Shuttle kiln exhaust configuration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022397347-A1
Application number	US-202017624370-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 24, 2020
Priority date	Jul 3, 2019
Publication date	Dec 15, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A shuttle kiln (100) according to certain aspects includes at least one flue channel (124) and multiple flue risers (122) in fluid communication with the flue channel (124), and at least one shuttle (104) defining multiple exhaust shafts (140) arranged above the multiple flue risers (122), wherein an aggregate volume of a first exhaust shaft/riser pair (140-1, 122-1) differs from an aggregate volume of a second exhaust shaft/riser pair (140-2, 122-2). Such configuration at least partially compensates for different backpressures that would otherwise be experienced by flue gas exiting a shuttle kiln cavity (138) through different exhaust shafts (140), thereby improving uniformity of flue gas flow and reducing temperature variability within a kiln cavity (138).

First claim

1 . A shuttle kiln, comprising:
a kiln housing comprising a first flue channel and a first plurality of flue risers in fluid communication with the first flue channel, wherein the first plurality of flue risers comprises a first flue riser defining a first riser volume and a second flue riser defining a second riser volume; and at least one shuttle positioned within the kiln housing and defining a first plurality of exhaust shafts comprising a first exhaust shaft defining a first shaft volume and a second exhaust shaft defining a second shaft volume; wherein the first exhaust shaft is arranged above and in fluid communication with the first flue riser, the first exhaust shaft being separated from the first flue riser to define a first entrainment gap therebetween; wherein the second exhaust shaft is arranged above and in fluid communication with the second flue riser, the second exhaust shaft being separated from the second flue riser to define a second entrainment gap therebetween; and wherein a sum of the first riser volume and the first shaft volume is greater than a sum of the second riser volume and the second shaft volume.

2 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein:
the kiln housing comprises a floor, a door, sidewalls, and a ceiling bounding an interior; the first flue channel is arranged below a top surface of the floor; and the first plurality of flue risers extend above the top surface of the floor.

3 . The shuttle kiln of claim 2 , wherein:
the kiln housing further comprises a second flue channel and a second plurality of flue risers in fluid communication with the second flue channel.

4 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein:
the kiln housing further comprises an exhaust fan in fluid communication with the first flue channel; and the first flue riser is closer than the second flue riser to the exhaust fan.

5 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein the at least one shuttle comprises a plurality of shuttles.

6 . The shuttle kiln of claim 5 , wherein a first shuttle of the plurality of shuttles comprises the first exhaust shaft, and a second shuttle of the plurality of shuttles comprises the second exhaust shaft.

7 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein:
the first plurality of flue risers further comprises a third flue riser defining a third riser volume; the first plurality of exhaust shafts further comprises a third exhaust shaft defining a third shaft volume; the third exhaust shaft is arranged above and in fluid communication with the third flue riser, the third exhaust shaft being separated from the third flue riser to define a third entrainment gap therebetween; and a sum of the second riser volume and the second shaft volume is greater than a sum of the third riser volume and the third shaft volume.

8 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein:
at least a portion of the first exhaust shaft is vertically aligned with the first flue riser; and at least a portion of the second exhaust shaft is vertically aligned with the second flue riser.

9 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein:
a cross-sectional area of the first flue riser is in a range of from 0.09 m 2 to 0.21 m 2 ; and a cross-sectional area of the first exhaust shaft is in a range of from 0.09 m 2 to 0.21 m 2 .

10 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein a height of the first flue riser is greater than a height of the second flue riser.

11 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein a height of the first exhaust shaft is greater than a height of the second exhaust shaft.

12 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein:
a height of the first flue riser is greater than a height of the second flue riser; and a height of the first exhaust shaft is greater than a height of the second exhaust shaft.

13 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein the first entrainment gap is smaller than the second entrainment gap.

14 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the first flue riser is less than a cross-sectional area of the second flue riser.

15 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the first exhaust shaft is less than a cross-sectional area of the second exhaust shaft.

16 . The shuttle kiln of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the first flue riser is less than a cross-sectional area of the second flue riser; and
wherein a cross-sectional area of the first exhaust shaft is less than a cross-sectional area of the second exhaust shaft.

17 . A shuttle kiln, comprising:
a kiln housing comprising a flue channel and a plurality of flue risers in fluidic communication with the flue channel, wherein the plurality of flue risers comprises a first flue riser defining a first riser volume and a second flue riser defining a second riser volume that differs from the first riser volume; wherein the first flue riser is configured to be arranged below a first exhaust shaft of a shuttle when the shuttle is positioned within the kiln housing; wherein the second flue riser is configured to be arranged below a second exhaust shaft of the shuttle when the shuttle is positioned within the kiln housing.

18 . A shuttle kiln, comprising:
at least one shuttle configured to be removably positioned within a kiln housing, the at least one shuttle defining a plurality of exhaust shafts comprising a first exhaust shaft defining a first shaft volume and a second exhaust shaft defining a second shaft volume that differs from the first shaft volume; wherein the first exhaust shaft is configured to be arranged above a first flue riser of the kiln housing when the at least one shuttle is positioned within the kiln housing; and wherein the second exhaust shaft is configured to be arranged above a second flue riser of the kiln housing when the at least one shuttle is positioned within the kiln housing.

19 . (canceled)

20 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Chen Peng
• Rajeshirke Pravin Anant
• Selokar Mayur Vitthal
• Vayansky Michael James

Classifications

• F27B9/10 Primary

  heated by hot air or gas · CPC title

• F27D7/04

  Circulating atmospheres by mechanical means · CPC title

• F27B9/3005 Primary

  arrangements for circulating gases · CPC title

• F27B9/30

  Details, accessories or equipment specially adapted for furnaces of these types · CPC title

• F27D2007/045

  Fans · CPC title