Furnace

thumb|Industrial from 1907]
A furnace is a device used for heating The name derives from Latin fornax oven The earliest furnace was excavated at Balakot a site of the Indus Valley Civilization dating back to its mature phase (c. 2500-1900 BC) The furnace was most likely used for the manufacturing of ceramic objects
In American English and Canadian English the term furnace on its own is generally used to describe household heating systems based on a central furnace (known either as a boiler or a heater in British English) and sometimes as a synonym for kiln a device used in the production of ceramicsIn British English the term furnace is used exclusively to mean industrial furnaces which are used for many things such as the extraction of metal from ore (smelting) or in oil refineries and other chemical plants for example as the heat source for fractional distillation columns
The term furnace can also refer to a direct fired heater used in boiler applications in chemical industries or for providing heat to chemical reactions for processes like cracking and is part of the standard English names for many metallurgical furnaces worldwide
The heat energy to fuel a furnace may be supplied directly by fuel combustion by electricity such as the electric arc furnace or through Induction heating in induction furnaces

Household furnaces

diagram.png|thumb|250px|A condensing furnace
A household furnace is a major appliance that is permanently installed to provide heat to an interior space through intermediary fluid movement which may be air steam or hot water The most common fuel source for modern furnaces in the United States is natural gas; other common fuel sources include LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) fuel oil coal or wood In some cases electrical resistance heating is used as the source of heat especially where the cost of electricity is low
Combustion furnaces always need to be vented to the outside Traditionally this was through a chimney which tends to expel heat along with the exhaust Modern high-efficiency furnaces can be 98% efficient and operate without a chimney The small amount of waste gas and heat are mechanically ventilated through a small tube through the side or roof of the house

"High-efficiency" in this sense may be misleading because furnace efficiency is typically expressed as a "first-law" efficiency whereas the energy efficiency of a typical furnace is much lower than the first-law thermal efficiency By comparison cogeneration has a higher energy efficiency than is realizable from burning fuel to generate heat directly at a moderate temperature However as the vast majority of consumers (as well as many government regulators) are unfamiliar with exergy efficiency Carnot efficiency and the second law of thermodynamics the use of first-law efficiencies to rate furnaces is well-entrenched

Modern household furnaces are classified as condensing or non-condensing based on their efficiency in extracting heat from the exhaust gases Furnaces with efficiencies greater than approximately 89% extract so much heat from the exhaust that water vapor in the exhaust condenses; they are referred to as condensing furnace Such furnaces must be designed to avoid the corrosion that this highly acidic condensate might cause and may need to include a condensate pump to remove the accumulated water Condensing furnaces can typically deliver heating savings of 20%-35% assuming the old furnace was in the 60% Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) range

Modern Furnace components

The furnace components can be divided into three categories
1. The burners heat exchanger draft inducer and venting
2 The controls and safety devices
3 The blower and air movement
The flame originates at the burners and is drawn into the heat exchanger by the negative pressure produced by the draft inducer The hot gasses produced by the combustion of the flame pass through the chambers of the heat exchanger and heat the metal walls of the heat exchanger The gasses cool as they transfer the heat to the heat exchanger and are at about 120 degrees as they exit on a high efficiency furnace The cooled gasses then enter the draft inducer blower and are pushed into the venting pipes The exhaust gasses then are directed out of the house through the vent pipes
The controls include the gas valve ignition control ignitor flame sensor transformer limit control blower control board and flame roll out switch The transformer provides 24 volts of electricity to power the controls 24 volts is applied to the thermostat that is installed in the living space The thermostat is basically an automatic switch that closes and completes the electrical circuit when the room temperature drops below the heat setting This then allows 24 volts to the circuit board which initiates the heat sequence The circuit board has a relay that closes to power up the motor on the draft inducer blower Then the circuit board ignitor relay is energized which sends 120 volts to the hot surface ignitor and makes it glow bright and get extremely hot Next the gas valve relay in the circuit board is energized This allows voltage to the gas valve and energizes a solenoid coil in the gas valve which opens the valve to allow gas to flow to the burners The gas flows into the burners and is ignited by the hot surface ignitor The ignition control circuit board applies an AC voltage to the flame sensor which is just a stainless steel rod A interesting thing occurs inside a burning flame called ionization That is free electrons are produced which can conduct electricity through the flame itself The electrons will normally flow from the flame sensor through the flame when present and back to ground through the grounded burners The ignition system must prove that a flame is present to continue the gas flow or if no flame shut off the gas flow through the gas valve to prevent a possible explosion It also must not be fooled into thinking there is a flame present by a flame sensor that is touching the ground from being broken or bent The way it does this is by a diode effect where the sensor surface area is less than 10% of the ground surface area This produces a half wave of electrical current out of each full wave The ignition control circuit detects the half wave to determine if the sensor is merely touching ground If the ignition control receives this half wave signal from the flame sensor then combustion will continue Now the circuit board timer counts a determined amount of time and energizes the blower relay This relay powers up the blower motor and air is then pushed through the heat exchanger where it removes the heat from the hot metal and enters the ductwork to go to the various rooms in the house The limit control is a safety device that will open the electrical circuit to the ignition control and stop the gas flow if the furnace over heats The flame roll out switch does the same thing if the flame was rolling out of the heat exchanger instead of being completely induced into it by the draft inducer
The blower creates a negative pressure on the intake side which draws air into the ductwork return air system and blows the air out through the heat exchanger and then into supply air ductwork to distribute throughout the home

