Ceramic heat recuperators for industrial heat recovery

A cordierite (magnesium aluminum silicate) recuperator was designed for relatively small furnaces with firing rates of 0.3 MM to 0.6 MM Btu/h and with exhaust gas temperatures of 1500 F to 2600 F. Five demonstration programs were performed to determine the heat transfer performance of the device, establish the energy savings by recovery, demonstrate the durability of the ceramic core, determine the operating requirements of the burners and controls with recuperation, and establish the overall system costs and payback period. The recuperator is described and results of tests and measurements, system economics, and cost performance analyses are presented. The methodology is developed and techniques for impact analysis are described. Industrial applications are implied and a process flow diagram for smelting and refining primary copper is shown.