Methods and apparatus for constructing refractory structures, e.g., glass furnace regenerator structures and/or glass furnace structures having walls formed of refractory block and buck stays externally supporting the walls are provided. Opposed pairs of supports are connected to at least a respective one of the vertically oriented buck stays with cross-support beams spanning the refractory structure between a respective pair of the supports. An overhead crane assembly is supported by the cross-support beams. In such a manner, refractory components of the refractory structure (e.g., refractory wall blocks and/or refractory checker bricks) may be installed using the overhead crane assembly.

Techniques for utilizing excess heat generated by an oven to generate electricity are provided. In one example, an oven can comprise a coolant pathway positioned adjacent to a hollow space within the oven, wherein the hollow space can contain heat. The oven can also comprise a chamber in fluid communication with the coolant pathway. The oven can further comprise a turbine in fluid communication with the chamber and an outlet. Moreover, the oven can comprise a generator connected to the turbine, wherein rotation of the turbine can power the generator.

A total heat energy recovery system for furnace-process phosphoric acid is disclosed by the present disclosure, and relates to the technical field of phosphorus chemical industry. The system comprises a phosphorus burning tower, a hydration tower, an absorption tower, a Venturi tube, a demister, an induced draft fan, a deaerator, an economizer, a dilute acid circulating tank, a phosphoric acid pump, and a feedwater pump. In consideration of the whole process system, fresh soft water is deoxidized after being heated by an upper head of the phosphorus burning tower and a gas guide tube, and the deoxidized water is then pumped into the economizer by a high-pressure pump to recover the heat of the hydration tower and then enters a steam pocket of the phosphorus burning tower to generate medium-high pressure steam. Therefore, unified recovery of the heat of a furnace-process phosphoric acid device is achieved, the medium-high pressure steam is generated, the effective energy is improved, a circulating cooling tower of the furnace-process phosphoric acid device is omitted, and the production system is efficient, energy-saving, environment-friendly, and green.

Furnace operation includes consecutive cycles of a heating step, a stopping step and a restarting step. The fuel and/or the oxidizing agent is preheated upstream of the furnace by indirect exchange with the discharged fumes through a medium passing through a chamber. A first wall separates the fumes from the medium in the chamber. The fuel and/or oxidizing agent is separated from the medium in the chamber by a second wall. During restarting, the medium's flow rate Dm is regulated to limit the heating rate of the first wall until it reaches the operational temperature at an end thereof.

This disclosure provides a method of recycling heat during operation of a plant in which equipment for processing at least two different materials is co-located. The method comprises a first process for processing a first material and a second process for processing a second material. The second material has a melting point that is less than a melting point of the first material. During the first process, the first material is subjected to a first melting process and then subjected to a first cooling process that includes solidification of the first material. During the second process, the second material is subjected to a second melting process and then subjected to a second cooling process that includes solidification of the second material. The method comprises recovering heat from the first cooling process and using at least some of the heat as a heat source for the second melting process.

A process for the production of potassium sulphate by conversion of potassium chloride and sulphuric acid using a muffle furnace, said furnace comprising a reaction chamber and a combustion chamber, wherein in the reaction chamber potassium chloride (KCI) and potassium hydrogen sulfate (KHSO.sub.4) are reacted to form potassium sulphate while supplying heat to the reaction chamber from the combustion chamber, wherein the combustion chamber has at least a pair of regenerative burners and wherein the process comprises the steps of alternatingly causing one of the regenerative burners to perform a combustion operation in the combustion chamber to heat the reaction chamber and another of the regenerative burners to perform a heat-regenerating operation in a regenerator, wherein the pressure in the combustion chamber is kept at a pressure of between 0.2 and 3 mbarg.

This disclosure provides a method of recycling heat during operation of a plant in which equipment for processing at least two different materials is co-located. The method comprises a first process for processing a first material and a second process for processing a second material. The second material has a melting point that is less than a melting point of the first material. During the first process, the first material is subjected to a first melting process and then subjected to a first cooling process that includes solidification of the first material. During the second process, the second material is subjected to a second melting process and then subjected to a second cooling process that includes solidification of the second material. The method comprises recovering heat from the first cooling process and using at least some of the heat as a heat source for the second melting process.

A pressurized cavity is provided around at least a portion or all of a regenerator, within which gas such as flue gas is maintained at a pressure in excess of the pressure within the regenerator, to protect against leakage of gas through the walls of the regenerator.

A pressurized cavity is provided around at least a portion or all of a regenerator, within which gas such as flue gas is maintained at a pressure in excess of the pressure within the regenerator, to protect against leakage of gas through the walls of the regenerator.

A continuous aluminum melting furnace with a porous spray pipe heat exchanger, comprising a furnace body, combustion nozzles, a smoke pipeline and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger comprises a smoke channel and heat exchange cylinders, wherein each of the heat exchange cylinders comprises a head end, a tail end, and a porous spray pipe in at least one of the cylinders. The porous spray pipe comprises a closed end and a pipe body, with several air spray holes provided on a peripheral wall of the pipe body so that cold air entering the at least one heat exchange cylinder is sprayed to an inner wall of the cylinder so as to exchange heat with high-temperature smoke which flows through an outer wall of the cylinder, thus keeping the temperature of the cylinder lower than the rated tolerant temperature of the material from which the cylinder is made.