Oxygen enrichment to drastically reduce NOx emissions in a green glass and flint production company.
A client with two end port regenerative furnaces used in flint and green glass production were looking to reduce their carbon footprint
The furnaces were operating at 380 and 400 tpd
Nippon Gases installed their proprietary technology to both furnaces, drastically reducing NOx emissions
The following equipment was installed in order to reduce the NOx emissions – all specially engineered by Nippon Gases:
Main Oxygen Skid
Oxygen skid control for each lance
Lances with nozzles
Panel view electrical cabinet
Before installation of Nippon Gases’ paraphernalia, the furnaces were operating at 380-400 tpd and producing 800-870 mg/Nm3 of NOx emissions at the Port Neck
After installation, the total NOx emissions had reduced to 590-630 mg/Nm3, showing a 26.5% decrease in emissions
KEYWORDS :
Innovation
Client: From recuperative furnace to 100% oxy-fuel furnace
We transformed an old recuperative glass furnace based on air-fuel combustion to 100% oxy-fuel for a glass company.
A customer with a recuperative glass furnace (52 tpd capacity) wanted to reduce the total energy consumption of their main furnace, whilst increasing production of glass. Achieving this whilst maintaining the furnace superstructure
We started developing a solution to substitute their old air-fired furnace to an oxy-fired one
The old recuperator turned defunct and the space occupied by it could be used for other purposes around the factory
Together with the customer’s engineering team, we developed a customized solution to transform their old recuperative glass furnace; based on air-fuel combustion, to 100% oxy-fuel
Compiling the customer’s experience on the furnace’s engineering with the experience of Nippon Gases’ Combustion Team, the new furnace was designed reusing the old super structure; elongating the old furnace footprint and doing the necessary CFD simulations and calculations in order to build a furnace capable of achieving the required glass quality – minimizing the NOx and particulate emissions
The furnace entered into production with a LOX (liquid oxygen) supply, but was designed ready to incorporate one VPSA (Vacuum Pressure Swing Absorption) system some months after start-up – once the glass production entered a stable level
The combustion system installed comprised of one state-of-the-art safety skid, together with the skid to control the pressure and flow of the comburent and oxidant, as well as the most advanced Dilujet JL burners capable of using the Diluted Oxygen Combustion concept (the market’s responsible for achieving lower NOx emissions for this kind of furnace)
We achieved the desired production level increase from 52 tpd to 65 tpd of glass, reaching the desired quality level
The furnace’s specific energy consumption was reduced from 200Nm3 NG/t glass to 100Nm3 NG/t
NOx emissions where drastically reduced and the flue gas volume also decreased in volume even when taking into account the increase of production level
Operators can smoothly run the new furnace without the necessity of continued supervision on the flue gas Tª to avoid damaging the recuperator that was necessary to have with the previous furnace’s design
The customer received our support and advice in every step of the project
The addition of the new VPSA system, that is capable of generating the necessary oxygen amount at the right pressure and quality, helped reduce the number of trucks that arrive every week to the plant
KEYWORDS :
Innovation
Client: Oxygen use in steel reheating furnace
We introduced oxygen into steel reheating furnace process in order to reduce energy consumption.
Introducing oxygen into steel reheating furnace process in order to reduce energy consumption.
Overview of the Mini Mill process:
1. Electric arc furnace produces molten steel
2. Molten steel enters a steel refining facility
3. Undergoes continuous casting
4. After which enters the reheat furnace
5. Produces final products: structural profiles, bars, slabs, etc.
Initial inspection of the furnace in order to fully understand the problem
Taking into account (amongst others):
- Furnace type
- Nominal production rate
- Actual throughput
- Charge dimensions
- Specific energy consumption
- Internal pressure
Split into multiple cases to properly simulate the problem and model the solutions
Installed an oxygen control skid with automatic flow control (0-900nm3/h) and electric cabinet with PLC and HMI screen
The solution was a success, with good operation and no instances of quality problems, temperature problems or refractory damage
This resulted in energy savings (8.3% average), reduced CO2 emissions (4.6 kg/Ton average) and reduced production costs