TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a firing kiln for ceramic products, and the like.

In particular, the present invention concerns a double-channel type firing kiln enabling hot air recovery and exchange between the two channels themselves, so as to allow for ideal firing of the products with a considerable reduction of energy consumption and subsequent benefits in terms of environmental impact.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The sector of ceramic product production and the like is known to use firing ovens of various types that can extend horizontally even for dozens of meters; inside the kiln a channel is defined for product feeding, and in the particular case of the so-called dual channel kilns, two channels are defined.

The channel is normally delimited by a lower wall or bottom, by two side walls and a top wall or crown, and in particular, in the case of dual channel kilns, an intermediate crown is provided separating two stacked channels.

The walls are made of or internally lined with heat-resistant refractory material.

The products to fire are fed to one channel inlet and conveyed to one respective outlet on conveyor means e.g. of the roller type, made of a material suitable for withstanding high temperatures.

The products to fire may be for example tiles, tableware, sanitaryware, bricks and the like.

On the kiln side walls are the burner outlets suitably arranged internally to create areas at different temperatures along the channel or channels, to ensure that the products being conveyed inside them are fired.

In particular, the following kiln areas are defined: a first preheating area of the products fed to the channel inlet, a second intermediate area of product firing at higher temperature, and a third end cooling area of the fired products which ends at the channel outlet.

In the design of the kilns, an increasingly important aspect taken into special consideration is that of energy consumption, both from the economic point of view because of the high cost of the fuel used to feed the burners, and from the environmental point of view due to the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.

Therefore the most recent kilns of known type feature technical measures that allow for the recovery of hot air to be sent to the burners as combustion air in order to reduce fuel consumption.

However, the energy saving obtainable with kilns of the known type is not entirely satisfactory, both for economic and for environmental impact considerations, and there are still margins of improvement for their efficiency.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The technical aim of the present invention is therefore to develop a kiln for ceramic products, and the like, that allows for a further reduction of energy consumption and a reduction of emissions compared to the kilns of a known type.

Within this technical aim, a particular object of the present invention is to provide a kiln for ceramic products, and the like, simple to utilize and quick to use and maintain.

This aim and this object are achieved by the firing kiln for ceramic products, and the like, according to the appended claim 1.

The firing kiln according to the present invention is of the type comprising at least one first channel and at least one second channel defined between the walls of the kiln itself, in addition it includes their respective first product feeding elements in at least the first channel and second product feeding elements in at least the second channel, and includes respective means of firing of the products themselves; the kiln also comprises means of exchange of hot air for sending predetermined flows of air between the respective areas of the first channel with areas of the second channel, for the recovery of hot air between areas at different temperatures, so as to allow the reduction of energy consumption and environmental impact.

The above means of exchange are suitable for transferring hot air from at least a first end cooling area of the first channel to at least a second preheating area of the second channel, and from at least a second end cooling area of the second channel to at least a first preheating area of the first channel.

The above means of exchange comprise a distribution of damper valves, provided with respective ports, suitable to collect and adjust in a unidirectional manner the flow of hot air from the first end cooling area to the second preheating area, and from the second end cooling area to the first preheating area. Further advantageous characteristics are described in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The features of the invention will be better understood by any man skilled in the art from the following description and accompanying drawings, provided by way of non- limiting example, in which:

figure 1 is a schematic side view of the operations of the firing kiln for ceramic products, and the like, according to the present invention;

figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the firing kiln for ceramic products, and the like, according to the present invention;

figure 3 is a cross section of the kiln highlighting means of exchange of hot air associated with an intermediate crown of the firing kiln for ceramic products, and the like, according to the present invention;

figure 4 is a perspective view of the means of exchange of hot air associated with an intermediate crown of the firing kiln for ceramic products, and the like, according to the present invention.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the accompanying figure 1, 1 is used to generally indicate a firing kiln for ceramic products, and the like, according to the present invention.

The firing kiln 1 for ceramic products, and the like, is of the type comprising at least a first channel 2 and at least a second channel 3 defined between the walls of the same kiln 1.

The kiln 1 also comprises respective first product feeding means 4a in at least the first channel 2.

