Heating Furnace Closed Gas Heater Reflection Plate

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional heating furnaces experience non-uniform temperature distribution in the furnace main body due to radiation from the wall surfaces, leading to decreased thermal efficiency when attempting to increase heating power near the walls.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a closed gas heater system with a premixing type configuration, where natural gas and air are mixed before combustion, and a specific structure including a disposition plate, outer circumferential wall, partition plate, and heating plate, which absorbs thermal expansion differences and reduces stress, allowing for efficient heat transfer and radiant heating without increasing fuel gas usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the heating power of the gas heater is increased to raise the temperature in the vicinity of the wall surface, then the temperature distribution in the furnace main body becomes more uniform, but the fuel gas consumption increases and thermal efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature distribution uniformityVSAvoidthermal efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The invention captures the harmful radiant heat that would otherwise be lost to the furnace wall and redirects it back into the furnace main body through the reflection plate. The reflection plate reflects the radiant heat from the wall surface back toward the center of the furnace, converting what was previously a loss (heat radiating outward) into a beneficial effect (heating the workpiece and improving temperature uniformity without additional fuel consumption).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies a localized solution by installing a reflection plate only in the region where radiant heat loss occurs (near the gas heater and wall surface). This localized intervention redirects heat specifically in the problematic area without requiring system-wide changes or increased overall heating power, thereby maintaining thermal efficiency while improving local temperature distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Temperature

If the heating power of the gas heater is increased to compensate for heat loss, then the temperature in the vicinity of the wall surface is increased, but the radiation amount to the outside of the furnace main body is increased and thermal efficiency is decreased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewall surface temperatureVSAvoidradiation loss
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The reflection plate converts the harmful outward radiation into a beneficial effect by reflecting it back into the furnace. The plate is positioned to intercept radiant heat that would otherwise escape and redirect it toward the furnace center, thereby reducing net radiation loss and improving thermal efficiency while maintaining or enhancing wall surface temperature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The reflection plate acts as an intermediary element between the heat source (gas heater) and the furnace environment. It intercepts radiant heat energy and redirects it, serving as a mediator that transforms the direction of heat flow from outward (loss) to inward (useful heating), thereby reducing radiation loss without requiring increased heating power.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration achieves uniform temperature distribution within the furnace main body while maintaining high thermal efficiency by effectively utilizing exhaust heat for preheating the fuel gas and reducing radiation losses.

Implementation Method 1

a disposition plate, outer circumferential wall, partition plate, and heating plate, which absorbs thermal expansion differences and reduces stress

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 2

transfer radiant heat from the heated duct to the burning target

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadiant heat transfer: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 3

effectively utilizing exhaust heat for preheating the fuel gas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentEP2754985B1Heating furnace and continuous heating furnace
Publication Date: 2020.09.30 IHI CORP
  • EP2754985B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2754985B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2754985B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A heating furnace includes a target space (212a) in which a burning target is disposed, and a furnace main body (212) that surrounds the target space. The heating furnace includes one or more closed gas heaters having an introduction hole configured to introduce a fuel gas into the main body, a combustion chamber in which the introduced fuel gas is combusted, a discharge section to which an exhaust gas generated by combustion is guided, a radiation surface heated by the exhaust gas flowing through the discharge section or combustion in the combustion chamber and configured to transfer radiant heat to the burning target, and an exhaust hole configured to exhaust the exhaust gas that heats the radiation surface to the outside of the main body, and disposed in the furnace main body, and an exhaust heat transfer section (an insulated pipe (222a)) in communication with the exhaust hole of the closed gas heater and to which the exhaust gas is guided. In addition, the exhaust heat transfer section is installed at any portion in the furnace main body except for a radiation space (212b) formed between the closed gas heater and the burning target disposed in the target space and configured to transfer the radiant heat to the burning target.