Elevator Kilns
ELEVATOR KILNS
Nutec Bickley’s Elevator Kilns are available with updraft or downdraft exhaust designs and are ideally suited for high temperature firing of small batches.
These kilns are used extensively in the technical ceramics industry and for pilot production of refractories and specialty ceramics.
An Elevator kiln is generally smaller than CarbellKils, but still use kiln cars to carry the product in and out of the kiln when the kiln is cool. The industrial kiln is located on a platform above the floor and kiln cars are lifted up to seal with the kiln using hydraulic cylinders or Screw Jacks. Once loaded, the kiln car is raised up into the kiln and the seal is created; then, the cycle is started. The temperature is increased to top temperature and down again following a set cycle automatically.
The Elevator kiln is designed for a stable and repeatable seal between the kiln and kiln car, while providing a strong and robust structure for the refractory insulation. This is essential for firing at high temperatures but is also beneficial at lower temperatures since the industrial kiln seal is more reliable than a shuttle style of door seal.
Similar to the Carbell® kiln model but for smaller capacities, the elevator kiln is designed for a stable and repeatable seal between the industrial kiln and car, while providing a strong and robust structure for the refractory insulation. This is essential for firing at high temperatures but also beneficial at lower temperatures since the industrial kiln seal is more reliable than a shuttle style of door seal.
The lifting platform is raised by electrically driven silicone protected legs, one at each corner of the platform. When the car is fully raised a seal blade on the industrial kiln structure engages the sand seal trough around the perimeter of the car. The blade is made of alloy steel and is water cooled that provides a robust and durable seal mechanism. The exhaust of the elevator kiln can be a natural updraft or downdraft design.
The elevator kiln can be designed to use multiple cars that can be simply shuttled to and from the bell location. This makes re-firing the industrial kiln quicker and more productive than a single car use. Burners are typically positioned at the corners of the elevator kiln.
Updraft configuration:
The roof of the industrial kiln has flues that allow combustion gases to vent out upward. Above the kiln is a hood and stack assembly to exhaust the gases up and out of the building.
Downdraft configuration:
The kiln car has a single flue in the center of the car. Attached to the underside of the car is an insulated duct the couples to the car flue. When the car is fully raised, the underside duct aligns with external exhaust ductwork that is connected to an exhaust fan and stack to exhaust the combusted gases out of the building. Automatic control of the pressure for down draft designs are done by varying the speed of the fan and is crucial for achieving peak performance of the industrial kiln temperature control.
