Proceedings of

2000 International Joint Power Generation Conference

Miami Beach, Florida, July 23-26, 2000
z

Proceedings of
2000 International JointIJPGC2000-15082
Power Generation Confeence
July 23-26, 2000, Miami Beach, Florida
Copyright 2000 by ASME

The Optimization for the Reheating Furnace with the Technique of the
Highly Preheated Air Combustion
Masao UEDE
Morihiko IMADA

Kazuhisa TANAKA
Kouji MURAKAMI

Chugai Ro Co.,Ltd. R&D Div. Kyoumachibori 2-4-7,Nishi-ku Osaka, 550-0003,JAPAN

http://www.ch ugai.co.jp
ABSTRACT

ka; gas absorption coefficient k~; gas scattering coefficient

Recently the technology of highly air combustion uses widely

industrial fields. Because we could find the new combustion
field in which flame can keep in low 02 concentration with
highly preheated air without higher NOx emission. We applied
HiTAC for the reheating furnace. At first we studied the
optimization for the reheating furnace dimension by CFD. As
the result, furnace height and burner pitch were optimized and
concluded that 2-2.5m were suitable under the condition of
standard furnace width 12 m and standard combustion quantity
240 kW/m 2 respectively and it was made clear that the
limitation of the furnace capacity to furnace width. And we also
analyzed transient stage in order to understand non-steady
phenomenon of it. Finally we compare the high performance
furnace to apply the regenerative burner and conventional one
in full-scale furnace analysis. The heat flux in the pre-heating
zone for these furnaces is almost at the same level but the fuel
consumption for the high performance fiarnace is 30% less than
the conventional one.

s ; distance in the f2 direction sij ; tensor of strain rate

~r ; surface emissivity Pr ; surface reflectivity
/z ; molecular kinematic viscosity
# t; eddy kinematic viscosity
O'k, o , , C~ l , C~2, C~3 and C~4 :Empirical coefficients

MATHEMATICAL MODEL
Thermal fluid analyzing code STAR-CD, which adopts finite
volume method. For turbulent fluid field calculation it adopts
k- method, and for combustion calculation it adopts the PDF
(probability density function) model. The radiation from wall
and gas were taken into account with DTRM model.
k- ~ m o d e l )

The high Reynolds numbers forms of the k and ~ equations

are following.
1 0

~teff Ok

Oui

INTRODUCTION

. . . . (1)

The action plan for greenhouse gas reduction based on the

Agenda21 at the Brazil summit in 1992 is realizing through the
discussion at COP3 and COP4. NEDO in Japan entrusted the
development of the high performance industrial furnace project
"to JIFMA(Japan Industrial Furnace Manufactures Association)
from 1993 to 1999. In this project a lot of research and
experiment were achieved to get a goal which is to carry out
30% energy saving, NOx reduction and down sizing of furnaces
simultaneously. We show some results in the project by using
CFD.

r~ Ot

O~j')

....

o,.
P~2s/j-::a-'--(4) P B . . g i . 1. 8 p.
axj

~ h , t P Oxi

(2)

(5)

PDF m o d e l (2)
The reaction rate is considered infinite. Scalar 4, such as
density and concentration of certain chemical species are
determined uniquely in accordance with the mixture fraction of
oxidant and fuel. The fluctuation of this mixture fraction is
assumed to be able to describe by the/3 -function.

~f~ ; determinant of metric tensor

E s; black-body emissive power of gas at temperature Ts

j, ; total radiation flux

PuJ~ - ~

/~eff = P + P t --(3)

NOMENCLATURE

Fij; view factor

Oui

o-; Stefan Boltzman constant

1,; total incident radiation flux

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Copyright (C) 2000 by ASME

~ d~qp(f )clf

~ =

where p(f)=

. . . . (6)

f"-'(1-f)

te

b-'

[~f'-'O-f)~-'df

b ~ 0 - f ) a .... (9)
f

.... (7) a ~ ~ - [ f O - f ) - g , ]

.... (8)

COG
i
~=

gf = p2 .... (1 O)

--

4;.

f and its square fluctuation gf are following.

