BOC Technology Boosts Productivity at Saint-Gobain Glass Plant

In a 90-day trial in late 2005, the CGM technology enabled Saint-Gobain to boost production by 19 percent over air fuel operation, and 9 percent over the conventional oxy-fuel boosting technologies used in the furnace before the CGM system was installed. Following the trial, Saint-Gobain agreed to adopt the technology under a longer term contract. "Our plant has never achieved the higher pull rates obtained by the use of the CGM technology without damaging the superstructure of the furnace.

The CGM technology exceeded our expectations for increasing pull while maintaining our exacting product quality," said Claude Voide, international technical director, Saint-Gobain Glass. The BOC CGM technology melts glass faster than side-fired configurations by directly applying oxy-fuel flames on the batch in the furnace. The resulting improved heat transfer rate has several benefits, including better quality, increased pull, decreased furnace size, decreased NOx emissions and improved thermal efficiency.

Dick Marshall, commercial director for BOC´s CGM technology, said, "This is an important application because the CGM system was installed on a furnace that was in excellent condition. This enabled us to accurately measure furnace performance and quantify the technology´s benefits." Glenn Rush, vice president of BOC´s global glass market sector, says the CGM technology delivers a step-change improvement in the melting capability of glass furnaces. It can be used to boost capacity or increase the yield of an existing furnace, or as the base technology in a new furnace to reduce the size of the furnace need for the same capacity output.

Our CGM technology has demonstrated improved quality and consistency in all segments, including float glass, container, specialty and fiberglass." Glass manufacturers look to BOC for its knowledge, skill and experience in delivering reliable engineered solutions for their combustion technology and glass process requirements. BOC´s glass experts have years of industry experience and are focused on designing and delivering solutions that address our customers´ productivity, environmental and economic challenges at their facilities worldwide.

The BOC Group, the worldwide industrial gases, vacuum technologies and distribution services company, serves two million customers in more than 50 countries. It employs 30,000 people and had annual sales of over $8.1 billion in 2005. Further information about The BOC Group may be obtained on the Internet at www.boc.com.