Use Of Synthetic Air For Combustion In Regenerative Furnaces

Over the last two decades, growing concern with the emission of NOx from high temperature furnaces has led to the development of oxy-fuel firing systems and a decline in the use of regenerators, particularly in the USA where some 90 of a total of about 600 glass melting furnaces have been redesigned for oxy-fuel firing. This paper looks at an alternative firing system that uses the oxygen in the form of Synthetic Air and retains the regenerative system. The Synthetic Air is produced by mixing the oxygen required for combustion with recirculated waste gas leaving the regenerator system and then preheating the mixture in the same way as when Natural Air is used.