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December/January 2022—Vol.45 No.1
GUARDIAN INTERVIEW CROXSONS CEO ALTERNATIVE FUELS I N T E R N A T I O N A L
A GLOBAL REVIEW OF GLASSMAKING
Glass International December/January 2022
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Contents
www.glass-international.com Editor: Greg Morris Tel: +44 (0)1737 855132 Email: gregmorris@quartzltd.com Deputy Editor: Jess Mills Tel: +44 (0)1737 855154 Email: jessmills@quartzltd.com Designer: Annie Baker Sales Director: Ken Clark Tel: +44 (0)1737 855117 Email: kenclark@quartzltd.com
December/January 2022 Vol.45 No 1
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Sales Executive: Manuel Martin Quereda Tel: +44 (0)1737 855023 Email: manuelm@quartzltd.com Managing Director Tony Crinion tonycrinion@quartzltd.com
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Chief Executive Officer: Steve Diprose Chairman: Paul Michael
Subscriptions: Jack Homewood Tel: +44 (0)1737 855028 Fax: +44 (0)1737 855034 Email: subscriptions@quartzltd.com 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
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Official publication of Abividro the Brazilian Technical Association of Automatic Glass Industries
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Company profile: Guardian Glass Demand for flat glass prompts Guardian’s Goole furnace investment
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Company profile: Croxsons Croxsons’s CEO sets out vision for the future
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Digital glassmaking: Encirc Smart bottling: Connecting the data with a digital thread
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Decarbonisation: Celsian The best vision is insights
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USA profile: GPI Glass Recycling Developments in the United States
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Batch plant: Forglass VIBE: the high-performance dosing feeder from Forglass
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Renewable glass manufacturing: Electroglass Renewable Melting and Conditioning Technology
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Alternative fuels Paving the way to Net Zero by repurposing waste
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Decarbonisation: IEK Decarbonisation energy-related CO2 emissions in the glass industry
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Decarbonisation: BV Glas Decarbonisation in the glass industry
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Company profile: The Glass Company From humble beginnings to award winning
Member of British Glass Manufacturers’ Confederation
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International News
GREG MORRIS, EDITOR
Be first with the news! For breaking, up to date news
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Huge opportunity for glass sectors
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So this is it, 2022, the International Year of Glass. What an opportunity for the industry to highlight its credentials in front of a global audience. Over the course of the next 12 months, starting from the opening ceremony in Geneva to the closing celebration in Japan in December, glass will be under the spotlight. A variety of celebrations and activities are planned all around the globe to bring glass to the public eye. The glass industry is made up of a huge amount of disparate sectors – glass packaging, glass architecture, glass art and speciality glass to name a few – and the year of glass is an opportunity to bring all these elements together under one banner. Themes such as sustainability and digitalisation have been common in glass for several years now. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity provides a chance to show the rest of the world how forward thinking and dynamic the industry can be. Without glass there would be no smartphones for example, something so ubiquitous in all our lives. Highlighting examples such as this to those outside the indistry could provide a boon to the whole sector for years to come. The IYOG website lists several of the actvites taking place and encourages as many events as possible to be listed. Take a moment to view and, if possible, to participate. A successful year of glass could mean that glass finally takes its place within the mainstream of public consiousness.
O-I to sell Cristar tableware business to Nadir Figueiredo
O-I Glass is to sell its Cristar TableTop subsidiary to Brazilian tableware group Nadir Figueiredo for $95 million. Cristar owns a tableware manufacturing plant in Buga, Colombia, that exports table-
ware to 40 countries and generated $14.6 million of EBITDA to the 12 months ended September 30, 2021. The sale is expected to close during the first half of 2022. Andres Lopez, CEO, said:
“We are deploying proceeds from the sale of non-core assets to help fund our expansion plan, leveraging our exciting new MAGMA solution, that includes investment with attractive returns.”
Glass manufacturing facility set to be built in Canada Canadian Premium Sand (CPS) is set to construct a glass manufacturing facility in Selkirk, Canada. CPS said the solar glass manufacturing facility will be the first of its kind in North America and will provide around 300 jobs in the area once the
facility is operating. Currently, all solar panels manufactured in North America using patterned solar glass are made with glass imported from China and other Asia Pacific countries. CPS chose Selkirk due to the proximity to a silica sand
quarry, which is around 160 km north of Selkirk. Leroux said the company looked at several options for where to set up the plant, but determined Manitoba, and Selkirk were the perfect fit. There is also a supply of natural gas in the area, he said.
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International News
Verallia unveils electric furnace glassmaking plan
carbon footprint of the containers produced. Olivier Rousseau, the CEO of Verallia France said: “I am pleased to have announced this excellent news as a priority to the trade unions and employees of our Cognac site, which was
Fenzi to acquire Johnson Matthey business
particularly impacted by our transformation project last year. “This electric furnace technology has never been implemented in France or even in Europe for food packaging glass.”