Heat distribution

The furnace transfers heat to the living space of the building through an intermediary distribution system If the distribution is through hot water (or other fluid) or through steam then the furnace is more commonly termed a boiler One advantage of a boiler is that the furnace can provide hot water for bathing and washing dishes rather than requiring a separate water heater One disadvantage to this type of application is when the boiler breaks down both heating and domestic hot water is not available
Air convection heating systems have been in use for over a century but the older systems relied on a passive air circulation system where the greater density of cooler air caused it to sink into the furnace and the lesser density of the warmed air caused it to rise in the ductwork the two forces acting together to drive air circulation in a system termed "gravity-feed; the layout of the ducts and furnace was optimized for short large ducts and caused the furnace to be referred to as an "octopus" furnace
By comparison most modern "warm air" furnaces typically use a fan to circulate air to the rooms of house and pull cooler air back to the furnace for reheating; this is called forced-air heat Because the fan easily overcomes the resistance of the ductwork the arrangement of ducts can be far more flexible than the octopus of old In American practice separate ducts collect cool air to be returned to the furnace At the furnace cool air passes into the furnace usually through an air filter through the blower then through the heat exchanger of the furnace whence it is blown throughout the building One major advantage of this type of system is that it also enables easy installation of central air conditioning by simply adding a cooling coil at the exhaust of the furnace
Air is circulated through ductwork which may be made of sheet metal or plastic "flex" duct and insulated or uninsulated Unless the ducts and plenum have been sealed using mastic or foil duct tape the ductwork is likely to have a high leakage of conditioned air possibly into unconditioned spaces Another cause of wasted energy is the installation of ductwork in unheated areas such as attics and crawl spaces; or ductwork of air conditioning systems in attics in warm climates
The following rare but difficult-to-diagnose failure can occur If the temperature inside the furnace exceeds a maximum threshold a safety mechanism with a thermostat will shut the furnace down A symptom of this failure is that the furnace repeatedly shuts down before the house reaches the desired temperature; this is commonly referred to as the furnace "riding the high limit switch" This condition commonly occurs if the temperature setting of the high limit thermostat is set too close to the normal operating temperature of the furnace Another situation may occur if a humidifier is incorrectly installed on the furnace and the duct which directs a portion of the humidified air back into the furnace is too large The solution is to reduce the diameter of the cross-feed tube or install a baffle that reduces the volume of re-fed air

Metallurgical furnaces

-- Filling the Furnace.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Manufacture of Iron -- Filling the Furnace an 1873 wood engravingIn metallurgy several specialised furnaces are used These include:

Furnaces used in smelters including:

The blast furnace used to reduce iron ore to pig iron
Steelmaking furnaces including:

Puddling furnace
Reverberatory furnace
Bessemer converter
Open hearth furnace
Basic furnace]
Electric arc furnace
Electric induction furnace

Furnaces used to remelt metal in foundries

Furnaces used to reheat and heat treat metal for use in:

Rolling mills including tinplate works and slitting mills
Forges

Vacuum furnaces

Industrial process furnaces

furnace
An industrial furnace or direct fired heater is an equipment used to provide heat for a process or can serve as reactor which provides heats of reaction Furnace designs vary as to its function heating duty type of fuel and method of introducing combustion air However most process furnaces have some common features
Fuel flows into the burner and is burnt with air provided from an air blower There can be more than one burner in a particular furnace which can be arranged in cells which heat a particular set of tubes Burners can also be floor mounted wall mounted or roof mounted depending on design The flames heat up the tubes which in turn heat the fluid inside in the first part of the furnace known as the radiant section or firebox In this chamber where combustion takes place the heat is transferred mainly by radiation to tubes around the fire in the chamber The heating fluid passes through the tubes and is thus heated to the desired temperature The gases from the combustion are known as flue gas After the flue gas gas the firebox most furnace designs include a convection section where more heat is recovered before venting to the atmosphere through the flue gas stack (HTF=Heat Transfer Fluid Industries commonly use their furnaces to heat a secondary fluid with special additives like anti-rust and high heat transfer efficiency This heated fluid is then circulated round the whole plant to heat exchangers to be used wherever heat is needed instead of directly heating the product line as the product or material may be volatile or prone to cracking at the furnace temperature)

Radiant section

The radiant section is where the tubes receive almost all all its by radiation from the flame In a vertical cylindrical furnace the tubes are vertical Tubes can be vertical or horizontal placed along the refractory wall in the middle etc or arranged in cells Studs are used to hold the insulation together and on the wall of the furnace They are placed about 1 ft (300 mm) apart in this picture of the inside of a furnace The tubes shown below which are reddish brown from corrosion are carbon steel tubes and run the height of the radiant section The tubes are a distance away from the insulation so radiation can be reflected to the back of the tubes to maintain a uniform tube wall temperature Tube guides at the top middle and bottom hold the tubes in place

Convection section

The convection section is located above the radiant section where it is cooler to recover additional heat Heat transfer takes place by convection here and the tubes are finned to increase heat transfer The first two tube rows in the bottom of the convection section and at the top of the radiant section is an area of bare tubes (without fins) and are known as the shield section so named because they are still exposed to plenty of radiation from the firebox and they also act to shield the convection section tubes which are normally of less resistant material from the high temperatures in the firebox The area of the radiant section just before flue gas enters the shield section and into the convection section called the bridgezone Crossover is the term used to describe the tube that connects from the convection section outlet to the radiant section inlet The crossover piping is normally located outside so that the temperature can be monitored and the efficiency of the convection section can be calculated The sightglass at the top allows personnel to see the flame shape and pattern from above and visually inspect if flame impingement is occurring Flame impingement happens when the flame touches the tubes and causes small isolated spots of very high temperature

