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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

The development and field testing of a high temperature ceramic recuperator

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5928989

Under cost-shared funding with the US Department of Energy and the Gas Research Institute, AiResearch Manufacturing Company, Torrance, California has developed a ceramic/metallic hybrid recuperator to operate in dirty industrial flue gases up to 2500/sup 0/F. The recuperator assembly is designed to provide up to 2000/sup 0/F preheated combustion air from 2500/sup 0/F flue gas. The 2000/sup 0/F air preheat temperature provides over 50% savings in fuel consumption compared to an unrecuperated furnace. The assembly consists of a ceramic recuperator in series with a conventional plate-fin metallic recuperator. The ceramic recuperator consists of 1.5 in. OD silicon carbide tubes with internal cruciform baffles to enhance heat transfer. A recuperator system for a 20 MM Btu/h furnace was designed, fabricated, and installed in the flue gas of a rotary forging furnace at Cameron Iron Works, Inc., Houston, Texas. The system has operated successfully for about 2500 hours in the six months starting in November 1985. A maximum air preheat temperature of about 1900/sup 0/F was achieved with a flue gas temperature of about 2100/sup 0/F.

Research Organization:
EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-76ID01570
OSTI ID:
5928989
Report Number(s):
EGG-M-18486; CONF-860607-4; ON: DE87014874
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English