Ardagh Group set to acquire South Africa’s Consol Glass Ardagh Group is to buy South African glass container manufacturer Consol Glass for ZAR10.1 billion ($635 million). Headquartered in Johannesburg and founded in 1946, Consol operates four glass production facilities. It serves international, regional and domestic customers, principally in the beer, wine, spirits, food and non-alcoholic beverage sectors. In the year to June 30, 2021, Consol reported consolidated revenues of ZAR9.0 billion ($566 million). South Africa represented approximately 90% of revenues, with the balance represented by smaller production facilities in Kenya, Nigeria and Ethiopia. Glass consumption in Con-
sol’s markets is projected to continue to increase, driven by long-term trends, including population growth, rising income levels and shifts to premium one-way sustainable glass packaging. The enterprise value of the transaction represents a multiple of approximately 6.6 times LTM Adjusted EBITDA to September 30, 2021. Ardagh expects to finance the acquisition through a combination of its own cash resources and the assumption of ZAR5.7 billion ($358 million) existing net debt at Consol. Completion of the acquisition is expected in the second quarter of 2022. Ardagh Chairman, Paul Coulson, said: “Consol is a market leader in the region,
with great relationships across a diversified domestic and multinational customer base. “Virtually all of Consol’s multinational customers are also customers of Ardagh. We look forward to welcoming Consol to the Ardagh family and to investing in the longterm growth of the African market, driven by consumer trends and rising sustainability awareness.” Bruce MacRobert, Chairman of Consol, said: “The Consol team has built a great business, with an established reputation for delivering quality products to a growing customer base. “Ardagh’s long-term presence in, and commitment to, glass packaging, makes it the ideal owner to continue this progress.”
Italian chemical specialist Fenzi will acquire Johnson Matthey’s (JM) Advanced Glass Technologies (AGT) business. AGT provides glass enamels and precious metal pastes globally, focusing on the automotive sector in particular. Fenzi’s CEO, Alessandro Fenzi, said: “AGT’s leadership in glass enamels for the automotive and industrial sectors fits perfectly with our strategy to be the largest and most complete partner for the glass industry. The acquisition is expected to close in spring 2022.
Argentine container glass factory
A long awaited glass manufacturing facility has been given a loan to ensure it starts production. Argentina’s Vidrios Riojanos, a glass producer owned by the government of La Rioja province in Argentina, has received a federal government loan of ARS 900mn (€7.78million, US$ 9million) to build a wine glass bottles factory capable of 100,000 units per day. The facility is expected to begin production operations in August 2022. It will manufacture green and flint bottles and will help meet the shortfall in wine bottles. The facility is expected to have a 45/tonne day furnace as well as two production lines. The project was first suggested in 2015 but ran out of funding until now.
Stevanato expansion
Pharmaceutical manufacturer Stevanato Group is to expand its headquarters. The expansion of its headquarters in Piombino Dese, Italy would advance operations and growth of the company. The 6,750m2 facility is expected to support the optimisation of its industrial footprint, with about 2,500m2 dedicated to increasing the production of high-value products.
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Verallia France has unveiled plans to build two 100% electric furnaces at its Cognac, France glass manufacturing facility. The two furnaces will replace the fossil fuel fired furnace No. 2 nearing the end of its campaign life. The total production capacity will replace that of the old furnace. The Verallia site in Châteaubernard would become the first site in Europe and within the group to produce glass packaging for the food and beverage market with 100% electric furnaces. This would implement environmental commitments with a nearly 50% reduced
NEWS IN BRIEF
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International News
Verallia to build Italian glass packaging furnace
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Verallia is to build a manufacturing furnace at its Pescia plant in Tuscany, Italy. The furnace, called Furnace 83, is the 12th for the group in Italy and will give new impetus to the Tuscan plant in the province of Pistoia from 2024. CEO Michel Giannuzzi announced the green light for the construction of a new furnace in October. The choice was made for the southernmost plant in Italy, one of six Italian plants of the group. Marco Ravasi, CEO of Verallia Italia, said: “With this latest furnace, our group has invested, in the Italian market alone, an amount exceeding €300 million. “As I have already said on the occasion of the lighting of the new furnace in the Borgo Mantovano plant, we believe we have the moral duty to support the industrial relaunch of the country, actively accompanying the
relaunch of food and beverages made in Italy. “For this reason we have chosen to invest on the Tuscan pole, to strengthen the presence in central Italy and be able to better serve the customers in the south of the country, where in recent months a storage warehouse started operations. “The new furnace,” continued Ravasi, “will be characterised by the adoption of the best technologies, which will allow us to have greater production flexibility, being able to
quickly change colour and format, and increasingly reduce emissions.” This is the direction the company continues to follow on its ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance criteria) roadmap, summarised by the corporate purpose defined in 2020: ‘Rethinking glass to build a sustainable future.’ The most challenging objective, considering the industrial size of the group, is to reduce CO2 emissions by 46% by 2030 and to pursue carbon neutrality by 2050.
