Counterflow Principles For Fuel Saving Steel Belt Kiln Within Your Budget

Tunnel kilns feature a long, linear design with fixed walls and a roof, and tracks on the bottom for kiln car movement. Combustion devices are positioned in the middle, creating a high-temperature firing zone. High-temperature gases flow towards the kiln entrance, driven by the chimney or fan, preheating the materials in the process, forming the preheating zone. Cold air is introduced at the tunnel's end to cool finished products, and this heated air is reused for drying green bodies, constituting the cooling zone.

Kiln cars carrying clay bodies are pushed from the preheating zone's entrance, while those with fired products exit from the cooling zone's end.

Advantages of Tunnel Kiln:

1. Continuous production, short cycle time, high output, and superior quality.
2. High thermal efficiency and fuel economy, with counterflow principles enhancing heat retention and residual heat utilization, saving about 50-60% fuel.
3. Reduced firing time, approximately 20 hours compared to 3-5 days for conventional kilns.
4. Labor efficiency: Easy operation and external loading/unloading reduce labor intensity and enhance working conditions.
5. Better quality: Stable temperatures in the preheating, firing, and cooling zones ensure easier process control, resulting in high-quality products with fewer defects.
6. Durability: The kiln's resistance to rapid temperature fluctuations extends its lifespan to 5-7 years before needing maintenance.

However, tunnel kilns require more materials and equipment for construction, leading to a higher initial investment. As a continuous firing kiln, it is best suited for large-scale production of products with consistent firing requirements, limiting flexibility.

Tunnel kilns are ideal for firing blue bricks and tiles, ceramics, and new energy materials, with structures built or assembled from steel.