Furnace Systems Workshop Schedule

“Practical Knowledge for Improved Process Performance”

Dates: Monday, March 13 - Wednesday, March 15
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center

Registration:
Only $100--Includes three-day workshop, exhibit, and Aluminum Industry Plenary. Complete the TMS 2006 Annual Meeting & Exhibition Registration form.

SESSION 1: Combustion Process
CHAIR: Don Whipple, Bloom Engineering Co. Inc.

2:00 p.m. “Basics of Combustion”
by Don Whipple, Bloom Engineering Co. Inc.

• Basics of generating heat through natural gas combustion
• Determination of portion of useable generated heat
• Mechanisms available to transfer energy to the load
• Methods to enhance the transfer and efficiently use the energy available

2:45 p.m. “Burner Types”
by Jack Marino, Hauck Manufacturing Co. Inc.

Burners for melting and holding furnaces

• Traditional radiant flames
• High velocity flames
• Roof fired designs - flat flames and cone-type flames
• Alternating pulse regenerators
• Rotary regenerators
• Low NOx designs

Burners for Process Furnaces

• Direct fired - high velocity, flame shielding and low NOx designs
• Radiant tube fired - traditional designs, using recuperators, low NOx options and self recuperative SER designs

3:30 p.m. “Fuel to Air Ratio Control Systems”
by Brian Hall, Kromshroder Inc.

• Methods of controlling the fuel to air ratio in premix and nozzle mix burners
• Fixed air and modulated fuel
• Variable linked valve systems
• Pulse firing
• Pressure balanced systems
• Mass flow control
• Advantages and disadvantages

4:15 p.m. “NOx/CO Emissions”
by Frank Beichner, Bloom Engineering Co. Inc.

• What is “NOx”?
• How is it formed?

• Common methods for minimizing NOx formation
• Effect of techniques on CO emissions
• How is NOx measured?

Session 2: Melters and Holders
Chair: Jan deGroot, Thermcon Ovens B.V.

8:30 a.m. “Liquid Metal Furnaces in Aluminium Casthouses: Direct Charged Melting Furnaces”
by Oliver Moos, Maerz-Gautschi Industrieofenanlagen GmbH

Evaluation aspects for furnaces in the primary and secondary aluminium industry to achieve an optimized casthouse operation

9:15 a.m. “Well Charged Melters”
by Christopher Emes, Mechatherm International Ltd.

• Typical melt rates and fuel efficiency for open well charged melters
• Furnace sizing, burner input and burner/flue positioning
• Advantages of pumping/circulating for melt rate and fuel efficiency

10:00 a.m. “Multiple Chamber Melters”
by Jan De Groot, Thermcon Ovens B.V.

The latest developments of metal circulation in furnaces to ensure requirements for higher melt rates

10:45 a.m. “Use of Rotary Furnaces in Aluminum Recycling”
by David Roth, MDY LLC

• Rotary melting furnaces as applied to UBC, contaminated scrap and dross processing
• Sizing versus melt rate
• Firing rates
• Fuel Efficiency
• Oxyfuel operations and emissions

Session 3: Process Furnaces
Chair: Keith Boeckenhauer, Kromshroeder Inc.

2:00 p.m. “Homogenizing Furnaces”
by John Allen, Thorpe Technologies, Inc.

• Homogenizing process
• Features and performance of various homogenizing furnaces available on the market
• Quality of product
• Energy efficiency
• Emissions of homogenizing furnaces

2:45 p.m. “Heat Treatment of Aluminum-Strip Coils – Furnace Designs and Concepts”
by William Weyand, Seco Warwick Corporation

Common aspects and differences between the two types of annealing furnace designs—mass flow and jet flow—including:

• Airflow design
• Insulation construction
• Heating systems
• Cooling systems

3:30 p.m. “Pit-Chamber Furnaces Versus Pusher-Type Furnaces for the Preheat and Soak of Aluminum Rolling Slabs”
by Oliver Moos, Maerz-Gautschi Industriofenanlagen GmbH

• Technical execution of pit-chamber and pusher-type furnaces
• Making the “right” decision under given circumstances

4:15 p.m. “Delacquering Systems”
by Robert F. Jenkins, Thorpe Technologies Inc.

• Basic delacquering process
• Features and performance of various delacquering systems
• Types of scrap processed
• System stability
• Energy efficiency
• Emissions of delacquering systems

SESSION 4: Additional Furnace Considerations
CHAIR: Alan Peel, EMP Technologies Ltd.

8:30 a.m. “Refractory Selections for Aluminum Cast Houses”
by John Sutton and Stan Smith, Harbison Walker Refractories Co.

• Operating trends in the aluminum industry
• Various ways to line furnaces with monolithic and brick construction

9:15 a.m. “Melting Applications with Oxy-Fuel Firing”
by Sho Kobayashi, Praxair Inc.

• Introduction of the basics and equipment of using oxy-fuel combustion for melting
• Coverage of operational benefits
• Increase in melt rates
• Reduction in fuel consumption with oxygen enriched air
• Quantification of pure oxy-fuel combustion

10:00 a.m. “Metal Circulation”
by Alan Peel, EMP Technologies Inc.

• Positive impact of different metal circulation systems on the efficiency of melting and holding furnaces
• Different techniques and applications relating to different operating requirements demanded by cast house and foundry operations
• Types of circulation systems
• Appropriate selection to ensure benefits are realized

10:45 a.m. “Flame Control and Furnace Control”
by Steve Ogonek, Kromschroder Inc.

• Code requirements for flame supervision and furnace control systems
• Hardware available
• Suitability of hardware to processes
• Selecting appropriate hardware to meet process and code requirements