• Ultra-low NOx emissions • Reduced energy consumption • Higher glass quality • Enhanced productivity • Increased furnace capacity • Remote performance monitoring
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Contractor appointed to deliver Glass Futures development Network Space Developments (NSD) has appointed Bowmer + Kirkland to build the £54 million Glass Futures development at Saints Retail Park in St Helens, UK. Remediation and preparatory works will be completed shortly and in January 2022, Bowmer + Kirkland will start construction of the transformational global glass research and innovation facility. The 165,000 sq ft scheme
is expected to complete in January 2023, ready for fitout. The facility has been prelet to St Helens Borough Council on a 15 year headlease and will be sublet to Glass Futures, which will occupy and manage the building. It will deliver industry and government backed research and development projects focused on decarbonising glass production.
It will also provide a platform for the industry to access an experimental scale furnace to test and run trials for implementation at commercial scale on a line, both collaboratively and individually. The building has been presold by NSD to global investor Standard Life Investments Property Income Trust to secure forward funding and conclude a viable delivery strategy.
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THE POWER OF THREE Good things always come in threes. From batch and cullet treatment to furnace building and equipment maintenance, the fluidity of the SORG Group’s three individual streams create one sustainable, smooth-flowing solution powered by the most advanced melting and conditioning technologies.
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NEWS IN BRIEF
Sorg and Wiegand-Glas celebrate batch pre-heating success
Sorg and Wiegand-Glas have celebrated 10 years of trouble-free operation of a batch pre-heater at WiegandGlas’ Steinbach, Germany site. Sorg delivered 10 years of operation with only routine maintenance work required, before the preheater was shut down and inspected in March 2021 prior to the planned reconstruction of furnace No. 1. The inspection concluded only minor wear on the heat exchangers and screws, confirming Sorg’s structural and technical design of its batch preheater. The preheater was completely cleaned and worn parts were replaced. The exhaust gas routing was optimised based on experience of 10 years of operation and further improvements were made to the batch supply, which was modified by EME to further minimise the wear.
Horn Glass to complete Stölzle Oberglas repair
Horn Glass Industries will complete a repair of Stölzle Oberglas’s furnace 02 at its Köflach, Austria glass production site. A cold performance test was carried out, while heatup of the 270t/day furnace took place on 3 December, according to the schedule.
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GTS unveils website
Glass Technology Services has launched its new website. Re-designed by local web developers Castus, the new website highlights the personal service the Sheffield, UK firm is known for while also creating a content hub showcasing the in-depth knowledge that its experts posses on the glass industry and the wider supply chain. The website offers credible resources, and identifies the range of sectors the company serves, such as the food and drink and pharmaceutical industries.
Top 10 stories in the news Our most popular news over the past month, as determined by our website traffic. All full stories can be found on our website. � � � � � � � � � �
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Verallia unveils electric furnace glassmaking plan Glass manufacturing facility to be built in Canada Argentina’s Vidrios Riojanos to construct glass manufacturing facility Verallia to build Italian glass packaging furnace O-I to sell Cristar business to Nadir Figueiredo Vetropack appoints Zippe for its greenfield Italian facility Encirc plots £75 million distribution ‘mega hub’ Vidrio Formas selects Heye’s inspection machine Horn Glass to complete Stölzle Oberglas furnace repair Gerresheimer secures €10 million environmental grant
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Mexico’s VidrioFormas selects Heye’s inspection machine Mexican glass manufacturer, Vidrio Formas has successfully installed Heye International’s latest SmartLine 2, including Ranger 2 check inspection equipment to deliver high performance at its new production site in Lerma. Developed in Germany as an inspection and sorting machine for the global hollow glass community, the SmartLine 2 device incorporates Heye’s latest cold end equipment innovations. These include a high speed outfeed belt, multi servo drives, high precision check detection and multi-point, non-contact thickness detection. The equipment is required to service an expansion of production capacities at Vidrio Formas, which has recently opened a second glass packaging facility with a new furnace and two additional production lines.
High performance inspection, a reduction of spare parts inventories, reduced operating costs and the Smartline’s 2 digitisation capabilities were essential elements in Vidrio Formas’s purchasing decision. The SmartLine 2 was manufactured entirely at Heye’s
Nienburg factory in Germany. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, users were trained by Heye personnel on site in Mexico. The customer commissioned the machines supported remotely by Heye staff.
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On closer inspection, nothing is artificial about the results Welcome to smarter inspection accuracy with Scout AI wire edge detection. Available on the FleXinspect generation III.
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Grenzebach integration
Grenzebach has fully integrated CNUD EFCO into its float glass technology business. The latest step in the integration took place on January 1 when CNUD was fully integrated into the Grenzebach group. It means customers will have only one contractual partner from this date - Grenzebach. The current company name, Cnud Efco Operations, will also be changed to Grenzebach Romania while a capacity expansion is being planned at the site in Iasi, Romania where a production hall will be built in 2022. Egbert Wenninger, Grenzebach CCO said: “The scope of services and the proven expertise will not change; the contact persons will also remain the same.”