Moreover, the kiln comprises second product feeding means 4b in at least the second channel 3, and it comprises respective means of firing 5 of the same products.

The kiln 1 comprises means of exchange 6 of hot air for sending predetermined flows of air between respective areas of the first channel 2 with areas of the second channel 3, for the recovery of hot air between areas at different temperature so as to allow for reduced energy consumption and environmental impact.

The first channel 2 comprises at least a first inlet 7 for feeding the products, at least a first preheating area 8 for same, at least a proper first intermediate firing area 9, at least a first end cooling area 10, and a first outlet 11. The second channel comprises at least a second inlet 12 for the products, at least a second preheating area 13 for same, at least a proper second intermediate firing area 14, at least a second end cooling area 15, and a second product outlet 16.

In particular, the above means of exchange 6 are suitable for carrying hot air in a unidirectional manner from at least a first end cooling area 10 of the first channel 2 to at least the second preheating area 13 of the second channel 3, and from at least the second end cooling area 15 of the second channel 3 to at least the first preheating area 8 of the first channel 2.

More in detail, the first channel 2 and the second channel 3 are stacked and defined between a lower wall or bottom 17, at least one side wall 18 and in particular between two side walls 18, one top wall or crown 19, and at least one intermediate separation crown 20.

On the side walls 18 internally are the burner outlets of the firing means 5 suitably arranged so as to create the said areas at different temperatures along the first channel 2 and the second channel 3, so as to ensure suitable product firing.

In particular, the intermediate crown 20 is supported on bars 21, for example silicon carbide bars, with the ends suitably associated with respective opposed slots of the side walls 18; the intermediate crown 20 can be multi-layered with elements in refractory material, which may also be insulating, of different types.

The first inlet 7 and the first outlet 1 1 of the first channel 2 are arranged opposite to the second inlet 12 and to the second outlet 16 of the second channel 3, respectively, and the above mentioned respective first feeding means 4a and second feeding means 4b are suitable for conveying the products along the first channel 2 in the direction opposite to that of the products conveyed along the second channel 3.

The first feeding means 4a and second feeding means 4b are for example rollers, made from high temperature resistant material.

All the walls of kiln 1 are made from or lined with heat resistant refractory materials. The above mentioned hot air means of exchange 6 are associated with the intermediate crown 20.

The first channel 2 and the second channel 3 are stacked with the first preheating area 8 located in an overhead position substantially in correspondence with the second end cooling area 15, with the first intermediate firing area 9 located in an overhead position substantially in correspondence with the second intermediate firing area 14, and with the end cooling area 10 located in an overhead position substantially in correspondence with the second preheating area 13.

In particular, the means of exchange 6 are associated with the intermediate crown 20 in correspondence with the separation sections of the first preheating area 8 from the second end cooling area 15, and of the first end cooling area 10 from the second preheating area 13.

More in detail, the means of exchange 6 comprise a distribution of damper valves 22 enabling to collect and adjust in a unidirectional manner the flow of hot air between areas of the first channel 2 and the second channel 3 at different temperatures, as described previously.

Such means of exchange 6 are adjustable to regulate the flow of hot air through respective controls accessible from the outside of the kiln 1 through appropriate hatches. According to a version of the present invention, the means of exchange 6 can be operated manually by the user.

More in detail, the damper valves 22 are suitable for regulating the flows of hot air in a unidirectional manner by means of the selective shutting off of respective ports 23 defined in the intermediate crown 20.

The intermediate crown 20 also comprises respective covering elements 24 located in an overhead position in correspondence with each above mentioned port 23, to stop any firing residue falling into it.

Moreover, the kiln 1 comprises pumping means 25 to facilitate the exchange of hot air between areas of the first channel 2 and of the second channel 3 through said means of exchange 6 and in the manners previously described.

In particular, the pumping means 25 enable to send hot air in a unidirectional manner at least from the first end cooling area 10 to the second preheating area 13, and from the second end cooling area 15 to the first preheating area 8.

These pumping means 25 are for example of the ducting type associated with respective fans/compressors and air flow control valves.