D"
~

f,t

Jk

0 (p g)

a~

j)

type A burner
COO

+.___~_(p lz__~.Og.~.'~=2.___.~.(O.__f._l=Cbo~&
.... (12)

ax, t ~'~ o Ox,) ~ Lax,)

In this model, a transport equation is solved for enthalpy, but

the mass fractions are obtained as in (6)
T h e r m a l Radiation model (a)
The total radian flux Ji leaving surface (wall) i is given by
J i = t;rEB, i +P,Ii .... (13) ~ r + P r = 1 . . . . (14)
EBi = O T i 4 . . . . ( 1 5 )

Ii = ~

FijJj

....

type A' burner

E,t~,=,e#=. = , = ~ 7 =f

(16)

As a beam is traced through the fluid, its radiant intensity / is

incremented by the gas according to the following equation;

dl
ds

I'-

"(k~ +k,)l+ kaEg +ks .[p(_.Q,fE)l(~')dO' .... (17)

n
4n 4n

~f,

type B burner

The energy exchange between radiant beams and gas phases is

added to the gas enthalpy equation as radiation source.

HIGHLY PREHEATED AIR COMBUSTION (4)

type C burner

A t the beginning o f this project, concentration o f 60ppm was

declared as a target of 11%O2 converted NOx emission. Under

the conventional combustion condition, higher preheated air
causes higher NOx emission and it exponentially increasing
against temperature. It was found that 0 2 concentration in the
oxidant affected NOx emission greatly as well as mixing state
of fuel and 02. Lower 0 2 concentration oxidant in the
combustion with highly preheated air can give us stable
expanded flame and lower NOx emission. Practically it was
carried out by separated injection of fuel or self re-circulation of
exhaust gas caused by high momentum injection. Fig.1 shows
schematic drawings of various kind of regenerative burners, and
Fig.2 shows their NOx emission as a function of preheated air
temperature. Type A' burner in which primary air were used
gave almost same NOx value in comparison with conventional
2 staged combustion burner, but the rest of fuel separated
injection burners gave lower 11% 0 2 converted NOx emission
of about 25ppm at 800C preheated air and of about 60ppm at
1000 C respectively. Simultaneous achievement of great
contribution to energy conservation derived from highly
preheated air and lower NOx emission, which usually is trade
off relationship with highly preheated air, was the most
successful technical result.

Fig. 1 Shape of burners

80
70

NOx /PPM (11% O2 Conversion)

60

8 5o

80

j j

'

70

60
-e-typeA
50-m-typeB
30
typeC
typeA
40
.~. 20 -e-Conventional
typeB
30
typeC
z
Conventional
20

o~ 40

10
400
0
400

500

600

jl~

700

800

900

1000

1100

Preheated Air Temperature/C

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

Fig.2 11% 0 2 Preheated

converted
NOx Emission
as
Air Temperature
/
a function of p r e h e a t e d air t e m p e r a t u r e (Fuel = C O G )

Copyright #1f## by ASME

Copyright (C) 2000 by ASME

We also have been optimizing the design of furnace which

are applied to highly preheated air combustion technology and
contributing to energy conservation. Here we report optimizing
method done by computational simulation for furnace
dimension such as height, width and burner pitch. Simulated
zone was upper zone of furnace of side burner type, and
assumed 242kW/m2 of combustion rate per unit effective
hearth area. Fig.3 shows calculation area, which is, installed 2
pair of regenerative burners. In an operation of regenerative
burner, firing burners are made to change it periodically. So the
flow condition in the furnace have transience. Fig.4 shows
temperature distribution for horizontal section at burner center
height in transient analysis. Temperature distribution becomes
steady state in 5 sec after the firing burner changed. Velocity
and scalars are the same as temperature. But wall temperature
delay to become steady state in a few second. Transient analysis
gives heavy load for the CPU. So we considered whether we
can predict the flow for the time average with one side
combustion result. At the result we can predict it with algebra
average.
Fig.5,6 show heat flux ratio as a function of furnace height,
width and burner pitch. Heat flux distribution profile along the
width changes convex to concave as burner pitch is increasing.
Heat flux distribution directly relates to material temperature
distribution. Actually we can expect additional heat input
caused by radiation from side-wall. So the most suitable
heatflux distribution profile will be slightly convex. In the case
of 7m-furnace width, center part of heat flux is small and
average of it is about 9% smaller than the case of 12m furnace
width. It is because that high temperature waste gas reaches to
the opposite wall and exhausts through suction mode burner
due to narrow furnace width. In the case of 10m furnace length,
the heat flux distribution profile is slightly convex and it seems
to get fairly uniform material temperature, but the average of
heat flux is 3% smaller than the case of 12.8m furnace length.
Heat flux distribution for longitudinal direction, as a function of
furnace height, has the peak value at just beneath of burner and
it is reducing as the distance from burner.

At 1.3 m furnace height this amplitude is large, but in the case

of higher than 2m it becomes almost flat. The distribution for
longitudinal direction does not influence to material
temperature distribution as far as operation is steady. However
if mill delay happens and material is stored in the furnace at
same position, local heat may causes. So it is better to have fiat
profile of heat flux distribution even for longitudinal direction.

