Electric energy furnace off-gases have a high energy recovery potential, but it is limited by high variability of their temperature and the high dust concentration. An apparatus is proposed in order to smoothing temperatures by adopting Phase Change Materials. By exploiting their latent heat for melting and solidification, heat flows can be deferred, thus smoothing off-gas temperatures. The choice of the Phase Change Material and the geometrical characteristics of the apparatus are related both to analytical evaluations and to thermo-fluid dynamic simulations. The apparatus performance is assessed as reduced standard deviation of the off-gas temperatures from the mean value. Finally, technologies for energy recovery and conversion are identified and sized.
