Simulación de la transferencia de energía en hornos monoestrato de rodillos para la cocción de baldosas cerámicas

Abstract

Ceramic tile firing is almost exclusively performed in single-deck roller kilns, using natural gas as fuel. A mathematical model was developed, based on the zone method, which allows energy transfer in ceramic tile firing in roller kilns to be simulated. The model can be used to calculate the temperature of every zone into which the kiln is divided, as well as the fuel flow rates at each burner. The model was validated in three industrial kilns. All the input data required to calculate the zone temperatures were obtained, the calculated values then being compared with the experimental data. Once the validity of the model had been verified, a series of simulations were performed, aimed mainly at estimating how the modification of certain process variables affected kiln energy consumption.