J Before burner
c
changed
~ 117000
'
Before burner 1500. c
1300.
1
1400.
changed
0.1 sec
lZ00
1100.

L
--

1sec

5sec
Fig.4 Temperature distribution for horizontal section
1.20
1.15
o

~ 1.10
=x

I1w=,2.Sm 1

~-~

1.20

~ v'X, [ '~=!0m [

0.90 1.00

~P=2.Sm~ / /

0.85 0.95

0.85 1

=7m ]

P=2.5m

0.80 0.90
2

0.80

r i

4 P=3m
5
6
7
8
Furnace Width/m

9 W=7m
10 11

12

13

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 11
Fig.5 0Relationship
between
furnace
width
Furnace Width /m
and heat flux ratio

1.12

-2

. . . . . . . .

H=1.3m

1.08
1.06
1.04
1.02
1.00
0.98

J
-1.5
-2

IiFig.3 Calculation areaIq "

002
-1

--0.5

0.96
0
0.94

0.5

Burner Pitch(Furnace
0.92 length)/m
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5

1.5
1

1.5

Fig.6 Relationship
between burner pitch
Burner Pitch(Furnace length) /m
and heat flux ratio

12 13

i
~=l.3m

q1.10
r/x,
Total Heatflux Ratio

W=10m

1.00 1.10
0.95 1.05

ii ......... ti

W=12.8m

P=2m

1.05 1.15

900.0

1see 0.5sec

L.

....
4 4~

1000.
000,0
700.0
000.0
500.0
400.0
300.0

0.1sec
0.5see

r~

Total Heatflux Rratio

OPTIMIZATION FOR FURNACE DESIGN (4)

Copyright #### by ASME

Copyright (C) 2000 by ASME

Fig.7,8 show average heat flux as a fimction of furnace height

and burner pitch respectively. In the case of 2m burner pitch,
we have the peak value of heat flux at 2.0m to 2.5m furnace
height. In the rest of the cases, heat flux is increasing simply as
furnace height is increasing. For both case we expects the peak
value at higher than 3m fumace height. The absolute value of
heat flux tends to decreasing as the burner pitch is increasing. It
is because that the angle factor between burner flame and
material surface is changing to smaller. The heat flux for the
lower furnace height is also decreasing because that the higher
temperature waste gas is exhausted for out of the furnace before
utilizing in the furnace due to the decreasing the area for
recirculation. Actually we conformed higher waste gas
temperature at the outlet for lower furnace height.

predict to occur some problems. Actually soot problem

occurred. Then we changed the burner arrangement from
staggered to faced and the fuel velocity at the inlet. Soot
problem relates CO concentration in the furnace. Fig. 10 shows
CO ratio as a function of fuel gas velocity at suction burner for
various air ratio and combustion rate. When fuel gas velocity is
increasing, CO concentration is decreasing for any air ratio and
combustion rate. This may come from the reason that increasing
of fuel velocity promote to diffuse for fuel then combustibility
is improved. So we changed velocity for fuel gas. Actually soot
problem was solved.
8000
8000
7000
7000
@/kW@

154000
154000

~ 152000
152000

150000
150000

u.~ 148000
148000

6000
6000

.O~ 5000
5000

Burner Capacity

Average Heat Flux /w/m^2

@

156000
156000

146000
146000

C
ap.=500 /
--o-P=2.0
P=2.0 @
Cap.=500

144000
144000

-E- P=2.5
P=2.5 Cap.=650
Cap.=650

142000
142000

Actual1
Actual1
......
Actual2
Actual2
" Actual3
Actual3
......
Imaginary
Imaginary Cap.
Cap.
CFD

'

2.5

. . . . . .

.....

1. . . . .
,,

~. . . . . .

i
:
i

:
....... i
i

i ;i

~' . . . . . . .
,
I
,,

~,~'"

22

44

.....

~
,,

.....

i ......

8
66
8
Furnace
Width
/m
Furnace Width /m

146000
144000

144000

CO ratio
@

.o

~
~

~
,

.......

i .....

.' . . . . . . .

i .....

10
10

12
12

14
14

1
.3_100%

u
1.3100%
1
.1_100%
/J
1.1_100%
1
.0_100%

~t
1.0_100%
1.3_50%

tz 1.3_50%
1.3_30%

# 1.3_30%
1.1_30%

/~ 1.130%

0.8
0.8

1500OO
150000

.....

i .......

11

~ 152000
152000

u. 148000
148000

':
-~.

:
, " 1
. . . . . * ir-'---~,i,~ . . . . . . .
~~ / :

1.2
1.2

154OOO
154000
Average Heat Flux /W/m^2
@

':

~ .......

