New approach to design combustion systems for modern industrial furnaces

During the last decade, performance requirements for reheating and heat-treating industrial furnaces have become steadily more challenging. CapEx still maintains its predominant importance but OpEx has become a driving factor in the decision for new investments. Operating costs (energy cost, manpower for operation of the plant along the entire working period as well as manpower scheduled and unscheduled for maintenance) represent a continuous economical effort nowadays, too important to be forgotten before investment green light. Furthermore, reducing energy consumption and maximising plant yield will definitely reduce pollution, thus respecting new stringent regulations all over the world. When possible, the market requires maximising the use of residual gases produced in reducing and melting processes, in order to minimise fuel purchases. In this new scenario a global player in industrial furnace design has to continuously improve performances in its core know-how: combustion technique and related control.