Glass Furnace Life Extension Using Convective Glass Melting

摘要

The float glass industry has experienced global growth, which has consistently resulted in the construction of approximately three nevus furnaces per year. Currently, several glass companies operate more than 20 float furnaces each, which places considerable demand on their capital for furnace repairs and growth. Therefore, extending the life of these furnaces while maintaining production efficiency and thus delaying capital expenditures is becoming a priority for all the major float glass manufacturers. BOC's convective glass melting (CGM) technology offers a unique method to extend the life of a furnace for several years while maintaining or increasing yield. This paper will compare conventional zero boost technology with the application of CGM to a float furnace. A case study will review a float glass melter with significant regenerator failure, which required CGM to supply up to 30 percent of the total melting energy (hybrid melter) for a one-year life extension. The paper will review the technical and financial considerations of the CGM application and its relevance to other glass market segments.