What question did this study set out to answer?

Evaluate combustion and energy performance of an IDR metallurgical furnace using a residual oil-solvent mixture.

April 4, 2026Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing0 citationsOpen Access

CFD–Experimental Analysis of Combustion and Energy Performance in an IDR Metallurgical Furnace Fueled with a Residual Oil–Solvent Blend

MCMartha Angélica Cano-Figueroa HAHugo Arcos-Gutierrez RPR Pérez-Bustamante

Key Points

Evaluate combustion and energy performance of an IDR metallurgical furnace using a residual oil-solvent mixture.
Utilized computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with k–ω SST turbulence model and Eddy Dissipation Concept.
Conducted experimental validation with infrared thermography and Process Analytical Technology (PAT).
Assessed the thermal efficiency and maximum internal temperatures during operational conditions.
Max internal temperatures reached 1199 °C with thermal efficiency of 84.6%.
CFD predictions aligned within 5% of thermographic data across stable operational windows.
Alternative fuel reduced cycle time and operational costs compared to diesel and natural gas.

Abstract

This study presents a combined computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experimental evaluation of an adjustable direct-injection reciprocating (IDR) metallurgical furnace fueled by a multicomponent residual oil–solvent mixture. An axisymmetric CFD model, incorporating k–ω SST turbulence modeling, Eddy Dissipation Concept (EDC) combustion, and Discrete Ordinates radiation, was validated against infrared thermography and Process Analytical Technology (PAT) measurements obtained under actual operational conditions. The residual mixture operated in a turbulence-controlled regime (Da < 1), reaching maximum internal temperatures of 1199 °C and achieving a thermal efficiency of 84.6% (based on LHV). Numerical predictions agreed with thermographic data to within 5% across the stabilized operational window. Under comparable process parameters, the alternative fuel reduced cycle time and operational costs compared with diesel and natural gas whilst maintaining stable combustion. Methodological clarifications encompass a consolidated, dimensionally consistent set of equations, a QoI-based mesh-independence study, and a concise summary of the experimental configuration to enhance reproducibility.

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