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Show 6 The glass industry's move to the use of oxygen enriched combustion illustrates how DOE-sponsored demonstrations serve as a catalyst for industry adoption of an advanced technology. As used by the glass industry, nominal 100% oxygen replaces air as t~e oxidant of natural gas fuel. Combustion using nominal 1000/0 oxygen is termed oxy-fuel firing. Praxair, formerly Union Carbide Industrial Gases, was the DOE contractor on this recently completed project. In the most recent demonstration, a Coming Inc. oxy-fuel combustion system was permanently installed on a Gallo Glass Co. melter in Modesto, California. The world's first commercial vacuum pressure swing absorption system was use to generate oxygen. The importance of oxy-fuel technology to the glass industry is demonstrated by the fact that over 15% of U.S. glass production capacity will convert or has already converted to oxy-fuel firing. Although oxy-fuel firing can produce energy savings, improved control of furnace operations, and reduced capital requirements for glass furnace rebuild, it is the reduction in emissions, especially NOx emissions without the use of post-combustion flue gas treatment systems, that has resulted in the ever increasing adoption of this technology by the glass industry. At Gallo, for example, NOx levels were reduced, by 90% to about one pound of NOx per ton of glass produced, or 1/4 of the new standard for glass plants in California. Indeed, it is the implementation of clean air regulations that is making environmental considerations the primary factor in the adoption of the equipment developed by the DOE Industrial Combustion Equipment Program. Consequently, low emissions are expected to be the major incentive for the adoption of these energy saving technologies by industry. Also, since new combustion equipment is likely to be more efficient them the old units replaced, reduced quantities of greenhouse gases will be produced. The elimination of the need for postcombustion flue gas treatment systems will further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Current projects being conducted by the Industrial Combustion Equipment Program include the development of a workpiece temperature analyzer (by Surface Combustion and Textron Defense Systems), a porous radiant burner for high temperature applications (Alzeta Corporation) and ferrous scrap preheater (Surface Combustion). These projects are funded jOintly with industrial partiCipants through cost share. |