Oxyfuel Fired Forehearths in Fiberglass Production
Especially in fiber manufacture the forehearths are the second larger energy consumers after the furnace (may use up to 40% of total fuel use). Similar to oxy-fuel firing in furnaces, the use of oxygen may reduce fuel use and emissions. A consortium of glass companies and suppliers, led by Owens Corning, was formed to develop and demonstrate oxy/fuel combustion technology for the forehearth of a fiberglass melter, to demonstrate the viability of this energy saving technology, as a D.O.E. sponsored project. The field tests demonstrated significant energy saving potential with reasonable payback times (Mighton, 2007. p.6). This technology is currently being field-tested but was not commercialized as of 2008 (
| Development Status | Products |
|---|---|
Demonstration |
Fiber glass |
Oxyfuel Fired Forehearths in Fiberglass ProductionCosts & Benefits
| Parent Process: Conditioning and Forming | |
|---|---|
| Energy Savings Potential | In two different plant tests, the technology has shown to reduce foreheart energy consumption by 56% and 64%, saving 81 TJ/y of natural gas (Mighton, 2007. p.6). |
| CO2 Emission Reduction Potential | In the test plants, the system eliminated 4500 tons/yr of CO2 emissions (Mighton, 2007. p.6). |
| Costs | Estimated payback time is 2.2 years (Mighton, 2007. p.6). |
Oxyfuel Fired Forehearths in Fiberglass Production Publications
Development/Demonstration of an Advanced Oxy-Fuel Front-End System - Final Technical Report
This report presents in detail the findings of research program where an oxyfuel burner was developed and tested for the forehearts of fiberglass manufacturing plants.
Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for the Glass Industry - An ENERGY STAR® Guide for Energy and Plant Managers
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Prepared primarily with the US Glass Industry, this document provides information about energy efficiency measures applicable to glass manufacturing, including performance and cost benchmarks whenever possible.