Gerresheimer’s €10 million ‘green’ grant
Gerresheimer has secured a €9.9 million environmental grant to support its Lohr, Germany facility. The grant, from the federal government’s Environmental Innovation Program (UIP) will help support the site on its journey to CO2 neutrality. Gerresheimer wants to save 40% of its CO2 emissions from 2023 - which corresponds to around 22,000 tons of CO2 per year. This should succeed with a new type of lowcarbon-emission-oxygen melting tank, which could be implemented as early as 2023.
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EME continues partnership with Bastürk Cam
Turkish glass packaging manufacturer Bastürk Cam has commissioned EME to deliver equipment for its second furnace (B) with a capacity of 500 tonnes/day. EME will build a glass cullet return system and batch transport system for the manufacturer’s facility in Malatya, Turkey. EME also built the batch plant and cullet return system for furnace A in 2018.
Encirc plots £75 million distribution ‘mega hub’ UK glass bottle manufacturer and filler Encirc plans to build a national distribution hub for the UK and European drinks industry. It is anticipated the fully automated ‘mega hub’ will be built within the next three years and will mark a step forward in the evolution of glass packaging supply chains in the UK. While the exact location is yet to be confirmed, the hub will have around 170,000 pallet storage spaces for customers’ bottles filled at Encirc’s Cheshire plant, as well as others which have been filled elsewhere, and imported to the UK. Encirc’s parent company,
Vidrala, is planning to invest around £75 million in the hub, which will feature robotic case picking, with the prepared pallets able to be delivered directly to retailers across the UK and Europe. By going straight to retail and reducing the reliance on regional distribution centres, the hub is set to reduce lorry movements nationwide and achieve carbon savings across supply chains in the UK. The hub will complement Encirc’s existing automated warehouse in Elton, UK which is one of the largest of its kind in Europe with more than 250,000 pallet spaces. Adrian Curry, Managing Director at Encirc, said: “Our
new national distribution hub will represent the evolution of drink supply chains in the UK and Europe. “This will be a huge leap forward for how the UK drinks industry imports and distributes key brands. Encirc recently declared its intention to increase its wine filling capacity by more than 75 million litres per year, while also stating it plan to decarbonise its furnaces by beginning to use sustainable fuels, such as hydrogen, in its melting process. These plans form an integral part of developments which will create more than 200 new jobs at Encirc over a number of years.
Forglass opens engineering centre Forglass has opened a glass engineering centre in Katowice, Poland. It is the new home for a team of engineers, who design technological lines for glass producers across Europe. The centre also houses an R&D department, which develops concepts to meet the
industry’s expectations for the 21st century. Forglass works with nearby scientific institutions, laboratories and universities to ensure its machines and solutions are of the highest standard and quality. The core staff for the engineering centre came from the
design office, which had been operating in Katowice for several years. The centre is located in a recreational area, surrounded by nature, right next to the Three Ponds Valley, and has been specially selected to attract, inspire and motivate people who work there.
Vetropack appoints Zippe for its greenfield Italian facility Zippe Industrieanlagen has received an order from the Swiss Vetropack Group for a batch plant and two cullet return systems at the Boffalora project, Milan, Italy. A modern glass factory is to be constructed which will replace the existing plant in Trezzano in 2023. The batch plant is designed
for the supply of two melting furnaces. The raw material weighing is realised by seven scales. Three high duty pan mixers are used for mixing technology. The cullet addition will be realised with nine dosing belt scales. Furthermore, two cullet return systems are also includ-
ed in the supply. They are equipped with proven Zippe scraping and crushing technology. The project will be conducted on a turnkey basis. The supply comprises the steel and silo construction, the equipment and the control system.
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Company profile: Guardian Glass
Demand for flat glass prompts Guardian’s Goole furnace investment
� The furnace was recently installed at its Goole, UK facility.
Guardian Glass recently completed a furnace investment at its Goole, UK production facility. Greg Morris spoke to Guus Boekhoudt* about the flat glass manufacturer’s plans
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uardian Glass’ recent furnace investment in its Goole site resulted in a 20% increase in its melting capacity to 825 tonnes a day. The investment, completed in October, was made for a variety of reasons; while the facility’s previous furnace, which had started operations in 2003, was reaching the end of its campaign life there was also a compelling case to increase capacity. Continuing growth in glass demand from Guardian’s UK and Ireland customers, as well as the opportunity to improve the plant’s energy efficiency, were further incentives to invest. Guus Boekhoudt, the company’s Executive Vice President, said market analysis had indicated demand for flat glass across Europe is expected to continue until at least mid-2022. The company expects UK demand to also continue to increase. A 2.5% growth is expected in new construction while a 4% rise is anticipated in the renovation/refurbishment sector. Mr Boekhoudt said: “Guardian is rapidly becoming one of the largest glass producers in the UK – where close to 95% of the solar control glass produced in Goole serves the UK market. “This means less carbon impact in terms of bringing glass in from continental Europe.” It is the latest in a number of investments at the facility. The group installed a vacuum coater at the
Goole site in 2012 and a laminating line in 2008. Despite the positive market outlook, there are a few issues to consider. The group is concerned by the disruption caused by supply issues across the construction industry, as well as on-going supply chain problems and inflation pressure. The muchpublicised energy inflation, which has impacted much of industry, has also led to price increases. “In this volatile environment, business transformation is more important than ever. We are very focused on minimising waste across the organisation, and on driving transformation across all aspects of our business.”
