Inventors:
Michael S. K. Chen - Zionsville PA
Corning F. Painter - Allentown PA
Steven P. Pastore - Allentown PA
Gary Roth - Trexlertown PA
David C. Winchester - Allentown PA
Assignee:
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. - Allentown PA
International Classification:
C03B 504
Abstract:
The present invention is an integrated process for the production of glass utilizing combustion heat to melt glassmaking materials in a glassmaking furnace. The fuel combusted to produce heat sufficient to melt the glassmaking materials is combusted with oxygen-enriched oxidant to reduce heat losses from the offgas of the glassmaking furnace. The process further reduces heat losses by quenching hot offgas from the glassmaking furnace with a process stream to retain the heat recovered from quench in the glassmaking process with subsequent additional heat recovery by heat exchange of the fuel to the glassmaking furnace, as well as the glassmaking materials, such as batch and cullet. The process includes recovery of a commercially pure carbon dioxide product by separatory means from the cooled, residual offgas from the glassmaking furnace.