Burner

The burner in the vertical cylindrical furnace as above is located in the floor and fires upward Some furnaces have side fired burners eg: train locomotive The burner tile is made of high temperature refractory and is where the flame is contained in. Air registers located below the burner and at the outlet of the air blower are devices with movable flaps or vanes that control the shape and pattern of the flame whether it spreads out or even swirls around Flames should not spread out too much as this will cause flame impingement Air registers can be classified as primary secondary and if applicable tertiary depending on when their air is introduced The primary air register supplies primary air which is the first to be introduced in the burner Secondary air is added to supplement primary air Burners may include a premixer to mix the air and fuel for better combustion before introducing into the burner Some burners even use steam as premix to preheat the air and create better mixing of the fuel and heated air The floor of the furnace is mostly made of a different material from that of the wall typically hard castable refractory to allow technicians to walk on its floor during maintenance
A furnace can be lit by a small pilot flame or in some older models by hand Most pilot flames nowadays are lit by an ignition transformer (much like a car's spark plugs) The pilot flame in turn lights up the main flame The pilot flame uses natural gas while the main flame can use both diesel and natural gas When using liquid fuels an atomizer is used otherwise the liquid fuel will simply pour onto the furnace floor and become a hazard Using a pilot flame for lighting the furnace increases safety and ease compared to using a manual ignition method (like a match)

Sootblower

Sootblowers are found in the convection section As this section is above the radiant section and air movement is slower because of the fins soot tends to accumulate here Sootblowing is normally done when the efficiency of the convection section is decreased This can be calculated by looking at the temperature change from the crossover piping and at the convection section exitSootblowers utilize flowing media such as water air or steam to remove deposits from the tubes This is typically done during maintenance with the air blower turned on. There are several different types of sootblowers used Wall blowers of the rotary type are mounted on furnace walls protruding between the convection tubes The lances are connected to a steam source with holes drilled into it at intervals along its length When it is turned on, it rotates and blows the soot off the tubes and out through the stack

Stack

The flue gas stack is a cylindrical structure at the top of all the heat transfer chambers The breeching directly below it collects the flue gas and brings it up high into the atmosphere where it will not endanger personnel
The stack damper contained within works like a butterfly valve and regulates draft (pressure difference between air intake and air exit)in the furnace which is what pulls the flue gas gas the convection section The stack damper also regulates the heat lost through the stack As the damper closes the amount of heat escaping the furnace through the stack decreases but the pressure or draft in the furnace increases which poses risks to those working around it if there are air leakages in the furnace the flames can then escape out of the firebox or even explode if the pressure is too great

Insulation

Insulation is an important part of the furnace because it prevents excessive heat loss Refractory materials such as firebrick castable refractories and High insulation wool|ceramic fibre] are used for insulation The floor of the furnace are normally castable type refractories while those on the walls are nailed or glued in place Ceramic fibre is commonly used for the roof and wall of the furnace and is graded by its density and then its maximum temperature rating For eg: 8# 2300°F means 8 lb/ft³ density with a maximum temperature rating of 2300°F An example of a castable composition is kastolite

Outdoor wood-fired boilers

Description

An outdoor wood-fired boiler (OWB) also known as a waterstove or outdoor wood furnace or simply a wood boiler is a heating technology that has grown in popularity in the Northern United States OWBs in most cases look like a small shack with metal siding They are self-contained and are only connected to the building they heat through underground insulated water pipes OWBs contain a metal combustion chamber for a wood fire which is surrounded by a water tank or water jacket The fire heats the water which is then circulated through the insulated water pipes into the heated building Once the hot water from the boiler reaches the building the heat from the hot water can be transferred to most existing heating systems and the building's hot water supply
A damper and fan on the boiler interacts with a thermostat inside the building If the building's temperature falls the thermostat will trigger the damper to open letting oxygen enter the combustion chamber which causes the fire to burn more intensely The fire will then raise the temperature of the water which increases the heat supplied to the home

Benefits

OWBs have several benefits that increase their popularity Their large combustion chamber accommodates more fuel than many other forms of wood heat decreasing the number of times an owner has to add fuel to the fire Home insurance may cost more for people who heat with an indoor form of wood heat than with an OWB Finally for people with a large supply of free wood and willing to invest the time to prepare the wood and stock the OWB an OWB can be less expensive than heating with gas oil or electricity [1]

Controversy

OWBs are not without controversy as their emissions sometimes bother neighbors Some states and municipalities have regulated the devices[2] They are not currently regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unlike other forms of wood heat (However recently the EPA has worked with manufacturers to develop a method for manufacturers to identify OWBs that meet a voluntary emissions standard [3]) Studies conducted on OWBs suggest that these devices may produce more emissions most notably particulate matter under 2.5 micrometers (PM25) than other heating technologies though manufacturers dispute these assessments [4] Exposure to elevated levels of PM25 has been associated with cardiopulmonary health effects and premature death [5]
As of July 2006 the HPBA along with many of the major OWB manufactures have requested users of their products follow the "Outdoor Wood Furnace Best Burn Practices" [6]These guidelines have been set up by the HPBA to help cut down on problems associated with OWBs
Early in January 2007 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a voluntary program [7] for manufacturers of outdoor wood furnaces The EPA's primary intent is to encourage manufacturers to produce cleaner Outdoor Wood-fired Hydronic Heaters (OWHH) models The EPA also wants those who buy an OWHH / OWB to buy the cleanest models available which are those that meet EPA performance verified levels To participate in this program manufacturers commit their best efforts to develop cleaner models with goals of distributing their units starting in April 2007 [8]
The EPA now publishes a list of all OWHH / OWB units that pass the new voluntary program [9] These furnaces come with either an "orange EPA tag" signifying Level 1 certification or a "white EPA tag" signifying Level 2 certification to notify the customer of the units particular emission level output (One beneficial aspect of this process to consumers is that outdoor wood boilers that are EPA-certified are usually more energy efficient than those that are not extracting more energy per unit of wood and thus reducing costs to the owner Plus consumers benefit by knowing that such boilers are far less likely to annoy their neighbors)
Boilers that do pollute enough to cause a public nuisance (such as by smoke wafting into the house of a neighbor) can be subject to lawsuits by nearby people who are impacted by the smoke nuisance in question an ancient right under the common law for the abatement of nuisance This is in addition to local and state regulations laws or ordinances that cause restrictions on operation to or even compel removal of excessively polluting boilers For example the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has barred the sale installation or use of new outdoor wood boilers that are not Level 2 certified by the EPA though old boilers remain grandfathered so long as they do not cause a public nuisance or manifestly impact health and safety