Environment The company said the new furnace will be the largest in the UK and, based on the company’s own insights, is expected to have the highest energy and direct carbon emission efficiency. Mr Boekhoudt said: “While we prefer to not quote specific numbers, the carbon efficiency of the furnace is also expected to improve by a range in the double digits percentage versus the previous one.” The furnace’s footprint was enlarged to increase its production capacity, and its design was based on combustion engineering first principles – as opposed to retrospective add-ons to old technology.
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Digitisation The company took the opportunity to boost its digital manufacturing footprint at Goole. Its digital investments across all its production facilities aim to integrate digital and physical systems. These will acquire and use data from connected equipment to improve operational visibility and therefore drive operational improvements. This has included investment in the areas of digital performance management with the adoption of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), the automation of warehouse logistics and the use of advanced analytics for its operations. It will connect different type of sensors that measure vibration, temperature and humidity to capture data from certain critical assets to make the process more efficient, predictable and reliable. This data will also enable the group to move from preventive maintenance strategies to predictive maintenance – machine learning algorithms that can predict errors and rectify them before they occur. Mr Boekhoudt said the company’s Tudela and Llodio plants in Spain have already undergone transformations to maximise their operational efficiencies.
� Guus Boekhoudt.
“Digitisation initiatives will help our teams to make better, on time decisions thanks to access to real time
”
data
This has included the implementation of automation solutions in its manufacturing areas and warehouses as well as the adoption of digital and data-driven technologies to run its processes. “Digitisation initiatives will help our teams to make better, on-time decisions thanks to access to real time data. “Its outcome will be a more effective and efficient use of time and resources, optimising the use of material and energy and enhancing operational efficiency with improved processes and waste reduction.” Outside of operations, the company recently launched a Guardian Glass website and plans to launch an e-commerce and service portal in 2022. With the portal, customers will be able to find all the information they require in one place - request a quote, place an order, check on shipping, submit claims and more. “We are very excited about this development because it will enable our customers to reach out to us whenever will be best for them,” stated Mr Boekhoudt.
Development A key focus within Guardian Glass is employee development. Its Market-Based Management culture is the belief that each person brings different perspectives, aptitudes, skills, knowledge, experiences and backgrounds to the organisation that determines how and where they can contribute to the most. “We treat each person as a unique individual and strive to create an open, inclusive, and empowering environment so every employee can make the greatest contribution. “Our supervisors constantly support our employees on that journey; providing coaching and agile feedback is critical for team members growth.” �
*Executive Vice President, Guardian Glass, Goole, UK www.guardian.com
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Mr Boekhoudt declared: “This has meant a larger investment and longer engineering time, but, in the long run, it will mean a more consistent operation and better energy performance.” About 400 Guardian staff were involved in the project, which included all of the Goole plant team as well as support from its sister plants and the global Guardian team. At its peak, there were 600 contractors on site. Technology partners contracted to the project were Zippe, Sorg, Horn, Grenzebach, STG Combustion Control, HFT, Tucheng, Termeca Choquenet, Compagnie Thermique Europeenne (CTE) and UAS Messtechnik. The furnace installation was just the latest in a line on investments focused on the environment at the facility. There is an on-going initiative to recycle more cullet. Increasing the cullet ratio in products cuts energy consumption, reduces raw materials and reduces waste. Cullet melts at a much lower temperature than sand, so it reduces the plant’s overall energy needs. For every 10% of cullet used in its processes, the facility’s energy demand is reduced by up to 3%, which in turn reduces its greenhouse gas missions. Several follow up sustainability investments are also planned at the site. This includes integrating enhanced control systems to drive its process energy use down. It will also upgrade several pieces of its mobile plant equipment with the latest battery technology and, finally, work will begin on planting the grounds to create a more positive impact on the wildlife in the area.
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Company profile: Croxsons CEO
� Tim (right) took over the company from his father, James, November last year.
Croxsons’s CEO sets out vision for the future Tim Croxson was recently appointed CEO of the company, making him the fifth generation of the family to take the helm. He outlines his plans for the glass packager and decorator to Jess Mills. compliment its previous packaging and work towards the company’s target of sustainability.
