Energy efficiency evaluation of a shuttle kiln based on field test

With intensified energy restructure in China, energy efficiency of various industrial furnaces and kilns fired by natural gas draws attentions of more and more researchers. In this article, a field test was performed for shuttle kiln popular in ceramics and refractory manufacture industry. The thermal efficiency, main heat loss, and the energy-saving potential were evaluated, and the defects of the existing kilns and improvement measure were clarified. The results show that the overall efficiency was only 13%-15%, if measured in terms of the entire heating period. The energy loss of flue gas accounted up to 50%; the effectiveness of air preheater was as low as only 30%; large amount of cold air infiltration was observed at the venting exit at the bottom of the kiln. The burner controls and gas flow within furnace remain to be optimized.