Layered Feed Preheating Chamber for Melting Furnace Flue Gas Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high-temperature flue gas in copper production is directly discharged, leading to energy waste and loss, as existing systems fail to effectively utilize the heat from the flue gas for preheating feedstock in melting furnaces.
Innovation Solution
A high-temperature flue gas recovery apparatus with a preheating chamber and multiple layers of buffer mechanisms, where high-temperature flue gas heats the feedstock through gaps between buffer elements, allowing for extended stay time and multiple preheating stages, enhancing energy utilization and melting efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If high-temperature flue gas is directly discharged after waste gas treatment, then waste gas treatment is simplified, but energy is wasted due to loss of heat in the flue gas
Solution Approach 1:
The preheating chamber is divided into multiple layers with buffer mechanisms arranged in an upper-lower sequence. Each layer independently buffers and releases feedstock, creating segmented heating zones that allow progressive preheating while maintaining system modularity and manageable complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The feedstock is preheated in advance within the preheating chamber using high-temperature flue gas before being discharged into the melting furnace. This preliminary heating action recovers waste heat energy and reduces the energy burden on the melting furnace
2Productivity
If feedstock is fed in large quantity at once, then production efficiency is improved, but accurate control of feed rate and amount becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer mechanism is divided into multiple layers, each capable of independently buffering and releasing feedstock. This segmentation allows the system to process large quantities of feedstock overall while maintaining precise control over the feed rate by regulating the discharge from each individual layer
Solution Approach 2:
Each buffer element can dynamically switch between a buffer state (horizontally disposed to retain feedstock) and a discharge state (inclinedly disposed to release feedstock). This dynamic control enables flexible adjustment of feed rate while maintaining high productivity
3Use of energy by stationary object
If feedstock is not preheated, then the preheating system is simplified, but energy consumption of the melting furnace increases
Solution Approach 1:
The high-temperature flue gas, which would otherwise be wasted and discharged, is converted into a useful heating medium. The flue gas flows through the preheating chamber to heat the feedstock on the buffer elements, transforming waste heat into beneficial thermal energy that reduces melting furnace energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The preheating chamber serves multiple functions: it acts as a heat recovery device, a preheating furnace, and a feedstock delivery system. By integrating these functions into a single apparatus, the system reduces overall energy consumption without proportionally increasing complexity
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
The apparatus increases waste heat recovery rate and energy utilization ratio by preheating feedstock effectively, reducing energy consumption and production costs while ensuring accurate control of feedstock feed rate and amount.
Implementation Method 1
the high-temperature gas accessing the preheating chamber may pass through respective layers of the buffer mechanisms from down to top via the gaps to heat the feedstock on respective layers of the buffer mechanisms
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a high-temperature flue gas recovery apparatus for a melting furnace, which relates to copper production, including a preheating chamber and a feeding mechanism, a lower end of the preheating chamber being in communication with a feeding port of the melting furnace, the feeding mechanism being disposed above the preheating chamber to deliver feedstock into the preheating chamber, a plurality of layers of buffer mechanisms layered in an upper-lower manner being provided in the preheating chamber, each layer of the buffer mechanism including a buffer element and a drive element, the drive element driving the corresponding buffer element to move such that the feedstock on the buffer element of an upper-layer buffer mechanism falls onto the buffer element of a lower-layer buffer mechanism, a gap allowing a gas to pass through being provided between the buffer mechanisms and an inner wall of the preheating chamber. The solution may recover the high-temperature flue gas produced by the melting furnace to preheat the feedstock, thereby enhancing the energy utilization ratio during the production process; moreover, with the plurality of buffer mechanisms, the solution may charge the feedstock into the melting furnace in small quantity per time and in multiple times, facilitating accurate control of the feeding rate and amount of the feedstock.