Glass International February 2021

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February 2021—Vol.44 No.2

NSG PILKINGTON INTERVIEW STEKLARNA HRASTNIK INVESTMENT REFRACTORIES I N T E R N A T I O N A L

A GLOBAL REVIEW OF GLASSMAKING

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To ensure your data does not get lost in translation, our technologies speak the same language.

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Contents

www.glass-international.com Editor: Greg Morris Tel: +44 (0)1737 855132 Email: gregmorris@quartzltd.com Assistant Editor: George Lewis Tel: +44 (0)1737 855154 Email: georgelewis@quartzltd.com Designer: Annie Baker

February 2021 Vol.44 No 2

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Managing Director Tony Crinion tonycrinion@quartzltd.com Chief Executive Officer: Steve Diprose Chairman: Paul Michael

Subscriptions: Elizabeth Barford Tel: +44 (0)1737 855028 Fax: +44 (0)1737 855034 Email: subscriptions@quartzltd.com

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Published by Quartz Business Media Ltd, Quartz House, 20 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 1QX, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1737 855000. Fax: +44 (0)1737 855034.

Email: glass@quartzltd.com Website: www.glass-international.com

Official publication of Abividro the Brazilian Technical Association of Automatic Glass Industries

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Company profile: NSG Pilkington Pilkington’s anti-microbial product could ‘save lives’

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Engineering: Falorni Tech Opportunity Engineering: A new way to support project success

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Melting: Air Liquide Hydrogen as a source of combustion energy for glass melting

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Combustion: Forglass Safety a priority in Forglass design of gas combustion systems

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Company profile: Arglass Yamamura Arglass Yamamura lights glass manufacturing furnace

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Forming: Heye International Maximising the advantages of process visualisation

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Environment: Steklarna Hrastnik Steklarna Hrastnik goes green with €26.2 million investment

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Refractories: SEFPRO A tuckstone refractory solution for longer furnace superstructure

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Refractories: Holland Manufacturing Advancements in refractory shapes

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Refractories: Masso Reducing glass defects generated by fused cast AZS

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Refractories: Monofrax Lipstones and Spout/Lip Casings

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Refractories: Dalmia Cement A creep resistant magnesite checker brick for furnace regenerators.

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History

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Editor’s Comment + International news

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International News

GREG MORRIS, EDITOR

Be first with the news! For breaking, up to date news

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Digital acceleration A year since it was first mentioned in Europe and Covid-19 is still dominating the headlines.

Who would have envisaged that this time last year we would still be talking about coronavirus and still be so impacted in our day-to-day lives?

I for one didn’t think I would still be working from home, nearly 12 months after packing my stuff up in the Glass International office last March.

Millions of us, particularly in Europe, are still under lockdowns and our lives restricted by the various guidelines in place to prevent the spread of the virus. Many of us have had to adapt, whether it be just wearing a mask whenever we venture outside, or to teaching the kids at home while juggling work responsibilities.

We’ve reported in the past on how the glass industry has also had to alter to the challenges. One positive of the past year has been the acceleration of the use of digital technology in the sector. Increasingly, with air travel so difficult, remote installations have become the norm - there are examples of this in these news pages.

Engineers from glass suppliers and manufacturers have collaborated online and successfully negotiated the complex task of installing an item of glassmaking equipment - which is quite an achievement.

With the vaccination programme beginning to take off, it will be interesting to see how digital technology is further implemented once life returns to normal.

Schott invests €40 million in Mainz second melting tank

Speciality glass manufacturer Schott is to build a second melting tank for pharmaceutical glass tubing at its main plant in Mainz, Germany costing €40 million.

The new production facility is scheduled to go into operation in mid-2022 and will then offer 100 new jobs, 50 of which will be directly at

Schott.

With this investment, Schott has said it is responding to the increasing global demand for glass tubing for pharmaceutical packaging.

“We decided in favour of the Mainz site in order to further strengthen our production base for pharmaceutical glass tubing in Germany and

Europe”, explained Dr. Frank Heinricht, Chairman of the Board of Management of Schott.

He added: “In doing so, we naturally also have our sights set on the manufacturers of COVID-19 pandemic vaccines based here and the European pharmaceutical industry as a whole.”

Pyrex completes acquisition of tableware manufacturer Duralex International Cookware, which owns the Pyrex trademark, has acquired French tableware manufacturer Duralex.

It is planning investments of approximately €17 million by 2024 to innovate, ensure compliance with standards and improve productivity.

It has the target of doubling the turnover of Duralex by 2024.

Following this transaction, Pyrex and Duralex will remain independent companies pursuing their development within their respective frameworks.

José-Luis Llacuna, CEO of International Cookware said: “With this takeover, Pyrex is ensuring a solid future for Duralex, reinforcing French production of kitchen glassware and tableware and building a major player that aims to be the world leader in the sector.”

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International News

NEWS IN BRIEF

EME upgrades Encirc batch plant

French glass manufacturer Stoelzle Masnières Parfumerie has started up its new furnace.

It said the latest generation oven will reduce its environmental footprint while improving its productivity.

The perfume and cosmetics glass bottle manufacturer has invested €20 million in the

plant, with a furnace supplied

by Forglass.

Etienne Gruyez, Chief Executive Officer of Stoelzle Masnières said: “Despite the pandemic, Stoelzle Glass Group did not hesitate to invest €20m in the French Masnières factory, which is dedicated to the manufactur-

ing of luxury perfumes and cosmetics.

“The new furnace will enable an increase in annual production capacity by more than 30%, to more than 100 tonnes. A positive message for our teams and our customers, mostly European and American.”

Libbey Glass to expand tableware operations in Toledo, USA US tableware glass manufacturer Libbey Glass will expand production in its Toledo, Ohio, USA facility with an additional stemware line.

With assistance from JobsOhio, Libbey plans to invest nearly $30 million over the next four years to maintain the

plant and move the production line to the Glass City.

“We are excited to maintain and build upon our presence here in Toledo through greater investment,” said Jim Burmeister, COO, Libbey.

“This is a great opportunity for us to show our apprecia-

tion to the regional community.”

Libbey currently has 930 employees located between its north Toledo manufacturing facility and its downtown corporate headquarters.

The company operates five plants around the world.

Ardagh acquires AB InBev’s Longhorn glass manufacturing facility Ardagh is to acquire the Longhorn glass manufacturing facility located in Houston, Texas, from Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev).

Longhorn will continue to supply AB InBev’s adjacent Houston brewery under a long-term supply agreement, and Ardagh intends to invest

in the long-term future of Longhorn.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2021.

Upon completion, Ardagh’s North American glass packaging business will operate 14 plants and employ more than

5,000 people, producing premium and sustainable glass packaging.

Globally, Ardagh will operate 34 glass packaging plants, employing in excess of 11,000 people and with annual revenues of approximately $3.3 billion.

Pilkington NA installs solar windows

Pilkington North America has installed energy-generating windows at its Northwood, Ohio, USA facility.

The flat glass manufacturer has worked with Ubiquitous Energy (UE) to jointly develop the transparent solar windows, which feature UE’s photovoltaic technology.

The collected electricity is then transferred to a battery capable of powering a variety of products and increasing the overall energy efficiency of a building.

Glass Futures to hold virtual open sessions

Research and technology organisation Glass Futures will hold a series of open sessions throughout the first three months of 2021 to give a virtual insight into the world’s first Global Centre of Excellence for glass in St Helens, UK. The workshops are aimed at glass manufacturers, technology suppliers and glass end users in order to find out more about the proposals.

Participants will learn how the centre of excellence will benefit their business, the carbon saving opportunity and how industry, up-skilling and training will be delivered within this safe environment.

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Stoelzle Masnières Parfumerie starts furnace

EME successfully upgraded the batch plant at Encirc in Elton, UK to feed the increased capacity of the new 900 tonnes per day furnace.

After performing an audit on site to define the needs of the glass manufacturer, EME identified opportunities to improve the cycle time and determined new equipment that was critical for the upgrade.

The batch plant was modernised with the installation of this critical equipment.

The control system was modified to reduce the cycle time in order to guarantee the increased feed to the new furnace.

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International News

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Emerge Glass ignites Indian container glass furnace Indian container glass manufacturer Emerge Glass has started the furnace heat up process.

A furnace inauguration ceremony and prayer took place at its facility in Keshwana Industrial Area, Kotputli, Rajasthan, India.

An existing flat glass pro-

ducing company, Emerge Glass will commence commercial production of container glass with a designed capacity of 210 tonnes per day.

Set up with an aim to cater to premium segments of liquor and food industries, the new container glass

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O-I sells Argentinian glass manufacturing plant O-I has sold its container glass manufacturing facility in Rosario, Argentina.

The world’s largest glass container glass maker said the glass plant had been sold to a local investor, who is also the owner of beverage businesses in Argentina.

He has been named locally as Hugo Ballester, owner of the La Farruca cider brand. Cider is a growing segment in Argentina as well as Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay.

It said: “O-I will continue to serve the needs of food and beverage customers in

South America through our other glass packaging operations.”

In a separate statement seen by staff it said: “These actions allow a greater focus on our core businesses, while strengthening the company’s cash position and balance sheet.”

Consol welcomes lifting of South African alcohol ban South African food and drink glass packager Consol Glass said it was a welcome relief to the glass industry and its broader supply chain after a third national ban was lifted.

South Africans have

faced three alcohol bans since the pandemic hit last March, the last was imposed on 28 December.

It said: “It will hopefully allow a slow and steady recovery from the financial harm as a consequence of

the previous lockdowns and associated alcohol bans.”

Retail outlets can now sell alcohol between 10:00 and 18:00 from Monday to Thursday.

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International News

NEWS IN BRIEF

French cosmetics sector expresses support for glass industry

The French cosmetics and perfume sector has reiterated its support for companies that work in the glass industry.

A total of 12 companies from the beauty sector have signed a declaration stating that, in order to help with the consequences of the pandemic, they want to give priority to French players in their supplies, and maintain the quality and scope of their cooperation with the French glass industry.

It said the glass industry was an essential part of its value chain and that the sector helped promote sustainable innovation.

Artisanal glass TV series renewed for a second season

A TV series that features the art of glass blowing and the Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) has been renewed for a second season.

The second season of Blown Away landed on Netflix in January. It will work like the first and feature 10 contestants from all around the world who compete in glassmaking competitions.

The winner will get a residency at CMoG in Elmira, USA, where they will participate in glass blowing demonstrations.

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O-I donates $50k to Covid-19 vaccine effort

O-I Glass has gifted $50k to the Victory Over COVID-19 Through Vaccination (VProject) through its O-I Charitable Foundation.

As Northwest Ohio prepares to enter Phase 1B for vaccine distribution, the VProject is engaging more than 250 community leaders to ensure vaccine access and information to all populations represented in the area.

O-I is supporting the VProject in its goal to ensure that more than 70% of the population in Lucas and Wood Counties are vaccinated against COVID-19.

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O-I sells Argentinian glass manufacturing plant Pilkington North America installs energy-generating solar windows Ardagh acquires AB InBev’s Longhorn glass manufacturing facility Libbey closes Shreveport glass manufacturing site Schott invests €40 million in second pharmaceutical glass tubing melting tank Libbey Glass to expand operations in Toledo Stoelzle Masnieres Parfumerie starts furnace Schott plans record €350 million investments this year Allied Glass’ Senior Leadership team takes shape Pochet du Courval rebuilds furnace with help from Horn Glass

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Johns Manville invests €10m in glass fiber recycling line Johns Manville (JM) has launched a thermal recycling unit for waste glass fibers in its Engineered Products plant in Trnava, Slovakia.

The Trnava unit has a projected recycling capacity of more than 3 tons per hour and consists of a warehousing area, feeding and transportation equipment, shredder, burning

chamber and milling.

After processing, the recycled glass powder is free of organic particles and re-fed as raw material into the glass production process on-site, thus achieving a closed production loop.

The project will keep more than ten thousand tons of waste out of landfill each year,

the equivalent of one large truck every day.

The aim is to achieve a positive environmental impact by reducing the landfilling of glass fiber waste and is part of its response to the European Commission’s zero waste programme and its target for sustainable management.

Emhart Glass reports gradual recovery in demand Glass technology supplier Bucher Emhart Glass reported a recovery in the second half of 2020 after demand had plummeted.

