Summary of HotOxyGlass results

The LIFE+ project confirmed expected technical and environmental results: it demonstrated the correct performance of the hot oxy-combustion prototype furnace as well as validating its lower energy consumption and lower pollutants emission compared to a state-of-the-art furnace.

The environmental interest of oxygen and natural gas pre-heating is to increase the environmental-efficiency of oxy-combustion (through heat recovery), as fewer reactants are necessary for the combustion.

After testing and validation in the framework of the project, oxy-burners are operational in preheated oxy-combustion, and the prototype furnace is producing daily several hundreds of ton of quality flat glass. The targeted reduction for energy consumption, CO2, NOX, SOX emissions have been reached and even exceeded. The consumption of the furnace has been reduced (-25% target reached) and its environmental impact has been optimized after 2 years of operation.

* when taking into account the environmental cost of oxygen production

This table summarizes the mean values obtained with the furnace operating in stabilized combustion. All the targets have been reached thanks to a combination of low NOX separated jet oxy-burners and the heat recovery system.

For one year of functioning in standard conditions the HotOxyGlass furnace can reach the following reductions in terms of pollutant’s emissions (compared to a similar state-of-the-art furnace):

• 15 325 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to taking a total of around 3 400 cars out of circulation;
• 1 065 tonnes of NOX;
• 170 tonnes of SOX.

After testing and validation in the framework of the project, burners are operational in hot oxy-combustion, and the prototype furnace is producing quality flat glass. The consumption of the furnace has been reduced and its environmental impact has been optimized.

Environmental results: the targeted reduction for energy consumption, CO2, NOX, SOX emissions have been reached and even exceeded.