CFD simulation of structural modifications to a stepped furnace to increase heat transfer
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Date
2026-08-19
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Universidad Técnica de Cotopaxi (UTC). Facultad de Ciencias de la Ingeniería y Aplicadas. Electromecánica
Abstract
This study presents a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation to analyze structural modifications to a stepped furnace used in the sugarcane juice cooking process. The methodology begins with thermal data collection during normal operation to identify the lowest-temperature area, followed by an energy balance and characterization of the furnace dimensions and temperature profiles. Structural modifications were evaluated by varying the floor inclination and step height. The results indicate that the configuration with a 45° angle and a +100 mm offset achieves the highest temperature in the cooking zone, reaching 514.8 K and representing a 47.9% increase compared with the initial conditions. The proposed modification improves heat-flow redistribution toward the third container and reduces the draft effect toward the chimney.
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Keywords
Thermal efficiency, Computational modeling, Panela kiln
Citation
Chacha-Guevara, A. D., Topanta-Sandoval, A. D., Pacheco-Mena, C. F., & Porras-Reyes, J. A. (2026). CFD simulation of structural modifications to a stepped furnace to increase heat transfer. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 1, e2026xxx.