Glassmaking technology is undergoing dramatic changes.

Some of the major driving forces for consideration of oxy-fuel technology are pollutant emissions regulations, increased glass production and yields, fuel efficiency and operational flexibility. Oxygen technologies reduce or eliminate the introduction of inert nitrogen into the furnace, improving fuel efficiencies and production rates. An increasing number of glass manufacturers are selecting oxy-fuel combustion as a low-risk method of meeting these challenges without increasing overall costs or affecting product quality. For large glass furnaces, the economics of using oxygen are very attractive, with potential benefits from quality, production and capital savings leading to savings of over $4 million per year. At the same time, advances in oxy-fuel technology eliminate problems known to occur with conventional systems and offer further improvements to the glass melting process. Oxygen can also be used to solve heat exchanger problems, which lead to decreased heat input or change the energy profile in the middle of a campaign, for example, regenerator collapse.

Air Products has experience in oxy-fuel technology spanning more than 20 years with over 150 furnaces around the world. The backbone of any 100% oxygen technology is the combustion system. Our patented Cleanfire® and Cleanfire® HR burners are consistently installed after head-to-head tests because they provide the highest fuel efficiencies, production rates and significant flexibility for adjusting the flame shape. They require virtually no maintenance and deliver emissions performance that is well below current limits.