Thermomechanical analysis of a coke dry quenching furnace

The coke dry quenching (CDQ) process has the advantages of reducing the carbon footprint of coke production and improving the quality of coke. Extending the service life of refractories in CDQ furnaces is essential for improving the energy efficiency of the process. The operating conditions of the CDQ furnace significantly affect the deterioration rate of its refractory lining. A thermomechanical analysis of a 140 t/h CDQ furnace is conducted in this study to analyze the behavior of the refractory lining under different gas flow and thermal conditions. The study reveals that thermal conditions and the properties of the materials of the refractory lining significantly affect the thermal stress and deformation of the furnace. A decrease in the gas flow rate results in a decrease in the stress distribution and an increase in the deformation distribution. When a material with a higher coefficient of thermal expansion is used, the thermal stress and deformation increase as the material expands and deforms more under the same thermal conditions. The maximum thermal stress is at the bottom of the brackets followed by the inner circular wall's surface. Increasing the temperature on the inner circular wall's surface results in an increase in the stress values. The results suggest that the thermal gradient, localized high temperatures, and material properties have a significant effect on stress and deformation. Controlling the gas flow rate and selecting appropriate materials can help manage these factors and enhance the refractory lining's performance and service life.