Rapid simulation models for aluminium furnaces design

Abstract

The minimisation of energy consumption in aluminium metal casting industries requires an appropriate design of the furnaces to reduce as possible the heat losses through the walls. Detailed simulation models have been developed that allow the in-depth study of furnace behaviour, but these models are too complex and slow for some industrial necessities. To make possible a fast evaluation during preliminary phases more agile models are needed. This agility may be achieved by simplified models, but the results could be affected by a lack of accuracy. The work presented hereafter shows how the steady state analysis of the furnace walls with simplified models of finite elements may give sufficiently accurate and fast results. The simulation models have been validated against experimental results, thus confirming their ability to adequately reproduce the thermal behaviour of the walls of several furnaces regardless of their composition or heating system.

Keywords:

• Metal casting
• furnace
• aluminium
• energy
• heat transfer
• numerical simulation
• finite elements

Acknowledgements

The help of the personnel involved in experimental tests is kindly acknowledged, with special mention to Igotz Arocena from GIS and David Eguizabal from TECNALIA.