Numerical investigation on energy performance of hot stamping furnace

Abstract

A hot stamping furnace is numerically analyzed for energy performance investigation. In order to manufacture ultra-high-strength steel, which is commonly used for automotive body-in-white parts, the blanks must be austenitized inside the furnace for 3-10 min at above 900 degrees C. Numerical simulation models are developed by using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation and validated with experimental data. The periodic transient charging schedule of the blanks is assumed as a steady state by modeling the blanks as high-viscosity laminar fluid. For the reduction in energy consumption of the furnace, the effects of several important design variables are investigated, which are the distance between heater and blank, furnace life expectancy, insulation thickness and wall emissivity. The results suggest that there is much potential to be obtained by adjusting the dominant factors to improve the overall performance of the furnace.