Education

The Glass Manufacturing Industry Council

is a Trade Association of the Glass Industry

GMIC Education Events

THE SHINING INFERNO - A SYMPOSIUM ON GLASS RAW MATERIALS

Held October 20, 2011 University Plaza Hotel - Columbus, Ohio

Presented by the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council - (GMIC)

This GMIC symposium is presented at the conclusion of the 72nd Problems on Glass Conference

Program Objective

To inform glass manufacturers on current technologies and challenges in raw material selection and processing for glass production.

Program Description

From crystal-clear containers to the skin of a new high-rise office building, glass is a transparent, uniform and attractive material. It may not be obvious that its origin is a shining inferno where a mix of various minerals dug from the ground, perhaps collected from several continents, have been fused into a new entity. This symposium details the state of the art technologies as well as the challenges to glass manufacturers in selecting and processing raw materials for glass production.

Life cycle analysis of glass as a material that competes in our society with other materials is giving new attention to our raw materials. Major suppliers of minerals will be discussing the competing market forces involved in making best use of our mineral deposits, while keeping the costs to the glassmaker reasonable. Increasing quality demands on the glass, applies pressure for increasing purity of our raw materials and increasing beneficiation of what we can dig out of the ground. New glass products, including solar cells, make it critical to reduce trace contaminants such as iron oxide or minimize their effect. Possible use of alternate materials can help reduce energy usage and the carbon footprint of our glass plants. The logistics of collecting the hundreds of tons of raw materials needed each and every day will be discussed. New environmental restrictions are also forcing us to reconsider the choice of raw materials we have traditionally used.

This is an opportunity for members of the glass industry to discuss new ideas, and rethink old approaches with informed experts.

Curriculum

Program 1 - Regulations Affecting Raw Material Selection - NOX, SOX , Mercury, Chlorine, Cullet, Cap and Trade, Reducing Agents, etc.

Regulations Affecting Raw Material Selection - As emission and safety regulations tighten, they may clash with a glassmaker's traditional route to producing cost-effective and high-quality glass. Alternate routes need to be defined Phil Ross, Consultant - Glass Industry Consulting

Program 2 - Different Routes to the Same Glass - Saving Energy/Carbon Footprint by Using Different Raw Materials to Reach Your Present Composition

Calumite Slag - Time to Look Again - As emission and safety regulations tighten, they may clash with a glassmaker's traditinal route to producing cost-effective and high-quality glass. Alternate routes need to be defined. Mark. A. Abraham, General Manger, Calumite Company, LLC
Alkaline Earths for Glass Manufacturing - You Have Choices - A range of alkaline earth products can supply the CaO/MgO component of your glass. These products have widely differing physical and chemical properties that can help optimize our glass operation. Burned lime and dolomite offer potential benefits in both transportation and your carbon footprint John Elliott, Sales Manager - Lhoist North America
Glass Batch Activation for Better Melting Properties or Selective Glass Processing - The batch mixer can do more than just achieve homogeneity. Sequenced mixing facilities early reactions and reduces dissolution times. Pelletization brings traditional benefits at reduced costs. Tests show great potential Dan Britton, North American Sales Manger, Elrich Machines. Inc.
New Freedom in Raw Materials for High Intensity Melters - We hear "A melter is not a mixer". But this is not the case for these melters with high shear and high-speed flows. The kinetics of melting and reaching homogeneity are much different. Our paradigms about raw materials can be challenged David Rue, Manager Industrial Combustion Program - Gas Technology Institute

Program 3 - Logistics - Transporting and Handling of Raw Materials

Logistics Issues - There are many factors involved in the cost and reliability of having your raw materials in your silos when you need them and free from contamination. We will look at these factors and how they change in the near future. Some will just be happening to us, and other we can influence Wayne Johnson, Manager Global Carrier Relations, Owens Corning

Program 4 - Cleaning Up Our Act - Opportunities for Upgrading Our Raw Materials for Specialty Products

Factors in US Sand Supply - Both glassmakers and raw material suppliers need profitability and sustainability. Are there changes that would be good for both? We will examine the sand market and how glass fits into it. Some specifications are critical; some may offer flexibility Greg Bedford, Technical Sales Manager - Unimin Corporation
Technologies for Upgrading Raw Materials or Magnets - All raw materials require processing, if just to transport them. Increasingly, demands for higher quality glass require further beneficiation. Magnetic separation has become key for special low-iron glasses, and for bringing local sources to commercial levels. Difficult rare earth markets may require alternate new approaches Jim Sadowski, Director Technical Services - Minerals Processing Physical Separation - Outetec (USA), Inc.
Benefits of Glass Cullet and Factors Affecting Supply - Increasing cullet in batch reduces energy consumption and emissions. Manufacturers require a reliable supply of clean and affordable cullet, but various factors impact supply and price including multiple glass recycling stakeholders and raw material pricing Joe Cattaneo - Packaging and Recycling Communications Consultant
Selective Glass Batching - Liquids from low-temperature eutectics can drain away from the sand during melting of a normal glass batch, delaying final dissolution, increasing retention time, and energy costs. This is avoided by choosing partial combinations of the raw materials and segregating them during initial melting phases. Various combinations of agglomeration, particle size, and melding schedules can optimize the results Bill Carty of CSL, LLC

Program Committee

Douglas Davis, PhD – Raw Material Symposium Chairman; Senior Glass Technologist, Toledo Engineering Co., Inc.

Amar Mishra – Glass Industry Consultant

Christopher Hoyle – Technical Director, Toledo Engineering, Co., Inc.

Brian Naveken – Furnace Design Engineer, Toledo Engineering Co., Inc.

Jeff Shock – Manager Glass Technology, Johns Manville

Michelle Korwin-Edson – Senior Scientist, Owens Corning

Robert Hippert – Senior Leader, Glass and Raw Materials Technology, O-I

Robert Weisenburger Lipetz – Executive Director, Glass Manufacturing Industry Council

Other Education Information

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