Notes

References

External links

Info in category
- Industrial processes

Author

Smoken Flames
2009--08-

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{{citations missing|article|date=July 2007}}
[[File:Piec krepaJPG|thumb|Industrial [[Furnace]] from 1907]]

A '''furnace''' is a device used for [[heat]]ing The name derives from [[Latin]] ''fornax'' [[oven]] The earliest [[furnace]] was excavated at [[Balakot]] a site of the [[Indus Valley Civilization]] dating back to its mature phase (c. 2500-1900 BC) The [[furnace]] was most likely used for the [[manufacturing]] of [[ceramic]] objects<ref name=Dales>{{citation|last=Dales|first=George|title=Excavations at Balakot [[Pakistan]] 1973|journal=Journal of Field Archaeology|volume=1|issue=1-2|year=1974|pages=3–22 [10]|doi=102307/529703}}</ref>

In [[American English]] and [[Canadian English]] the term ''furnace'' on its own is generally used to describe [[house]]hold heating systems based on a central [[furnace]] (known either as a [[boiler]] or a [[heater]] in British English) and sometimes as a synonym for [[kiln]] a device used in the production of [[ceramic]]s
In [[British English]] the term ''furnace'' is used exclusively to mean [[industry|industrial]] furnaces which are used for many things such as the [[Resource extraction|extraction]] of [[metal]] from [[ore]] ([[smelting]]) or in [[oil refineries]] and [[other]] chemical plants for example as the [[heat]] source for [[fractional distillation]] columns
  
The term ''furnace'' can also refer to a direct fired heater used in [[boiler]] applications in chemical industries or for providing [[heat]] to chemical reactions for processes like cracking and is part of the standard [[English language|English]] names for many metallurgical furnaces worldwide

The [[heat]] [[energy]] to fuel a [[furnace]] may be supplied directly by fuel [[combustion]] by electricity such as the [[electric arc furnace]] or through [[Induction heating]] in [[induction furnace]]s

==Household furnaces==
[[image:Condensing [[furnace]] diagrampng|thumb|250px|A condensing furnace]]

A [[household]] [[furnace]] is a [[major appliance]] that is permanently installed to provide [[heat]] to an interior space through intermediary fluid movement which may be [[air]] [[steam]] or hot [[water]] The most common [[fuel]] source for modern furnaces in the [[United States]] is [[natural gas]]; [[other]] common fuel sources include [[liquefied petroleum gas|LPG]] (liquefied petroleum gas) [[fuel oil]] [[coal]] or [[wood]]  In some cases [[electrical resistance]] heating is used as the source of [[heat]] especially where the cost of electricity is low

Combustion furnaces always need to be vented to the outside Traditionally this was through a [[chimney]] which tends to expel [[heat]] along with the [[exhaust]] Modern high-efficiency furnaces can be 98% [[Thermal efficiency|efficient]] and operate without a [[chimney]] The small amount of waste gas and [[heat]] are mechanically ventilated through a small tube through the side or roof of the house

*"High-efficiency" in this sense may be misleading because [[furnace]] efficiency is typically expressed as a "first-law" [[Thermal efficiency|efficiency]] whereas the [[energy efficiency]] of a typical [[furnace]] is much lower than the first-law [[thermal efficiency]]  By comparison [[cogeneration]] has a higher [[energy]] efficiency than is realizable from burning fuel to generate [[heat]] directly at a [[moderate]] [[temperature]] However as the vast [[majority]] of consumers (as well as many [[government]] regulators) are unfamiliar with [[exergy efficiency]] [[Carnot efficiency]] and the [[second law of thermodynamics]] the use of first-law efficiencies to rate furnaces is well-entrenched

Modern household furnaces are classified as ''[[Condensation|condensing]]'' or ''non-condensing'' based on their efficiency in extracting [[heat]] from the exhaust gases  Furnaces with efficiencies greater than approximately 89% [[extract]] so much [[heat]] from the exhaust that [[water vapor]] in the exhaust condenses; they are referred to as [[condensing boiler|condensing furnace]]s  Such furnaces must be designed to avoid the corrosion that this highly [[acidic]] condensate might cause and may need to include a [[condensate pump]] to remove the accumulated [[water]]  Condensing furnaces can typically deliver heating savings of 20%-35% assuming the old [[furnace]] was in the 60% [[Annual fuel utilization efficiency|Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency]] (AFUE) range

===Modern [[Furnace]] components===

The [[furnace]] components can be divided into three categories
  
1.  The burners [[heat]] exchanger draft inducer and venting

2  The controls and safety devices

3  The blower and air movement

The flame originates at the burners and is drawn into the [[heat]] exchanger by the negative [[pressure]] produced by the draft inducer  The hot gasses produced by the [[combustion]] of the flame pass through the chambers of the [[heat]] exchanger and [[heat]] the metal walls of the [[heat]] exchanger  The gasses cool as they transfer the [[heat]] to the [[heat]] exchanger and are at about 120 degrees as they exit on a high efficiency [[furnace]]  The cooled gasses then enter the draft inducer blower and are pushed into the venting pipes   The exhaust gasses then are directed out of the house through the vent pipes

