What equipment is available for glass melting furnaces?

Regenerators in a glass furnace enable the recovery of waste gas heat to preheat the combustion air. The heat is stored in a refractory checkerwork structure and is released back to the incoming air in alternating operation.

The regenerator consists of several components, which are listed in detail in the data sheet. Together, these components form the system for heat storage and recovery and are structurally and functionally coordinated. These include in particular:

• Regenerator
• Regenerator valve

The regenerator itself comprises the storage mass and the associated chamber structure, where the waste gas heat is absorbed and released with a time delay. The regenerator valve handles the targeted switching of the flow direction between waste gas and air operation, making it crucial for the cyclical operation and the continuous use of the stored heat.

Recuperators in a glass furnace enable continuous heat recovery, where the waste gas heat is transferred directly to the combustion air. Unlike a regenerator, this process occurs without cyclical switching, leading to a uniform and stable mode of operation.

The recuperator consists of several components, which are listed in detail in the data sheet. Together, these components form the heat recovery system and are structurally and functionally coordinated. These include in particular:

• Recuperator
• Fan

The recuperator itself comprises the heat exchanger structure, where the waste gas heat is transferred directly to the combustion air. The fan ensures the controlled guidance and conveyance of the airflows through the system, thereby ensuring continuous operation as well as stable and efficient heat recovery.

Fuel-based heating is the central element for heat transfer and flow control in the furnace chamber. The design and positioning of the burners significantly determine melting performance, refining efficiency, and temperature distribution.

IWG develops coordinated burner systems for various energy sources and operating modes. The focus is on optimized air-fuel ratios and adapted flame geometries—for high energy efficiency with simultaneously reduced $text{NO}_x$ emissions. The fuel technology is specifically combined with electric boosting, batch charging strategy, and furnace geometry.

Fuel heating technology includes several components, which are listed in detail in the data sheets. These include in particular:

• Gas safety train
• Distribution station
• Fans
• Burners

Precise control allows for adaptation to variable operating conditions, stabilizes the process, and increases the plant's energy efficiency.

Electric heating and e-boosting enable precise, locally controllable energy input into the glass bath. They stabilize the process, improve homogeneity, and increase energy efficiency. IWG develops coordinated systems that are optimally integrated into the furnace design and allow for targeted adjustment of temperature profiles.

E-boosting and electric heating technology include several components, which are listed in detail in the data sheets. Together, these form the system for power supply, control, and cooling. These include in particular:

• Control cabinets
• Transformers
• Thyristors
• Electrodes
• Cooling water distribution station
• Cooling water treatment station

The coordinated design ensures stable operation and high efficiency of the melting process.

Air cooling in the glass furnace serves to dissipate heat in a targeted manner and to protect highly stressed furnace areas. It stabilizes thermal conditions and contributes to the safe and long-lasting operation of the system. IWG develops coordinated cooling systems that are integrated directly into the furnace structure and enable precise adaptation to the respective process conditions.

Air cooling involves several components, which are listed in detail in the data sheets. Together, they form the system for heat dissipation and flow control in the furnace. These include in particular:

• Fans
• Palisade / Port cooling

The coordinated design reduces thermal loads, protects critical areas, and increases the service life of the furnace system.

State-of-the-art batch charging systems ensure a uniform and process-stable batch feed onto the molten glass surface. The challenge lies in achieving homogeneous distribution with minimal dust generation and the lowest possible thermal disturbance of the melt.

Our chargers enable precisely timed feeding that is exactly matched to the melting capacity, furnace geometry, and specific batch properties. Depending on the requirements, different types of chargers are used, which are individually designed for the respective process.

Precise positioning prevents local cooling zones, accelerates the melting kinetics, and creates the basis for stable refining. The chosen charging strategy thus directly influences the energy consumption and the service life of the refractory lining. In the design process, IWG considers the entire process dynamics – from mechanical loads to thermal interactions with the flame guidance, electric heating, and exhaust gas flow.

The charging system includes several components, which are listed in detail in the data sheets. These include in particular:

• Chargers

For operation, a cooling water supply and a control cabinet for control and connection to the plant technology are also required.

Continuous and high-precision control of the glass level is the basic prerequisite for constant drawing conditions, stable temperature profiles, and uniform throughput rates. Our level control systems use state-of-the-art, non-contact measurement methods and are seamlessly integrated into the main furnace control system.

Precise control eliminates fluctuations in hydrostatic pressure, which would directly affect gob weight, viscosity, and the stability of the forming process. Furthermore, a constant glass level protects the refractory lining from premature thermal overload. IWG develops customized control concepts for this purpose, in which measurement accuracy, response time, and process dynamics are precisely tailored to the characteristics of your plant.

For maximum operational reliability, we implement supplementary limit value monitoring and intelligent trend analyses. This allows you to react proactively to the smallest process deviations before they affect quality.

Bubbling systems are essential for the efficient homogenization and fining of the glass melt. The defined injection of gases creates controlled convection currents that effectively balance temperature gradients and concentration differences in the molten bath.

The precise coordination of positioning, gas volume, and bubble characteristics optimizes bubble rise and residence time. A correctly designed system significantly increases glass quality, minimizes striae formation, and guarantees a stable viscosity distribution in the transition to conditioning.

At IWG, we design the gas routing to avoid unwanted turbulence and minimize the thermal influence on the furnace hydraulics. In this way, we specifically enhance the fining effect and ensure a smooth, quality-optimized process flow.

The efficient operation of modern glass furnaces is based on high-resolution measurement and control technology. All parameters – from temperature and pressure to glass level, energy input, and exhaust gas values – are continuously recorded and processed in intelligent process control systems.

The excellence of the measurement data directly defines the control quality and thus directly influences energy consumption, the service life of the plant, and the final product quality. IWG relies on a combination of robust industrial sensor technology, redundant measurement concepts, and adaptive control algorithms that react precisely to dynamic operating conditions.

By intelligently linking real-time data with historical process values, we make trends visible and sustainably optimize your operating strategies. This predictive process management minimizes unplanned interventions and guarantees maximum plant availability.