Natural Gas Consumption Reducing in Aluminum Melting Furnaces by Heat Recovery of Flue

Abstract This article presents different solutions to reduce natural gas consumptions of the aluminum melting furnaces, through recovery of the heat from flue gases. In order to be able to analyze the recovery solutions, a mathematical model for energy balance of these furnaces was adapted. This mathematical model allows drawing up energy balances together with the main working technique and economical parameters of these types of furnaces, in actual conditions, and the same, under optimizing conditions, by applying recovery solutions. The mathematical model which can elaborate energy balances for aluminum melting furnaces, was transposed in M. Excel based software, where the quantification of different solutions for natural gas consumption saving is possible. One of the applications of this computer software for an aluminum melting furnace, either for actual working conditions or per upgraded furnace by use an air pre-heater, materials pre-heater, or a regenerative burner system, is presented in this article.