Abstract: A method and system for determining a mass and energy balance for a glass furnace proceeds through a furnace model and calculates a number of parameters for the flows within each segment of the furnace. The mass flow rate, enthalpy, and enthalpy flow rate of each mass flow entering a segment is found and then the enthalpy and temperature of the unreacted mixture is determined. Based on an assumption that the flows entering a segment combust completely and instantaneously, the enthalpy, enthalpy flow rate, mass flow, composition, and temperature of a reacted flow exiting the segment is determined. If the furnace implements reburning, then the mass flows for the furnace are adjusted. Also, the mass and energy for each flow can be determined if the furnace has a regenerator, a recuperator, or a reburning system. Further, the mass and energy for each flow can be determined for a wide range of furnace types.

Abstract: A method and system for modeling the behavior of a recuperator in a furnace determines the mass flow rate and enthalpy flow rate for each gas stream within a furnace based on an initial set of operating conditions and parameters. Based on the mass flow rate and change in enthalpy flow rate for each gas stream in the recuperator, the amount of heat transfer in the recuperator is derived and the exit temperatures of primary air and exhaust gas are revised in an iterative fashion. The iterative process continues until revised exit temperatures differ from one iteration to the next by less than a predefined tolerance. The heat transfer in the recuperator is determined using the product of an overall heat transfer coefficient and the log mean temperature difference calculated from the inlet and outlet temperatures of the primary air and the inlet and outlet temperatures of the exhaust gas.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the behavior of a regenerator in a glass furnace performs a heat transfer analysis on each differential portion of the regenerator. The method and system determines a temperature profile within the regenerator for each differential space along the regenerator and for each period of time. Based on this finite difference analysis, the amount of heat transfer from the regenerator to primary air and the amount of heat transfer from the flue gas to the regenerator is determined. The method is an iterative method with the results from each pass being compared to the results from the previous pass to determine the quantity which had the largest difference. When the largest difference between successive passes is less than a certain tolerance, the method is considered to have converged.