In a joint effort by the Gas Technology Institute and Eclipse/Combustion Tec, funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Energy and the gas industry and hosted by Owens Corning, a next generation oxy- fuel burner has been developed. Originally labeled HELN (high efficiency, low NO_x), the combustion system relies on formation and burnout of soot in the flame to increase the radiative heat transfer to the glass load. The burner was developed through laboratory and pilot scale testing and was eventually scaled up to a prototype commercial burner. An Owens Corning wool fiberglass furnace was used for initial trials, and feedback from the field led to adjustments in both the burner and the burner block. During 2001 and 2002, single burners have undergone extensive campaigns in fiberglass and float furnaces. The tests led to development of the commercial burner, newly named the Prime fire 400. The first two full furnace conversions with the Prime fire 400 were underway in late 2002.
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