MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF INCREASING ANODE BAKING FURNACE PRODUCTIVITY

摘要

The need to support amperage creep in smelters requires anrnincrease in anode baking furnace productivity. The furnacernoperation must be adapted to provide more anodes whilernmaintaining adequate baking performance, minimizing energyrnconsumption and assuring anode quality. To do so, the essentialrnfactors to optimize include the firing strategy to ensure thernadequate baking level for a given fire cycle, fuel combustionrnefficiency and adequate cooling capability even at accelerated firerncycles and high ambient temperatures. Through the operation ofrn28 baking furnaces of differing technologies, tools have beenrndeveloped to support this process. Simulations of firing andrnbaking as a function of the fire cycle and key furnace designrnparameters such as anode size, pit width and flue design; injectorrncombustion efficiency and cooling capability are now routinelyrnused. Industrial examples are shown from a number of sites withrnvarying baking technology that demonstrate the gains achieved.