Stepwise Heating Furnace Thermal Energy Storage Electro-Hydraulic Energy-Saving System


In conventional step‑type heating furnace hydraulic system design, flow is supplied by several constant‑pressure variable‑displacement pumps. Due to load imbalances, the system’s power rating must be sized to accommodate the peak demand during the lifting phase of the stepping beam. Consequently, the drawbacks of such conventional systems are quite pronounced: high installed power; complete conversion of the stepping beam’s gravitational potential energy into heat during descent, leading to excessive hydraulic system temperatures that can only be managed by increasing the cooling capacity of the cooler; and a larger overall footprint, as the greater number of pumps necessitates a correspondingly larger oil tank and auxiliary components, resulting in higher capital costs and increased energy consumption.

In light of the operating conditions, such as the cycle time of the walking beam, an accumulator system is employed to replace the oil pump‑motor unit as the primary power source for lifting and other motions of the heating furnace’s walking beam, upgrading the system to include… An energy-saving hydraulically controlled system with potential energy recovery functionality, It can significantly reduce the system’s installed capacity and enable recovery of potential energy during the descent phase. Meanwhile, by appropriately upgrading and modifying components such as the hydraulically controlled valve group, hydraulic balance in the step‑type furnace’s hydraulic control system is achieved, providing a stable balancing force for the furnace’s stepping beam and compensating for the combined weight of the beam and the steel billets. This not only substantially lowers the hydraulic system’s installed power but also ensures more balanced system operation.

The key technical aspects of upgrading the potential‑energy recovery and energy‑saving system for a step‑type reheating furnace involve replacing the conventional multi‑unit oil‑pump motor drive with an accumulator‑based power source. The reliability of the primary power source is critical to the long‑term stable operation of the step‑type reheating furnace; ensuring its sustained, dependable performance hinges on maintaining stable, reliable monitoring of the power source’s energy levels, thereby keeping the energy required for its operation under control. , The key to the hardware configuration of this type of energy‑saving system lies in reliably monitoring the liquid level of the compressed gas stored in the accumulator system, which serves as the primary power source for the energy‑saving system. Through market research, SCHWERLL It features a mature and reliable on-site display and analog signal output device for monitoring the accumulator’s piston position. This system enables dependable energy‑level monitoring of the accumulator’s primary power source in energy‑saving potential‑energy recovery systems and has been steadily deployed across various industrial sectors, including numerous large‑scale key projects both internationally and domestically. The salient characteristics of this energy‑monitoring system are:

  • The monitoring system is installed on the pressurized nitrogen side, featuring a compact mounting structure and independent installation.
  • The monitoring system can provide reliable limit and controlled-position signals for the upper and lower extreme positions of the energy-storage power source system.
  • The monitoring system can accurately provide 4-20mA Continuous output of liquid level signal
  • The monitoring system provides an on-site visual monitoring display panel and, in conjunction with signal outputs, enables control of the system’s critical margins. Request

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What are the causes of severe pressure drop and shortened service life in bladder-type accumulators?

What are the causes of severe pressure drop and short service life in bladder-type accumulators? The structure of a bladder-type accumulator is quite simple, consisting mainly of an oil chamber surrounding the bladder and a gas chamber equipped with a gas‑tight seal. During operation, the hydraulic fluid must be connected to the hydraulic circuit; when the system pressure rises, the fluid flows into the accumulator, compressing the gas until the pressure in the system pipeline stabilizes.


How can we reduce failures when an accumulator malfunctions?

If an accumulator malfunctions, its performance will be directly affected, potentially leading to abnormal pressures and system failure. Therefore, it should receive close attention during routine operation, and appropriate measures must be implemented to mitigate risks. So, how can we minimize failures when an accumulator malfunctions? The following sections address this issue.


In a hydraulic circuit with multiple accumulators connected in parallel, if one bladder ruptures, will the other accumulators experience any change in volume?

Accumulators are intriguing components in hydraulic systems, analogous to capacitors in electrical circuits or springs in mechanical systems. As critical energy‑storage elements, they serve a variety of sophisticated functions, including hybrid‑power applications, shock absorption, pressure stabilization (and sometimes flow‑rate regulation), and the rapid release of stored energy to simulate impacts.


Is a bladder-type accumulator suitable for use in series with gas cylinders or cylinder banks?

1. Bladders typically have a shorter service life than piston‑type accumulators, and their quality varies significantly among different manufacturers. 2. Many factors can shorten a bladder’s lifespan and lead to rupture, including variations in the bladder’s intrinsic quality and durability; improper handling during assembly (e.g., failure to pre‑fill with fluid for lubrication); incorrect procedures during pre‑charging (e.g., insufficiently slow inflation); errors in calculating the pre‑charge pressure; oil‑port flow velocities approaching or exceeding 7 m/s; single‑stroke reciprocation times of 10 seconds or less when used for energy storage; collisions between the bladder and check valves during operation; large temperature fluctuations (including significant seasonal differences); prolonged lateral vibration; fluid‑induced corrosion; and inertial impacts from minute solid contaminants in the working medium, among others.