Effect Of Furnace Operating Conditions On Alkali Vaporization, Batch Carryover, & The Formation Of So2 And No In An Oxy-Fuel Fired Container Glass Furnace

Oxygen-fuel fired glass melting furnaces have successfully reduced NOx & particular emissions & improved the furnace energy efficiency relative to the more conventional air-fuel fired technology. However, full optimisation of the oxygen/fuel approach (particularly with respect to crown refractory corrosion) is unlikely to be achieved until there is improved understanding of the effects of furnace operating conditions on alkali vaporisation, batch carryover, & the formation of gaseous air pollutants inoperating furnaces. In this investigation, continuous online measurements of alkali concentration (by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy) were coupled with measurements of the flue gas composition in the exhaust of an oxygen/ natural gas fired container glass furnace. The burner stoichiometry was purposefully varied while maintaining normal glass production.