Family Business Croxsons is ‘fiercely proud’ of its status as a family business. Mr Croxson said that the company’s flexibility often gives it a competitive edge. “A family business has a different heart to a conglomerate or an investment bank – we stand out. We play by different rules.” Croxsons is frequently involved in every step of the process, helping new brands launch or providing solutions for intricately designed, bespoke packaging. “We do the design, the glass, the closures, the decoration – we can take a project from an idea through to its actual creation and delivery, repeat to customer. Continued>>
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rom conception to end product, Croxsons has nearly 150 years of experience creating bespoke bottles for its clients. The family-owned, glass packaging company is now in its fifth generation with recently appointed CEO Tim Croxson. Mr Croxson succeeds his father, James Croxson, who has now taken on a global ambassador role. The company has seen a growth of 600% over the 21 years Mr Croxson has worked there, which he states is down to the hard work of the Croxsons’s team. Mr Croxson was appointed CEO in November and has had a variety of roles within the group, most recently as Chief Operating Officer. At the recent Packaging Innovations show in London, the company exhibited a variety of bottles from its food and drink range, as well as beauty products from its new lifestyle division. Mr Croxson said the new range would
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GLASS MACHINERY
Company profile: Croxsons CEO
“So, a little bit more grown-up than a distributor, but we’re also proudly not a manufacturer because it gives us that flexibility that a manufacturer really doesn’t . We often put a global solution in place for our clients, who might want to play in different markets or different regions.” This approach saw the company coming out of the pandemic strongly, with an increase in off-trade and no client losses. “We certainly didn’t suffer – I know many of our clients did, and we were able to support them through that.”
Trends Croxsons has recently received an increasing number of enquiries on refillable glass. “Whether it’s coming from consultancy level, designers or coming from brands themselves, there’s a lot of: ‘What can be done?’” Within the spirits sector, health and safety risks can make refilling bottles in factories more challenging. One distillery has already outlined its concerns of inedible or poisonous substances being stored in the bottles before being returned. Consequently, several of Croxsons’s clients have set up a system where consumers can return and refill bottle themselves for a reduced price, as opposed to reintroducing them back into the production cycle. Mr Croxson also commented on the rise of subscription-led products within the spirits sector, such as gin and wine. Many companies saw an increase in demand for these products during the pandemic, due to their direct to door delivery option. This trend is not slowing, with a number of Croxsons’s clients ‘launching imminently’ with their subscription-led products.
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CEO When asked whether he had any plans to make his mark on the business, Mr Croxson replied: “We don’t need to fix to anything, it’s purely tweaks – and that’s probably what I get most excited about. “The company doesn’t need a sudden shift of strategy, we’re going to continue doing what we do – just do it a little bit better across the board.” Mr Croxson further outlined that Croxsons’s international divisions in the US, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong were performing highly.
Anniversary
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Croxsons celebrates its 150-year anniversary in 2022, and will move into a new premise that is ‘very future-ready’ according to Mr Croxson. The new site will see the company return to its roots in Sutton early in the year after outgrowing its previous site of Alpha Place, Morden. Croxsons had been at the site for 37 years. �
William Croxsons, Sutton, London https://www.croxsons.com/
� Croxsons exhibited a variety of bottles from its food and drink range, as well as its lifestyle
Contact us: +44 (0)20 8332 2519
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division.
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FIC SGT advert 2020 AW_FIC-Society advert 2019 25/11/2021 10:06 Page 1
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Digital glassmaking
Smart bottling: Connecting the data with a digital thread A
ll around the world, consumers are becoming more conscious about their own environmental impact and how their choices can significantly affect it. Glass has always had a competitive edge in the packaging sector due to its innate ability to be recycled easily and cost-effectively. Today, as we pair one of the oldest forms of packaging with cutting-edge industry 4.0 technology, we’re only now starting to realise its full potential. Digitalisation is undoubtedly becoming one the most important developments in the world of glass making as we enter this new phase of the sector’s evolution. Capturing and making use of data provides an enormous amount of opportunity and could be used to offer clarity on each individual glass item’s lifespan – but we need to work out how to do this most effectively. Central to this
will be understanding the true value all stakeholders can gain by using data from each stage of a container’s journey.
� Harnessing the power of data to connect workers, factories, customers and consumers
The current picture in glass technology
� Decarbonisation and the race to net zero, which continues to dominate conversation with new technological solutions coming to the fore all the time.
As a leading business in the technology sector, Siemens invests enormously in understanding where trends are heading. Predicting the market’s next move is a key part of our business strategy so we can develop innovations which are ahead of their time and help our customers grow. There are a number of key shifts happening in the glass sector currently, which we see as having a major impact on the future of the industry. These include: � An increased use of digitalisation and automation in manufacturing, providing vast opportunities to further improve the glass production process
Collaboration is key to making sure we get the most out of these trends – and not simply one-to-one partnerships. It’s vital that industries group together to explore new possibilities, working with partners and suppliers to share knowledge and achieve our common goals.
The power of digitalisation We know that digitalisation and the creation of ‘smart bottles’ will soon enable Continued>>
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Stephen Haigh* examines predictions around increased digitalisation in glassmaking, and how data-driven initiatives may shape a new sustainable future for packaging.
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a product, and the materials that make it, to be tracked through technology like blockchain and digital twinning – from its raw materials right through to the end of its lifespan when it is recycled again. This transparency of the complete journey is imperative if we’re to better understand the individual product’s carbon impact. Producing these smart bottles is the first half of the equation – the second concerns what we do with the data they produce. If the sector can create viable smart bottles which can harness the information involved in their lifecycle, we’ll be in a situation where we can create a unique data map for packaging. This will allow us to see where the gaps in efficiency are, and where improvements are required throughout the supply chain to make glass bottles even more sustainable. Increased digitalisation across the board is crucial to the longterm success of glassmaking – helping the market become more efficient and more profitable while also being kinder to the environment, in a time when this is more important than ever.