The kiln 1 comprises recovery means to collect hot air from areas of the first channel 2 and of the second channel 3 and conveying same as combustion air to the burners of the firing means 5, so as to reduce the fuel consumption. In particular, the hot air collected from areas of the first channel 2 is sent to respective burners of the second channel 3, and the hot air collected from areas of the second channel 3 is sent to respective burners of the first channel 2.

The kiln 1 is provided with means of controlled circulation 26 of the air and exhaust gases comprising a suitable distribution of pipes, flues, variable speed fans, for example with an electric motor driven by an inverter, shutoff valves and sensors for the control of pressure and temperature interfaced to at least one control processor.

In another version of the kiln 1, the first channel 2 and the second channel 3 may be side by side and defined between at least one lower wall or bottom 17, two side walls 18, at least one upper wall or crown 19 and at least one intermediate partition vertical wall, said means of exchange 6 of hot air being associated at least with said intermediate vertical wall. This version is not shown in the figures.

The operation of the firing kiln 1 for ceramic products, and the like, according to the invention is, as described, completely intuitive.

The products are fed to the first inlet 7 and to the second inlet 12 and through the rollers of the first feeding means 4a and of the second feeding means 4b they are conveyed in opposite directions respectively along at least the first preheating area 8, the first intermediate firing area 9 and the first end cooling area 10 to the first outlet 11 of the first channel 2, and along at least the second preheating area 13, the second intermediate firing area 14 and the second end cooling area to the second outlet 16 of the second channel 3.

Along the first channel 2 and the second channel 3 different types of product requiring different firing can be fed and fired, as the temperatures of the areas of the first channel 2 and of the second channel 3 can be independently set and adjusted, according to the firing requirements of the processed products.

The means of exchange 6 located in correspondence with the sections of the intermediate crown 20 that separate the first preheating area 8 from the second end cooling area 15, and the first end cooling area 10 from the second preheating area 13, allow for the recovery and the sending of hot air from higher to lower temperature/pressure areas, also thanks to the use of the above mentioned pumping means 25.

The flow of hot air is adjusted as judged fitting by the user via the provided controls accessible from the outside of the kiln 1, which allow for the selective adjustment of the opening of the damper valves 22 of the means of exchange 6.

Such recovery of hot air enables to use less fuel for heating the areas of the first channel 2 and of the second channel 3 where it is directed, with obvious economic and energy savings also from an environmental point of view.

To reduce the consumption of fuel, the kiln 1 comprises also the recovery means that collect hot air from the first cooling area 10 and from the second cooling area 15 to send it as combustion air to the burners of the second channel 2 and the first channel 3 - respectively.

The invention, thus conceived, enables to ensure important technical advantages.

An important technical advantage is the fact that the firing kiln 1 for ceramic products, and the like, thanks to the recovery of hot air between the areas of the first channel 2 and of the second channel 3, allows for a considerable saving of fuel and consequently a further reduction of costs and energy consumption compared to the kilns of a known type- Between the areas of the first channel 2 and the second channel 3 concerned by the means of exchange 6 there is no free circulation of air, which would lead said areas to reach the same temperature, but a very precisely adjustable unidirectional flow of hot air from the end cooling areas 10, 15 to the preheating areas 8,13.

In fact, the primary goal of the present solution is to obtain an effective cooling of the products in the end cooling areas 10,15 recovering heat to send it to the corresponding preheating areas 8,13.

Moreover, the kiln 1 according to the present invention enables to reduce the emissions, with advantages also from an environmental point of view.

The damper valves 22 may be more concentrated - that is spaced out at smaller intervals - in some parts of the intermediate crown 20 compared to others, to make the most of the temperature of the hot air to be conveyed to the preheating areas 8, 13.

In the embodiment represented in the figures, the damper valves 22 are mainly concentrated - with reference to the feeding direction of the products in the first channel 2 and in the second channel 3 - in correspondence with the start of the first end cooling area 10 and the second end cooling area 15: in fact, in correspondence with such initial portions, the air temperature is higher, and therefore the removal of hot air from these areas provides the best results in terms of recovery of heat.

It has thus been seen how the invention achieves the intended purposes.

The present invention has been described according to preferred embodiments, but various equivalent versions are possible still within the scope of the appended claims.