Among industrial gas consumers, the manufacturing processes in the glass industry are among the most sensitive thermal processes in terms of gas quality. This is due not only to the strong focus on energy efficiency and the reduction of pollutant emissions, but also to the direct impact of gas quality on the final product. Gas composition refers to the composition and quality of the gases used in the melting furnace as well as in various production steps.
Major changes in the natural gas market
The major changes in the natural gas market in recent years - including the increased use of LNG, the injection of biogas, and, in the future, hydrogen - present the glass industry with the challenge of continuously measuring fluctuations in gas composition and compensating for them accordingly, in order to minimize their impact on product quality and production costs. In addition to gas pressure, temperature, and flow rate, the most important parameters include calorific value, Wobbe index, and density. These parameters determine how much energy is available per unit volume of gas and how the gas behaves in pipes, valves, and burners. Even minor fluctuations can affect flame stability, heat distribution within a furnace, and thus the entire melting process.
In recent years, Mems AG has equipped several plants of European glass manufacturers with its gasQS technology for gas quality measurement. For example, at Wiegand-Glas, one of Germany’s largest container glass manufacturers, three additional plants were equipped with our measuring devices in early 2026 following a successful test phase at one location.
In total, several glass manufacturers in Europe already rely on Mems AG’s gasQS technology for the continuous monitoring of gas quality in their production processes.
GasQS flonic
The system uses the gasQS flonic, which continuously measures key gas parameters - such as calorific value, Wobbe index, density, and H2 content - without the need for a reference gas.
The installation and commissioning of the measuring devices took place in close collaboration with the technical team at Wiegand-Glas and was successfully completed within two days in mid-February 2026.
Dr. Winfried Willenborg, Head of Glass Technology at Wiegand-Glas:
“Reliable online determination of gas quality - particularly calorific value - is crucial for the process control of our melting units. The gasQS flonic delivers stable measurement values and could be easily integrated into our existing infrastructure. Continuous monitoring of gas quality helps us control our processes with even greater precision and optimize glass quality.”