Air Products Brasil's Bundled Offering a Winner for Long-Term Industrial Gas Supply for Guardian Glass' New Float Glass Line
May 19 2009 - 2:54PM
PR Newswire (US)
Cleanfire(R) HRi(TM) Burner Integrated in Expanded Glass Production
LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., May 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Air Products
(NYSE: APD) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Air
Products Brasil, has built, placed on stream, and is operating an
air separation plant that provides nitrogen and oxygen for Guardian
Industries' new float glass manufacturing plant in Tatui, Sao
Paulo, Brazil. Air Products Brasil is also supplying hydrogen, via
an on-site plant, and a Cleanfire(R) HRi(TM) burner system for
Guardian's new float glass line. "We were able to demonstrate that
significant operational benefits, specifically fuel savings, can be
achieved with the grouped offering we presented to Guardian. The
combination of our technologies and reliable supply of essential
industrial gases can provide Guardian with the most efficient way,
both operationally and environmentally, to produce float glass from
its new production line. These technologies can continue to provide
benefits in the future, as higher fuel and energy costs are
anticipated," said Bob Lewis, global marketing manager for
Generated Gases at Air Products. Lewis added that the Guardian
relationship continues to grow Air Products' presence and
investment in meeting industrial gas needs in Brazil. Air Products
Brasil's construction of an air separation unit to produce nitrogen
and oxygen is part of the bundled product offering for Guardian
Tatui. Air Products Brasil is also operating an on-site steam
methane reformer (SMR) to produce hydrogen for Guardian's facility.
Air Products' on-site hydrogen product offerings were enhanced in
2008 by the acquisition of Harvest Energy Technology and its novel
and patented SMR technology. Further, Air Products' Cleanfire HRi
burner advanced oxy-fuel boost application has been integrated into
Guardian's new glass production plant. Float glass is produced by
floating a continuous stream of molten glass onto a bath of molten
tin. The molten glass spreads onto the surface of the metal and
produces a high quality, consistently level sheet of glass that is
later heat polished. The glass has no wave or distortion and is now
the standard method for glass production. In fact, over 90% of the
world production of flat glass is float glass. Float glass can be
cut and fitted directly to frames or custom tabletops for making
modern windows, or used as raw material in processes such as glass
tempering, lamination, and manufacture of mirrors and solar panels.
When introduced correctly, industrial grade oxygen used to displace
combustion air in the manufacturing process can significantly
improve heat transfer to the glass batch and glass bath. The
Cleanfire HRi burner's advanced oxy-fuel boost application offers
several unique benefits to glass production. "This technology
delivers higher efficiency melting that reduces the amount of fuel
consumed to produce each ton of glass. It also reduces the amount
of pollutant emissions by delivering a flat flame geometry that
incorporates oxygen staging technology," says Kevin Lievre, global
glass segment market manager at Air Products. "Customers using this
Cleanfire application can expect to increase glass quality, boost
production, and decrease emissions of NOx, SOx, CO2, and
particulate matter." Currently there are over 250 Cleanfire HRi
burners installed at glassmakers worldwide, and over 1,500 of the
Cleanfire family of burner offerings in place at glassmaking
operations globally. About Air Products Air Products (NYSE:APD)
serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare
markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases,
process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment
and services. Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading
positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials,
refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas
liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. The company is
recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and
commitment to safety and the environment. Air Products had fiscal
2008 revenues of $10.4 billion, operations in over 40 countries,
and 21,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit
http://www.airproducts.com/. About Guardian Industries Corp.
Guardian is a diversified global manufacturing company
headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, with leading positions in
float glass, fabricated glass products, fiberglass insulation and
other building materials for commercial, residential and automotive
markets. Through its Science & Technology Center, Guardian is
at the forefront of innovation including development of high
performance glass coatings and other advanced products. Guardian,
its subsidiaries and affiliates employ 19,000 people and operate
facilities throughout North America, Europe, South America, Asia,
Africa and the Middle East. Visit http://www.guardian.com/.
***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements.
Actual results could vary materially, due to changes in current
expectations. DATASOURCE: Air Products CONTACT: Media, Art George,
+1-610-481-1340, , or Investors, Nelson Squires, +1-610-481-7461, ,
both of Air Products Web Site: http://www.airproducts.com/
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