Oxygen injection through a roof or crown of a glass furnace

Abstract

A method is provided to facilitate combustion in a furnace having at least one burner, an inlet, an outlet, and sidewalls and a crown defining a combustion chamber for the furnace, the method consisting of identifying a region of the combustion chamber where a furnace atmosphere therein requires an increase in oxygen for combustion in the furnace atmosphere, and providing fresh oxygen to the region at a controlled flow rate for the combustion, wherein the fresh oxygen provided causes circulation of the furnace atmosphere for combining existing gases and existing oxygen of the furnace atmosphere with the fresh oxygen provided to the region for combustion.

1 . A method to facilitate combustion in a glass melting furnace having at least one burner, an inlet, an outlet, sidewalls and a crown defining a combustion chamber for the furnace, the method comprising:
 identifying a region of the combustion chamber where an atmosphere of the furnace requires an increase in oxygen for combustion in the furnace atmosphere;   injecting fresh oxygen through an injector in the crown of the furnace to the region at a controlled flow rate for the combustion;   generating a suction effect for the furnace atmosphere in the combustion chamber responsive to the fresh oxygen provided, wherein the furnace atmosphere circulates for combining existing gases and existing oxygen in the furnace atmosphere with the fresh oxygen provided to the region for combustion.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fresh oxygen injected is in a gaseous stream containing from 20.9% to 100% oxygen. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the injector comprises at least one injection port disposed at the crown of the furnace. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one injection port comprises a tubular member having a first end connected to a source for the fresh oxygen, and a second end terminating in the furnace atmosphere for providing the fresh oxygen to the region for combustion with the existing gases and the existing oxygen. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fresh oxygen is provided near the inlet of the furnace proximate the at least one burner. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fresh oxygen is provided to the region in registration with a longitudinal centerline of the furnace. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising introducing a fluid with the fresh oxygen to increase a delivery rate of the fresh oxygen into the furnace atmosphere. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the fluid is selected from a combustible gas, combustible liquid and combinations thereof.