IMPROVED KNOWLEDGE OF GAS-FLOW AND HEAT-TRANSFER IN REHEATING FURNACES

This paper gives a desciption of research and development work carried out in many countries to gain a better knowledge and understanding of gas flow and heat transfer in reheating furnaces. The aim of the rese arch undertaken is operational use of the results to improve the quali ty of stock reheating, to minimize energy consumption and to reduce en vironmental impact at the same time, if possible. For a long time, thi s has been an ongoing important task for engineers in the steel indust ry. The actual work of BFI on this topic was chosen as an example. Ope rational measurements are most important and not renouncable in variou s cases of quality assurance and acceptance tests. Besides this, these results are also necessary to check and prove the results of experime ntal work with physical or mathematical models. Models are very import ant to attain a thorough understanding of processes, and for an estima tion of the opportunity for a reduction in costs. The use of models fo r on-line computer-control and the development of sytems using artific al intelligence for improved operation of reheating furnaces are state d.