French glassmaker Saint-Gobain has started up oxy-fuel furnaces at its divisions in France and in the United States, incorporating Praxair, Inc.“s advanced oxygen supply systems and oxy-fuel combusti…
French glassmaker Saint-Gobain has started up oxy-fuel furnaces at its divisions in France and in the United States, incorporating Praxair, Inc.“s advanced oxygen supply systems and oxy-fuel combustion technology. US-based Praxair, Inc. has announced that together with its alliance partner, Corning Incorporated, the company has provided oxygen vacuum pressure swing absorption (VPSA) systems, combustion burners, furnace design consultation and start-up services to Saint-Gobain Desjonqueres“ glass bottle plant in Mers-les-Bains, France, and to CertainTeed Corporation“s fibreglass plant in Chowchilla, California, US. Praxair installed and maintains a 52 ton-per-day (47 metric tonnes) oxygen VPSA system at Saint-Gobain Desjonqueres and a 120 ton-per-day (110 metric tons) VPSA system at CertainTeed. Currently, Saint-Gobain is also using Praxair oxygen supply systems at other locations in Brazil and in the United States. The company currently provides glassmakers with more than 3,000 tons per day of oxygen, through VPSA and cryogenic supply systems, which is used to manufacture more than 10,000 tons per day of glass. Praxair and its partners have incorporated oxy-fuel technology into more than 80 glass furnaces worldwide. Supplying oxygen either in liquid, or through on-site cryogenic air separation plants or oxygen generating systems using VPSA technology, the company says it promotes oxy-fuel combustion as a replacement for air-based glass melting as a means of reducing nitrogen oxide emissions, in order to meet tightening environmental regulations, while contributing to improved glass quality and increased productivity.