9 99:.C AA(.( 9A9+ 9:05 A 9A+.C :A+.C 99C: 9:9( : 9:>.: *A(.( 9(>5 9A*C * 9C9.5 C((.0 9(*5 9959 C C*.0 :*5.> 5*9 9(*: + C(.0 A>*.A 0++ >9C '! this a!alysis& the e ects o cha!#es i! some o the ur!ace co!ditio!s were co!sidered. These are discussed belowF Stock Emissivity The e ects o stock emissi"ity o! e icie!cy a!d output are show! o! .i#ures * a!d C respecti"ely& or di ere!t !umber o e icie!cy a!d output. ur!ace -o!es. 't is obser"ed rom all the i#ures that a! i!crease i! stock emissi"ity results i! a correspo!di!# i!crease i!

Figure :. Effect of tocN Emissivity on Furnace Efficiency

Figure O. Effect of tocN Emissivity on Furnace ?utput Heat Input .i#ures + a!d 0 show the e ect o heat i!put o! e icie!cy a!d output or ur!ace -o!es ra!#i!# rom our to !i!e respecti"ely. 't is e"ide!t that a! i!crease i! heat i!put i!itially produces a! i!crease i! the output with sudde! sharp reductio! o! passi!# the peak "alue at a heat i!put "alue o appro/imately 0((k1. The e icie!cy& howe"er& decreases with i!creasi!# "alues o the heat i!put.

Figure P. Effect of "eat Jnput on Furnace Efficiency

Figure Q. Effect of "eat Jnput on Furnace ?utput Number o !ones The e ects o !umber o -o!es o! ur!ace per orma!ce are prese!ted i! .i#ure 5. 't ca! be obser"ed that a! i!crease i! ur!ace !umber o -o!es is accompa!ied by a simulta!eous i!crease i! ur!ace e icie!cy a!d output. He!ce& the more the !umber o -o!e di"isio!s& the better the ur!ace e icie!cy a!d he!ce per orma!ce. Howe"er& or practical purposes the !umber o -o!es ca!!ot be i!creased i!de i!itely. Also& the computer 8a!d he!ce the cost< i!creases with the !umber o -o!es. Thus& it is

esse!tial to predetermi!e 8or stipulate< the ma/imum !umber o -o!es or a!y ur!ace system.

Figure R. Effect of Num&er of 6ones on Furnace Kerformance Mean "eam Lengths '! e"aluati!# the heat tra!s er or the absorbi!# medium& it was !ecessary to determi!e the mea! beam le!#ths or the sur aces. This was carried out a!d the results are as prese!ted i! Table :. 't ca! be obser"ed that the results are symmetrical about the dia#o!al so that 2iH M 2Hi. Ta&le 0. ,omputed urface to urface Mean 7eam !engths 2 9 A : * C + 9 :.*(( A.+A: 9.9A( 9.9A( 9.9A( 9.9A( A A.+A: :.*(( 9.9A( 9.9A( 9.9A( 9.9A( : 9.9A( 9.9A( +.5(( A.C(: (.>+9 (.>+9 * 9.9A( 9.9A( A.C(: +.5(( (.>+9 (.>+9 C 9.9A( 9.9A( (.>+9 (.>+9 C.9(( A.*9A + 9.9A( 9.9A( (.>+9 (.>+9 A.*9A C.9((

Conclusions This work is based o! the applicatio! o the $lo!# ur!ace model% which i!corporates computed "iew actors a!d mea!s beam le!#ths that were used i! the

e"aluatio! o e!closures.

radiatio! e/cha!#e withi! recta!#ular !o!)absorbi!# or #as) illed

Also& the a!alysis embarked upo! o! heat tra!s er withi! a ur!ace usi!# simple models such as the $lo!# ur!ace model% could e!able ur!ace beha"ior to be a!aly-ed i! a semi)ri#orous& but probably ade@uate ashio!. 3ased o! all results obtai!ed it became e"ide!tly clear that the model& which is !umerical i! applicatio! ca! ha!dle much more comple/ #eometry?thermal systems withi! a small time i!ter"alD he!ce it is time sa"i!# as compared to the traditio!al #raphical method. The method& there ore& allows or proper ur!ace a!alysis as re#ards the radiati"e heat tra!s er i! a! absorbi!# e!closure. The method ca! also ha!dle di ere!t ur!ace #eometries.

#eferences N9O 3e"a!s P. T.& Du!kle I. J.& Ladiant Jnterchange 'ithin an Enclosure& Pour!al o Heat Tra!s er& Tra!s. ASME& Series 7& Jol. 5A& 9>+(& p. 9)9>. NAO 3ecker H. 3.& A Mathematical olution for Mas%to%surface Ladiative E(change Area for a Lectangular Karallelopiped Enclosure ,ontaining a Mray Medium & ASME& Pour!al o Heat Tra!s er& Jol. >>& 9>00. N:O Du!kle I. J.& Meometric Mean 7eam !engths for Ladiant "eat Transfer ,alculations, Pour!al o Heat Tra!s er& ASME Series& 5+89<& 9>+*& p. 0C)5(. N*O =ray 1. A.& Muller I.& Engineering ,alculations in Ladiative "eat Transfer & Ber#amo! Bress 2td.& Jol. 9:& 9>0*& p. 9)0C. NCO Mohammed S. N.& Mathematical Modeling of Furnaces& Iesearch Ieport& o 'bada!& 'bada!& 9>55. N+O Oppe!heim A. ;.& 3e"a!s P. T.& Meometric Factors for Ladiation "eat Transfer Through an A&sor&ing Medium in ,artesian ,o%ordinates & Pour!al o Tra!s er& Tra!s. ASME& Series 7& "ol. 5A& 9>+(& p. :+():+5. N0O Bata!kar S. J.& Spaldi!# D. 3.& Mathematical Models of Fluid Flo' and "eat Transfer in FurnacesS A Levie'& Baper A& *th Symposium o! .lames a!d '!dustry& 9>0A. N5O Tucker I. P.& Direct E(change Areas for ,alculating Ladiation Transfer in Lectangular Furnace& Pour!al o Heat Tra!s er& ASME& "ol. 9(5& 9>5+& p. 0(0)09(. Heat