According to the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), the institute has developed an electrified heat treatment technology that replaces fossil fuels with electricity in the annealing process used in the production of galvanized steel strips for the automotive and home appliance industries.
Kiln design maintains productivity and quality
The essence of the new technology lies in its furnace design, KIER said. The research team retained the refractory design and steel strip transport mechanism of conventional annealing furnaces, installing electric heating elements on both the upper and lower sections of the furnace. The institute said that precise control of the distance between the heating elements and the steel strip ensures rapid and uniform heating through high-temperature radiant heat while minimizing heat loss to the furnace walls.
When applied to 0.49 mm thick steel strips annealed at 750°C, KIER reported that the color, microstructure and mechanical properties were equivalent to those achieved using combustion-based furnaces, in while emissions were reduced by more than 98 percent.
Lower capital costs and compatibility with renewable energy sources
KIR added that electric annealing furnaces eliminate the need for fuel and air supply systems, burners and exhaust systems, reducing capital investment and installation footprint requirements by approximately 40 percent. According to the institute, when
