Technology

Pre-heating oxygen at 550°C and natural gas at 450°C in oxy-fuel furnaces allows to increase energy efficiency with profitable initial investment compared to air float glass.

Fuel consumption savings (-25%), reduction of NOx and CO2 emissions by 75 % and 15% respectively, with globally no change versus cold reactants (batch and foam behavior, crown temperatures, furnace refractories and glass temperature) are the main advantages of the technology.

It also implies:

Reducing Investment for flue gas treatment
Increasing glass yield/quality
Cutting Environmental costs
Getting rid of the aging furnace effect on fuel energy consumption

Description of the technology

HotOxyGlass project is an implemented breakthrough technology which involves : an efficient preheating scheme (indirect preheating ), Tailored Heat recovery installation with appropriate materials for safety and performance, ALGLASS SUN burner based on highly staged combustion, oxygen supply.

ALGLASS™ SUN burner

ALGLASS™ SUN burner: Ultra low NOx burner perfectly adapted for preheated reactants: 4 to 20 times less NOx vs pipe in pipe, Compatible hot O2 / hot NG, highly flexible with long and wide adaptable flame shape, heat transfer adjustable, high turndown ratio (50 to 150% of nominal power), bi-fuel burner: Natural Gas or Fuel Oil

Heat and mass balance

With preheating reactants, 10% of CO2 are saved with less NOx

LIFE+ Programme

This project is funded by the European Commission within the LIFE+ Programme

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