Glass
Enhancing Efficiency with Oxygen Fuel Technology
The glass industry is under severe cost constraints and increasing environmental pressure to reduce emissions. Air Liquide provides glass manufacturers with solutions to improve their competitiveness and environmental footprint.
As long standing experts in oxy-combustion, which is the process of burning a fuel using pure oxygen instead of air as the primary oxidant, we have substantial R&D resources and a strong experience in glass making thanks to our extensive network of field experts.
Long standing experts in oxy-combustion
We master oxy-combustion technologies, for example in designing patented burners and modeling heating in furnaces. We leverage on this know-how and put it to work for our customers through a personalized approach. Our technologies allow us to partner with glassmakers from the conception to the commissioning and the full operation of their furnaces. Air Liquide markets comprehensive gas solutions customized to all subsectors of the industry, ranging from tableware and flat glass, to technical glass such as fiberglass or solar panels.
Driving All Stages of Glass Production
Air Liquide markets comprehensive gas solutions customized to all subsectors of the industry, ranging from tableware and flat glass, to technical glass such as fiberglass or solar panels.
Standing alongside our customers from melting to forming end products.
We provide solutions along all stages of the glass production process, from melting to forming end products. To complete our offer, we deliver a competitive oxygen supply adapted to the needs of our customers, particularly through energy-efficient on-site oxygen generation systems.
Oxy combustion processes
Glass Value Chain Steps
GLASS MELTING
Before glass can even be formed, raw materials, mainly sand, and recycled glass must be melted at extremely high temperatures (1,400°C). To achieve the heat intensity required in the glass furnaces, Air Liquide steps in with oxy-combustion technologies that replace air with oxygen, thus improving the melting process, reducing air pollutant emissions and saving fuel. Our solutions allow for rapid alternation of melting temperatures, for operational flexibility and for automatic temperature control in a wide range of glass furnace sizes.
Oxy-boosting
Air is commonly used to provide oxygen for combustion to heat industrial furnaces. Oxy-boosting is based on implementing pure oxygen combustion at the introduction of a glass furnace to boost productivity and extend the furnace's lifetime before refurbishment. ALGLASS™ is our comprehensive offer for oxy-combustion in glass making. It covers oxygen delivery, patented burners and further value-added services.
Gases
Oxy-combustion
Air is commonly used to provide oxygen for combustion to heat industrial furnaces. Oxy-combustion is based on the enrichment of air with pure oxygen to reduce fuel consumption, a decrease that is even more significant if nitrogen is eliminated completely. Oxy-combustion also reduces carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, which are harmful to both humans and the environment. ALGLASS™ is our comprehensive offer for oxy-combustion in glass making. It covers oxygen delivery, patented burners and further value-added services.
Gases
Heat Oxy-combustion
Air is commonly used to provide oxygen for combustion to heat industrial furnaces. Heat Oxy-Combustion is an innovative technology that consists of preheating oxygen and natural gas at high temperature generated by combustion fumes. Compared to oxy-combustion without preheating, it reduces fuel and oxygen consumption to the extent that oxy-combustion is economically beneficial to all types of glass.
Gases
GLASS FORMING
Air Liquide supplies protective atmospheres and oxy-combustion solutions to drive molten glass from the melting furnace to the forming units.
Float glass
Air Liquide's ALGLASS™ solution implements a protective atmosphere typically made out of 15% Hydrogen and 85% Nitrogen, to pour flat glass onto a molten tin bath (float glass).
Gases
Fiber glass
Oxy-combustion is based on implementing pure oxygen combustion to boost productivity and improve the overall energy efficiency of glass processing. Oxy-combustion technology is used to maintain glass temperature in the channels leading the glass to the drawing dies and the molding machines.
Gases
GLASS CONDITIONING
Before a finished product can be packaged and put on the market, defaults must be removed. Air Liquide supplies oxy-natural based gas and oxy-hydrogen based combustion technologies to polish the product surface and remove the defaults present in glass.
Polishing / Edge melting
Air Liquide offers solutions for glass article surface reheating and edge melting after the forming process. The technology is designed to erase the marks created by the edges of bottle molds or to polish the sharp edges of table glasses. This gives the glass products, including fine items such as tableware, perfume bottles and crystal glasses, a smooth and shiny appearance.
Gases