Oxyfuel boosting also uses oxygen for combustion rather than air. It raises flame temperatures by eliminating nitrogen and increasing the oxygen concentration. It also raises the concentration of CO2 and H2O in the vicinity of the flame. And since these gases are mainly responsible for thermal radiation, they make gas jets more efficient.
Oxyfuel boost technology is primarily used in glass furnaces to:
Increase furnace pull rates
Improve product quality
Extend furnace life by preventing regenerator checker failures
Zero-port boosting
Using oxyfuel burners to boost the melting capacity of glass furnaces is a proven technology, especially in float furnaces. Over the past five years, furnaces with conventional zero-port oxyfuel technology have provided the industry with significant information on oxyfuel boosting. Feeding 10-15% more energy into the furnace in the critical melting area, for example, can boost pull rates, quality levels and furnace life.
Convective Glass Melting (CGM) boosting
Integrating CGM burners into a furnace crown boosts melting capacity and enables manufacturers to achieve maximum output. This unique oxyfuel boosting technology transfers more energy to the glass melt by positioning the burner vertically instead of horizontally. This triggers convection, which combines with regular radiant transfer to boost heat transfer rates.
Hot-spot boosting
Hot-spot boosting is typically installed in end-port fired regenerative furnaces. However, it can also be applied to unit melters or recuperative furnaces. It is compatible with all types of glass and typically involves positioning two oxyfuel burners at a furnace’s hot spot. These burners can then be used to enhance glass convection currents, which improve residence time and increase quality. Adding more fuel enables more glass to be melted in the same furnace.