The controls include the gas [[valve]] ignition control ignitor flame sensor transformer limit control blower control board and flame roll out switch  The transformer provides 24 volts of electricity to power the controls  24 volts is applied to the thermostat that is installed in the living space  The thermostat is basically an automatic switch that closes and completes the electrical circuit when the [[room]] [[temperature]] drops below the [[heat]] setting  This then allows 24 volts to the circuit board which initiates the [[heat]] [[sequence]]  The circuit board has a relay that closes to power up the motor on the draft inducer blower  Then the circuit board ignitor relay is energized which sends 120 volts to the hot surface ignitor and makes it glow bright and get extremely hot  Next the gas [[valve]] relay in the circuit board is energized  This allows [[voltage]] to the gas [[valve]] and energizes a solenoid coil in the gas [[valve]] which opens the [[valve]] to allow gas to flow to the burners  The gas flows into the burners and is ignited by the hot surface ignitor  The ignition control circuit board applies an AC [[voltage]] to the flame sensor which is just a [[stainless steel]]  rod A interesting thing occurs inside a burning flame called [[ionization]] That is free electrons are produced which can conduct electricity through the flame itself The electrons will normally flow from the flame sensor through the flame when present and back to ground through the grounded burners The ignition system must prove that a flame is present to continue the gas flow or if no flame shut off the gas flow through the gas [[valve]] to prevent a possible explosion It also must not be fooled into thinking there is a flame present by a flame sensor that is touching the ground from being broken or bent The way it does this is by a diode effect where the sensor surface area is less than 10% of the ground surface area This produces a half [[wave]] of electrical current out of each full [[wave]] The ignition control circuit detects the half [[wave]] to determine if the sensor is merely touching ground  If the ignition control receives this half [[wave]] signal from the flame sensor then [[combustion]] will continue  Now the circuit board timer counts a determined amount of [[time]] and energizes the blower relay  This relay powers up the blower motor and air is then pushed through the [[heat]] exchanger where it removes the [[heat]] from the hot metal and enters the ductwork to go to the various rooms in the house  The limit control is a safety device that will open the electrical circuit to the ignition control and stop the gas flow if the [[furnace]] over heats  The flame roll out switch does the same thing if the flame was rolling out of the [[heat]] exchanger instead of being completely induced into it by the draft inducer

The blower creates a negative [[pressure]] on the intake side which draws air into the ductwork return air system and blows the air out through the [[heat]] exchanger and then into supply air ductwork to distribute throughout the home

===Heat distribution===

The [[furnace]] transfers [[heat]] to the living space of the [[building]] through an intermediary distribution system  If the distribution is through hot [[water]] (or [[other]] fluid) or through steam then the [[furnace]] is more commonly termed a [[Boiler#Hydronic boilers|boiler]]  One advantage of a [[boiler]] is that the [[furnace]] can provide hot [[water]] for bathing and [[washing]] dishes rather than requiring a separate [[water heater]] One disadvantage to this type of application is when the [[boiler]] breaks down both heating and domestic hot [[water]] is not available

Air [[convection]] heating systems have been in use for over a century but the older systems relied on a passive air circulation system where the greater [[density]] of cooler air caused it to [[sink]] into the [[furnace]] and the lesser [[density]] of the warmed air caused it to rise in the ductwork the two forces acting together to drive air circulation in a system termed "gravity-feed; the layout of the ducts and [[furnace]] was optimized for short large ducts and caused the [[furnace]] to be referred to as an "octopus" furnace

By comparison most modern "warm air" furnaces typically use a [[Fan (mechanical)|fan]] to circulate air to the rooms of house and pull cooler air back to the [[furnace]] for reheating; this is called [[forced-air]] [[heat]] Because the fan easily overcomes the [[Friction|resistance]] of the ductwork the arrangement of ducts can be far more flexible than the [[octopus]] of old In American practice separate ducts collect cool air to be returned to the [[furnace]] At the [[furnace]] cool air passes into the [[furnace]] usually through an air filter through the blower then through the [[heat exchanger]] of the [[furnace]] whence it is blown throughout the [[building]]  One major advantage of this type of system is that it also enables easy installation of central [[air conditioning]] by simply adding a cooling coil at the exhaust of the furnace

Air is circulated through [[Duct (HVAC)|ductwork]] which may be made of sheet metal or plastic "flex" duct and insulated or uninsulated Unless the ducts and [[Plenum space|plenum]] have been sealed using mastic or foil duct tape the ductwork is likely to have a high [[leakage]] of conditioned air possibly into unconditioned spaces Another cause of wasted [[energy]] is the installation of ductwork in unheated areas such as attics and crawl spaces; or ductwork of air conditioning systems in attics in warm climates

The following rare but difficult-to-diagnose failure can occur  If the [[temperature]] inside the [[furnace]] exceeds a maximum threshold a safety mechanism with a [[thermostat]] will shut the [[furnace]] down A [[symptom]] of this failure is that the [[furnace]] repeatedly shuts down before the house reaches the desired temperature; this is commonly referred to as the [[furnace]] "riding the high limit switch" This condition commonly occurs if the [[temperature]] setting of the high limit thermostat is set too close to the normal operating [[temperature]] of the [[furnace]]  Another situation may occur if a humidifier is incorrectly installed on the [[furnace]] and the duct which directs a portion of the humidified air back into the [[furnace]] is too large The [[solution]] is to reduce the diameter of the cross-feed tube or install a baffle that reduces the [[volume]] of re-fed air