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Smart bottle production As far as digital technology in production goes, at Siemens, we utilise virtual plant technology to allow our customers and partners to simulate their own plant environment and run virtual test lines before they commit to a realworld production. Everything from plant layout to material flow, processes, product design and implementation can be simulated in a virtual environment, allowing our customers to check and adapt their approach and accurately test their production capabilities without incurring huge costs associated with a real-life test run. This use of this technology offers a number of benefits, such as flexibility,
maintaining the real-world plant’s availability, health and safety benefits, cost savings and presenting the opportunity to optimise systems.
Digital technology at Encirc The DEEP Control project at Encirc, a revolutionary digital project facilitated by Siemens, aims to reduce the company’s carbon emissions by more than 15,600 tonnes every year. The new process control solution has digitally linked Encirc’s furnaces to its 14 production lines at its plant. The project will reduce the environmental impact of every bottle Encirc produces while providing further opportunities for digital-led efficiency across the business. The DEEP Project makes use of the latest technology available with Siemen’s MindSphere platform and dashboard. MindSphere is a leading industrial Internet of Things (IoT) service solution which uses advanced analytics and AI, to collect, analyse, and share data between all parts of a system to optimise operations. As part of the DEEP Control Project, the MindSphere platform can be used to create a digital twin of the plant. Using this, tests and experiments can be done to explore how different factors will affect the glass, furnaces and forming lines without needing to shut off or adapt the actual site. The opportunity to test new adaptions and experiment without losing production or creating unknown end results will be incredibly beneficial when testing new fuels such as hydrogen or biofuel and when trialling new lightweighting methods.
The value of data So, following the production stage, what could we do with the vast amounts of data
that smart operations can produce? For manufacturers, drinks brands, retailers and so on, there’s a lot that can be gained from understanding more about a glass container’s lifespan. For manufacturers, gaining access to more data can mean they can make better use of resources by connecting with recyclers and retailers, gaining deeper understanding into levels of sales, and the levels of recycled cullet in the market, where it is in the country, how close they are to receiving shipments, and then planning accordingly. For drinks brands, they can ensure their packaging is able to contribute to the circular economy with each bottle’s carbon footprint tracked and adjusted depending on its route throughout the market. However, there is still work to be done around drilling down smart bottles’ ultimate value and usefulness to consumers, as opposed to businesses. The answer may lie in a digital deposit return scheme. Rewarding end consumers for glass bottles they recycle is likely to be the best way to close the loop and deliver truly smart bottles. When we can track the raw materials in each bottle, the plant and furnace used to craft it, which customer bottled it, where it was sold, and then when it was recycled, we gain a full, accurate picture of the bottle’s lifecycle. And, when we have that virtually mapped out before us, we can really start to identify opportunities and make exciting changes in glassmaking for the future. Glass’s data-driven journey has only just begun, and the benefits look to be limitless. �
*Head of the Glass Sector, Siemens UK, https://new.siemens.com/global/en/ markets/glass-solar/glass-industry.html Encirc, Elton, UK www.encirc360.com
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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
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Decarbonisation
The best vision is insights
G
lasgow made it very clear again; the way we manufacture glass will have to change to become carbon neutral and we have less than 30 years to do so. There is no doubt glass manufacturing is an energy intensive industry and being forced to move away from using fossil fuel
will need both a change of technology and, most probably a different mindset. Since the introduction of the regenerative furnaces, the glass industry came a long way achieving, year after year, the highest energy efficiency improvement figures among energy
intensive industries. Unfortunately, the efficiency improvement of traditional fossil fuel fired furnaces came almost to a standstill around 2000. Does that tell us this technology has been pushed to its energy efficiency limits? Not yet, but it is close to these limits and new melting technologies and the use of renewable energy needs to be considered. Many new glass furnace designs will emerge, but, before we even dive into what the furnace of the future should look like, we need to answer some other important questions: “What type of renewable energy will become sufficiently available, is it suitable for our processes, will it be energy efficient enough, will it be available at a commercially acceptable price and at the locations where glass manufacturing sites are found?”
� ETS Price development Continued>>
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Rene Meuleman* describes some of the alternative fuels for glassmaking and states any move away from fossil fuels will require a change in mindset as well as technology.
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sufficiently. What will happen is it will be used by those who cannot do without it to become green like steel, chemical and cement as well as automotive industries. Glass industry will use hydrogen only as a heat source, being extremely energy inefficient, while steel for example needs it as a reactant and a heat source in much larger quantities. From that perspective, it is questionable if hydrogen will become available for the glass industry at an acceptable price level. Keep in mind that electrical energy in a glass furnace is twice as energy efficient compared to hydrogen combustion and both will finally come from the same renewable energy source which is green electrical power!