Fig.9 Relationship between furnace width

and burner capacity

1~0
156000

-*'-h=1.3
h=1.3 __
~ .4-h=2
h=2
h=2.2
h=2.2 - I -~'-h=2.5
h=2.5
"~'-h=3
h=3 - -

0.6
0.6
v

0.4
0.4

142000

142000

140000
Cap./MW
140000 Burner
Burner Cap. /MW
1.5
1.5

;:

ii .....

Furnace Height /m
/m
@

Fig.7 Relationship between furnace height

and heat flux

:~
J ......

0
0
0

1.5
1.5

.....
.

2000
2000

140000
140000
1

3000
3000

1000
1000

P=3.0
-4-p:
:3.0 Cap.=750

A,,,,v/

4000
4000

" " Approximate

App'ro~mate

0.2
0.2
5.8
5.8
22

@ @@ @@ @@

7.l
@ @7.5

2.5
2.5
Burner
Burner Pitch/m
Pitch /m

8.;
v
8.7
33

00

33.5
.5

00

Fig.8 Relationship between burner pitch

and heat flux

20
20

40
60
80
40
60
80
gas velosity
v
m
@elosity m/s
@ /s
gas

100
100

120
120

Fig.10 CO ratio as a function of fuel gas velocity

Fig.9 shows burner capacity as a function of furnace width.

Among the burner capacity of real furnace application, we
selected the operating value, which causes no problem actually
and expected upper limit. It are shown as the data of actual l
and the dashed line, which is an proximate curve when the
relation is assumed to express the equation of Q=aX", where Q
is maximum combustion rate, X is furnace width and a is
constant. The data of actual2 are the value from FT project(s)
installation, and Imaginary cap. indicates as the solid line,
which is expected by this study. The both curves are fairly
matched. However actual3 over the imaginary cap., we can

FULL SCALEL ANALYSIS (4)

We compare the actual design of high performance furnace to
which highly preheated air combustion is applied and
conventional furnace, and as well as both of computational
simulation.
Fig.ll,12 show fiarnace temperature distribution for both
furnaces. Here, we assumed a longitudinal firing type furnace
equipped with conventional burners as conventional type, and a
side firing type furnace equipped with regenerative burner as
high performance furnace (This furnace is commissioning

Copyright #### by ASME

Copyright (C) 2000 by ASME

now). Both model include material handling mechanism in their

bottom zone. Fig.13,14 show heat flux as a function of distance
from furnace entry and corresponding furnace temperature. In
the conventional furnace we have a peak furnace temperature at
the point 10m from entry side where is closed to burners. To
compare with it fiarnace temperature increase more rapidly in
the high performance furnace, so we have a peak at the point
closer to entry. Heat flux for both furnaces are almost same, but
combustion rate in the No.1 and No.2 preheat zone for high
performance furnace is about 70% of the conventional one.
This means 30% of energy saving can be achieved in the high
performance furnace to which highly preheated air combustion
is applied in comparison with conventional one of same
capacity.

Treatment Cap. 260000kg/h

Length 31m Width 12.8m
Height Upper 2.6m
Lower 2.3m

Sym.
Sym. plane
p l

Treatment Cap. 180000kg/h

Treatment
Cap.Width
180000kg/h
Length 31m
8.3m
Length
I - l ~ i o h t l31m
i n n e t Width
9 9 m 8.3m
Height Upper 2.2m
Lower 2.2m

1 1 1 1 6 5 0

i 750

Heating
Zone
No2. Preheating
Zone
No1. Preheating
Zone

~ t65o
i
- ~ 7so

Soaking
Zone

r vo in,

Traveling
direction

e
ing zone

Heating
teating zone
zone
Preheating zone
zone
Preheating

Fig.12 Temperature distribution for high performance

furnace
4450
50
,

1400
4oo

Temperature /

11200
200

~ 11000
000
8800
00 . . . . . . .

Fig.ll Temperature distribution for

conventional furnace

___J__

_k___J

i ___L

'

.~_,..~

400
4O0

t . .......
~ ~, ..,,.,.,,~?~-~,~--~
V. . . .--,--~;~"
:

200
200

.... !

00 "

'

00

11

22

33

44

55

J LL ,
.a:.;V.--.

__'_~__tL

:~.

..............

~
,~,=-,,~
.

!---: ......

:: i

! .......

',

',

66 77 88 99
Distance
D
i s t a n c e / m/m

',

400
,oo
350

furnace center temp.