In a financial note from parent company Bucher Industries, Emhart Glass said the massive public curtailment of public life in many countries

in the first half of 2020 led to significantly lower demand.

Manufacturers postponed project negotiations and temporarily suspended investment programmes.

In contrast, demand for spare parts increased, as more was invested in the maintenance of existing equipment.

From the mid-year, a slow recovery at a low level was observed.

Overall, order intake saw a major decline in 2020.

Sales were also down against the previous year, although the decline was less pronounced in the second half of the year.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

CelSian glass melting course scheduled for March 2021

CelSian Academy are to virtually host a glass melting (Introductory Training) course, due to take place between 2nd-3rd March 2021.

Whilst originally scheduled to be face to face in Sheffield UK, the course will now be held on-line due to Covid-19.

Oscar Verheijen and Neil Simpson will present again in March.

By using a combination of presentation techniques with personal glass industry experience, the introductory course to Glass Melting will use the extensive resources of the CelSian Academy.

New York Governor and Alfred University to improve NY glass recycling

Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo has announced a new collaboration with the State College of Ceramics at Alfred University to strengthen markets for recycled glass and improve the quality of glass available for recovery throughout New York.

The collaboration will help find new ways to produce and recycle glass.

The State University of New York (SUNY) statutory unit at Alfred University will receive nearly $1.7 million for this initiative through the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) as part of a threeyear agreement.

www.glass-international.com

Revimac supports Thailand’s Siam Glass in IS machine installation

Revimac engineers have remotely reconditioned and installed IS machine parts during a recent installation at Thailand’s Siam Glass.

The remote installation took place due to the challenges of travel caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The installation took place after a fire in December 2019 at Siam Glass’s Samutprakarn production plant on Line 3.7. where many parts of an IS machine were completely burnt.

‘Platinum’ rating for SGD Pharma’s sustainability work Pharmaceutical glassmaker SGD Pharma has been awarded a ‘platinum’ rating by EcoVadis, positioning it in the top 1% of all companies rated worldwide for commitment to sustainability.

EcoVadis is the internationally recognised sustainability ratings provider, evaluating

over 75,000 companies globally across a range of different industries.

SGD Pharma conducted several initiatives and actions in 2020 including signing the Global Compact initiative in February 2020, demonstrating its alignment with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable De-

velopment Goals.

SGD Pharma also conducts advanced emissions calculations, which included the carbon footprint of the business in 2020.

By 2025, SGD Pharma plans to reduce 5% of its CO2 emissions per tonne of goods produced.

Xpar Vision commissions infrared camera system at Stoelzle Xpar Vision concluded 2020 with a successful commissioning of a new Infrared Dual Camera system (IR-D) at Stoelzle’s Czestochowa plant in Poland.

The new system was added

to multiple Xpar Vision systems already in place at the majority of Stoelzle’s production lines.

The latest version of IR-D system will operate alongside other systems like the IGC (au-

tomatic Gobweight Control) and BlankRobot for automated blank swabbing.

Stoelzle employees were supported via remote training and assistance from Xpar Vision consultants.

AGC Glass Europe plans job cuts at Seneffe, Belgium plant AGC Glass Europe plans to make 47 redundancies and cut production capacity at its Seneffe plant, Belgium.

The glass manufacturer said it would make the cutbacks within the Transport & Industrial Vehicles (TIV) activity, which specialises in the railways market.

The railway segment has

suffered in numerous years of insufficient industrial performance leading to structural financial losses for AGC’s TIV activity.

In 2019, increased production volume generated a first positive financial result but in 2020, due to Covid-19 pandemic, its TIV activity was hit by a sudden decrease in mar-

ket demand.

The virus has led to a strong decrease of the TIV markets for its Original Equipment Manufacturing and its After-Market.

The Seneffe plant employs 210 people. A social plan, as well as the accompanying measures, will be studied with the various partners concerned.

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Company profile: NSG Pilkington

� Pilkington SaniTise is a coating placed onto the glass during its manufacturing.

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Pilkington’s anti-microbial product could ‘save lives’ An award winning anti-microbial product that covers glass with a protective coating is ready for distribution after third-party verification. The product recently won an award at the Britsh Glass Focus awards where judges said it could help save lives. George Lewis spoke to Neil McSporran* about this timely development.

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Company profile: NSG Pilkington

“We need to look at areas with many ‘touch points’, places where people touch regularly on a daily basis.

The best areas (to put SaniTise) is where the public mingles such as medical waiting rooms, bus stops, stations, airports, shopping centres, schools, glass doors

”

S

ince the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic we have become all too aware of the dangers of how a deadly virus can spread among the population.

We have all seen or heard the messages about how easy it is for microorganisms to transmit via the process of touching a contaminated surface.

Now NSG Pilkington has unveiled an antimicrobial product which prevents viruses from spreading on surfaces. The flat glass manufacturer had been working on SaniTise, an anti-bacterial coating for three years, but swiftly intensified its efforts when the Covid-19 pandemic began to rapidly spread early last year.

Experts at the company’s European Technical Centre in Lathom, Lancashire, UK initially investigated bacteria, but work was accelerated into focusing on building envelope viruses and how a coating could help reduce the risk of the spread of the coronavirus.

The coating is now ready for installation all over the world. The protection is produced by a pyrolytic technology that once active, will not reduce in activity during the lifetime of the glass, as long as the glass is well maintained.

�Neil McSporran is the Global Portfolio Director for NSG Pilkington’s Incubator programme and has worked for the company for 14 years.

SaniTise received third party verification in October and by November had already received recognition from the glass industry when it won the Design of the year – Flat award at the British Glass Focus ceremony.

Judges of the awards said the product was ‘exactly of its time’.

Head judge Dr Nick Kirk commented: “What we liked about this product is the active coating that required UV light to activate it.

“In the current climate, where we are trying to fight viruses, this really does have a place in the modern life we live. All the judges felt this was a fantastic product that will help save lives and make life better for all of us.”

What is SaniTise?

SaniTise is a transparent coated glass that’s activated through ultraviolet (UV) radiation which then facilitates a reaction with the moisture in the air. The thin coating is put onto the glass when being manufactured and doesn’t affect is recyclability when the glass reaches its end of life.

Continued>>

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or cash machines.

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Company profile: NSG Pilkington

When the glass is exposed to UV light, its antimicrobial activity is significantly increased compared to using uncoated glass.

The pyrolytic coating provides antimicrobial properties and acts against enveloped viruses on the glass’ surface.

The coated glass provides extra protection for any high-touch surfaces exposed to UV light.

The end result means that oxygen species are placed on the envelope, which provides a more hygienic surface.

Neil McSporran, the Global Portfolio Director at NSG Pilkington’s Incubator programme said a number of materials were looked at to help viruses become ‘deactivated’, but Pilkington’s R&D team eventually chose titanium dioxide, as it gave the most successful result in the fastest time and was the material that could be taken to market the quickest.

Mr McSporran worked for NSG Pilkington for 14 years, seven of those in a product/business development role in the USA before moving back to the UK to head up the Incubator programme, which is the hub of NSG Pilkington’s new product development.

He explained that ‘the coating itself is inert, it is the oxygen ‘species’ that help protect against organic materials’.

The protection is not instantaneous - like bleach for example - but once activated, unlike bleach it does provide a continuous protection to the material the coating is on.

NSG Pilkington wants SaniTise to be completely compatible with bleach and other products used to clean glass in order to ‘contribute to a risk reduction strategy’ for parts of a building more likely to contain viruses or antimicrobial substances.

The coating can be effective within 15 minutes, but this is dependent on the ‘species’ on the material and the conditions where the building envelope is.

The coating is best suited for building façades in the commercial, healthcare, education, retail & hospitality sectors, used on the insulating glass unit’s (IGU) interior surface on any exterior wall

� The product was developed at NSG Pilkington’s European Technical Centre in Lathom, Lancashire in the UK.

system.

It’s also designed for use in all types of public transport such as buses, trains and passenger boats.

Having received third party verification in October, Mr McSporran says that SaniTise is now ready for installation, and has received strong interest from different sectors. When asked where SaniTise was likely to be seen first, Mr McSporran said: “We need to look at areas with many ‘touch points’, places where people touch regularly on a daily basis.

“The best areas (to put SaniTise) is where the public mingles such as medical waiting rooms, bus stops, stations, airports, shopping centres, schools, glass doors or cash machines.”

Despite being a photo catalyst that needs UV energy, which is then absorbed by the coating on a building envelope, SaniTise can work with diffused sunlight, on cloudy days for example, which means NSG Pilkington can promote the product all around the world, not just in those places with lots of direct sunlight.

It also still protects for at least a couple of hours in the dark due to the protection being built up during daytime and is called a battery effect.

The future Mr McSporran explained there are a number of developments within the Incubator programme to increase the protective products like SaniTise.

He said: “Looking towards the future, we will have a strong look at health and looking more into microbial areas of development.”

He added: “It was a real honour just to have been nominated for the Glass Focus award as it’s a very new product to the market. It has given the team working on SaniTise a real boost to have received such recognition.”

He added: “What’s been great is it has been a real team effort both in the UK and across the world.” �

*Global Portfolio Director NSG Pilkington, Lathom, Lancashire, UK https://www.pilkington.com/en-gb/uk

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Engineering

Opportunity Engineering: A new way to support project success Andrea Zucconi* discusses an engineering approach adopted by Falorni Tech which helps drive projects and reduces risk for investors.

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T

he world economy and its model of development have undergone an intense evolution in the past decades driven by globalisation, new communication tools, the development of new technologies, and by the easy transportation of people and goods.

Today’s economy is fast-moving, highly interconnected, highly performing, and, despite contingencies, continues to grow.

The container glass industry is one of the most dynamic business areas within the world economy, for many reasons. In addition to glass being 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss in quality or purity, the glass industry has a solid background, the primary raw materials are available in large amounts almost everywhere (low cost of logistic), demand is linked to food and beverage consumption as well as the pharmacy, cosmetic and perfumery sectors.

What is most important to stakeholders is that the positive market dynamic for glass reflects the increasing consumer engagement with environmental causes.

Especially in the last decade there has been a rise in public awareness of the negative environmental impact of plastic pollution in recent years which has driven to a progressive but unstoppable replacement of plastic with glass in certain positions of the conservation chain.

According to the above and to the assessment on market dynamics, drivers, trends, opportunities, restraints, and competitive insights, investment in glass manufacturing, especially in the packaging segment is a good idea. But, an idea alone, even if it’s the best idea, does not mean success for a project.

The competitiveness and technology of the glass industry have reached levels far higher than ever before and, consequently, the initial effort to start an investment in a glass production venture

has become more challenging.

The danger of a not competitive investment is high without the right means.

So far, there is no more room for improvisation or a self-made approach.

Instead, a deep professional method is necessary, technical support based on experience and capability to build since

of Falorni Tech, doesn’t only design a turnkey plant or a process line but, further to customer requirement, it can give consultancy referring to glass making technical features and applications for a special glass product or production.

From our experience each commercial opportunity must be carried on and not left behind because even the weaker

the preliminary stages of the project, the suitable process architecture, and to identify critical issues and critical paths to avoid iterative design phases and to dissipate resources.

request with apparently not a very solid base could potentially turn into a real project execution and realisation.

Listening to questions, understanding problems, processing data, analysing frameworks, and fulfilling needs, are the leading inspirations moving our salespeople and engineers when facing new projects and interacting with potential customers.

Falorni Tech’s engineering approach The Falorni Tech approach to a new project of glass plant engineering is avant-garde (we work with the latest 3D design technologies) and integrated (because the lack of interdisciplinary coordination is often a cause for project delays, cost overruns and claims).

But it is also a creative approach: by relying on our strong technical expertise, know-how and our attitude of curiosity which invites us to observe, explore, and grow while working, we can imagine unconventional solutions or developing ideas capable of anticipating market trends.

The technical and engineering crew

Opportunity engineering This very preliminary engineering phase, which remains embedded within the frames of the commercial phase of the project and not in the executive phase, is called Opportunity Engineering (Fig 1).

During this exploratory phase, we propose to evaluate the feasible project path and to find ways of selecting only those where the engineering can have a chance to capture advantages and slice out disadvantages.

This evaluation allows us to select

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Engineering

� Preliminary technical study.

