A tunnel kiln is an industrial equipment used for heating, drying, or sintering materials. Depending on its structure, it can be categorized into shuttle kilns, roller kilns, and mesh belt furnaces. Materials are placed into containers such as saggers, trays, or crucibles, which are then conveyed into the heating chamber via shuttles, rollers, or a mesh belt. The materials are uniformly heated during the transportation process through resistance heating, which can be continuously carried out.
Therefore, tunnel kilns are commonly employed in batch production, for instance, in battery sintering, material drying, wax removal, and other industries. They allow for gradient control and offer high production efficiency and controllability. Compared to traditional energy sources like natural gas, resistance heating in tunnel kilns is more energy-efficient during insulation.
Gas-fired tunnel kilns and electrically heated tunnel kilns differ significantly in their heating methods and advantages. Gas-fired tunnel kilns are known for their rapid heating capabilities and suitability for high-volume production environments, emphasizing production efficiency. In contrast, electrically heated tunnel kilns excel in precise temperature control and emission-free operation, making them ideal for applications demanding stringent quality and heating accuracy. Electrically heated tunnel kilns also benefit from using lightweight refractory materials, enhancing energy efficiency by reducing power consumption during insulation after reaching set temperatures. They are also easier to operate and maintain. Choosing the right kiln type depends on production needs, energy costs, and environmental considerations.
roller kilns, pusher kilns, and mesh belt kilns are common types of industrial kilns. roller kilns support continuous product operation on rollers, ideal for high-efficiency production of ceramics, bricks, and more. Pusher kilns utilize pusher plates in tunnels for precise temperature control and uniform firing, suitable for processes requiring such control like battery materials and foam ceramics. Mesh belt kilns employ metal mesh belts for product conveyance, widely used in continuous production for foods, chemicals, and metallurgy. Choosing the right kiln type involves considering product characteristics and production requirements to achieve optimal efficiency and product quality.
A tunnel kiln is a continuous firing device typically used for sintering and drying materials such as ceramics, bricks, pottery, gypsum, and asbestos. It is structured as a long and narrow tunnel, lined with refractory bricks or other high-temperature resistant materials to withstand high temperatures and chemical corrosion. Tunnel kilns are typically divided into several zones including pre-heating, firing, and cooling zones, where materials are sequentially heated, sintered, and cooled to complete the required processing. They can be categorized based on structure into pusher kilns, roller kilns, and shuttle kilns.