Today, special attention is directed towards energy consumption. Pennekamp has addressed this issue and operates an internal heat recovery system, called “draft system”.It balances the heating (annealing) and cooling area of the lehr.
A centralized air cooling damper and air exhaust system monitors and maintains such balance for energy usage reduction, whereas the components are equipped with communication links among each other. The float and display glass annealing lehrs are designed in modules (zones), all at a length of 2,25m each, in order to suit the standard truck or container loading.
features
Glass ribbon width of up to 4,5m (15’)
All tunnels zones (A,B, C, D and RET) with inner linings, manufactured from heat and chemical resistant stainless ssteel
Electric radiation heating
Electrical heating system operated by thyristor controls
Six heating control loops across glass ribbon width
Heating elements and semi indirect cooler units are manufactured from high temperature resistant stainless steels
Integrated, electronically movable edge heaters
Indirect and semi indirect cooler inserts in annealing zones (A to C)
Six cooling control loops across the glass ribbon width
Special design down flow cooling fans in cooling zones (RET) to mix the internal air with cooling air
Modular zones with side wall inserts, for flexible installation of heating and indirect/semi-indirect cooling units
Special design for over and under ribbon heaters
Double lateral wall system with stainless steel surface
Use of ceramic rollers for glass transport for scratch minimization (low SO2)
Individual drives, one unit per roller (no open sprockets/oil pans)
Drive configuration by inverters, to compensate the glass shrinkage of ribbon
Additional backup inverters for operational roller drive safety
Roller support arranged by zones, for easier alignment and higher accuracy
Fully insulated lehr (all tunnel zones) with approx. 350mm (14”) ceramic fiber and mineral wool
Fully automatic air inlet damper systems for temperature curve control
Control of the lehr exit temperatures, required for optimal cutting results
Individual inverter controlled cooling banks (decentralized) in F zones
Optional automatic internal cullet removal system (patent pending) for RET and F zones
Automatic process control for the control and monitoring of temperatures by PLC and backup system
Optional communication processor (Ethernet or others) for link to plant process control
Electronic control of the internal air movements (drift system) for a minimization of the energy consumption
Optimal temperature distribution across the lehr width