A comparison among alternative technologies is carried out to find out the technical solution more suitable to attain the project target both from a practical and economic point of view. As a result, the Investor receives one objective tool to evaluate the technical development and project implementation. With this technical preliminary study, all the critical factors of the project are explored.

The privileged guidelines are identified by analysing:

� Raw material availability � Melting technologies comparison � Environmental factors (energy cost, fuel cost, availability of resources, etc.) � Human factors (manpower cost and skill of personnel) � Production cost analysis � Project schedule � Prefeasibility study.

It is carried out by a skilled crew which works using a dedicated and reliable tool which elaborates environmental parameters (market demand, production cost, market price, etc.) in compliance with an economic and financial methodology similar to a Feasibility Study. The aim is to give to potential investors the basic information they need to greenlight a project or choose between technologies (size, target production,

Extended approach Conventional approach

Commercial Phase Opportunity Engineering

Conception phase Basic Engineering

Execution phase

Detailed Engineering

Project Management

etc.). An investor will know, with large advance, the main financial index of the project (EBIDTA, Pay Back, NPV, etc.). � Light 3D modelling.

A three-dimensional plant model is executed starting from the results of the preliminary technical study. The aim is to provide a more exhaustive evaluation of the CAPEX effort to the Investor by showing realistic modelling of the

production premises which takes into account, where available, environmental boundary conditions, morphological characteristics and size of the land, etc.

Light 3D modelling is an option well appreciated by potential Investors and it is a complimentary service on which Falorni has invested big resources in terms of time and personnel creating a database of plant models and project patterns that is unique in its kind.

The Falorni Tech Extended approach to engineering (Fig 1) has been experienced in several projects up to now.

The most important achievements are both in Middle East regions where two container glass projects of 200 ton/day each, have undergone the conception executive phases passing through an intense Opportunity Engineering which has motivated the investor to go ahead,

supporting him to find financial support

by EIB (European Investment Bank) without which the project could have not to be realized.

The introduction of Opportunity Engineering within the frameworks of the life trajectory of a potential project is a unique feature offered today in the glass plant field. The advantage is to shorten the time to market by anticipating time phases, by strengthening the capability to understand the potentiality of a project, by increasing the data available for the Basic and Detailed Engineering phases. �

*Commercial Director, Falorni Tech, Empoli, Italy, www.falornitech.com www.falorniglass.com

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and pursue the conceptual ideas with a long way into the good project potential catching out sure profits, while at the same time allows an investor to contain risk within the average existing business risk of existing competitors.

In essence, Opportunity Engineering is aimed to fuel projects and to enhance the potentiality to make them happen. It can be divided into schematic phases such as:

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Melting

Hydrogen as a source of combustion energy for glass melting

D

ecarbonised or low carbon hydrogen is one possible option to replace fossil fuels such as natural gas or fuel oils as feedstock, and significantly reduce GHG emissions.

The industry already uses about 7.7 EJ of hydrogen annually.

Several options might emerge, alone or combined, with the electrical melter: co-firing with Biogas or Hydrogen, heat recovery and ultimately Carbon Capture Use and Storage (CCUS). All these energies can be combined with oxy-combustion technology for better effectiveness.

Among them, H2 combustion is one

feasible and efficient decarbonisation.

route

toward

1) Proven Heat-Oxy-combustion is improving in efficiency gains The main principle of heat oxycombustion is to recover a substantial portion of the heat lost through flue gases by indirectly preheating fuel and oxygen.

That heat extracted from the combustion fumes is used to heat oxygen and fuel, thereby improving oxy-combustion performance by at last 10% and even more with new upcoming developments.

Compared to air combustion, this

technology provides up to 50% energy savings and up to 50% CO2 emission reduction (excluding emissions generated for oxygen production).

To develop this patented technology, safe and reliable equipment with specific material is designed and fully integrated with glass-melting furnaces.

A second-generation HeatOx solution is targeting a 50% capital expenditure reduction compared to HeatOx 1G, thus ensuring the technology remains costefficient even with low fuel prices.

Continued>>

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J. Caudal, X. Paubel, L. Jarry, and F. Del Corso* discuss the use of H2 combustion as a feasible and efficient route to decarbonisation.

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Melting

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At the heart of HeatOx 2G technology is indirect preheating of natural gas and O2 by flue gas without intermediate fluid to improve footprint, capital expenditures and energy recovery. Going forward, HeatOx 2G innovation will help industries overcome previous hurdles and achieve higher efficiency gains all around.

18 0

2) Hydrogen as a potential new source of energy for glass melting A techno-economic study, based on the LCA (life cycle analysis) approach, was recently conducted by Air Liquide in order to assess the overall impact of the different decarbonisation strategies for glass melting.

A typical medium-size regenerative furnace operating with air and natural gas was chosen as the baseline scenario.

Several technical improvements were then considered, like the replacement of the air with pure oxygen, associated with flue gases heat recovery, the switching from natural gas to hydrogen, the addition of up to 50% electrical boosting.

The implementation of a Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) unit was also considered to reduce the CO2 released in the atmosphere. Furthermore, several options were compared for hydrogen production: Steam Methane Reforming (SMR), with or without a CCS unit downstream, or water electrolysis.

As revealed by the study, the carbon intensity of the electricity has a strong impact on the overall emissions level. A sensitivity analysis was thus conducted on this parameter to better represent the variety of cases, from geographical areas with a high carbon footprint in the electricity mix to much lower levels like decarbonised electricity obtained from offshore wind.

The results summarised in Figure 1 reveal that the most effective solution to reduce the overall CO2 emissions consists in installing a CCS unit directly at the exit of the glass furnace. This solution allows to reduce both the CO2 coming from the combustion flue gases and the CO2 released by the degassing of the raw materials, leading to an overall 63% reduction of CO2 emissions compared to the baseline scenario. Combined with a HeatOx, this figure can be further increased up to 87%.

Nevertheless, CCS can not be implemented everywhere and requires an important infrastructure with significant costs.

When focusing on the CO2 emissions

� Fig 1. Comparison of the CO2 emissions for different decarbonisation strategies. The percentage values correspond to the total reduction compared to the baseline (Air/natural gas). The value in brackets corresponds to the reduction without taking into account the CO2 released from the batch.

due to the combustion part, different options without CCS were compared. The first one consists in replacing 50% of the input energy by decarbonised electricity (hybrid furnace). Considering the French CO2 emissions factor for the electricity (52g CO2 /kWh), 56% of the CO2 emissions due to glass melting can be avoided with this hybrid furnace. The decarbonisation of electricity leads to higher reductions, up to 62% with offshore wind (15g CO2 /kWh) and 64% with the theoretical 0g CO2 /kWh CO2 emissions factor.

A higher reduction of the C-footprint can be reached by replacing natural gas by decarbonised hydrogen with air combustion (up to 88% CO2 reduction with offshore wind electricity). This option can further be improved thanks to the combination of reactants preheating with oxy-combustion, leading to up to 92% CO2 reduction.

Finally, the best approach appears to be the H2-hybrid furnace, obtained by combining 50% electrical boosting with 50% decarbonised H2 with heat oxycombustion. This approach leads to 94% CO2 reduction for the combustion part (assuming offshore wind electricity). CO2 reduction from the batch is to be managed by cullet & composition or CCS. 3) AL developments on H2 combustion First of all, hydrogen safety is a key aspect that Air Liquide has been working on for decades.

The very low density of hydrogen, its high reactivity and its high flame temperature are some of the physical and chemical properties that have

a direct impact on hydrogen use in industrial processes. The mastering of the combustion fundamentals is crucial to develop safe, reliable and efficient combustion technologies. This is one of the major fields of research activities within Air Liquide, which are actively pursued at its various research centers worldwide.

Oxy-flames obtained at four levels of H2 enrichment, from 100% natural gas (left) up to 100% H2 (right), at 100 kW. 4) Low carbon hydrogen supply chain – Air Liquide experience Air Liquide has 50 years of experience in the hydrogen supply chain and ensures a safe, competitive and reliable hydrogen delivery at customer’s gate. For a total production of 1,400,000 tonnes per year with 46 centralised production units based on partial oxidation or Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) and 40 electrolysers. Delivered by truck, under the form of compressed gas between 200 and 700 bar or under liquefied form or by pipelines. But also for hydrogen recharging stations for vehicles (trucks, cars, forklifts, ships,...).

Air Liquide operates all the components of the supply chain and also provides engineering for production units, hydrogen recharging stations, hydrogen liquefiers. The group is also manufacturing some key equipment such as liquid hydrogen vessels.

Continued>>

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www.growth-group.com

Don’t just look at it, look into it.

Tiama Xlab – the revolutionary 3D sampling solution Turn virtual reality into reality with the new Tiama Xlab.

This highly flexible laboratory module can be installed at the hot end, the cold end or in the laboratory. It loads the container automatically and makes a 3D scan, generating an image composed of millions of facets.

The 3D image can be rotated and “dissected” on all sides. Virtual volume, capacity, and vacuity can be measured as well as glass distribution fully mapped.

You can also analyse engraving, embossing and much more. Practically all container types and shapes can be inspected and it’s non-destructive because the image (and not the container itself) is “cut” virtually.

For an online presentation of the Tiama Xlab please contact us at marketing@tiama.com.

Data – the deciding factor

Melting

� Fig 2 Oxy-flames obtained at four levels of H2 enrichment, from 100% natural gas (left) up to 100% H2 (right), at 100kW.

Steam methane reforming (SMR)

100% Natural gas feed

100% Natural Gas feed + CCUS

11

3

100% biomethane feed

100% biomethane feed + CCUS

Hydrogen Carbon footprint in kg CO2eq/kg H2

2(1) -5(1)

(1) hypothesis 46 kWh PCI/kgH2, Emission factor of “Biomethane - French mix injected in the natural gas networks” ADEME “Base carbone” v19.0

Water electrolysis(2)

European (UE)

German

French

Offshore windmill

Solar

Nuclear and hydraulic

electricity mix

electricity mix

electricity mix

(France)

(France)

(France)

Hydrogen Carbon footprint in kg CO2eq/kg H2

25.2 27.7 3.6 0.9 3.3 0.4

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(2) hypothesis 60 kWh/kgH2, Emissions factors from “ADEME Base carbone” v19.0”

As part of its climate objectives, CO2 Capture, Use and Storage (CCUS), biomethane and electrolysers are decarbonising pathways that Air Liquide has industrialised. The CCUS with new technology like CRYOCAPTM H2, as demonstrated with 4 SMR hydrogen units valorising part of the CO2 they produce for industrial uses since decades.

The company also signed an MOU (Memorandum of understanding) with the Northern Lights project to store CO2 from its hydrogen production units in the so called, offshore geological storage in Norway’s north sea zone. The start-up of this geological storage is planned in 2024 - 2025.

Biomethane, with 1.3 TWh produced worldwide today, can be used to feed the existing steam methane reforming units, replacing partially or completely the natural gas. In 2021, Air Liquide will use 30 GWh of biomethane to produce hydrogen in France.

The group operates 40 electrolysers with alkaline technologies of small medium

size since decades and is implementing and starting the world’s largest PEM electrolyser (20MW electrical power, 3,000 ton H2 /y production capacity in Becancour, Canada since 2020).

The charts above provide a comparison of the ecological benefit (for GreenHouse Gases- GHG - emissions) of each decarbonising pathway with the current status of technologies and available sources of energy.

The typical carbon footprints are in the Tables.

Water electrolysers fed with low carbon electricity mixes (like in Canada/Quebec, France, Norway , Sweden) or dedicated/ guaranteed renewable (solar, wind, hydraulic) or nuclear power can bring today an ecological benefit for the global GHG emissions.

Conclusion For the coming years, as the world continues on the sustainable route towards a low carbon economy, we anticipate the demand for low carbon

glass will amplify with the coming up of new furnace generations and technologies.

As an exemple, the Hybrid melting tank (electrical melter + oxy-firing, possibly combined with HeatOx) could be the solution for glass container production but also for technical and even float glass when environmental objectives become more ambitious.

Nonetheless, the benefits in terms of CO2 emissions reduction are highly dependent on several factors like the CO2 emitted during electricity production and cullet ratio. It needs to be assessed for each individual site and specificities.

Heat oxy-combustion is particularly relevant when used with hydrogen but also for CCS purposes. Technologies for a low carbon industry exist today and can be competitive. �

Air Liquide, https://www.airliquide.com/

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COUNTLESS IMPROVEMENTS FOR O N E T H I N G T H AT R E A L LY C O U N T S .

