Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: February | Volume: 5 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 67-74
Design and Construction of an Oil Fired Crucible Furnace
Beneth. C. Chukwudi, Martins. B. Ogunedo
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imo State University, Owerri
Corresponding Author: Martins.B. Ogunedo
ABSTRACT
The study carried out a design and construction of an oil-fired crucible furnace. The study focused on ensuring a high efficiency in melting of aluminum, by effectively minimizing heat losses, and maximizing heat generation. To achieve this, a composite refractory material consisting of cement, asbestos, and clay in a ratio of 2:1:1 was used, and diesel fuel was atomized at the rate of 6.31x10-5 m3/min, using an Air compressor of 50kPa, volumetric air flow rate of 2 CFM, and power rating of 1hp. This generated a heat of 42.6 MJ at a working pressure of 0.4122 Mpa. 18.02% of the heat generated was lost due its interaction with the environment. Changes in the furnace geometry were negligible indicating a long service life potential. With a useful heat input of 34.92 MJ, the furnace is able to melt 56 kg of aluminum at a pouring temperature of 720 0C, leaving its efficiency at 81.98%. The design is considered safe since the working pressure does not exceed the working stress of its casing which is made of mild steel.
Key words: Crucible, Furnace, Refractory, Combustion, Atomization
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