The significance of Ceramic and tile industrial is growing at a fast rate because of its application in construction of new buildings. Firing zone is one of the most important zone in ceramic and tile production. This process is done to improve the physical and mechanical properties of products. Roller kiln are the usual type of kiln which are used in this industrial. Knowing temperature distribution of the products during the firing process is valuable for improving the quality of products, but the structure of these kilns is continuous and it is impossible to measure the temperature of ceramics or tiles in the kiln. In the present study temperature distribution of tile and ceramic in a continuous roller furnace were studied by using a mathematical heat transfer model. Radiation calculations were conducted by means of zone method and considering all radiation exchange paths. The weighted-sum-of-gray-gas-model was used for better accuracy of gas radiation prediction. Convective heat flux was calculated by considering suitable value of convective heat transfer coefficient at any location of the furnace. Temperature distribution within the products has been predicted by means of transient 3D heat conduction equation. Also, the numerical simulation of the process has been done with FORTRAN code. The results from the mathematical model designed for this process have been compared against real data from roller kiln in Isfahan Tile Industrial. The slight error of model indicates the capability of the model in predicting the temperature distribution of products in kiln. In addition, the effects of the parameters like emissivity of the glaze, input temperature of the main firing zone, and velocity, thicknesses, and density of the products has been investigated. The obtained results revealed that by increasing in the two first parameters the temperature of products increase, and with increasing the last parameters products’ temperature decrease. Keywords : Continuous Roller furnace, Zone method, Radiation, weighted-sum-of-gray-gas, Emissivity