3.19m from side-wall temp.
0.1m from side-wall temp
furnace center heat flux
3.19m from side-wall heat flux
0.1m from side-wall heat flux
average heat flux

E 6600
00

300
2250
50

Heat flux /kW m^2

1600
1600

j
-. . . . .

2200
00-

.....

150
15o I

100
100
,

550
0

10
1 0 11
11 12
12 13
13 14
14

Fig.13 Temperature and heat flux distribution for

furnace length in conventional furnace

Copyright #4/## by ASME

Copyright (C) 2000 by ASME

60of 450

Fig.15,16 shows schematic drawing of the conventional 285t/h

slab re-heating furnace and high performance filrnace. The
standard slab dimension for the design is same for both
furnaces and it is 255mm thick, 960ram wide 9016ram long.
Main changed specification for high performance type is as
follows.
1) Average outlet temperature of slab section is reducing by
35C and it is 1220C.
2) Insulation material of ceiling and sidewall changes to
ceramic fiber from castable refractory.
3) Preheated air temperature is increasing from 450 C to
1175C, and heat transfer assumed to be increasing by 10%.
4) Air ratio is changing to 1.05 from 1.2 to adopt precise
controlling of combustion.
5) Furnace height and depth from hearth line are reducing to
1.8m and 2m respectively
Because of these changing following results can be given.
1) Required dwelling time is shortened from 2.3h to 1.8h.
2) Effective furnace length is reducing from 38m to 30m and
hearth coverage is increasing to 1054kg/m2h from 832 kg/m2h.
3) Fuel consumption is decreasing to 1.005GJ/t from 1.444GJ/t
and can be cut by 30%.

450

400
400

1400

~1000
,9,
,~ 8 0 0

250
250

:: :: i

E 600

',

200

::

Furnace Temp.Approx.Upper
Furnace Temp.Approx.Lower
Wall Temp.Approx.Upper
Wall Temp.Approx.Lower
Heat Flux Approx.Upper
Heat Flux Approx.Lower

400
200
Buffer

0
0

No1PreHeat

150

100
100 I
50
50

No2Pre Heat

Distance/m

Heat Flux /kW/m^2

350
350
300
300~

1200

00

10 11 12 13 14

Fig.14 Temperature and heat flux distribution for

furnace length in the high performance furnace

APPLICATION TO REAL FURNACES (4)

~ j~.L
~,.
,,j,.T tTT l . l l T r

"

IT !',T".'T'~'[! T [ ' . l : ' [ l l

~l_li_~=l~]il,l,~t~l,,i*ldel ,i qo t,l. Id ]
--

'

--~

i ~ 5

....

CONCLUSION
We could make clear the most suitable furnace dimension
for the high performance furrmce with CFD and carry out 30%
energy cut, NOx reduction and down sizing of furnaces
simultaneously. The contribution result to energy conservation
and against global warming will come soon.

m l . ~

~ ~:, ! : " . ' , '

Fig.15 285t/h conventional slab reheating furnace

2_-

iF

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was supported by New Energy and Industrial
Technology Development Organization under the contract
project of New Industrial Furnaces of Higher Thermal
Efficiency.

ia+++~**l++*,i,

lilll IIIq + I~ '~JJ~lL;~i.~~ + I *il+l n I fill

REFERENCES
(1) E1 Tahry, S.H. 1983 " k - e equation for compressible
reciprocating engine flows",AIAA J.Energy,7,No.4,pp.345-353
(2) Richardson, J.M.,and Howard,H.C., and Smith,R.W. 1953.
"The relation between sampling tube measurements and
concentration fluctuation in a turbulent gas jet" 4 th Syrup. on
Combustion, p.184
(3) Lockwood, F.C., and Shah,N.G. "A new radiation solution
method for incorporation in general combustion prediction
procedures", Proc. 18th Syrup. on Combustion Institute. 1981.
(4) NEDO "Annual report of New Industrial Furnaces of Higher
Thermal Efficiency" 1993-1999
(5) NEDO " Annual report of Field Test for Evaluation of High
Performance Industrial Furnace "1999

Fig.16 285t/h high performance slab reheating

furnace
What the final shapes are when technical is applied to real
furnace was also investigated for various kinds of furnace. This
is an example 285t/h slab re-heating furnace. For this furnace,
regenerative burner is applied to get highly preheated air.
Ceramic fiber lining is also applied and tried to maintain lower
wall heat loss and small heat inertia for individuality in
controlling of each combustion zone. In re-heating furnaces
applying of regenerative burner can reduce furnace length
without increasing of waste gas loss because we can increase
the temperature of inlet zone with keeping higher recovery rate
from waste gas.

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Copyright (C) 2000 by ASME