Can You Afford Heat Recovery?

Abstract

Increasing fuel costs have forced industry to look at ways to conserve energy. Preheating combustion air by utilizing the wasted heat in the flue gas can result in significant fuel savings.

The attractiveness of the payback figures have prompted many companies to venture into heat recovery projects without due consideration of the many factors involved. Many of these efforts have rendered less desirable results than expected.

Heat recovery in the form of recuperation should be considered as only one aspect of a total furnace system. Other factors, such as furnace design, burner turndown, furnace atmosphere, pressure control and the combustion system, will all interrelate to influence efficiency and the successfulness of the installation.

National Forge Company has had considerable experience in high temperature heat recovery and the paper will discuss how these other design parameters must be considered to make the installation a success.