Thermal performance analysis of flameless oxy-fuel combustion trials on a reheating furnace using zone method-based models

With increasing concerns about CO2 emissions, efficient and environmentally friendly combustion technologies are urgently needed to update conventional combustion technologies. The steel reheating process is energy intensive, with the reheating furnace accounting for one third of the energy consumption of steel manufacturing. To explore the feasibility of flameless oxy-fuel combustion technology on the reheating furnace, a trial was conducted on the pilot-scale reheating furnace at MEFOS, Sweden. To further identify the thermal performance of the reheating furnace under this unconventional combustion technology, a zone-method based model was developed to simulate the flameless oxy-fuel combustion trial. The developed model has been validated with comprehensive experimental data collected during an instrumented slab heating period. The results suggest that the model predictions were in good agreement with the actual measurements. Thermal performance analysis reveals that the conventional reheating furnace is theoretically suitable for oxy-fuel retrofitting.