Waste heat recovery in furnace exhaust

By recovering thermal energy from furnace exhaust streams and re-using it, operators can reduce fuel consumption, extend equipment life and lower emissions – without sacrificing product quality.

Metalcasters and other manufacturers that operate melting processes are navigating a more complex world, and face issues far beyond traditional production challenges that includes decarbonization, safety and global competition.

Energy efficiency is one of those issues, and widely discussed, because melting primary or secondary metal alloys is estimated to contribute more than two-thirds of total energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in many operations.

This concern for efficiency adds to the fact that increasingly tighter environmental regulations are piling cumulative pressure on operators to adopt cleaner melting technologies. In fact, a recent report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) recognized heavy industries, such as those with melting processes, as among the most important actors in the world’s shift toward a net-zero emission energy system.

Econotherm (UK) Ltd and Solex Thermal Science recently teamed up with Foundry Management & Technology to discuss many of these issues, with a focus on the innovations that are taking place in furnace design and opportunities surrounding waste heat recovery and reuse.

"Confronting these challenges involves continuous innovation in furnace design and operating best practices. "Waste-heat recovery is an area of special interest to many manufacturers," writes author Scott Harris.

"By recovering thermal energy from furnace exhaust streams and re-using it, operators can reduce fuel consumption, extend equipment life, and lower emissions – without sacrificing product quality."

Access the full article here, or download a pdf below:

FOUNDRY October 2025.pdf

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