Side Spray Annealing Furnace Flow Field And Temperature Field Numerical Simulation

In aluminum producing, annealing is a key process. Annealing furnace was used for aluminum annealing. With the development of aluminum process technology, the specification and production of aluminum was increased continuously, the annealing furnace is not only have to insurance the mechanical property and material structure can measure up to standard, but also to increase the performance index and decrease energy consumption . The design and research of side-blown aluminum annealing furnace is very important for increasing annealing efficiency and decreasing energy consumption. The flow and heat transfer in furnace and the uniformity of furnace gas's temperature is a key factor affect the quality of annealing. The regularity of air flow and temperature distribute must be obtained in order to design high quality side-blown aluminum annealing furnace. Numerical simulation of flow and temperature field in side-blown aluminum annealing furnace was done by using CFD software-fluent. Follow content are included in this paper:Firstly, effect of thermal contact resistance between aluminum coil on aluminum annealing was investigated by heat conduction, the results show that, compared with radial heat transfer, the efficiency of annealing is higher and temperature difference between aluminum coil's internal and external surface is smaller by using axial heat transfer. Based on this interpretation, side-blown aluminum annealing furnace was designed by changing flow direction of air cycle in furnace and adopting axial convection heat transfer.Secondly, simulation model of side-blown aluminum annealing furnace was established. Mathematic model of turbulent flow and heat transfer in furnace was established by using standard k-εmodel and SIMPLE algorithm.Thirdly, numerical simulation of turbulent flow and heat transfer in furnace was done by using CFD software-FLUENT, flow and temperature field in furnace was illustrated. The results indicate that the flow in furnace is fluent, the temperature of furnace gas is growing fast ,compared with the radial heat aluminum annealing furnace ,15% time reduced when furnace gas get 590℃by adopting side-blown aluminum annealing furnace with the same power. Convection heat transfer is uniform, the temperature difference of furnace gas is±1℃and can satisfy the annealing technology's desire about the uniformity of furnace gas's temperature, provide theoretical basis for side-blown aluminum annealing furnace ' s design and research.Finally, simulation study of convection heat transfer in side-blown aluminum annealing furnace was done. The factor that affect the convection heat transfer in side-blown aluminum annealing furnace was analyzed, the regularity between convection heat transfer and the speed of the fan and the nozzle's radio was obtained.