== Metallurgical furnaces ==
[[Image:The Manufacture of [[Iron]] -- Filling the Furnacejpg|thumb|right|250px|''The Manufacture of [[Iron]] -- Filling the Furnace'' an 1873 [[wood engraving]]]]
In [[metallurgy]] several specialised furnaces are used These include:

*Furnaces used in [[smelter]]s including:
** The [[blast furnace]] used to [[redox|reduce]] [[iron ore]] to [[pig iron]]
** [[Steelmaking]] furnaces including:
*** [[Puddling furnace]]
*** [[Reverberatory furnace]]
*** [[Bessemer converter]]
*** [[Open hearth furnace]]
*** [[Basic [[oxygen]] furnace]]
*** [[Electric arc furnace]]
*** [[Electric induction furnace]]

*Furnaces used to remelt metal in [[foundry|foundries]]

*Furnaces used to reheat and [[heat treatment|heat treat]] metal for use in:
** [[Rolling mill]]s including [[tinplate]] works and [[slitting mill]]s
** [[Forge]]s

*[[Vacuum furnace]]s

===See also===

* [[Extractive metallurgy]]
* [[Flue gas stacks]]
* [[Fire test|Fire test furnaces]]

== [[Industrial process]]  furnaces ==
[[Image:furnace2-ensvg|thumb|350px|Schematic diagram of an [[industrial process]]  furnace]]

An industrial [[furnace]] or direct fired heater is an equipment used to provide [[heat]] for a process or can serve as [[chemical reactor|reactor]] which provides heats of reaction [[Furnace]] designs vary as to its function heating duty type of [[fuel]] and method of introducing [[combustion]] air However most process furnaces have some common features

Fuel flows into the [[burner]] and is burnt with air provided from an air blower There can be more than one burner in a particular [[furnace]] which can be arranged in cells which [[heat]] a particular set of tubes Burners can also be [[floor]] mounted wall mounted or roof mounted depending on [[design]] The flames [[heat]] up the tubes which in turn [[heat]] the fluid inside in the first part of the [[furnace]] known as the radiant section or [[Firebox (steam engine)|firebox]] In this chamber where [[combustion]] takes [[place]] the [[heat]] is transferred mainly by [[radiant energy|radiation]] to tubes around the [[fire]] in the chamber The heating fluid passes through the tubes and is thus heated to the desired [[temperature]] The gases from the [[combustion]] are known as [[flue gas]] After the [[flue gas]] gas  the firebox most [[furnace]] designs include a [[convection]] section where more [[heat]] is recovered before venting to the [[Earth's atmosphere|atmosphere]] through the [[flue gas stack]] (HTF=Heat Transfer Fluid Industries commonly use their furnaces to [[heat]] a secondary fluid with special additives like anti-[[rust]] and high [[heat transfer]]  efficiency This heated fluid is then circulated round the whole plant to [[heat]] exchangers to be used wherever [[heat]] is needed instead of directly heating the product line as the product or [[material]] may be volatile or prone to [[Cracking (chemistry)|cracking]] at the [[furnace]] temperature)

===Radiant section===
[[Image:Middle rad sectjpg|thumb|450px|Middle of radiant section]]

The radiant section is where the tubes receive [[almost all]] all its  by [[Thermal radiation|radiation]] from the flame In a vertical cylindrical [[furnace]] the tubes are vertical Tubes can be vertical or horizontal placed along the [[refractory]] wall in the middle etc or arranged in cells Studs are used to hold the [[Thermal insulation|insulation]] together and on the wall of the [[furnace]] They are placed about 1 ft (300 mm) apart in this picture of the inside of a [[furnace]] The tubes shown below which are reddish brown from [[corrosion]] are [[carbon steel]] tubes and run the height of the radiant section The tubes are a [[distance]] away from the insulation so [[radiation]] can be reflected to the back of the tubes to maintain a uniform tube wall [[temperature]] Tube guides at the top middle and bottom hold the tubes in place

===Convection  section===
[[Image:Conv sectgif|thumb|450px|Convection section]]

The [[convection]] section is located above the radiant section where it is cooler to recover additional [[heat]] [[Heat transfer]] takes [[place]] by [[convection]] here and the tubes are finned to increase [[heat transfer]]  The first two tube rows in the bottom of the [[convection]] section and at the top of the radiant section is an area of bare tubes (without fins) and are known as the shield section so named because they are [[still]] exposed to plenty of [[radiant energy|radiation]] from the [[Firebox (steam engine)|firebox]] and they also act to shield the [[convection]] section tubes which are normally of less resistant [[material]] from the high temperatures in the firebox The area of the radiant section just before [[flue gas]] enters the shield section and into the [[convection]] section called the bridgezone Crossover is the term used to describe the tube that connects from the [[convection]] section outlet to the radiant section inlet The crossover [[piping]] is normally located outside so that the [[temperature]] can be monitored and the efficiency of the [[convection]] section can be calculated The sightglass at the top allows personnel to see the [[fire|flame]] shape and pattern from above and visually inspect if flame impingement is occurring Flame impingement happens when the flame touches the tubes and causes small isolated spots of very high temperature

===Burner===
[[Image:Burner1jpg|thumb|450px|Furnace burner]]

The [[burner]] in the vertical cylindrical [[furnace]] as above is located in the [[floor]] and fires upward Some furnaces have side fired burners eg: train locomotive The burner [[tile]] is made of high [[temperature]] [[refractory]] and is where the flame is contained in. Air registers located below the burner and at the outlet of the air blower are devices with movable flaps or vanes that control the shape and pattern of the flame whether it spreads out or even swirls around Flames should not spread out too much as this will cause flame impingement Air registers can be classified as primary secondary and if applicable tertiary depending on when their air is introduced The primary air register supplies primary air which is the first to be introduced in the burner Secondary air is added to supplement primary air Burners may include a premixer to mix the air and [[fuel]] for better [[combustion]] before introducing into the burner Some burners even use steam as premix to preheat the air and create better mixing of the fuel and heated air The [[floor]] of the [[furnace]] is mostly made of a different [[material]] from that of the wall typically hard castable [[refractory]] to allow technicians to walk on its [[floor]] during maintenance

