Abstract

This research is centered on the manufacturing of a gas furnace using locally sourced materials.The manufacturing philosophy is to eliminate the use of heating elements requiring electric power which is poorly supplied in the country. Design drawings were produced and galvanized sheet steel was used for the fabrication of the furnace, while the other components needed for the design were selected based on functionality, durability, cost and local availability. The furnace was assembled by lining the inner wall of the casing. Experimental tests have been performed to evaluate the performance of the furnace. It was observed that the furnace has a fast heating rate nearly 25C°/min and less gas consumption rate to attain temperature in the burning zone could be as high as 1000 C° in the burning chamber and 700 C° in the inner pot. It was also observed that the furnace has good heat retaining capacity; can be easily maintained and safe for use. A melting gas furnace can be used to melt down metals like tin, lead, brass, copper and aluminum.