Energy Audit Analysis Enhancing Energy Conservation in Foundry Industries by Minimizing Heat Losses in Induction Furnaces

Objectives: Implementing energy conservation in foundries, identification of energy losses from induction furnace in the form of conduction and radiation heat losses. Method/Approach of Energy Audit: The energy audit in this work consists of two phases and this piece of work focuses on the second phase which consists of identification and determination of conduction and radiation heat losses from induction furnace. A comparison for different values of furnace lining thickness shows conduction losses for each value of furnace lining thickness. The radiation losses are identified and the combined total losses are calculated. Findings/Observations: The conduction losses remain practically the same for all the operating temperatures of the furnace for a given thickness of furnace lining. The conduction losses are different for different values of furnace lining thickness. They increase as the lining thickness of furnace is increased. Radiation losses remain practically the same for all values of lining thickness for the entire operating temperature range. Radiation losses occur from the furnace opening and increases as the temperature of the furnace is increased. Thus, for the original thickness of 63 mm, the maximum and minimum heat efficiency is 93.1% at 1200°C and 86.27% at 1500°C respectively. The furnace does operate at an overall average heat efficiency of about 90% with a deviation of about ±3% for a given value of thickness. Application/Improvements: A good energy management is the key towards energy conservation and it starts with an energy audit. The detailed energy audit analysis reveals good amount of energy saving in foundry and allied industries.