ULRICH IMHOF (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

25 % CO2 REDUCTION

With our experience we are constantly improving the efficiency of our Container and Special Glass furnaces. Today, we are up to 25 % CO2 and 35 % NOx reduction (compared to previous furnace campaigns).

Besides these environmental advantages, our technologies help our customers to reach a more efficient production process saving up to 20 % energy.

New Hybrid Furnace Technologies will satisfy the future‘s requirements.

WWW.HORNGL ASS.COM

Combustion

Safety a priority in Forglass design of gas combustion systems

I

n the history of glass production, different sources of heat have been used for melting, the most common of which is gas combustion. And while the method of generating heat from fossil fuels has not fundamentally changed in the past century, the first two decades of the new millennium brought changes in regulations, focusing much more on safety than on simple performance.

The primary method by which designers can increase the safety of gas combustion systems is redundancy. This is applied in two areas: first, for human safety – in devices preventing fire or

explosion, such as dual shut-off valves; second, to ensure continuous delivery of fuel to the furnace, thereby preventing an undesirable drop in temperature that may negatively impact glass quality and thus production.

There are two main types of gas combustion systems in use today that have different functions and different power requirements. The first type is for the melting end – including regenerative (end-fired or cross-fired), oxy-fuel and recuperative (unit melter) furnace designs; the second type is for the working end with forehearths.

Forehearths have long channels with different temperature profile requirements for production and their combustion systems have evolved significantly in the past two decades.

The turn-of-the-century installations were based on simple ‘pencil burners’ and mixers with balanced-zero regulators, which adjusted the flow of gas according to the pressure of air being delivered to the mixer.

Continued>>

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Piotr Knast* and Krzysztof Zomerski** discuss the main types of gas combustion systems in use in glass today and they highlight an autonomous system which focuses on safety.

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Combustion

While these systems were quite reliable, their mechanical valves and membranes meant that they lacked accuracy, especially at lower pressures, reducing the operator’s ability to control the air-gas mixture.

To meet the need for automation in modern-day glass factories, today’s gas combustion systems for the working end with forehearths adjust the air-gas ratio based on separate pressure-drop measurements of each component by electro-mechanical regulators.

These pressure-drop measurements are much more accurate than balanced zero regulators and they can provide much more precise combustion control (constant air-to-gas ratio) in different zones, resulting in stable pre-set oxygen content in the atmosphere above glass, regardless of the power used in a particular zone.

One of the leading companies that specialises in designing, building and installing advanced combustion systems is Forglass – known to many European glass producers as the designer and builder of glass furnaces and batch plants.

What is less known is that Forglass is a multi-faceted engineering enterprise with experts in many areas of glass production, including the design, construction and delivery of much of the auxiliary equipment for glassworks, such as conveyors, crushers and gas combustion systems. Forglass employs a dedicated

team of engineers, including master engineers with 30+ years of experience in designing and building combustion systems.

Combining this experience and expertise with the newest design and manufacturing tools, Forglass consistently delivers combustion systems that exceed the newest, most rigorous safety standards.

An excellent example of the company’s commitment to safety is the Forglass Melting End Main Gas Station, whose design answers all the requirements of the European Standard EN 746-2 for industrial thermo-processing equipment and all safety requirements for combustion and fuel handling systems.

Equipped with control devices independent of the furnace control system, it is also designed with several redundancies in the areas of gas pressure reduction and stabilisation, gas flow measurement and regulation, and cutting off the gas flow in case of an emergency.

The Melting End Main Gas Station’s autonomous control systems are based on the safety PLC controllers (independent for each of the two lines), which are different from standard PLC controllers and while they are more expensive, they offer a much higher reliability rate.

They are connected to transmitters and sensors on the furnace (pressure, temperature, air flow) and used solely for the purpose of ensuring safety – for

example, immediately shutting off the gas supply in an emergency.

The two redundant lines are fully independent, that is they do not share any measuring or executing devices.

In addition to safety, the Forglass Melting End Main Gas Station offers many benefits to glass producers, not the least of which is its future-proof design, that is the ability to expand or adapt to new requirements of a new/modernised furnace in the future.

The Forglass Melting End Main Gas Station is also designed to be compact, saving factory floor space and making it easy to transport and install. High quality welding and assembly by master technicians ensures safety and problemfree formal commissioning of the system. Forglass design engineers work closely with experienced production technicians to ensure that the equipment is also designed with easy access to all components for operation and maintenance.

The Melting End Main Gas Station is fabricated in Forglass’ own manufacturing facility in Poland, then shipped, installed, tested and commissioned at the client’s site in a matter of days, ensuring safe, uninterrupted performance for many years. �

*CEO, **Head of Furnace Design Department, Forglass, Krakow, Poland www.forglass.eu

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E pect

• more reliability and efficiency with EME technology • more innovation in design • more precise weighing and dosing • more wear resistance with EME machinery • more service offerings, from 1st contact to remote commissioning • more quality of production Benefit from more than 100 years of experience EME GmbH · E-Mail: contact@eme.de · www.eme.de

Glass is our Passion

Company profile: Arglass Yamamura

Arglass Yamamura lights glass manufacturing furnace Arglass Yamamura lit the furnace of the USA’s latest container glass factory late last year. On the eve of the furnace lighting Greg Morris spoke to Jose Arozamena, its Chairman and CEO, about the greenfield plant and its objectives.

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A

rglass Yamamura lit the furnace of its Valdosta, Georgia, USA container glass manufacturing facility in December 2020. It is the first greenfield plant in the USA in generations and, in the words of its CEO and Chairman, Jose Arozamena, is a company born to disrupt the traditional US glass manufacturing sector.

The facility, which employs 144 people, is a partnership between Arglass and Japanese glass manufacturer Nippon Yamamura. The plant was designed to fulfil the needs of customers based on the changing demands of consumers. The glass market has changed dramatically with customers requiring more flexibility from glass manufacturers than ever before.

Mr Arozamena said: “We want to bring a lot of fresh air into the industry and that has been well received by customers. They need to come up with new products all the time so our ability to do that in an efficient manner and with a lot of flexibility has been very attractive to customers.

“Our plant was built with flexibility as a top target and our goal is to be the most flexible and efficient plant in the world and that means we can respond faster to customers ever changing demand from consumers.”

The single furnace plant will have six production lines and be able to produce and automatically package six different products at any given time.

The plant has been configured according to a distinct layout for maximum flexibility in the production process and will supply 200 million units per year.

“We are extremely excited. The customer support has been amazing and we are in a moment where we are thinking of another furnace, so things are looking up

”

The company is focused on differentiated products rather than the mass market. It will concentrate on food, beverages and wines but not beer - Mr Arozamena believes there is enough capacity in the USA already for that.

“Unfortunately today in the US even craft beers are using a catalogue bottle so if someone wants a custom bottle we will do that but we’re not producing catalogue items.”

Key to the plant is its use of the latest digital technology. Systems have been put in place to put machine learning systems above the plant controls and that requires sensors and automation being installed in the plant.

“We are building this plant for the next 20 years and not the last 20 years. I think the term industry 4.0 is well overused, but let’s say we are well on our way to have a system of closed loops for the entire plant.”

Arglass offers a traceability system for all its products throughout the entire supply chain.

Every one of its bottles and jars is individually identified with its proprietary Bottle DNA system, which gives the glass manufacturer and its customers the ability to trace any individual container and tie it to all of its production parameters.

The Bottle DNA can also be used by customers to trace their products once they’ve been distributed in the market.

Another significant factor is the topic of sustainability and environmentally friendly glass manufacturing. The organisation has invested in emission control technology as well as quality

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Company profile: Arglass Yamamura

assurance systems to ensure high quality glass bottles. It will produce 82% fewer NOx emissions compared to other regional glass plants while its oxy-fuel furnace uses natural gas and electricity to achieve energy efficiency. The plant also operates closed loop industrial water systems, which eliminate industrial water discharge.

It has been a long road to get the production

Company profile Arglass.indd 2

plant built. The idea was first suggested six years ago and there have a been a lot of ups and downs to get to this point.

“Some people were sceptical, others tried to torpedo the project while others were fully supportive. It is the support of customers is how we have got to where we are today.

“The whole team is proud of where we are, the entire team has done a great job. It takes a lot of sacrifice to get something like this up and running and I am proud to say I have a fantastic team which has worked long hours and made things happen to make this change, to disrupt the industry and bring in new ideas.

“We have brought people together from around the US and around the world and have a team that is very eclectic with different experiences in glass and other industries to make this a model plant for the future.

“We are extremely excited. The customer support has been amazing and we are in a moment where we are thinking of another furnace, so things are looking up.

“Customers have said this is type of plant is exactly what the industry needs. I’m excited to have worked on this and eager to get started.” �

Arglass Yamamura, Valdosta, Georgia, USA www.arglass.us

04/02/2021 11:10:26

YOUR PARTNER ON THE SMART ROAD

SIMPLY MAKING GREAT GLASS WITH HEYE SMART SOLUTIONS PORTFOLIO Closed-loop Process Control solutions for automated production Smart machine controls for flexibility and speed Smart data – integrated production data with Heye PlantPilot Multilevel Safety Concept

WE ARE GLASS PEOPLE

Forming

10 Sect.

IS-Machine 4 ¼“ TG.

Maximising the advantages of process visualisation A timing system.

Along with 10-section crane rail equipment, the installation features replacement blank side valve blocks, the Heye 2157 servo pusher system, a Heye three axis servo lehr loader (type 4206), hot end reject equipment and Heye process control.

A Simotion IS conveyor and ware transfer conversion kit was supplied, together with a Simotion cross conveyor conversion kit. The Heye Simotion Servodrive System is designed for nine drives and features two control cabinets.

Julie Watson, Director of Operations at Ardagh Glass Knottingley, said: “We are delighted with the good teamwork between Ardagh and Heye staff. The upgrade of our IS machine and equipment will lead us to the next level of highend technology”. Now, the glassmaker is looking forward to maximising the benefits of using process visualisation within the production process. �

Mrs. Petra Heumann, Heye International Web: www.heye-international.com

10 Sect.

IS-Machine 4 TG

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rdagh Group’s Knottingley glass container facility in the UK is benefitting from the recent conversion of an existing production line to Simotion servo drive and FMT control technology.

Installed and commissioned by production machinery specialist Heye International, the flexible control system is based on the future-proof, multi axis Simotion drive system from Siemens.

Independently operating visualisation and real-time control is enabled delivering simplified access to all production data parameters and system error reports.

Enhanced reliability of the electronic components in combination with the application of a compact servo motor with robust resolver guarantee resilient, non-stop operation. If control components need to be changed, complicated programming is not necessary because the configuration data is stored on a memory board.

When control is initiated, the data is automatically transferred. Hence, commissioning times and downtimes during servicing are minimised, whilst the staff training requirements are reduced.

Retrofitting the Simotion and FMT control equipment at the Knottingley glass plant was combined with Heye’s expert technicians installing a series of advanced glass container production technologies as part of the project. This included the installation of a 3inch triple gob feeder mechanism, Heye servo dual motor shears (type 2323, 3in triple gob) and a ‘futronic’ FMT VDM electronic

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Environment

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F

ollowing a €26.2 million investment cycle completion last year, Slovenian glassmaker Steklarna Hrastnik anticipates two new low-carbon projects relating to its glass furnaces in the next five years.

This will enable it to replace consumption of fossil fuels with green energy by a third, increase its energy efficiency by 10%, and reduce its CO2 footprint by a fifth by 2025.

Moreover, the transition to low-carbon production will help to further develop the local environment in which Steklarna Hrastnik has been operating for more than 160 years.

Even now, Steklarna Hrastnik can pride itself on many successfully implemented pilot projects. Under a pilot project carried out this year, it was the first in the region to experimentally confirm the decarbonisation of glass melting with hydrogen obtained from renewable sources.

Within this project, a combustion system which will enable the Slovenian container glass manufacturer to make unlimited adjustments of hydrogen content in the fuel, has also been developed.

Steklarna Hrastnik goes green with €26.2 million investment Slovenian glass manufacturer Steklarna Hrastnik plans to reduce its carbon footprint even further with investments in hydrogen technology and a hybrid-regenerative furnace. This follows on from multi-million ‘green’ investments in 2020.

