Energy Analysis of an Electric Furnace with Vibrating Hearth Aimed at Roasting Vermiculite Concentrates

Abstract

We perform the energy analysis of an electric furnace with vibrating hearth by using previously developed analytic models of absorption and a new refined model of the assimilation of heat by vermiculite. We deduce a temperature–time equation, the formulas for the productivity of the furnace unit and the specific energy consumption of calcination of the vermiculite. It is shown that the furnaces based on a new concept have specific energy capacities that do not exceed 77.8 mJ/m³, which is more than three times lower than the specific energy capacity of the flame furnaces intended for the purposes of roasting of the vermiculite.