Thermal Analysis and Air Leakage Evaluation of a Typical Container-Glass Furnace Regenerator with a Brayton Cycle Heat Recovery System

摘要

A thermal analysis was performed on a typical container-glass furnace regenerator model with a transient heat conduction computer program (HEATING6). The boundary conditions for the two-dimensional checker model were obtained from the Glass Furnace and Regenerator Thermal Analysis Computer Program (GFURN). The objective of these studies was to verify the capability of typical checker bricks for service in a glass furnace regenerator with air preheat associated with a Brayton cycle heat recovery system and to determine the effects of air leakage on the system performance. Preliminary calculations indicated that refractory brick upgrading would not be required, although the bricks will be operating at elevated temperatures but well within the allowable temperature ranges. The effects of air leakage in the regenerator, flue, and reversing valve on Brayton cycle heat recovery were evaluated by experimental measurements of air infiltration profiles in two furnace systems, by obtaining data from glass manufacturers, and by computer simulation with GFURN program. Air infiltration in the regenerator typically ranges from 10 to 45%, and air leakage in the reversing valve ranges from 3 to 20%, depending on the operating characteristics, quality of maintenance, and age of the furnace system. The power output of a properly designed Brayton system is relatively insensitive to air infiltration in a typical glass furnace exhaust system having a total leakage of no more than 55%. (ERA citation 08:005533)