CPT International 03/2017

MELTING SHOP
Bettine Kuhnert, Munich
From the simulation
to the optimized furnace
of a pivoting furnace system
To determine the energy-savings potential
for aluminium melting processes,
minimize melting loss and creating
the basis for a modern heat recovery
system, researchers have developed a
system for monitoring and controlling
the melting process, in a collaborative
project between industry and science
(Figure 1). For this purpose, ZPF
GmbH, manufacturer of melting furnaces
from Siegelsbach, Germany, was
the lead manager, having also given
the impetus for this undertaking. The
research conducted in the scope of the
project funded by the German Federal
Ministry of Economics and Technology
(BMWi), concluded in 2016 after
a total term of four years, has enabled
a significant reduction of the melting
down time. Consequently, it was possible
to achieve an improvement of up
to 15 % in energy efficiency.
“The entire furnace system needs to
be optimized in order to achieve sustainable
improvements. This was the main
finding from the previous project concluded
in 2011, which was mainly concerned
with new burner arrangements
and alternative refractory material”, reported
Sven-Olaf Sauke who accompanied
the planning of the pro ject. “We
have made another step in this direction,
with the research pro jects started
at the beginning of 2012 and EDUSAL
II project which resumed at the end of
2013”. The focus was on the one hand,
on the developing of measuring technology
to detect the furnace chamber
by sensors. This was intended to detect
and quantitatively fix the local positioning
of the residual material on the
melting bridge. On the other hand, the
objective was to find out how a dynam-
IFUM
Interface
Measurement
data processing
Interface
Sensors
Protective system
Connection
Central control
system
Interface
Burner
Melting bath
GI, IWTT
ZPF
Molten
metal
Melt
bridge
Figure 1:
ZPF
GI
IWTT
IFUM
ZPF GmbH Siegelsbach
Foundry Institute,
Freiberg
Institute of Heat
Technology and Thermodynamics,
Freiberg
Institute for Forming
Technology and Forming
Machines, Hanover
Information (direction)
Scanning (direction)
Area of responsibility
14 Casting Plant & Technology 3 / 2017