Edición No. 22, Issue I, Julio 2025
Fig. 8 compares the electrical energy consumption of
the furnace in its initial condition and with the fan
implementation. For energy efficiency analysis, the
average electricity cost in Ecuador, approximately USD
0.10 per kW·h, was taken into account. The electrical
consumption recorded for the furnace without a fan over
a 180-second cycle was 0.325 kW·h, corresponding to a
cost of about 0.0325 USD. With the fan, the consumption
slightly increased to 0.330 kW·h, resulting in a cost of
USD 0.0330. This represents a 1.54 % increase in energy
consumption, which amounts to an additional
USD 0.0005, a negligible difference in economic terms.
Figure 8: Electrical Energy Consumption of the Furnace in Initial
Conditions and with the Convective Fan
While the thermal impact is notably positive, the
simulation and experimental measurements reveal that
incorporating the fan allowed for a faster temperature
increase, reaching approximately 327 K compared to the
290 K of the conventional furnace within the same time
frame. This indicates greater heat transfer efficiency,
improved thermal homogeneity, and a potential reduction
in the overall operating time for future treatment cycles.
Therefore, despite the slight increase in energy
consumption, the system significantly enhances
productivity and could lead to notable long-term savings
by reducing furnace operating times.
4. CONCLUSIONS
The energy efficiency analysis of the electric furnace
through the integration of a forced convection fan has
proven both feasible and advantageous. By incorporating
computational fluid dynamics (CFD), the study provided
valuable insights into the heat transfer mechanisms of
conduction, radiation, and convection, confirming that
the use of forced airflow results in a more uniform and
efficient temperature distribution within the furnace
chamber.
The CFD simulation demonstrated that adding a fan
significantly improved the heat flux, raising the
maximum temperature to 327.2 K, compared to 290 K
with the conventional furnace, within the same time
frame. This thermal improvement, representing a
10.65 % increase over the initial conditions, came with
only a 1.54 % rise in energy consumption, translating to
an additional USD 0.0005 per operating cycle, based on
the cost of USD 0.10 per kW·h in Ecuador. These results
highlight that the proposed solution not only enhances the
thermal performance of the furnace but also maintains a
low electrical consumption, contributing to both
productivity and energy sustainability. Future research
should focus on exploring different fan configurations,
dynamic speed control, and power modulation strategies
to further enhance energy efficiency and reduce
operational costs in industrial heating applications for
heat treatment processes.
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