How to improve the process efficiency of a hybrid heating concept

The combination of an induction furnace and a gas-fired pre-heating furnace in the heating of billets is a very efficient concept. Especially for the flexible heating of non-ferrous metals it offers numerous process advantages. In the extrusion industry, particularly for aluminium, this concept is state of the art. The most efficient solution in this case is the so-called inline furnace which connects the two heating systems in a row in order to reduce the thermal losses. The following article describes how to improve the utilisation of waste heat as well as presents operating data and energy usage values.