This will enable optimisation of its production operation in terms of the availability of renewable resources. The investment in the new G furnace in the Vitrum unit, completed in November last year, makes it possible to implement the hydrogen technology.

The G furnace is based on the cleanest technology, and thus ensures lower

energy consumption without causing additional environmental impacts upon increased glass production capacities. The investment in the G furnace is the core of this year’s €26.2 million investment cycle, which is the largest investment cycle for the company in the last 10 years, and one of the largest in Slovenia in 2020.

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Low-carbon production Steklarna Hrastnik is drawing attention to two projects in connection with glass furnace renovation. It aims to carry out the transfer of hydrogen technology to an industrial level in the following years.

The project will be carried out on the G furnace in the Vitrum production unit.

The B furnace in the Special production unit will be converted into a hybridregenerative furnace, which will use 60% of green electricity for its operation.

The glassmaker and its partners are already drawing up new plans and projects for a low-carbon future.

“The next five-year period is strategically highly important for the long-term development of Steklarna Hrastnik. We know that our objectives are ambitious; however, we believe that the transition to a low-carbon company is in the best interests not only of the local community, but the state as well,” said ˘ Peter Cas, Director-General of Steklarna Hrastnik.

Igor Lah, CEO of GlobalGlass Holding, the owner of Steklarna Hrastnik, said: “Today, Steklarna Hrastnik has a long-term vision, projects, plans, and innovations, which rank it among the

largest manufacturers of high-quality packaging glass in the world.

“The transformation of the glassworks, the optimisation of production processes, and the ability to quickly respond to market needs, support its excellence in all business segments.

“I have complete confidence in the management strategy and the wider team of the glassworks, and I believe in the further long-term development and growth of the company, and the strengthening of its position among the best in the world.”

Support Projects undertaken at Steklarna Hrastnik are essential to achieving the EU’s environmental commitments by 2030, and consequently, creating highly qualified jobs for generations to come.

The support of a key stakeholder, i.e. the state, is of utmost importance for the implementation of such projects.

“The Ministry responsible for the development of the Slovenian economy has never hesitated over whether to support the investment of Steklarna ˘ Hrastnik or not,” said Zdravko Pocivalšek, Minister of Economic Development and

Technology. According to the Minister, the investment is the necessary response to the challenges facing the company: it opens the way to higher-priced products and thus more demanding markets, enables healthy growth of the company, provides work to existing and new workers – which may not be ignored – and denotes a continuation of the centuries old glassmaking tradition in Slovenia.

Finding the way to increase added value per employee and link development, environment, and people in a responsible way, remains a major challenge for the Slovenian economy. According to the Minister, the glass manufacturing investment combines all these objectives.

Andrej Vizjak, Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning emphasises that the establishment of a carbon-free society is not merely a commitment, but an opportunity to increase Slovenia’s competitiveness.

The Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning has made this a strategic objective within Slovenia’s long-term climate strategy until 2050. “The strategy follows the commitments of the Paris Agreement and the requirements of the European legislation. With this document, Slovenia aims to contribute to joint efforts to achieve climate neutrality at EU level, taking into account the situation in Slovenia,” said Minister Vizjak, noting that the offered challenges can only be realised upon prompt action by all sectors and ourselves.

Quality infrastructure, a successful economic environment, and new jobs with high added value, significantly contribute to the development of the region itself. A stable economic environment provides an opportunity for young people from the local environment, and an excellent incentive for the arrival of new, professional, qualified workers.

Despite the burdensome, highly intensive industry, Steklarna Hrastnik has demonstrated that it is able to successfully coexist with the local community in the long-term, based on the right strategy, responsible behaviour towards the environment, the local community, and employees. Steklarna Hrastnik is celebrating its 160th anniversary this year; furthermore, it is entering a new decade with long-term plans for future growth and development. �

Steklarna Hrastnik, Hrastnik, Slovenia https://hrastnik1860.com/

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Environment

31 Glass International February 2021

environment Steklarna.indd 2

08/02/2021 07:15:18

Refractories

A tuckstone refractory solution for long life furnace superstructure Michel Gaubil*, Thibaut Chuffart*, Isabelle Cabodi** and Pierrick Vespa** explain the main causes for tuckstone breakages and discuss how a long-life solution has been developed.

T

uckstones have several essential functions in the glass melting furnace, such as superstructure stability, steel frame protection and shielding the top face of the soldier block from heavy heat radiation.

Tuckstone breakage is a frequent issue in most glass furnaces and often encountered after few years of operation.

The premature loss of tuckstone’s nose often leads to trouble.

As seen in Fig 1, without protection from tuckstone’s nose, a glass furnace may experience higher glass contamination from superstructure rundowns, increased metal line corrosion, and superstructure destabilisation due to potential creeping of the steel frame.

These issues generally require complex repairs such as ceramic welding, additional brickwork or even tuckstone hot replacement where possible.

In spite of these repairs, the furnace continues to operate in a degraded mode.

Hence, to extend superstructure and furnace lifetime, Sefpro has researched the reasons behind premature tuckstone breakage in order to provide a redesign of the tuckstone system with improved performance.

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Understanding breakage In addition to typical corrosion processes in the furnace atmosphere, tuckstones may break due to the tremendous thermomechanical stress they encounter.

These stresses come from both thermal gradient (Fig 2) and thermal shocks induced by cold air blowing and thermal cycling during tank over-coat.

Sefpro performed analysis on post mortem tuckstones to assess the impact of these different stresses, to better understand the mechanism of rupture that was occurring.

It highlighted that the cracks were typically initiated on the cold face and propagate towards the hot face until

� Fig 1. Issues triggered by tuckstone breakage (view on a furnace cross section).

� Fig 2. A typical thermal gradient on tuckstone.

they met a viscoplastic area, otherwise it generally led to tuckstone rupture. This argues for a thermomechanical cause for tuckstone breakage rather than singularly chemical or thermal reasons.

A thermomechanical model was developed (Finite Element Analysis) to better understand the rupture process.

Thanks to the model, high levels of stresses were spotted on the cold side of the tuckstone linked to the strong thermal gradient between cold and hot faces. The tuckstone cold face is placed on the air-cooled steel frame, with high thermal exchange.

The resulting stresses are worsened by the thermal shock induced during

furnace special events.

This is the case especially when the air blowing is stopped and restarted for tank over-coating operations or other unexpected shut downs with interrupted cooling. Fig 3 describes the stress evolution in the tuckstone in these conditions.

This model has been validated by thermal measurements and cracks survey conducted in several furnaces: most notably affected area (tuckstone sitting face and radius area) matches with the most cracked areas, as it was observed on tuckstone samples taken during furnace dismantling (Fig 4).

Cracks initiated on tuckstone bottom/

32 0 Glass International February 2021

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Refractories

� Fig 3. Stress pattern on tuckstones (bottom face the most stressed) – First principal stress deformation

Tuckstone highly stressed in the

scale x1000.

bottom part

SefproShield® SefproShield®

� Fig 5. A drawing and picture of Tuckpro tuckstones equipped with SefproShield.

� Fig 4. Superimposed cracking patterns on post mortem tuckstones.

� � Fig 6. Compressive stresses and thermal shock resistance.

Without SefproShield

Radius

16 MPa

40 MPa

Sitting face

87 MPa

120 MPa

� Table 1. Maximum of first principal stress on two areas of tuckstone. cold side by thermal gradient or thermal shocks, may then propagate until rupture of the block because of further thermal events. This dependence on consecutive events can also explain differences of performances from one furnace to another.

Highest performance With major reasons for tuckstone rupture being identified, Sefpro designed a new tuckstone solution, named TuckPro, which resulted in the combination of

Low thermal conductivity

λ< 0.8 W/(m.K) up to 800°C

High mechanical resistance

MOR > 15 MPa up to 900°C

� Table 2. SefproShield properties.

three essential factors, detailed below: Thermal protection A composite system integrating the SefproShield, a newly developed rigid ceramic insulating board for consistent insulating power over time.

This high-performance thermal protection reduces thermal stresses responsible for the rupture. As illustrated in table 1, from our numerical model, a thermal insulation material with a conductivity of 0,5 W.m -1.K-1 reduces the

stress on the sitting face of the tuckstone by 30% to 60% depending on the area being considered (Fig. 5).

The insulating layer must have considerable life expectancy, under high compression stress at high temperatures, and facing thermal shock with potentially corrosive vapour present.

In these conditions, commonly used ceramic fibres, felts or calcium silicate boards do show insufficient performance Continued>>

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With SefproShield

33 Glass International February 2021

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Refractories

Insulating plate to be tested

Crucible

Na2CO3

� Fig 7. Vapour corrosion test with SefproShield (face exposed to vapours) vs Ceramic fibres.

� Fig 8. Example of a composite-insulated tuckstone.

� Fig 9. Thermal fields on insulated and not insulated tuckstone before and

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after air-blowing start-up.

over time; under compressive stress, at high temperature, the effect of sagging and compression leads to loss of insulating power.

SefproShield, a moulded ceramic rigid board, made of alumina and silica, without any ceramic fibers content, perfectly fits the application. It has low thermal conductivity and high mechanical resistance (Table 2).

As illustrated in Fig. 6, under compressive stress corresponding to the superstructure weight (< 1MPa), it is observed that the maximum deformation of SefproShield remains low whereas ceramic fibres felt may lose up to 70% of initial thickness. Furthermore, this insulating board can also withstand high thermal shock from 1000°C to room temperature without damage.

In addition to its good physical properties, the SefproShield shows a high corrosion resistance when exposed to alkaline vapours (much better than ceramic fibres, Fig 7).

In this test, SefproShield kept its initial thickness, and only a slight vitrification was observed on the face exposed to vapours, whereas ceramic fibres board felt was totally destroyed.

By combining the fused cast tuckstone with this optimised insulation of the entire sitting face, including the whole

34 0

With SefproShield

Without SefproShield

30/10/2018

970 °C

495 °C

30/07/2019

950 °C

350 °C

08/10/2020

898 °C

506 °C

� Table 3. Temperature values inside the tuckstone in position B. radius area, Sefpro developed an ‘all-inone’ tuckstone solution (Fig 8).

The performance of this solution has been checked in field testing, at a float furnace location. Thermal evolution inside the tuckstones has been monitored and compared with and without SefproShield insulation.

It has shown that SefproShield efficiently reduces thermal gradient and thermal shock amplitude during air blowing start up, and that this insulation remains consistent after several years (Fig 9 and Table 3).

phase content compared to fused cast AZS, presents better corrosion resistance.

As illustrated, inside a glass furnace, after several years, remaining thickness of High Zirconia Materials is higher than AZS one (32 % ZrO2) (Fig 10).

Even within the AZS family products, the increase in Zirconia content from 32% ZrO2 content to 41% ZrO2 may contribute to limit corrosion level. Thus, switching from AZS32% ZrO2 to AZS41% ZrO2 or even to High Zirconia tuckstones is also a way to optimise the tuckstone corrosion resistance and lifetime.

Material Improvement

Improved Design

Today, most tuckstones in soda lime glass furnaces are made of AZS materials, typically containing around 32 % of Zirconia. Nevertheless, it has been proven that an increase in Zirconia content has a strong benefit on the tuckstone lifetime.

When submitted to harsh running conditions, High Zirconia fused cast material (95 % ZrO2) with low glassy

Sharp angles on tuckstones, especially on cold face, may contribute to crack initiation due to stress concentration.

Moreover, because of boundary conditions of the system, a sufficiently thick tuckstone is ideal to limit thermal gradients in the block. From these Continued>> 37

Glass International February 2021

refractories Sefpro.indd 3

08/02/2021 11:12:10

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Refractories

� Fig 10.

Post-mortem tuckstone observation, 16 years old. (High Zirconia (ER 1195) vs Fused Cast AZS (ER 1681)).

observations, rounded tuckstones with constant section of more than 200mm thickness should be preferred. An obtuse angle to connect the rounded part of the tuckstone to the bottom part, will limit the stresses.

All these suggestions were gathered in one tuckstone ‘ideal case’ design Fig 11.

Conclusion Tuckstones are critical to the efficient operation of the furnace and can break prematurely due to the thermal shock and

� Fig 11. Sample of a rounded Tuckstone.

high thermal gradients they face during the campaign. This leads to a degradation in performance during the continued furnace operation.