A [[furnace]] can be lit by a small [[Pilot light|pilot flame]] or in some older models by hand Most pilot flames nowadays are lit by an ignition transformer (much like a car's spark plugs) The pilot flame in turn lights up the main flame  The pilot flame uses [[natural gas]] while the main flame can use both [[diesel]] and natural [[gas]] When using liquid fuels an atomizer is used otherwise the liquid fuel will simply pour onto the [[furnace]] [[floor]] and become a hazard Using a pilot flame for lighting the [[furnace]] increases safety and ease compared to using a manual ignition method (like a match)

===Sootblower===
Sootblowers are found in the [[convection]] section As this section is above the radiant section and air movement is slower because of the fins [[soot]] tends to accumulate here Sootblowing is normally done when the efficiency of the [[convection]] section is decreased This can be calculated by looking at the [[temperature]] change from the crossover [[piping]] and at the [[convection]] section exit
Sootblowers utilize flowing media such as [[water]] air or steam to remove deposits from the tubes This is typically done during maintenance with the air blower turned on. There are several different types of sootblowers used Wall blowers of the rotary type are mounted on [[furnace]] walls protruding between the [[convection]] tubes The [[lance]]s are connected to a steam source with holes drilled into it at intervals along its length When it is turned on, it rotates and blows the soot off the tubes and out through the stack

===Stack===
[[Image:Stack dampergif|thumb|350px|right|Stack damper]]

The [[flue gas stack]] is a cylindrical structure at the top of all the [[heat transfer]]  chambers The [[Flue|breeching]] directly below it collects the [[flue gas]] and brings it up high into the [[Earth's atmosphere|atmosphere]] where it will not endanger personnel

The stack [[Damper (architecture)|damper]] contained within works like a [[butterfly valve]] and regulates [[Stack effect|draft]] (pressure difference between air intake and air exit)in the [[furnace]] which is what pulls the [[flue gas]] gas  the [[convection]] section The stack damper also regulates the [[heat]] lost through the stack As the damper closes the amount of [[heat]] escaping the [[furnace]] through the stack decreases but the [[pressure]] or draft in the [[furnace]] increases which poses risks to those working around it if there are air leakages in the [[furnace]] the flames can then escape out of the [[Firebox (steam engine)|firebox]] or even explode if the [[pressure]] is too great

===Insulation===
[[Thermal insulation|Insulation]] is an important part of the [[furnace]] because it prevents excessive [[heat]] loss [[Refractory]] materials such as [[firebrick]] castable  [[Refractory|refractories]] and [[High [[temperature]] insulation wool|ceramic fibre]] are used for insulation The [[floor]] of the [[furnace]] are normally castable type refractories while those on the walls are nailed or glued in [[place]] Ceramic fibre is commonly used for the roof and wall of the [[furnace]] and is graded by its [[density]] and then its maximum [[temperature]] rating For eg: 8# 2300°F means 8 lb/ft<sup>3</sup> [[density]] with a maximum [[temperature]] rating of 2300°F An example of a castable composition is kastolite

==Outdoor wood-fired boilers==
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===Description===
An [[outdoor wood-fired boiler]] (OWB) also known as a waterstove or outdoor wood [[furnace]] or simply a wood [[boiler]] is a heating [[technology]] that has grown in popularity in the Northern [[United States]]   OWBs in most cases look like a small shack with metal [[siding]]  They are self-contained and are only connected to the [[building]] they [[heat]] through underground insulated [[water]] pipes  OWBs contain a metal [[combustion]] chamber for a wood fire which is surrounded by a [[water]] [[tank]] or [[water jacket]]   The fire heats the [[water]] which is then circulated through the insulated [[water]] pipes into the heated [[building]] Once the hot [[water]] from the [[boiler]] reaches the [[building]] the [[heat]] from the hot [[water]] can be transferred to most existing heating systems and the building's hot [[water]] supply

A damper and fan on the [[boiler]] interacts with a thermostat inside the [[building]]  If the building's [[temperature]] falls the thermostat will trigger the damper to open letting [[oxygen]] enter the [[combustion]] chamber which causes the fire to burn more intensely  The fire will then raise the [[temperature]] of the [[water]] which increases the [[heat]] supplied to the home

===Benefits===
OWBs have several benefits that increase their popularity  Their large [[combustion]] chamber accommodates more fuel than many [[other]] forms of wood [[heat]] decreasing the [[number]] of times an owner has to add fuel to the fire  Home insurance may cost more for people who [[heat]] with an indoor form of wood [[heat]] than with an OWB  Finally for people with a large supply of free wood and willing to invest the [[time]] to prepare the wood and [[stock]] the OWB an OWB can be less expensive than heating with [[gas]] oil or electricity [http://todaymsnbcmsncom/id/26738221/]

===Controversy===
OWBs are not without [[controversy]] as their emissions sometimes bother neighbors  Some states and municipalities have regulated the devices[http://wwwanrstatevtus/dec/air/owb/regl-otherhtml]  They are not currently regulated by the [[United States]] [[Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA) unlike [[other]] forms of wood [[heat]] (However recently the EPA has worked with manufacturers to develop a method for manufacturers to identify OWBs that meet a voluntary emissions standard [http://wwwepagov/woodheaters/what_epa_doinghtm]) Studies conducted on OWBs suggest that these devices may produce more emissions most notably [[particulate]] matter under 2.5 micrometers (PM25) than [[other]] heating technologies though manufacturers dispute these assessments [http://wwwnescaumorg/documents/assessment-of-outdoor-wood-fired-boilers]  Exposure to elevated levels of PM25 has been associated with cardiopulmonary health effects and premature death [http://wwwepagov/oar/particlepollution/healthhtml]

