Study on the thermal efficiency and temperature distribution of Dan Kwien Kiln in Thailand

Abstract

This research aims to study the thermal efficiency and the temperature distribution of the conventional Dan Kwien pottery kiln. The Dan Kwien pottery kiln is fabricated from the clay and brick with the width and length of 2.5*8m. The experiments are performed by using the firewood as fuel with average moisture content and the heating value of 22.73%, 14.07MJ/kg, respectively. The 262 potteries have been fired for 108 hours with the 2,600kg firewood. The burning processes are separated into three levels; kiln warming (< 200 °C), rapidly firing (900-1000 °C) and kiln closing (decreasing to ambient air). The experiment is monitoring the kiln temperature, kiln surface temperature, inlet and outlet temperatures and firewood consumption. For the overall heat losses, the main heat loss from the Dan Kwien pottery kiln is the exhaust heat loss from the chimney about 19.34GJ among these losses about 33.09GJ while the utilization heat inside the Dan Kwien pottery kiln is about 7.3GJ. It can be seen that the Dan Kwien pottery kiln gives the 18.07% thermal efficiency. The results of this study are of technological importance for the efficient design and improvement of Dan Kwien pottery kiln to reduce energy losses,educe energy consumption and especially higher products quality. © 2015 Pushpa Publishing House, Allahabad, India.