Importance

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Abstract

A method of operating a regenerative glass furnace for melting glass for the manufacture of shaped glass articles so as to minimize emission of NOx in waste gases leaving the furnace, the furnace having sealed regenerators which act as heat exchangers, the method includes supplying fuel in excess of that required for stoichiometric combustion to ensure that glass of the required quality at the required production rate is obtained, and that the waste gases leaving the furnace through the regenerators contain combustible material, and reacting the combustible material with sufficient air to ensure that the waste gases exiting to atmosphere contain permissible levels of combustible material and contain permissible levels of NOx. Alternatively, the furnace may be operated at substantially stoichiometric conditions and fuel is supplied to waste gases as they leave the melting chamber. The invention also relates to a regenerator glass furnace for use in the method. The invention further provides a method of reducing the emissions of CO in waste gases leaving a cross-fired regenerative glass furnace for melting glass for the manufacture of shaped glass articles, the furnace having sealed regenerators which act as heat exchangers, the method includes removing CO from the waste gases in the regenerator by combusting CO in around 8% excess air, based on the combustion air for the supplied fuel, at a temperature greater than 650.degree. C.

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First Claim