CNCD Commissions Energy-Efficient Air Separation Unit For Glass Manufacturing Plant in Europe

 

 

CNCD Commissions Energy-Efficient Air Separation Unit for Glass Manufacturing Plant in Europe

[City, Country] – [Date] – CNCD, a leading manufacturer of cryogenic air separation units, today announced the successful commissioning of an energy-efficient air separation unit (ASU) for a glass manufacturing plant in Europe. The plant supplies high-purity oxygen for oxy-fuel melting furnaces and high-purity nitrogen for inerting, blanketing, and float glass production.

The project was executed on a fast-track schedule, with CNCD providing process design, fabrication, installation supervision, and commissioning support. The ASU has met all performance guarantees for purity, flow, and specific power consumption, and is now operating at full capacity.

Supporting Oxy-Fuel Glass Melting with Reliable Oxygen Supply

Glass manufacturers increasingly use oxy-fuel melting to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, improve thermal efficiency, and extend furnace life. Oxy-fuel combustion requires a continuous supply of high-purity oxygen, typically at 90% to 99.5% purity, depending on the furnace design and glass type.

The CNCD air separation unit delivers oxygen at the required purity and pressure directly to the furnace, eliminating the need for delivered liquid oxygen and reducing supply chain risk. The plant also produces high-purity nitrogen for:

Tin bath inerting in float glass production

Protective atmosphere in glass annealing

Purging and blanketing of molten glass handling systems

General plant inerting and safety applications

"Glass production is a continuous, energy-intensive process where gas supply reliability is critical," said [Name], [Title] at CNCD. "Our ASU design combines high on-stream availability with low specific power consumption, helping the customer reduce both operating costs and carbon emissions."

Energy Efficiency and Digital Optimization

The commissioned ASU incorporates several features designed to reduce power consumption and improve operational flexibility:

High-efficiency main air compressor with variable speed drive

Optimized cryogenic distillation columns with advanced heat integration

Digital twin-enabled control system for real-time process optimization

Predictive maintenance sensors on critical rotating equipment

Automated load-following capability to match furnace demand

The digital twin allows plant operators to simulate load changes, test energy-saving setpoints, and identify maintenance needs before they cause unplanned downtime.

Project Highlights

Parameter	Value
Oxygen capacity	[X] tons per day
Nitrogen capacity	[X] tons per day
Oxygen purity	[X]%
Nitrogen purity	[X]%
Argon recovery	Optional / Included
Installation time	[X] months

The ASU is designed for future capacity expansion, allowing the glass manufacturer to increase production without installing a second plant.

Expanding CNCD's Presence in Glass and High-Temperature Industries

This project follows CNCD's recent deliveries for steel, chemicals, electronics, and green hydrogen applications. The company has been expanding its air separation portfolio to serve energy-intensive industries that require reliable, high-purity gas supply and low lifecycle costs.

Glass manufacturing is one of several industries where on-site ASUs offer advantages over delivered liquid gas, including lower long-term cost, greater supply security, and the ability to tailor purity and pressure to process requirements.

About CNCD

CNCD is a global provider of air separation units and industrial gas systems, serving customers in steel, chemicals, glass, electronics, healthcare, food and beverage, and energy transition markets. The company offers complete EPC services, from process design and modular fabrication to installation, commissioning, and after-sales support. With a focus on energy efficiency, digitalization, and reliability, CNCD helps plant operators reduce lifecycle costs and achieve continuous gas supply.