Staged Oxygen Burner Control for Glass Furnace Foam Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing oxy-fuel combustion systems in glass furnaces face challenges with high foam formation and inefficient fuel use due to issues with cullet quality and moisture concentration, requiring improved burner designs for enhanced staged oxygen control.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of automated control systems for burner assemblies with separate primary and secondary gas inlets, allowing for alternating gas flow rates to achieve enhanced staged oxygen combustion, minimizing secondary foam and optimizing flame distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If staged oxygen is manually controlled at the burner with fixed valve settings, then the burner structure is simple, but the ability to adapt to changing combustion conditions and minimize foam formation is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to changing combustion conditionsVSAvoidburner control system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor combustion parameters and feed this information back to a control system, which automatically adjusts the staged oxygen flow to optimize combustion conditions and minimize foam formation in real-time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The burner control system transitions from static fixed valve settings to dynamic adjustable flow rates, allowing the staged oxygen flow to be continuously modified based on real-time combustion conditions, cullet quality, and foam formation observations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If staged oxygen flow is increased to reduce foam formation, then foam formation is minimized, but carbon monoxide and pressure variations increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefoam formationVSAvoidcarbon monoxide and pressure variations

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs periodic pulsing of the staged oxygen flow rather than continuous high flow, creating rhythmic variations in oxygen supply that disrupt foam formation while allowing carbon monoxide and pressure to return to normal levels between pulses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The control system dynamically adjusts multiple parameters including staged oxygen flow rate, primary oxygen flow rate, and pulse duration based on real-time monitoring of foam formation, carbon monoxide levels, and pressure variations to achieve optimal balance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If conventional flat flame burners are used with separate fuel and oxygen ports, then fuel efficiency is improved, but flame coverage and evenness of distribution are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel efficiencyVSAvoidflame coverage and evenness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The burner is divided into multiple independent gas injection zones with separate control, allowing each zone to be optimized for both fuel efficiency and flame distribution evenness through independent adjustment of gas flow rates and patterns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses pneumatic principles to control gas flow patterns, utilizing pressure differentials and flow dynamics to create uniform flame distribution across the burner surface while maintaining high fuel efficiency through optimized oxygen-fuel mixing ratios

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach results in improved flame coverage and reduced fuel consumption, effectively managing carbon monoxide and pressure variations to enhance the glass melting process.

Implementation Method 1

The process of burning a fuel using oxygen as the primary oxidant instead of air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOxygen combustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 2

staging the oxygen flow to a separate port in the burner and burner block

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStaged oxygen control:

Implementation Method 3

produce variation in carbon monoxide (CO) and pressure over the glass surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure variation:

Data Source

PatentUS20250237379A1Methods for providing enhanced staged oxygen control oxygen combustion and devices thereof

Publication Date: 2025.07.24 SELAS HEAT TECHNOLOGY CO LLC

AI summary

A method for providing automatic enhanced staged oxygen combustion in a glass furnace including providing two or more burner assemblies each positioned to provide a flame in the glass furnace. Each of the burner assemblies includes a burner body having a primary gas inlet in fluid communication with a gas source through a primary gas valve, and a staged injector sub-assembly having a secondary gas inlet in fluid communication with the gas source through a secondary gas valve. The primary gas valve and the secondary gas valve are automatically controlled to alternate the total gas flow between a first total gas flow condition with the secondary gas flow rate at a secondary gas flow rate maximum value and a second total gas flow condition with the secondary gas flow rate at a secondary gas flow rate minimum value to provide enhanced staged oxygen combustion.