Trade News
Munich, 22 October 2012 - Linde Gases, a division of The Linde Group, today announced the launch of COROX® LowNOx a ground-breaking glass melting solution that will significantly reduce emissions of harmful nitrous oxides (NOx) in order to meet increasingly strict emission regulations set by the European Union (EU).
COROX® LowNOx is a unique fuel dilution and gas conditioning technology which employs special horizontal oxygen lances and oxyfuel burners to create atmospheric conditions within glass endport furnaces that result in substantially reduced NOx emissions. Via the high-pressure lances, additional oxygen is injected into the furnace to enhance recirculation of the furnace atmosphere, resulting in dilution of the combustion fuel and a more staged combustion process. Fuel dilution leads to a more homogenous flame and a reduction of the flame temperature itself – and as flame temperature directly influences levels of NOx emitted, fuel dilution has a significant reductive impact on emissions.
COROX® LowNOx will reduce NOx emissions to an impressive 500 mg/Nm3, exceeding new EU legislation requirements (European Union directive 2010/75/EU) introduced in March this year which will limit NOx emissions to 800 mg/Nm3 from 2013. Current enforceable limits are set at 1000 mg/Nm3.
"COROX® LowNOx is a major development for the glass manufacturing industry as it not only addresses the sector's key environmental issue, but allows it to achieve its compliance goals reliably and in a cost effective manner" said Ulrich Hanke, Global Manager Marketing and Business Development, Metals and Glass, Linde Gases Division.
The lower flame temperature enabled by LowNOx's fuel dilution capabilities also reduces the concentration of hydrocarbon radicals in the furnace, thereby reducing prompt NOx formation – and an improved heat transfer rate means process time under NOx forming conditions is also reduced. Additionally, by complementing oxygen lances with oxyfuel burners, endport furnace operators have the option to reduce their NOx emissions even further or increase melting capacity by 5-15 percent while still complying with EU regulations.
NOx is one of the main pollutants resulting from fossil fuel combustion - and when interacting with hydrocarbons and sunlight, it is responsible for ground-level ozone formation, acid rain and photochemical smog. NOx can also have harmful effects on the respiratory system of human beings and impair plant growth and increasingly restrictive legislation reflects the need for NOx emissions to be minimised or even mitigated.
COROX® LowNOx can be retrofitted onto existing endport fired furnaces with ease, and if needed, can increase the capacity of furnace making it the only solution on the market to do so.
Linde will be participating at Glasstec in Düsseldorf from 23-26 October, Stand E62, Hall 13.
About The Linde Group
The Linde Gases Division, part of The Linde Group, is a leader in the international industrial and healthcare gases markets, providing compressed, bulk, specialty and medical gases, as well as chemicals to virtually all fields of industry globally. The company adds value to its customers' businesses through the provision of state-of-the-art application technology, process know-how, services and equipment.
The Linde Group is a world-leading gases and engineering company with around 51,000 employees in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2011 financial year it generated revenue of EUR 13.787 bn. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. The Group is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.
For more information, see The Linde Group online at http://www.linde.com.
Further information:
Susan Brownlow
Public Relations Manager, Linde Gases Division
Phone +44.7825.853-814
E-Mail: susan.brownlow@linde.com
Clare Daly or Suzannah Greenwood
Hill + Knowlton Strategies
Phone +44.207.973-5912 or +44.207.413-3348
E-Mail: clare.daly@hkstrategies.com or suzannah.greenwood@hkstrategies.com