This article describes how manufacturers can reduce fuel costs by up to 50% by automating damper controls. Natural gas kilns and curing ovens typically operate at high temperatures of up to 1500 deg C. The solvents used to bind ceramic materials together are vaporised in the kilns; the high temperatures are needed to cure the organic polymers to the substrate material. Moving and heating large amounts of air can be extremely expensive. As a result, the cost of heating large volumes of ventilation air is high. Many think that the first approach to controlling costs is to reduce ventilation air to the point where it ensures complete drying at the desired production rate. However, this could lead to a build-up of flammable vapour caused by insufficient ventilation. To prevent such incidents, the National Fire Protection Association developed NFPA 86 - the National Standard for the Safe Operation of Ovens and Furnaces.
