Water-Cooling Furnace Systems

Types

• Water-cooling furnace systems are usually named according to the type of cooling system it uses. While they all use water, the water itself is applied or distributed to different parts of the furnace system. The six broad classifications of systems are spray or shower coolers, plate or box coolers, stave coolers, internal block or ring coolers, panels and external jackets.

Advantages

• Each type of water-cooling furnace system has advantages. For example, the spray or show cooling system is highly economical because it only requires the ability to spray water on external walls of the furnace to cool it. Plate and box furnaces are simple in their design and easy to maintain. Some systems have higher heat capacities than others. Each type of system has to be evaluated and chosen on the basis of the advantages it provides and applicability for the industrial process it supports.

Disadvantages

• Just as each system is evaluated on its own merits, disadvantages need to be considered. For instance, because external jackets and internal blocks and rings have limited usage, they are not commonly adopted. Plate and box coolers are prone to frequent breakage and water leaks, so they must be maintained more often than others. Spray or shower systems have a limited effect, which can cause the furnaces to experience thermal stress and deformation.

Issues

• While water-cooling furnace systems have great potential for various industrial processes, they also have a number of problems. As a universal solvent, water has the potential to corrode these systems, no matter how strong they seem. The constant variation in temperature places significant stress on the system. The use of water can also lead to the growth of microorganisms.