In many cases it is required to implement dedicated maintenance operations. To avoid these issues and all consequent damages it could generate in the furnace, Sefpro developed an improved tuckstone refractory solution named Tuckpro, combining several improvements in terms of insulation, design and material properties. This rounded and sufficiently

thick tuckstone (>200mm) is insulated with a high performance board, named SefproShield.

For an optimised lifetime, the tuckstone material may also be upgraded from AZS32% ZrO2, to AZS41% ZrO2 or even High Zirconia Fused Cast refractory. �

*SEFPRO, Le Pontet, France https://www.sefpro.com **Saint-Gobain Research Provence by SGR Provence, Cavaillon, France www.saint-gobain.com

Tempering Lines on spindles

TEMPERING Lines on belt

vidromecanica@vidromecanica.com

www.vidromecanica.com

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RIM tempering

37 Glass International February 2021

refractories Sefpro.indd 4

08/02/2021 11:12:18

175,2

Your ďŹ nish product under supervision

Refractories

Advancements in refractory shapes Holland Manufacturing’s Paul Boscarino and Rebecca Hoekstra announce recent field data that reveal the successful results of advancements made in the technology of manufacturing refractory shapes.

Traditionally, refractory shapes producers have relied on two methods of manufacturing– slip casting and vibration/thixotropic casting. These methods are briefly described below.

Slip Casting Very simply, the slip-cast process involves pouring a refractory mixture into porous plaster moulds. Through capillary action, the water in the refractory mixture flows into the porous mould – pulling with it, air and fine grains that migrate to the surface. This process produces a thin layer of fine-grains on the outside of the part.

The fine-grain exterior surface is rather thin (usually 1mm to 3mm, or less). The thin surface layer and lack of air bubbles make for a very nice-looking product.

Optimum particle packing is required to produce product with high densities and low porosities. As slip casting requires the use of very fine grains, it can be difficult to achieve high densities with this process. However, the use of plaster moulds enables manufacturers to achieve fairly low porosities.

Typical density and porosity of a 20% ZrO2 AZS using a slip cast process is 187 lb/ft³ to 194 lb/ft³ and 15% to 22%, respectively.

Thixotropic Casting Thixotropic (T) casting involves vibrating a refractory mixture into plaster, wooden, metallic or other rigid moulds. The thick refractory mixture requires vibration to flow into the mould. Proper vibration is important to produce the desired physical properties. This is especially true with complex refractory shapes – where it can be difficult to fill all areas of the mould.

This process typically generates higher levels of porosity than slip casting because air is drawn into the system during mould filling, and especially during vibration.

When T-Casting using plaster moulds, the same capillary action occurs and

leaves the surface of the shape with a thin layer of fine grains. Again, this creates a nice surface finish and eliminates the surface porosity, however, there are still internal air voids.

Typical density and porosity of a 20% ZrO2 AZS using a Thixotropic Casting process with plaster moulds is 162lb/ft³ to 193lb/ft³ and 19% to 23%, respectively.

Where plaster moulds utilise capillary action to remove water and air from the refractory mix, T-Casting using non-plaster moulds requires the use of an alternative binder to give the shape strength to be removed from the

� Fig 1. Comparing a new plunger (left) to a used plunger (right) after the glass was melted off.

mould and handled before firing. When T-Casting using non-plaster moulds, air bubbles become trapped at the mould, causing surface voids in the part as well as internal air voids. This process requires surface finishing to fill the exterior voids and give the shape a nice-looking external appearance.

Typical density and porosity of a 20% ZrO2 AZS using a Thixotropic Casting process with non-plaster moulds is 187lb/ft³ to 195lb/ft³ and 17% to 22%, respectively.

Holland ISO-Tuff Process Holland Manufacturing developed a process to manufacture refractory

shapes that have extremely high density, and exceptionally low porosity – while maintaining superior thermal shock resistance. Unlike the traditional manufacturing processes explained earlier, the ISO-Tuff process involves injecting the refractory mix under pressure, into precisely machined steel and/or aluminium or 3D printed moulds.

This process occurs within the ISO-Tuff injection chambers – technology that Holland developed over several years.

Further process steps of bonding and solidifying the shape are the proprietary method that allows these shapes to achieve thermal shock resistant properties greater than that of any known competitive materials.

This unique process is used to produce shapes ranging in size, geometry, and material composition.

Most applicable material for the glass industry, is the ISO-Tuff 5011. This 20% ZrO2 Bonded AZS product has extremely impressive physical properties – thanks to the ISO-Tuff process. Table 1 shows the composition and properties of the materials discussed. Even more impressive though, is the field data proving the strength and durability of this material in glass applications and the extended life it offers.

First Trial of ISO-Tuff 5011 Plungers in Container Glass Beginning in early September 2015, ISOTuff 5011 plungers were trialed for the first time at a glass container manufacturer in Indiana, USA. Three ISO-Tuff plungers were installed on a Triple-Gob amber beer shop pulling 167 U.S. tons per day.

Competitive plungers previously used at this facility had a useful life of 10 to 12 weeks (max.) - and were severely worn and warped when removed from service. On December 31, 2015, the ISO-Tuff plungers were removed – after over 17 weeks of Continued>>

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Traditional Casting Methods

39 Glass International February 2021

refractories Holland.indd 1

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Refractories

Al2O3 % ZrO2 %

SiO2 %

Bulk Density Lb/ft³

Apparent Porosity %

67.3

19.7

12.6

207.3

11.5

20% ZrO2 AZS Slip Casting

ISO-Tuff 5011

72 – 75

18-19

10-13

187 – 194

15 – 22

20% ZrO2 AZS T-Casting

67 – 69

19 – 21

10 – 11

162 – 195

17 – 23

37.0

41.0

21.0

217.0

12.5

ISO-Tuff Ultra 41

� Table 1.

Fig 2. Holland ISO-Tuff Feeder Expendable Shapes.

service. Quality glass production was maintained throughout the entire trial, and pack rates met or exceeded standard.

The customer commented that the parts could have been left in to run longer had the feeder not been scheduled for a major PM (complete change-out of all spout refractories). The used plungers were sent back to the Holland plant for analysis.

The glass was melted off to reveal the state of the refractory surface after 17 weeks in service (Fig 1).

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ISO-Tuff 5011 Feeder Tube Trial The successful field trial of the plungers in Indiana convinced Holland to expand further into the glass industry. An ISOTuff 5011 feeder tube was trialed in a high production amber beer shop pulling 200 U.S. tons per day. After seven months in service, the feeder tube was removed from service and measured to calculate the amount of refractory wear. A typical feeder tube at this shop would lose 1” of refractory off the bottom in three months.

The ISO-Tuff tube lost that amount after seven months in service and had no cracks. The customer commented that the tube could have remained in service.

ISO-Tuff 5011 Overcoat Blocks

ISO-Tuff Ultra 41

The Holland process proved successful once again when ISO-Tuff 5011 Overcoat Blocks were used in direct glass contact on an amber glass container furnace.

The ISO-Tuff 5011 Overcoat Blocks were installed in a very high wear area of the furnace – adjacent to the doghouse. The blocks were removed after 19 months of service with 1” of refractory remaining at the glass line. On this particular furnace, the Overcoat Blocks were expected to last no more than 12 months – and the Holland material exceeded that by nearly 60%.

Holland has developed a new, higher Zirconia, high density, ISO-Tuff Bonded AZS for severe glass contact applications.

The product name is ISO-Tuff Ultra 41. As the name suggests, this material is a 41% ZrO2 Bonded AZS. Initial glass corrosion and thermal-shock testing looks promising. Table 1 outlines the basic chemistry and impressive characteristics of the mix.

Applications for Ultra 41 include Overcoat Blocks, throat cover blocks, oxy-fuel burner blocks, peephole blocks, etc. Ultra 41 is also being evaluated as a possible “replacement” for 41% ZrO2 Fused Cast AZS on Interim repairs.

Holland is looking forward to the extended life that the Ultra 41 will offer to all types of glass manufacturers and hopes that like ISO-Tuff 5011, it too can set new standards for bonded AZS refractory shapes (Fig 2). �

Chrome-Alumina Products Holland currently offers three ChromeAlumina products manufactured by the ISO-Tuff process. The products are extremely resistant to glass corrosion and volatile attack – while still possessing impressive thermal-shock resistant characteristics. Holland has supplied the ISO-Tuff 5077 (51% Chrome-Alumina) in burner blocks to several fiberglass manufacturers. Photos of these shapes cannot be shared due to the proprietary nature of the burner.

Holland Manufacturing, http://www.hollandmanufacturing.com/ info@hollandmanufacturing.com

40 0 Glass International February 2021

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T hi si snotas ol arecl i ps e

Wi r eEdgedet ect i on

wi t hz er ocompr omi seby

Refractories

Reducing glass defects generated by fused cast AZS Jérôme Canaguier* explains how a ‘3SQC approach’ can reduce glass defects generated by fused-cast AZS.

M

any glass factories complain about the high rate of defects generated, mainly from the melter, and mainly below the glass level.

Considering a 180 tpd end-port furnace, producing 100g glass-wares, the surface of a 70m2 tank (10x7), 1.6 m high tank block, including the paving and the weir wall corresponds to a surface of 140.4 m² of fused-cast AZS. Considering only 2cm average corrosion occurs after one year, the glass melting tank must digest 2.8m3 of AZS refractories, among which 40% is highly insoluble ZrO2 crystals.

If one cord occupies 25mm3, it can be calculated that after one year, there are 112,000,000 cords generated into the articles.

At the end of the first year, 657.000.000 articles have been produced. In the case cords are separated from each other, we simply conclude that 17% of articles have a visible cord (100 x 0.5 x 0.5mm).

And the calculation does not consider volume of slag exudated from the superstructure, but corrosion of the tank only.

Recently, some glass producers have reached 50% second choice (cord was accepted by end-user but cannot be accepted as first choice) and 50% going to produce cullet, for more than 18 months.

So, what to do to avoid such situation?

Fig 2 illustrates the visual differences between exudation and corrosions.

Corrosion concerns the molten glass tank, at the glass level and beneath exudation its superstructure.

All corroded AZS parts, both from exudation and corrosion, will flow down to the molten bath tank and create glass defects, as ZrO2 crystals cannot be dissolved into the glass (see fig. 3).

The analysed polished cut of a “zirconia stone” from final product is shown under electron microscope.

Z o n e D is the

vitreous phase of the stone. Zone A is the core of the stone, that contains the ZrO2 dendrites, here in white. Zone 1 is the dendritic Baddeleyite (ZrO2) crystal.

Exudation of fused-cast AZS in the alkaline atmosphere In the superstructure, due to permanent infiltrations of the alkali compounds vapours (Na, K, Ca, Mg) within fusedcast AZS reaction layer, the glassy phase is pushed out from blocks, creating a slag containing ZrO2, see Fig.4. That type of corrosion is stronger as the time goes by.

As a second step, alkali species diffuse in the viscous matrix, and create different phases, with different thermal expansion, leading to continuous fragmentation of the healthy part of blocks.

Typically, the corrosion of the superstructure due to exudation reaches Continued>>

� Fig 1. A typical cord.

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Exudation concerns the furnace superstructure

Corrosion at the glass level

Corrosion beneath the glass level

� Fig 2. An end-of-life soda-lime glass furnace.

� Fig 3. A zirconia stone under electron microscope.

43 Glass International February 2021

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Refractories

Reaction zone: Al2O3 dissolved

Crown

Boundary

Part of the Al2O3 crystal still “solid”

Skew

� Fig 4. Alkalialuminosilicate slag enriched with ZrO2

Alkalo-aluminosilicate slag enriched in Zirconia

Tuckstone

� Fig 6. Selective dissolution of Al2O3 and glassy phase during a corrosion test.

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� Fig 5. AZS cut after a corrosion test.

44 0

150mm at the end of a float furnace life.

Due to the glassy phase pushing out of the block, slag enriched with highly insoluble ZrO2 is flowing out and different kinds of heterogeneities like stones, knots, cords and bubbles are generated.

Glass sheet with bubbles larger than 0.5mm will be rejected. All visible knots, cords and stones will also lead to rejection.

The exudation is strongly dependant of the dissolution of the glassy phase, the binder between Al2O3 and ZrO2 grains.