As of July 2006 the HPBA along with many of the major OWB manufactures have requested users of their products follow the "Outdoor Wood [[Furnace]] Best Burn Practices" [http://wwwhpbaorg/indexphp?id=154]
These guidelines have been set up by the HPBA to help cut down on problems associated with OWBs

Early in January 2007 the [[United States]]  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a voluntary program [http://wwwepagov/woodheaters/what_epa_doinghtm] for manufacturers of outdoor wood furnaces The EPA's primary intent is to encourage manufacturers to produce [[cleaner]] Outdoor Wood-fired Hydronic Heaters (OWHH) models The EPA also wants those who buy an OWHH / OWB to buy the cleanest models available which are those that meet EPA [[performance]] verified levels To participate in this program manufacturers commit their best efforts to develop [[cleaner]] models with goals of distributing their units starting in April 2007 [http://wwwepagov/woodheaters/partnershtm]

The EPA now publishes a list of all OWHH / OWB units that pass the new voluntary program [http://wwwepagov/owhh/modelshtm] These furnaces come with either an "orange EPA tag" signifying Level 1 certification or a "white EPA tag" signifying Level 2 certification to notify the customer of the units particular emission level output (One beneficial aspect of this process to consumers is that outdoor wood boilers that are EPA-certified are usually more [[energy efficiency|energy efficient]] than those that are not extracting more [[energy]] per unit of wood and thus reducing costs to the owner Plus consumers benefit by knowing that such boilers are far less likely to annoy their neighbors)

Boilers that do pollute enough to cause a [[public nuisance]] (such as by smoke wafting into the house of a neighbor) can be subject to lawsuits by nearby people who are impacted by the smoke nuisance in question an ancient right under the [[common law]] for the [[abatement]] of [[nuisance]] This is in addition to local and state regulations laws or ordinances that cause restrictions on operation to or even compel removal of excessively polluting boilers For example the [[Commonwealth of Massachusetts]] [[Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection|Department of Environmental Protection]] has barred the sale installation or use of new outdoor wood boilers that are not Level 2 certified by the EPA though old boilers remain grandfathered so long as they do not cause a public nuisance or manifestly impact health and safety

==See also==
*[[Oven]]
*[[Kiln]]
*[[Russian Oven]]
*[[Boiler]]
*[[Shell boiler]]
*[[Jetstream furnace]]
*[[HVAC]]
*[[Flue gas stacks]]
*[[Humidifier]]
*[[Solar power]]
*[[Cremation]]
*[[Fan heater]]
*[[Geothermal Systems]]
*[[Fire test]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book|author=Gray WA and Muller R|title=''Engineering calculations in radiative [[heat transfer]]  |edition=1st|publisher=Pergamon Press Ltd|year=1974|isbn=0-08-017786-7 or ISBN 0-08-017787-5}}
*{{cite book|author=Fiveland WA Crosbie AL Smith AM and Smith TF (Editors)|title=Fundamentals of [[radiation]] [[heat transfer]]  |edition=|publisher=American [[Society]] of Mechanical Engineers|year=1991|isbn=0-7918-0729-0}}
*{{cite book|author=Warring R. H|title=Handbook of valves [[piping]] and pipelines|edition=1st|publisher=Gulf Publishing Company|year=1982|isbn=0-87201-885-7}}
*{{cite book|author=Dukelow Samuel G|title=Improving [[boiler]] efficiency|edition=2nd|publisher=Instrument [[Society]] of America|year=1985|isbn=0-87664-852-9}}
*{{cite book|author=Whitehouse RC (Editor)|title=The [[valve]] and actuator user's manual|edition=|publisher=Mechanical Engineering Publications|year=1993|isbn=0-85298-805-2}}
*{{cite book|author=Davies Clive|title=Calculations in [[furnace]] technology|edition=1st|publisher=Pergamon Press|year=1970|isbn=0080133665}}
*{{cite book|author=Goldstick R. and Thumann A|title=Principles of [[waste heat]]  recovery|edition=|publisher=Fairmont Press|year=1986|isbn=0-88173-015-7}}
*{{cite book|author=ASHRAE|title=ASHRAE Handbook Heating ventilating and air-conditioning systems and equipment|edition=|publisher=ASHRAE|year=1992|id=ISSN 1078-6066}}
*{{cite book|author=Perry RH and Green DW (Editors)|title=[[Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook]]|edition=7th|publisher=McGraw-Hill|year=1997|isbn=0-07-049841-5}}
*{{cite book|author=Lieberman P. and Lieberman Elizabeth T|title=Working Guide to Process Equipment |edition=2nd|publisher=McGraw-Hill|year=2003|isbn=0-07-139087-1}}
{{Commons|Furnace}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
* [http://wwwheaterdesigncom/design0htm Industrial Fired Heaters]
* [http://wwwpatentopediaus/mixing_pictures/castable_refractory_compositionshtml Castable refractories]
* [http://wwwnaberthermcom Examples for modern industrial furnaces]
* [http://wwwitsllcusacom/p_cat_custom_furnacescfm International Thermal Systems]

[[Category:Fireplaces]]
[[Category:Home appliances]]
[[Category:Metallurgy]]
[[Category:Industrial furnaces| ]]
[[Category:Industrial processes]]

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