More and more industrial manufacturers have been shifting to a process known as “pulse firing,” which involves the pulsing of burners from high-fire to low-fire on ovens and furnaces. Today’s upgraded systems allow for this to be done in an efficient manner, helping businesses enjoy an advantage over their competition.
Some of the biggest benefits of pulse firing include lower emissions, enhanced output, more control over processes, uniformity of temperature, greater turndown ratios, fuel savings, greater safety and improved product quality.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of using this process as part of heat treatment in Gastonia, NC.
The benefits of pulse firing
Here’s a closer look at some of the benefits listed above:
- Uniformity of temperature: Better temperature uniformity in the furnace or kiln is made possible by pulse firing because the combustion system can be designed in such a way that gas circulation is maximized in the furnace. During the “on” cycle the burners operate at high fire, which means it’s constantly working at the highest velocity possible. This ensures the maximum amount of gases in the furnace are entrained with the burner exhaust gases. The result is fewer hot and cold spots and a more even mixture.
- Emissions: Because pulse firing provides more precise control, that leads to reduced air pollution. Most burners emit the lowest levels of NO when operating at high fire, and because pulse systems run at high fire, the burner will always be working under its cleanest conditions.
- Fuel efficiency: Pulse-fired systems can result in fuel savings of 20 to 25 percent compared to proportional systems. This is mostly because of the better control over the air/fuel rations during the process of pulse firing.
- Process control: Greater process control is possible with pulse firing because the process of pulse firing is simply easier for computers to control. You can set different firing schedules from one firing to the next, and because there are greater turndown ratios, heating can occur at a faster rate without having to give up any level of control at the highest soak temperatures.
- Safety: Naturally, whenever you have greater control over a system, that means it’s going to be safer to use, because it is both more predictable and easier to handle if something happens to go wrong. Pulse firing offers greater safety for your heat treating applications.
- Turndown ratios: The pulse system takes control over the timing and frequency of the firing of every burner at preset fuel inputs, rather than controlling just the amplitude of the fuel input. Every burner in the system is assigned its own gas regulator and air valve. If a single burner isn’t pulsing at high fire, it can either be left firing at a lower preset position or turned off entirely.
These are just a few examples of some of the biggest benefits of pulse firing in heat treatment in Gastonia, NC. Contact J. F. Heat Treating Inc. today for more information—we look forward to working with you!