Two parameters must be under very strict control: � 1/ the percentage of the glassy phase - the glassy phase should be reduced at a low level, typically below 19% in AZS 33. � 2/ the content in impurities of the glassy phase - The more impurities in the raw materials (Fe2O3, TiO2), the stronger the exudation potential.

The content of polyvalent ions (Fe3+/ Fe2+, Ti4+/Ti2+) should be as low as possible to avoid redox reactions and gas formation. The presence of flux like B2O3 and high content of Carbon from

Typical Value

Unit

Guaranteed value

ZrO2

40.5

%

> 39,0

Al2O3

Rest

%

Rest

SiO2

11.5

%

< 12,0

Na2O

1.1

%

< 1,20

Fe2O3 + TiO2

0.16

%

< 0,20

CaO

0.09

%

< 0,11

MgO

0.01

%

< 0,02

K 2O

0.01

%

< 0,02

B2O3

No addition

%

No addition

� Table 1. Guarantee given by Masso to end-user for EM-40.

(1500°C – 16h) on corner samples cut from a cast test plate.

The limit for volume expansion due to glassy phase exudation is fixed at 2.5% after one cycle.

External accredited laboratories regularly check the uniformity and conformity of exudation results, following our own practical procedure.

Corrosion of fused-cast AZS in the molten glass � Fig 7. Bubble generation, giving birth to a cord. electrodes will also ease AZS dissolution.

Presence of Nitrides impurities should also be avoided.

After 24 years learning from AZS producers and users, Masso has defined some strict limits to AZS producer about percentage of impurities. Masso organises with the producer a total traceability so that all delivered blocks get high, uniform characteristics.

As result, exudation is daily measured within the producer’s labour by volume expansion during high temperature test

The glassy phase is the binder between ZrO2 & Al203 crystals. Alkalis from the glass corrode refractory due to electrochemical reactions that dissolve in priority the glassy phase.

When the surface of the block is corroded, some porosities will appear (see fig. 5) because of glassy phase exudation, releasing zirconia & alumina-based defects (inclusions, cords, stone etc.) in the glass melt.

The weakest elements of the glassy phase are oxides of polyvalent ions: Fe2O3 & TiO2.

Continued>> 47

Glass International February 2021

Refractories Masso.indd 2

08/02/2021 06:59:51

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Refractories

How defects are created?

After a short corrosion test, it is possible to observe the evolution of the reaction zone, a highly viscous glass, that will generate inclusions, also called devitrified or knots by glass makers, see figure 6.

Oxygen bubble formation in the reaction zone is the consequence of an electro-chemical reaction between a residual gas (closed porosity) and the viscous reaction zone. Those gases can only escape through the reaction zone.

They push out not only the vitreous phase of the reaction layer in the glass melt (birth of inclusions), but also, time to time, ZrO2 dendrites which are the source of cords & stones (see fig 7).

In accordance with the more severe glass producers, Masso has specified some strict parameters in the chemical composition of selected fused-cast AZS grades. It is to reduce as much as possible the corrosion of blocks during their life, thus generating as less glass defects as possible. Of course, the filling and the homogeneity of blocks must be checked so that the correct density can be reach. More over the generation of such defects also depends on the running conditions (temperature changes, pull changes, cooling etc.) of the furnace and the type of glass.

Masso guarantees the selected grades will respect the limits shown in Table 1.

*

Conclusion Masso has established a three-step quality control procedure to reduce risk of generated defects. They are: Step 1: Pour spout samples Masso will control that the producer is using very pure raw materials, necessary to fit with the above specifications.

Step 3: Traceability list: The full traceability of all blocks is effective through a blocks list, indicating identification, weight and batch number of each block. In case a block is chemically out of specification, we know it before the final inspection, so a change is still possible.

If the user may discover chemically weak blocks during their use, Masso’s guarantee will cover some costs to replace them.

Important step: BRISE (Borderless Refractory Inspection Service), which will be presented in the March issue of Glass International.

With the use of 3SQC procedure, Masso offer all glass makers the ability to use furnaces with longer life, minimised level of stones, cords, knots and blisters and less risk of furnace leakage. �

*Head of Refractory Solution, Comercial Quimica Masso, Barcelona, Spain https://www.cqmasso.com/en/ Glass International February 2021

Refractories Masso.indd 3

* latest swabbing-robot installed in July 2017 in Germany

Step 2: Chemical and physical tests on plates During the production, each 20 tonnes of cast product, the producer is testing chemistry and physical properties of standardised plate (600 x 400 x 300) to evaluate their evolution in the time.

Some corner samples will be sent in our accredited laboratories following the sampling procedure defined between Masso, the producer and the end-user. The checking of pour spout samples combined with the checking of corner samples (chemical + physical) is the safest procedure to get a uniform, high quality set of AZS blocks.

08/02/2021 06:59:55

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Refractories

Lipstones and Spout/Lip Casings Valerie Weber* discusses how one fused cast refractory block plays an essential role in the float glass process.

�Lipstone.

until the sheet can be lifted from the tin onto rollers. Variations in the flow speed and the roller speed control the thickness of the glass. Once the glass has exited the bath, it is gradually cooled in a kiln (annealed).

When the glass flows through the canal onto the tin bath, it goes over the lipstone. It is the last piece of fused cast refractory that the glass touches during the manufacturing process. With its excellent resistance to corrosion and low defect potential, alpha-beta alumina fused cast refractory, developed by Monofrax in 1947, has become the standard for this integral part of a float glass furnace for over 50 years.

Why isn’t fused cast AZS (aluminazirconia-silica) used in this critical area?

While AZS is very resistant to corrosion due to its zirconia content, the zirconia also produces the most stubborn defects in the glass. It is difficult to dissolve zirconia once it gets into the glass batch.

If an alpha-beta alumina lipstone loses refractory material due to corrosion, it is most likely alumina or soda. Both are abundant in glass, making them unlikely to cause defects at this critical point in the furnace. Alumina materials are also resistant to alkali corrosion, which is present in this application. However, in rare cases, high zirconia fused cast has been used for lipstones in demanding

applications. Why is high zirconia an option when AZS is not? In AZS, the zirconia is suspended in the silica and alumina. As they wear, they take the suspended zirconia with them. In high zirconia, the wear rate is slow enough that it doesn’t cause issues.

Depending upon furnace conditions, this essential piece of fused cast refractory has a lifespan of three to eight years.

The type of glass manufactured, furnace temperature, and tonnage all affect the refractory’s longevity. The volume of glass flowing over the lip is the most critical factor. More glass equals more wear.

Replacing a lipstone is usually a hot repair undertaken when the furnace is still in operation. An assembled spout/ lip casing makes this possible. What is a spout/lip casing? It’s a steel casing containing the lipstone, jambs, bottom blocks, underlayment, and insulation.

It’s a turnkey solution to lipstone replacement. Remove one spent casing and replace it with a new unit.

Spout/lip casings may be purchased from a single vendor or assembled onsite. Buying a complete casing has many advantages: � It ships as a complete assembly with a protective layer of steel.

Continued>>

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I

f you work with glass furnace design or refractories, you’re familiar with the furnace regions: breastwall, sidewall, forehearth, crown, canals, pavers, and ports. However, unless you work with the float glass process, you may not be familiar with lipstones. Although the glass that flows over a lipstone is more than 1000 degrees C, lipstones are in no way related to the Rolling Stones’ Hot Lips logo. This single piece of fused cast refractory is an integral part of the float glass process.

In the early 1960s, Sir Alastair Pilkington and Kenneth Bickerstaff of Pilkington Brothers in Lancashire, UK, revolutionised the glass industry with the float glass process where a continuous flow of glass moves from a melting furnace and floats on a bath of molten tin.

It replaced both the plate and sheet glass processes as it was less expensive and produced a higher quality product.

Pilkington Brothers began licensing this new technology in 1962. According to Pilkington’s website, there are now 370 float glass plants in operation worldwide. They produce everything from architectural to automotive glass.

In Pilkington’s process, glass flows from the conditioning section through a narrow canal onto molten tin. The surface flows until it becomes flat and parallel. As the glass floats along the tin bath, the temperature gradually reduces

� Lip-spout in casing.

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Refractories

� Illustration of lipstone in furnace.

� It’s movable from plant to plant when need dictates. � It streamlines the purchasing process. � The time from uncrating to pre-heating is minimal. � The vendor likely has more machining capabilities than are available on site.

*

It is possible to purchase the separate components and assemble them near the furnace. However, this requires having trained masons on-site for the duration of the build.

The machining capabilities for the precise tolerances demanded by the application may not be readily available.

Having a preassembled spout/lip casing in inventory allows for a relatively quick replacement of a damaged lipstone.

Changing out a spout/lip casing may take as few as 36 hours or up to a week.

Because this is a hot repair, it is necessary to pre-heat the refractory lip before assembly to prevent thermal shock. The casing is closed off, and burners are placed around the lipstone to bring it to temperature.

Although the lipstone is a tiny part of a float glass furnace, it is essential. All of the glass produced must flow over this single refractory to reach the final production process. This vital part of the process demands the best quality fused cast refractory to prolong its life and avoid defects in the finished product. For this reason, lipstone quality specifications are the tightest of any refractory piece provided to the glass industry. �

* latest swabbing-robot installed in July 2017 in Germany

*Marketing Manager, Monofrax LLC, Falconer, New York, USA Info@Monofrax.com www.Monofrax.com

Refractories Monofrax.indd 2

� Lip-spout casing with shipping steel.

Glass International February 2021

04/02/2021 11:23:35

Refractories

A creep resistant magnesite checker brick for furnace regenerators Avishek Mitra, Sayan Das and Sanat Hazra* discuss how different grades of Magnesite have been characterised and found that, the lowest creep at 1500°C is given by the material with very high purity fused magnesia. above factors involved that work together.

According to Simonov et al, the deformation due to creep is due to the

� Fig 1. Microstructure of different Magnesites.

� Fig 2. The variation of AP with respect to different q values.

occurrence of several factors like grain boundary slippage, viscous deformation and climbing of dislocations. The influence of porosity is more sensitive in materials with a large crystal size and basic refractories with the lowest silicate content having CaO/SiO2=2 is the most deformation resistant.

According to Banerjee et al, the creep characteristics of Magnesite refractories showed no deformation at 1450°C when compared to forsterite brick which shows poor strength even at low temp of 1200°C. The magnesite proved to superior than chrome-mag and mag-chrome

bricks. The strength of chrome-mag and mag-chrome bricks showed decrease in strength at 1350°C. In this paper, a study has been done on the properties of magnesite bricks with a focus on its creep property. Magnesite used for the manufacturing of bricks are taken from different sources and the comparative properties of the brick has been discussed. We have also added different additives to achieve the most desired property, that is creep at 1500°C less than 0.2%.

Experiment: As per the Andreasen equation different quantity of these materials with optimum grading was taken to prepare different compositions with different q values to achieve the highest packing density. A total of 21 different batches of bricks were manufactured with different q values from 0.32 to 0.52 and compared their apparent porosity.

Commercially available different types of high purity magnesia grains with different size fractions as per Table 1 were used as major raw materials. The gradation was decided based on the best value obtained from the Andreasen equation. Four different batches of bricks were manufactured and compared their physical, chemical and thermomechanical properties along creep at 1500°C. Table 1 The set of trial samples consisting of five different recipes were shaped into bricks by using industrial hydraulic press with a specific pressure of 1.8 Ton/cm2 and samples were dried at 110°C for 24 hrs. After drying, the samples were fired at 1680°C with a predetermined heating schedule and soaking time in a high temperature tunnel kiln. The fired samples Continued>>

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A

glass tank furnace regenerator consists of a regenerator chamber in which chimney blocks or a checker work of refractory bricks has been stacked with different qualities of magnesite in different zones.

In one cycle the checker is heated up by flue gases, subsequently in the following stage (20-30 minutes) the heat is transferred to combustion air.

These furnaces are provided with two or more (an even number) re-generators.

In principle the optimum half-cycle time depends on the pull of the melting tank (thermal load). During the burner reversal, lasting about 30 - 60 seconds, there are no flames within the furnace.

Regenerators utilise the checker brick to improve efficiency by taking advantage of the excellent heat exchange properties inherent in ceramic materials.

