Oxygen Enriched Combustion System Utilizing Membrane

It is well known that considerable energy consumption can be saved when the air of higher oxygen concentration than the normal air is used for combustion. To date, a method whereby the liquefied oxygen or PSA type oxygen is diluted, is used to obtain oxygen enriched air. But, I would like to inform the oxygen enriched combustion system utilizing membrane as well as our investigations on its applicability. We started studies of this system since 1978 and succeeded to put it to practical use, though the scale of the system is not so large. Our presentation will also cover a report on examples of such studies. Oxygen enriched air feeding device is constructed very simply with a membrane and suction blower. This system is easy to operate and very safety. The membrane is made of stable high-molecular silicon and the co-efficient of separation is approximately 2. The suction blower is a highly efficient turbo type blower, which is developed a new and has a maximum capacity of 3000 Nm3/H. We conducted various laboratory tests and field tests, and now I report actual data on application to glass melting furnace and cupola. From these tests, we know that economic oxygen concentration is 22 to 26% in consideration of the manufacturing cost of oxygen enriched air and the energy saving effect. This system will be available for high temperature furnaces such as ceramic firing furnace, rolling mill furnace, forging furnace and sludge melting kiln in addition to glass melting furnace and cupola. I am going to report economical condition of this system too, for example, the cost of oxygen enriched air, membrane cost and life time of membrane.