Objective

OSRAM manufactures over 90% of the glass used for lamp production at its own facilities. The glass is manufactured by heating sand, soda and potash to temperatures exceeding 1,550� C. These high temperatures are achieved by burning natural gas. Pollutants such as nitrogen oxide are an unavoidable by-product of every burning process. Until recently, no effective means had been found to reduce emissions for conventional glass furnaces. As a result, OSRAM launched a project to substantially lower the amount of nitrogen oxide released into the atmosphere.

Solution

The goal of reducing the amount of nitrogen oxide produced by more than 60% was achieved in two major stages. After 13 years, we have attained the maximum possible reduction.

Nitrogen oxide emissions were initially lowered by changing the firing method. The amount of nitrogen oxide produced was significantly reduced using soft, waving flames instead of the hard, blue flames formerly employed to melt the glass. The remaining nitrogen oxide is reduced using what is known as the SNCR (selective non-catalytic reduction) process. OSRAM has achieved an overall reduction of approximately 80%. The German Environment Ministry has supported the entire project with financial subsidies and expert assistance.

Today our glass manufacturing ranks among the most environmentally friendly in the world. Both glass furnaces in Augsburg are mentioned in the October 2000 edition of GLAS BREF, a publication that focuses on the best available glass manufacturing technologies in Europe. The furnaces were acknowledged for their low emissions as well as their particularly effective use of energy during the melting process.

These OSRAM furnaces efficiently utilize the energy used during the melting process and effectively use the 450� C hot exhaust. Before the hot air can escape up the chimney, a large amount of heat is retrieved through a heat exchange system and used for hot water and heating at the Augsburg plant. This is the source of 50% of the heating energy at the production site.

The environmental data for the glass furnaces are in the European Emissions Register (EPER) and have been available to the general public since 2003.