Numerical simulation and field synergy optimization of brick-built heat exchange chamber in zinc refining furnace

doi:10.11949/0438-1157.20241439

Abstract

Abstract:

Brick-built heat exchange chamber is a key equipment of tower zinc distillation furnace, which is mainly used for preheating incoming air and recovering flue gas waste heat. Due to the structural limitations of the brick-built heat exchange chamber, it has problems such as uneven gas velocity distribution and low heat transfer efficiency. Therefore, a brick-built heat exchange chamber of the zinc refining furnace is taken as the research subject in this paper, a comprehensive numerical study of the chamber is conducted by using CFD technology. Based on the field synergy theory, the evaluation is carried out by using indicators such as integral median synergistic angle, volume weighted average synergistic angle and comprehensive heat transfer enhancement coefficient, leading to the identification of an optimized structural solution. The study indicates that the uneven velocity distribution on the flue gas side is concentrated at the junctions of the heat exchange process, while the uneven velocity distribution on the air side is primarily observed in the bottom air ducts. Structural optimization should focus on the air ducts on the eastern side at the bottom layer. Expanding the air duct inlets can effectively enhance the uniformity of air flow within the chimney checkers, with the relative standard deviation reduced to only 17.5%, improving the overall performance of the heat exchange chamber. The optimal width for the air duct inlets on the eastern side at the bottom layer is 435 mm.

Key words: zinc refining furnace, brick-built heat exchange chamber, numerical simulation, field synergy, optimization, convection

摘要：

砖砌式换热室是塔式锌精馏炉的关键设备，主要用于预热入炉空气和回收烟气余热。由于砖砌式换热室的结构限制，其存在气体流速分布不均、换热效率低等问题。因此，以锌精馏炉砖砌式换热室为研究对象，利用CFD技术对换热室进行全面的数值研究，并基于场协同理论，以积分中值协同角、体积加权平均协同角、综合强化传热性能系数等为评价指标，评估并获得了结构优化方案。研究表明，烟气侧速度分布不均的现象集中在换热流程的连接口，空气侧流速不均的现象集中在底层空气道；结构优化应重点关注底层东侧空气道；拓宽空气道入口可有效强化筒形砖内空气流量的均匀性，相对标准偏差仅为17.5%，并改善换热室的综合传热性能；底层东侧空气道入口的最佳宽度为435 mm。

关键词: 锌精馏炉, 砖砌式换热室, 数值模拟, 场协同, 优化, 对流

CLC Number:

TK 172

Zhengzong HUANG, Kecheng LIU, Zefang LI, Pingsheng ZENG, YongFu LIU, Hongjie YAN, Liu LIU. Numerical simulation and field synergy optimization of brick-built heat exchange chamber in zinc refining furnace[J]. CIESC Journal, 2025, 76(9): 4425-4439.

黄正宗, 刘科成, 李泽方, 曾平生, 刘永富, 闫红杰, 刘柳. 锌精馏炉砖砌式换热室数值模拟与场协同优化[J]. 化工学报, 2025, 76(9): 4425-4439.

Figures/Tables 20

Fig.1 Geometric model of the brick-built heat exchange chamber

Fig.2 Schematic structure of different characteristic sections in the heat exchange chamber

Table 1 Physical parameters of the wall of a zinc refining furnace

材料	密度/(kg/m³)	比热容/(J/(kg∙K))	热导率/(W/(m∙K))	吸收系数/m^-1	散射系数/m^-1
墙体	2200	750	1.5	3.7	50.88

Fig.3 Histogram of the mass flow and temperature at the air outlet of the chimney checker in row C for the heat exchange chamber

Table 2 Comparison of calculated and measured flue gas and air temperatures in the heat exchange chamber

序号	测点位置	测试值/K	计算值/K	相对误差/%
1	换热室烟气出口	825.13	882.46	6.9
2	换热室空气出口	1070.85	1001.23	6.5

Fig.4 Velocity contours of flue gas in the brick-built heat exchange chamber

Fig.5 Velocity contour of air outlets at the chimney checker of the brick-built heat exchange chamber.

Fig.6 Histogram of air mass flow for different rows of the chimney checker in the brick-built heat exchange chamber

Fig.7 Velocity contour of horizontal section of the bottom air duct in the brick-built heat exchange chamber

Fig.8 Temperature contours at different monitoring sections of the brick-built heat exchange chamber

Fig.9 Air temperature contour of the outlet cross-section of the chimney checkers

Fig.10 Average temperature histogram of the inner wall surfaces of different rows of the chimney checker in the brick-built heat exchange chamber

Fig.11 Schematic diagram of the structure of the air duct inlet.

Table 3 Horizontal width of air duct inlet on east side at bottom layer

工况	Case-1	Case-2	Case-3	Case-4
数值/mm	240	305	370	435

Fig.12 Velocity contours of air outlets at the chimney checkers for different inlet widths of air duct

Fig.13 Histograms of air mass flows and their relative standard deviations for different rows of chimney checkers at different inlet widths of air duct

Fig.14 Local heat transfer synergy angle contour at the l1 cross-section of the brick-built heat exchange chamber

Fig.15 Comparison of local heat transfer synergy angle contours of the heat exchanger chamber for different inlet widths of the air channel

Fig.16 Comparison of integral-averaged and volumetric synergistic angles for different inlet widths of air duct

Fig.17 Comparison of the comprehensive performance of Case-4 and Case-1

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