Application of solar photovoltaic system to power air blower and mixing mechanism in a tilting furnace

Abstract

Gas and oil-fired furnaces require air blower and stirring mechanism to produce homogeneous metal matrix, alloyed metals and metallic composites. Both the blower and the stirrer require electric power that is not reliable in some urban areas and non-available in some rural communities in sub-Saharan countries. In this paper, a 20 kg oil-fired tilting furnace for melting iron, gold, aluminium, lead, magnesium, copper, tin et cetera and also used to produce metal matrix composites through liquid metallurgy routes, is designed for off-grid locations. Photovoltaic system specification of 250 W solar panel, 20A charge controller, 300 AH deep cycle battery and 1,400 W inverter were used to provide electric power to the air blower and mixing motor of the tilting furnace. With this arrangement, this versatile tilting furnace could be used in cottage industry without electric mains by small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), thus reducing unemployment among the populace and reduction of emission products into the atmosphere.