The fuel used as energy source for aluminum melting is of extreme importance for a better performance of the process. However, the type of oxidant can also lead to better performance, leading to a greater preservation of the equipments. Air is more abundant and cheaper, however due to the presence of nitrogen, there is undesirable NO{sub}x formation. An alternative is to employ pure oxygen. Although it is more expensive, it can lead to a cleaner and much more efficient combustion process, by significantly altering the combustion aspects inside the furnace, such as the shape of the flame and the distribution of temperature and heat flux. In the present work, numerical simulations were carried out using the commercial package FLUENT, analyzing different cases with pure oxygen and air as the oxidant for the combustion of natural gas. The results showed the possible damages caused by the process if long or too intense and concentrated flames are present.
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