As the furnace exhausts through the checker packing, the bricks are preheated by the waste gases, providing a source of energy to preheat the combustion air when the cycle is reversed. Regenerator efficiency can be affected by a variety of factors, from pack design to regenerator size. In magnesite-based refractories, the creep is affected by the presence of impurities like SiO2, CaO, Al2O3, Fe2O3, B2O. These impurities are present at the grain boundaries of the periclase. The grain boundaries of the material are the most reactive sites. At a high temperature these impurities become liquidus and facilitates grain to grain sliding.

The creep of magnesite bricks also depends on the CaO/SiO2 ratio, which determines the low melting phases formed. Another issue governing this creep property is the viscous flow and migration of dislocation. The influence of pores is more sensitive with material having large crystal sizes. So, the creep of a material is based on combination of the

51 Glass International February 2021

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Refractories

Component 97% Sintered Magnesia

T 1

T 2

T4

√ √

99% Sea Water Magnesia 97% Fused Magnesia

T 3

√ √ √ √

99% Fused Magnesia

� Table 1. Different formulation with various Magnesite.

RAW MATERIAL

MgO (%)

SiO2 (%)

CaO (%)

Al2O3 (%)

Fe2O3 (%)

97% Fused Magnesia

96.14

0.88

0.85

0.70

0.56

97% Sintered Magnesia

97.32

0.34

1.26

0.18

0.64

99% Sea Water Magnesia

98.28

0.18

0.86

0.18

0.32

99% Fused Magnesia

98.88

0.1

0.58

0.16

0.2

� Table 2. Chemical analysis of raw materials used. undergo testing as per the industrial testing practices. Apparent porosity (AP), bulk density (BD), cold crushing strength (CCS) and Creep at 1500°C. Micro structure analysis was done using Optical Microscopy. Creep was tested using creep instrument Netzsch 422, Germany, microscopy was done in Carl Zeiss Scope A1 model no.- 10002158. Each value of the tested samples was average of three parallel samples.

Recipe

Creep Z5-25(%)

T-1 0.46 T-2 0.26 T-3 0.25 T-4 0.20

� Table 3. Z5-25 values for T-1 to T-4.

15.6

15.5

AP(%)

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15.1

Results and discussion: Table 2 shows the chemical properties of different types of Magnesia used. It shows that higher the percentage of magnesia in the raw material, lesser is the impurities.

From the micro-structure of the raw materials, it can be clearly stated that in 99% Fused Magnesia has a much better grain structure and larger grain size than the other magnesites. Moreover, as the grain boundary is much higher in 99% Fused Magnesia, the chance for the presence of low melting impurities in the grain boundary is lesser. The average grain size in 99% Fused Magnesia is around 430µm whereas for 97% Fused Magnesia it is 390µm, 97% Sintered Magnesia it is 55µm and for 99% Sea Water Magnesia the average gain size is 65 µm.

Processing of particulate systems is determined by particle packing, hence particle size distribution and particle morphology. Packing theories are widely applied in refractory engineering.

Andreasen defined the particle size distribution modulus, q, given by Eq. (1), as a measure of the contribution of the various ingredient size classes that compose the mixture to the overall particle size distribution.

14.8

T-1

T-2

T-3

T-4

3.05

BD (gm/cc)

3.03

3.03

T-2

T-3

3.02

T-1 ccs kg/cm2 734

T-4 832

749 632

T-1

T-2

T-3

Fig 2 shows the different apparent porosity values for all the batches of 0.32 to 0.52. From the plot, it is clear that at q value 0.37, the best packing has been achieved as the apparent porosity is lowest in q=0.32.

Fig 3 shows the physical properties of different batches of the Magnesite brick. T-4 showed low porosity, high bulk density as well as high CCS. Optimum quantities of different size fractions are selected based on Andreasen’s equation to achieve highest packing density and subsequently low porosity. As, impurity is low and the matrix is dense due to proper selection of coarse to fine ratio, the brick T-4 shows better physical properties.

Creep at 1500°C (Figure 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) shows that Z5-25 for T-4 is minimum.

The value is 0.20%. As the impurities are less, at high temperature firing, the impurities will not form high amount of low melting phases which causes grain dislocation.

So, material with 99% Fused Magnesia shows lower creep value at 1500°C. Moreover, we have seen in Fig 1, that the grain boundary for 99% Fused magnesia is maximum among the magnesites and the pores are less, thus it gives better creep resistant property that is very important for glass regenerators (Table 3).

Fig 5 shows there is a compact matrix with a high degree of bonding between grains of periclase with very little impurity phases in the grain boundary for T-4. In T-1 and T-3, the amount of pores as well as the liquid phases in the grain boundary is clearly visible.

From Table 1 and 2, it can be seen that the impurity percentage in 97% Fused Magnesia and 97% Sintered Magnesia is much higher than that of 99% Fused Magnesia and Nedmag.

But in Nedmag, the grain boundary is smaller than that of 99% Fused Magnesia. Nedmag grains are more prone to dislocation than 99% Fused Magnesia because the grain size is higher in 99% Fused Magnesia than that of Nedmag.

T-4

� Fig 3. Physical Properties.

Where, CPFT = Cumulative Percentage Finer Than q = Distribution co-efficient DS = Minimum Particle Size DL = Larger Particle Diameter D = Average Particle Diameter

Conclusion: Creep at 1500°C and microstructure studies were conducted on all the above trials with grades of Magnesia to develop a Magnesite brick with creep value (Z525) less than equals to 0.20%.

The following conclusions can be drawn : 1) With formulation T-4, as the Continued>>

52 0 Glass International February 2021

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Refractories

T-1

Temperature/°C [1]

2

[1]

1400

1.5

0.5

[1] 1400

2 1.5

700

1.0

[1]

1.0

700

0.5

0 0

5

10

15

20

Times/hrs T-3

25

0 30

0 0

Temperature/°C [1]

2

[1]

5

10

15

20

Times/hrs

T-4

1400

25

0 30

Temperature/°C [1] [1] 1400

� Fig 5. Micro-photograph of T-1 to T-4.

2

1.5 700

1.0

1.5

700

1.0

0.5 0 0

Temperature/°C

T-2

0 5

15

10

20

25

30

0.5 0

0

Times/hrs 0

� Fig 4a. Creep Curves for T-1 to T-4.

5

10

� Fig 4b.

impurity percentage is less and the grain size is more, grain dislocation could not happen easily, thus providing Z5-25 value as 0.20%.

2) In T-1, the 97% Sintered Magnesia and 97% Fused Magnesia has more impurities and less grain size, thus

15

20

25

30

Times/hrs

resulting in low creep.

3) In T-2, the creep is better than T-1 as 99% Sea Water Magnesia and 99% Fused Magnesia has less impurities and high the grain size than 97% Sintered Magnesia and 97% Fused Magnesia. But, the grain size of 99% Sea Water Magnesia is lesser

GLASSMATE

than 99% Fused Magnesia, so T-4 shows better creep.

4) In T-3, the creep is better than T-1, but poorer than T-2 and T-4 as grain size of 97% Fused Magnesia is less than that of 99% Fused Magnesia. Along with that, impurity percentage in 97% Fused Magnesia is much higher than that of 99% Fused Magnesia or 99% Sea Water Magnesia. �

*Dalmia Bharat Cement Limited-Refractory Division, Rajgangpur, India https://www.dalmiacement.com/

®

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• Long life and low wear enable increased pack rate across long runs and multiple jobs.

• Chemical structure and thermal stability provide superior performance at high temperature.

• Batch-to-batch uniformity and consistency reduce common process variation.

• Uniform isotropic microstructure provides high strength and allows for increased life regardless of finish.

• Low thermal conductivity of POCO high performance graphites eliminate checking.

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Contact us at www.poco.com and learn how POCO can help reduce defects and increase pack rates in your hot end processes.

POCO® and other product names are trademarks of Poco Graphite, Inc. as listed on entegris.com/trademarks. ©2019 Entegris, Inc. | All rights reserved.

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53 Glass International February 2021

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History

Prof. John Parker

Glass-ceramics Prof John Parker discusses combining the advantages of glass making with a crystalline product

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E

very melt has a liquidus temperature (about 1000°C for many commercial glasses) below which it should begin a journey, with a final destination at some lower temperature of 100% crystallisation. And the drive to begin increases with undercooling. So, the melt in a glass furnace must be maintained above its liquidus. Decades ago, temperatures in the corners of a furnace, at its bottom, where the batch entered or in the throat/working end could fall too low, causing crystallisation. The term ‘doghouse’ allegedly derives from the ‘dog’ (devitrification/crystallisation) that sometimes formed there. Christmas shutdowns exacerbated such problems - temperatures were lowered and residence times increased leading to ‘frozen bottoms’ and blocked throats.

Restoring the status quo was difficult because crystallisation impeded flow and convective heat transfer. Nowadays higher operating temperatures, improved insulation and compositions designed to minimise liquidus temperatures and crystal growth rates have happily eliminated such disasters.

A problem for some has created an opportunity for others though. Artefacts such as tiles are being made by sintering glass cullet at temperatures where crystal growth is high; these crystals scatter light and create translucency/opacity. Mixed colour cullet gives particularly attractive products. But differences in thermal expansion between crystals and glass cause stresses which can weaken a product, making devitrification sometimes a ‘nono’. My dictionary defines ‘devitrify’ as: ‘cause crystallisation, brittleness, and loss of transparency’. Nevertheless, since the 1950s many products have been made by controlled crystallisation; they even merit an ICG Technical Committee (TC07).

Devitrification typically starts at surfaces or melt-refractory boundaries where ‘defects’ already exist to initiate (nucleate) crystal growth. Typically, just

a few, large crystals are produced. What glass-ceramicists target is compositions where the melt potentially spawns many, many nuclei. Objects are first formed and shaped using conventional glass-making techniques. Next, crystallisation centres (nuclei) are generated using temperatures just above the glass transition (around 500-600°C, well below the liquidus). At the glass transition atoms, become stuck in a suspended state of animation – just above this, crystal growth (controlled by long-range diffusion) is extremely slow but nucleation rates (encouraged by large driving forces and very short diffusion distances) peak. Nuclei, visible only with an electron microscope, are typically refractory phases precipitating from a supersaturated melt (titanates, zirconates, aluminates), lower melting point phases in the melt incompatible with its silicate framework structure (fluorides, phosphates) or metallic species that dissolved as ions at high temperatures but precipitated as metallic colloids, often following a low temperature redox reaction or even a photon catalysed electron transfer event.

Indeed, photoactivation has led to complex photo-machined glass-ceramics.

Phase-separating glasses such as sodium borosilicates can also be used.

The nanoscale nuclei initially created are grown at temperatures well above those for nucleation. The temperatures and timing for these two steps control the final microstructure and gives products ranging from transparent to opaque.

The resulting materials are termed glass-ceramics and can achieve up to 99% crystallinity. The elimination of a glassy phase allows highly thermally stable materials to be made with a low electrical permittivity and high electrical resistance. Another valuable attribute is their zero porosity, unlike conventionally processed ceramics.

These new materials have an extensive range of properties. They are often

significantly stronger and tougher than the original glass because the microcrystals in the glass matrix block the growth of surface flaws into full blown cracks. Indeed, by growing plate-like micaceous phases, machinable products have been created. A potential issue is chemical durability. As crystallisation proceeds those elements which act as fluxes tends to concentrate into the liquid phase; these are often the same elements which reduce chemical durability.

Composition design can however minimise this and exceptionally durable materials can be made.

Glass-ceramics with almost zero thermal expansion have been designed by growing quartz like forms of lithium-rich crystalline silicates. At room temperature their volume expansion coefficients are close to zero, a result of the highto-low displacive phase transition in the modified quartz. In astronomy, Schott has made ultra large mirrors from these materials for giant telescopes whose focussing power is consequently unaffected by temperature variations.

They have improved imaging of distant objects and expanded our understanding of the origins of the universe.

The ability to give dopant ions a crystalline environment within a transparent product is also of interest to laser manufacturers who might wish to dope precipitated fluoride crystals with rare earth ions for example. Other products for battery and fuel cell makers have Li (or Na) ion conducting phases.

Another application is false teeth. The shape, translucency and colour of the finished product can be matched to a patient’s natural teeth, by casting, varying crystal size and adding dopants; the finished product is stronger than a glass tooth would be and has zero porosity. �

*Curator of the Turner Museum of Glass, The University of Sheffield, UK www.turnermuseum.group.shef.ac.uk j.m.parker@sheffield.ac.uk.

54 Glass International February 2021

History.indd 1

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