Glass

Clean air for the glass industry, GCP installation in Brazil, São Paulo State, in operation since 2013.

Silica sand, cullets and other materials are the bases for any kind of glass production. Due to the melting process of the raw materials dirty flue gas is created and transfered from the furnace to the stack. Float glass furnaces, for car or building windows, have high production capacities of about 600 – 1.000 tons of glass per day (tpd) with continuous furnace conditions and high flue gas temperatures.

Container glass producers, e.g. bottle, perfume or pharmaceutical glasses, with production rates of about 50 – 400 tpd the coloring process and related variances in the flue gas is one of the challenges. Also a high variety in furnace condition. 

With GEA emission control technology the dirty flue gas is cleaned according to the individual governmental regulation, taking into account the individual task and needed result.

Our clients can expect continuously stable and reliable systems with low maintenance time and high plant availability. GEA has gained experience with over 140 installations only in the glass industry, with satisfied clients all over the world.The conventional gas cleaning plant (GCP) consists of: 

DeSOx & DeNOx

Acid components removal with a dry or semi-dry system in order to reach the individually required SOx removal efficiency. A variety of different reagents can be used, e.g. hydrated lime, soda ash or Trona. Removal of nitrogen oxide is achieved in a catalytic layer with e.g. ammonia water. A special sealing system secures a continuous low ammonia slip in the clean gas. Instead of the above mentioned equipment parts a candle filter can be installed as well.

Particulate Matter Removal

In the hot gas electrostatic precipitator (ESP) the furnace dust as well as the reaction production from the upstream DeSOx are precipitated. Clean gas dust emission of < 10mg/Nm³, dry can be reached.

Energy Recovery 

Energy saving is a key issue for every kind of industry including glass sector. Even if the glass production process is economically driven, an efficient use of the waste off gas thermal energy is possible via ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) technology.

The thermal power from exhaust gas is transferred by a carrier fluid (thermal oil) to the ORC module and its working fluid. The working fluid is evaporated and expanded in a turbine producing electricity via a generator.  Alternatively, compressed air, hot water or building heating can be produced by using the waste heat of the dirty and/or clean flue gas.