AGC Inc. (Tokyo) announced that it has succeeded in a demonstration test of glass production using hydrogen as fuel. This is the first time the AGC Group has conducted tests using hydrogen in an actual production furnace. The test was conducted at the electronics float glass manufacturing facility of the Kansai Plant, Takasago Factory (Takasago City, Hyogo Prefecture).
This test was conducted with the support of Air Liquide Japan G.K. (Chairman and CEO: Ilyong Park, Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) by implementing its hydrogen combustion burner to an existing conventional combustion process with oxygen using natural gas as fuel. In this test, AGC verified the technological issues for utilizing hydrogen-fueled oxygen combustion technology in glass production, including glass quality, effects on furnace materials, flame temperature, furnace temperature, and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions control. The NOx concentration in the emitted gas from this test was maintained at the same level as in 100% natural gas, while maintaining the required temperature of the glass melting furnace.Aiming for full-scale deployment, AGC will conduct scaled-up tests of the combustion capacity of the hydrogen combustion burner and consider demonstration tests at the AGC Group’s global sites to determine the scope of application of hydrogen combustion technology.