Numerical Simulation And Operating Parameters Optimum Research On Aluminum Alloy Melting Furnace And Holding Furnace

Aluminum alloy smelting is the key process of aluminum alloy production, which provides high quality aluminum alloy melt, determines the property and quality of ingot. The uniformity of temperature field in aluminum alloy melting furnace and holding furnace is significant to the quality and productivity of the aluminum ingots. So the uniform temperature field and the reasonable operation are helpful to improve the productivity and the energy efficiency.In this study, the author investigated a 25t melting furnace and a 25t holding furnace, the two mathematical models were constructed. Based on the data measured, a numerical simulation of the melting furnace and the holding furnace was performed by Fluent 6.3.The main conclusions are as follow:1) By heat balance test, the author analyzed thermal efficiency of the two furnaces.The thermal efficiency of 25t Aluminum alloy melting furnace was 29.4%. The thermal efficiency of 25t aluminum alloy holding furnace was only 13.6%.2) The study of numerical simulation for 25t aluminum alloy melting furnace and 25t holding furnace, shows that, the maximum temperature of molten aluminum in melting furnace was 1153K, the minimum 1048K. In the holding furnace, the maximum temperature was 1055K, the minimum 1004K.Compared with the actual measured data,the maximum temperature error of aluminum alloy melting furnace was 11.37%, the holding furnace 4.20%.3) The influences of operating parameters on the temperature of molten aluminum in the furnace have been investigated in detail,a) The average temperature of molten aluminum in the melting furnace increases 10K while the temperature of combustion-supporting air increases 50K.The average temperature increases 25K while the mass flow of fuel increases 0.003 kg/s.The overall temperature decreases while the flow of the combustion-supporting air increases,b) The average temperature of molten aluminum in holding furnace increases 10K while the temperature of combustion-supporting air increases 50K. The average temperature of molten aluminum increases 18K while the mass flow of fuel increases 0.003 kg/s. The overall temperature decreases while the flow of the combustion-supporting air increases.4) Optimization of the main operating parameters was carried out, and the optimal operating parameters were obtained. The results showed that, the temperature of the molten aluminum in the furnace would be more uniform by increasing the flow of combustion-supporting air, while the temperature of air and the flow of flue were increased.