Semi-Industrial Furnace Facility for Advanced Energy Systems

The facility consists of a semi-industrial reverse-flow furnace equipped with a recuperative Flame/FLOX® burner with a nominal power of 20 kW, cooling system, and dedicated fuel and air supply units. The cubical chamber (700×700×700 mm inner volume) is built from stainless steel, insulated with 200 mm ceramic foam, and can withstand temperatures up to 1300 °C.

The setup is designed to embed the essential complexities of geometry, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, internal flue gas recirculation, and combustion mode that closely resemble real industrial processes.

Unique Capabilities and Highlights

The furnace provides a unique platform for studying clean and efficient combustion of alternative fuels under conditions directly relevant to real-world applications.

· High Fuel Flexibility: Can operate with a wide variety of fuels:

• Gaseous fuels: H2, NH3, DME, CH4, CO, natural gas and blends of them, including diluents.
• Liquid fuels: Kerosene-type liquids and alcohols.

· Flexible Operation: Features flexible fuel lance lengths and air nozzle diameters for adjustable operation.

· Industrial Relevance: Equipped with an industrial-grade burner and operates under conditions that closely resemble real industrial processes.

Measurements and Diagnostics

Temperatures at various locations within the furnace are measured using K-type, N-type, and B-type thermocouples. Moreover, in-situ intrusive temperature measurements are carried out with an air-cooled suction pyrometer equipped with a B-type thermocouple and a fast-response K-type thermocouple. Quartz windows provide optical access for chemiluminescence imaging and laser-based diagnostics with high-speed cameras. The flue gas compositions are measured on a wet basis using two gas analyzers: an Emerson® Rosemount CT5100 continuous analyzer based on the Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) spectroscopy principle and a Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) analyzer (HORIBA MEXA-ONE-FT).