  
POT FURNACE, HEATED BY FLAMELESS COMBUSTION OF BIO-FUEL
- (PR
443)
Background
Today melting of glass is done in two types of furnaces. Glass tanks
are used for large and continuous production and pot furnaces for melting
on a smaller scale. The pot furnaces are mostly heated with LPG or oil
through one or two burners installed in the furnace.
The advantage with
pot furnaces is the flexibility and the disadvantage is very high-energy
consumption.
Figure
Explanatory sketch of furnace with open pot, burner on the side and
above pot.
New and
advantageous technique
The aim of the project is to show the possibility of replacing today’s
LPG or oil-heated pot furnaces with new, more advantageous technique.
Decreased
energy consumption and environmental pollution
We will test to heat a pot furnace with gasified bio-fuel, which is
burnt with a so-called FLOX burner. The advantage with this is up to
40% less energy consumption, improved heat transfer and a strongly decreased
environmental strain, mostly of NOx.
The FLOX
technique
Significant for the FLOX technique, which will be tested in the project,
is that strongly pre-heated combustion air is lead in to the furnace
where it will be mixed with the fuel gas.
The aim of the project is:
· To point out the technical possibilities of replacing fossil
fuels with bio-fuels in pot furnaces for glass melting
· To investigate if heating with bio-fuels in pot furnaces has
any influence on the quality of the produced glass
· To lower the energy consumption in pot furnaces, per kilo glass,
when using bio-fuel, compared to using fossil fuel
· To decrease the environmental strain in the state of nitric
oxides when using bio-fuel in pot furnaces, compared to typical values
at heating with fossil fuels.
Expected
results
By using FLOX burners and bio-fuel we expect e.g. decreased fuel consumption
and increased duration of pots, without making the flexibility or other
important parameters worse.
Project
participants
The project is lead by Glafo and it is performed in close co-operation
with Växjö University and the Orrefors Kosta Boda group.
The project started 1 April
2002 and will continue until 30 September 2003.
Realisation
An inventory of available burner technique was made. It has also been
decided where to install the furnace and other equipment. Discussions
with the company SMP, Svensk Maskinprovning, have solved all doubt about,
e.g. technical specification, questions of responsibility, renting time
concerning the carburettor.
A furnace at Kosta Glassworks
will be re-built for producer-gas power and FLOX burner. The furnace
shall be used for production and measuring of operation parameters as,
e.g. temperature and fuel consumption.
Continuation
In 2003 we will modify the gas producing generator to fit the project.
The generator will be tested in operation for a longer time to show
that it fulfils the demands on reliability in operation.
Parallel with this
modelling tests will be performed at Växjö University to optimise
the burner and regenerator placing in the furnace. After having plugged
in the gas producing generator it will be tested in operation. Before
continuing with further tests we will make an evaluation and possible
modifications.
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