Oxy-boost control in furnaces
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A process of operating a furnace, comprising the steps of:
- firing an oxy-fuel burner into the furnace to heat a load;
firing an air-fuel burner into the furnace to heat the load;
measuring a furnace process parameter;
inputting the measured process parameter into a model-free controller; and
controlling both the firing of the oxy-burner and the firing of the air-fuel burner with the controller based on the measured process parameter.
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Abstract
A process controls oxy-boost firing and air-fuel burner firing in furnaces, including large glass furnaces such as float furnaces. The large side-fired regenerative float furnaces use oxy-boost firing for a variety of reasons, including production increase, improved glass quality, lowering of superstructure temperatures, and reduction of emissions. An adaptive controller receives input data from process parameter sensors throughout the furnace, and adjusts its control logic for controlling both the oxy-boost burners and the air-fuel port burners.
98 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A process of operating a furnace, comprising the steps of:
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firing an oxy-fuel burner into the furnace to heat a load;
firing an air-fuel burner into the furnace to heat the load;
measuring a furnace process parameter;
inputting the measured process parameter into a model-free controller; and
controlling both the firing of the oxy-burner and the firing of the air-fuel burner with the controller based on the measured process parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 6, 7, 8)
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3. A system useful for heating a product, comprising:
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a furnace having a sidewall and an interior space;
at least one oxy-fuel burner positioned to direct a flame into the furnace interior space;
a source of an oxidant in fluid communication with the at least one oxy-fuel burner, the oxidant comprising oxygen, oxygen enriched gas, or combinations thereof;
a source of fuel in fluid communication with the at least one oxy-fuel burner;
a first valve set interposed between the oxy-fuel burner and the sources of fuel and oxidant, the first valve set operable to control the flow of oxidant and fuel to the at least one oxy-fuel burner;
at least one air-fuel burner positioned to direct a flame into the furnace interior space;
a source of air in fluid communication with the at least one air-fuel burner;
a source of fuel in fluid communication with the at least one air-fuel burner;
a second valve set interposed between the air-fuel burner and the sources of fuel and air, the second valve set operable to control the flow of air and fuel to the at least one air-fuel burner;
at least one furnace condition input device generating at least one output signal; and
a model-free controller in communication with the at least one furnace condition input device to receive the at least one furnace condition input device output signal, the controller having a setpoint value for the at least one furnace value, the controller generating at least one control signal based on a comparison of the input and setpoint values, the controller being in communication with the first valve set to communicate the at least one control signal to the first valve set to set the flow rates of oxidant and fuel through the first valve set and to the oxy-fuel burner, and the controller being in communication with the second valve set to communicate the at least one control signal to the second valve set to set the flow rates of air and fuel through the second valve set and to the air-fuel burner. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 9)
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Specification