Modular-Pouring Furnace with the Local Granular Media Flow Rates Distributed Between Thermal Zones

The paper presents the results of analytical and experimental studies of the thermal zones in the working space of the modules of an electric pouring furnace. To increase the production rate and reduce the energy content of the work process, the local granular media flows were distributed between such zones depending on their heating. The modular-pouring furnace, equipped with plate accelerators located inside the modules to accelerate the local granular media flows, has been upgraded by adapting a drum dispenser provided with the longitudinal stepped slots having variable depth. Based on the analysis of the incident, effective, and resulting flows in the working spaces of the modules, performed by the methods of algebra of radiant fluxes, the causes of the formation of a non-uniform thermal field on the refractory surfaces of the firing modules were established. The analysis of experimental data, confirming the conclusions of the analytical study, was carried out, and the width of each thermal zone was determined. By comparing the heat quantities absorbed by vermiculite, used as an example, the minimum amount of time required for its particles to travel through each thermal zone and the average local velocities of the particles within such zones were determined. It was shown that the nature of the distribution of the average local velocities of vermiculite flows between the thermal zones is nonlinear. The local and overall production rates of the furnace were determined with the latter (equal to 0.95 m³/sec) being 27% higher compared to a prototype pilot furnace under equal power consumption.