BACKGROUND
The ceramics industry uses tunnel kilns for continuous operation of large volumes, implying low flexibility in production, standard dimensions of pieces to be fired and lower energy costs (900-1500 kcal/kg). Intermittent or shuttle kilns are used for discontinuous production, for low volumes, particular pieces, and refiring, with higher flexibility but also higher energy costs (2100-2700 kcal/kg of fired pieces).
Various technologies are known or emerging to reduce energy consumption and emissions in the ceramic sector.
ECONOMICK kiln represents a unique case in the ceramic sector’ technological landscape, since it comprises:
INTEGRAL REUSE OF THE HEAT OF THE FLUE GAS DISPERSED THROUGH THE CHIMNEYS, obtained by channeling the flue gases in the pre-heating area, where they will be used to heat the combustion air during the preheating phase of the ceramic pieces.
INNOVATIVE BURNERS that can vary the speed of the combustion gas flow and the length of the flame, allowing to maximize heat exchange rate between fumes and fired pieces increasing notably the efficiency and the performance of the kiln and reducing NOx emissions by 55-65%.
A FULLY COMPUTERIZED MANAGEMENT OF THE AIR AND GAS FLOW, to optimize combustion by completely reusing the warm air of the cooling, is performing a continuous self-calibration that optimizes as well the stoichiometric ratio of combustion, leading to a further minimization of thermal energy consumption.
Redesign of the structure of the kiln with REDUCED THERMAL DISPERSION.