Sulphur Mass Flow Balances In Industrial Glass Melting Furnaces

Sulphur mass flow balances have been worked out for the furnace chambers of cross-fired and horseshoe-fired regenerative glass melting furnaces for the production of container, brick and float glass. Good mass flow balances were seen with a largest mismatch of 15%; balance mismatches can be explained by a non-steady state of the furnace during the investigations. Sulphur release can be assigned to the reaction of sulphate with reducing components in the batch; the reaction between the sulphate and reducing components of the furnace atmosphere and the refining reaction. In almost all cases, most sulphur is emitted from the batch blanket. Recommendations are given for the minimisation of sulphur emissions.