APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING, cilt.28, ss.633-641, 2008 (SCI-Expanded)
A mathematical model representing the phenomena of heat transfer and fluid flow was developed to compute the state variables such as the air mass flow rate, brick and air temperatures along the cooling zone of a tunnel kiln. Using the mathematical model, the optimization of the cooling zone was realized to minimize the pressure drop by finding the optimum suction and blowing air flow rate profiles in addition to the ambient air flow rate entering from the brick exit side. The optimization was realized by considering the cooling zone as a decomposable structured system formed of N interconnected cells.