【Japanese Pottery】Shuttle Kiln (台車窯): Modern Mobile Kiln with Enhanced Efficiency

Table of Contents

• Shuttle Kiln (シャトル窯) (Trolley Kiln (台車窯)) Modern: Inverted Flame Type (倒炎式) and Others
• Shuttle Kiln (シャトル窯) (Trolley Kiln (台車窯))

Shuttle Kiln (シャトル窯) (Trolley Kiln (台車窯)) Modern: Inverted Flame Type (倒炎式) and Others

Shuttle kilns (シャトル窯) are equipped with mobile trolleys.
They use fuels such as gas, kerosene (灯油), and heavy oil (重油), as well as electric kilns.
Their greatest feature is that the trolleys make loading into the kiln easy.

Traditional anagama kilns (穴窯) and noborigama kilns (登窯) are arranged with internal shelves for loading works.
Due to the slope, in order to set the shelves parallel, steps must be built on the incline to secure a level surface.
Consequently, even if a level surface is achieved, the space available for placing the works is limited.

In contrast, the design of shuttle kilns is often similar to that of angle kilns (角 kiln (かくがま)).
They do not require the slope necessary for anagama or noborigama kilns, and merely need enough space for the trolleys to be moved in and out.

Shuttle Kiln (シャトル窯) (Trolley Kiln (台車窯))

First, the trolleys are drawn outside, loaded with works onto shelves, and then inserted into the kiln.
In the illustrated example, the fuel is either gas or kerosene (灯油).
Assuming there are two burners, the kiln’s heat is discharged through an underground flue (排煙口) and out via a chimney (煙突).

After the trolleys are stored inside, the kiln is fired, and once the firing is complete, the trolleys are pulled out again for inspection of the works.
Because loading and unloading can be carried out outside the kiln, ample space is available and visibility is improved, resulting in an excellent working environment.

Furthermore, not only is the working environment favorable, but the firing efficiency is also excellent.
For instance, what if multiple trolleys are prepared?

Reduction of Firing Time

For example, suppose there are three trolleys in the workshop, and there is a sufficient quantity of works to fill all three.

If all trolleys are loaded and prepared with works, then once firing is completed, the next trolley can be loaded, allowing continuous operation.
Of course, a cooling period for the kiln is necessary, but since loading and unloading are performed outside the kiln, it is not required to wait for the kiln to cool completely.

In this way, the “afterheat time” is reduced for the subsequent firing.
This not only saves time but also reduces fuel consumption accordingly.

As a caution, since the system is mobile, safety checks are required when loading and unloading the works, and regular maintenance of the moving parts is essential.
This is because the shelves are integrated, so any damage to the rails or tipping of the trolleys can affect all works.

Currently, shuttle kilns are manufactured ranging from individual ceramic kilns (陶芸窯) to large industrial models.
The characteristics of the fired works vary in accordance with the type of fuel used, such as gas, kerosene (灯油), heavy oil (重油), or electric kilns.

In essence, the classification of shuttle kilns is based not on the fuel or firing results but on their “structure”.
They offer excellent working conditions and firing efficiency, making them highly advantageous for mass production.