Fighting Heat Loss And Volatility: An Oxy-Gas Forehearth Conversion For Borosilicate Glass

Forehearths used for borosilicate glasses typically suffer from problems related to their small size and the volatility of the glass constituents. Oxygen-gas firing can overcome some of these problems by reducing the volume flow of combustion gases and increasing the available heat from the fuel. This paper describes the installationa nd operationof oxygen firing on a forehearth conveying borosilicate glass for lighting components. Also presented are the resulting improvements in the control of the glass conditioning process.