GLASS GLASS GLASS GLASS GLASS 
DYNAMIC EXPERT SYSTEM CONTROLS FOR 
OPTIMAL OXYFUEL MELTER PERFORMANCE 
Project Fact Sheet 
B E N E F I T S 
• Improved production efficiency 
and greater product yield as a 
result of a consistent 
manufacturing process 
• Reduced production costs—the 
coupling of DES controls with 
oxyfuel firing can reduce 
production costs by 
approximately 10 percent over 
air-fuel firing 
• Reduced emissions–greater 
industry conversion to oxyfuel 
firing because of new DES 
controls means reduced 
greenhouse gas emissions 
industry-wide 
A P P L I C A T I O N S 
By demonstrating improved 
production control and efficiency, 
this new control system will make 
the oxyfuel process more attractive 
to a larger portion of the glass 
industry. If all amenable glass 
melters converted to automatically 
controlled oxyfuel firing, 
greenhouse gas emissions 
nationwide would be reduced by 5.0 
x 108 lbs/year, and annual net cost 
savings to the glass industry would 
be $50-60 MM/yr. 
AUTOMATIC CONTROLS WILL OPTIMIZE THE OVERALL 
PERFORMANCE OF THE GLASS MANUFACTURING SYSTEM 
The glass industry currently controls melting processes using simple, linear 
systems. However, solving operational problems or switching production 
modes during melting often causes significant loss of production time while 
the linear control systems attempt to reach steady-state operation. This 
wasted time translates into increased operational costs for the manufacturer. 
The proposed system of dynamic, automatic controls will reduce that lost time, 
thus reducing operational costs and improving overall production efficiency by 
optimizing the performance of the entire melting system. 
PROPOSED CONFIGURATION FOR OPTIMIZING 
OXYFUEL MELTER PERFORMANCE 
The dynamic expert system (DES) controls will be used to automatically control and 
optimize the entire melting process. 
OFFICE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES 
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Project Description 
Goal: Optimize the production efficiency of oxyfuel furnaces using a dynamic, automatic 
system to control the melting process. The system will help reduce total operational costs 
and enhance production, making the oxyfuel process more economically and 
environmentally appealing to the glass industry. 
In order to meet the project goals, the partners will: 
1. Develop DES controls for the entire glass melting process 
2. Incorporate nonintrusive, laser-based, diagnostic measurement methods into the 
system to supply the DES controls with accurate information for monitoring the furnace 
3. Develop modified adsorption-based oxygen cycles that deliver a wide range of oxygen 
concentrations. Oxygen concentration will vary because the DES controls determine 
the optimal concentration for a given operational preference (e.g., maximum production 
mode, lowest cost operation, improved environmental compliance) 
4. Investigate the development of heat recovery systems since furnace operation at lower 
oxygen concentrations may lead to increased flue gas volume. 
Progress and Milestones 
Testing, experimentation, and model building are slated for completion by October 1999. 
Field testing with project test partner (Techneglas) is planned for 2000. 
Upon successful completion of the demonstration with Techneglas, the project offering to 
the industry will be a comprehensive package to retrofit any glass melting operation. 
PROJECT PARTNERS 
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. 
Allentown, PA 
Advanced Control Solutions Inc. 
Toledo, OH 
GE Lighting 
Cleveland, OH 
McDermott Technologies 
Alliance, OH 
Ohio State University 
Columbus, OH 
PPG Industries 
Pittsburgh, PA 
Sandia National Laboratories 
Livermore, CA 
Techneglas 
Columbus, OH 
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, 
PLEASE CONTACT: 
Theodore Johnson 
Office of Industrial Technologies 
Phone: (202) 586-6937 
Fax: (202) 586-6507 
theodore.johnson@ee.doe.gov 
http://www.oit.doe.gov/IOF/glass 
Please send any comments, 
questions, or suggestions to 
webmaster.oit@ee.doe.gov 
Visit our home page at 
www.oit.doe.gov 
Office of Industrial Technologies 
Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy 
U.S. Department of Energy 
Washington, D.C. 20585 
February 1999