Electrical energy � Table 1. The TRL (technology readiness level) of the use of hydrogen in glass applications is low but will likely increase due to multiple R&D studies.
Infrastructure Most of today’s glass manufacturing sites, specifically container glass plants, are not located in recently established industrial areas. Therefore, the majority will not have the renewable energy infrastructure on-site or even close by. Sufficient on-site electrical power will be limited and hydrogen together with sufficient oxygen supply will, most probably, not be existing. Bringing in the amount of electrical power and/or hydrogen and oxygen will need investment and could be extremely time consuming.
What type of renewable energy will become sufficiently available?
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Hydrogen Firstly let’s have a look at the definition of green hydrogen: green hydrogen is produced by splitting water using green electricity. 1kg of hydrogen contains 33.33kWh of usable energy. In 2015 the price of hydrogen was around $0.18/kWh in 2015 but is expected to come down to $0.06/kWh by 2025. Fuelled by the hydrogen lobby, the glass world is also increasingly talking about the use of hydrogen in their melters. Recently, a lot of research projects, among them a GlassTrend project, were dedicated to finding out if hydrogen could be used in a traditional oxy-fuel furnace. It seems, from a combustion process and heat transfer point of view, that hydrogen will work. Next steps will focus
on what impact a combustion space filled with water vapour will have on the melting process, foaming, glass quality and refractory wear. Therefore the TRL (technology readiness level) of the use of hydrogen in glass applications is still relatively low but likely that will go up due to multiple R&D studies, not only those by GlassTrend.
Hydrogen availability We are far from the point on which green hydrogen will be sufficiently available for the whole industry . Today, unfortunately 98% of hydrogen comes from natural gas. It should be clear as long as that is the case natural gas should be used instead of hydrogen. As soon as green hydrogen becomes available it will start to become interesting but again, we are far away from that. But let’s be positive assuming it will become available soon and, more or less
The use of electrical power in the glass melting process is far more energy efficient compared to any combustion process, including hydrogen firing. It also comes with a minimum of NOx, SOx and of course CO2 emissions. The burning of hydrogen, which has been produced by using green electrical power in the first place, in an oxyhydrogen furnace will reach an energy efficiency of 45%, while the energy efficiency of electrical power is around 85%. However, there are some negative points that need to be considered. First of all, the amount of electrical power that can be fed into an existing furnace is limited. Drilling holes in the bottom of an existing, older furnace is a very risky operation even considering that modelling studies showed that 20-25% of electrical power can be installed into a traditional furnace design before convection current disturbances will lead to glass defects. Having that said, increasing the
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amount of electrical melting power during a furnace repair should still be considered, but modelling studies should be used to find the optimum position of electrodes. In cases in which >60% of electrical melting energy will be installed, regenerators will become worthless and a switch towards oxy-fuel need to be considered. In other words, if more electrical power needs to be installed new furnace designs will need to be considered and it is, in our opinion, questionable if those design will have a similar footprint compared to the furnaces we use today, specifically if such a design needs to cope with all the desired flexibility of colour, pull-rate and cullet percentages. There is a negative correlation between flexibility, furnace size and energy efficiency. In other words: there will be no ‘one size fits all’ carbon neutral furnace design.
Where to start? The decarbonisation of the glass industry to meet the Paris Climate Agreement is a major challenge and can be divided into three main subjects:
� What types of renewable energy sources will become available and when will they be available at my site(s)? � Which impact will they have on CapEx and OpEx? � What are the available technical solutions to use them? Answering these questions can be compared to the chicken – egg problem. Why would we need to investigate the technical solutions to use a specific renewable energy source if we know upfront that it will not become sufficiently available and will most likely be too expensive. Or if we do not know that a specific energy source will work out in our specific glass making process why would even wait for it? Discussing this internally we concluded that we are looking at a multi-dimensional question matrix that needs to be solved for almost each and every different situation. It’s even more complex because the solution needs to cover the decarbonisation strategy for next 30 years. We face a mix of crisp technical challenges, commercial considerations, local situations, and a sense of looking into a blurred crystal ball.
Finding synergies In order to lower successfully and finally minimise your carbon footprint it will be likely you will need to start looking at synergies with others. What can be used from others and what can be shared with others? Waste heat, energy flexibility to stabilise the grid, waste becoming raw materials, etc are important subjects. At CelSian, together with our partners, we contribute to untangle these complex questions for 30 years and together we will rule out as many question marks as possible, take care of the risk assessment, find the synergies with others, and provide the best strategy for your future licence to operate and to stay in business in the most profitable way. �
References: https://www.pbl.nl/en/publications/ decarbonisation-options-for-the-dutchcontainer-and-tableware-glass-industry https://www.iea.org/reports/the-future-ofhydrogen
*Business Development Director, CelSian, Eindhoven, The Netherlands www.celsian.nl
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Furnace support Process optimization Training and R&D Celsian’s aim is to minimize the cost of making glass for end users and the environment. We have an agile team of glass experts using proven methods like furnace modelling, laboratory measurements and practical furnace health checks to optimize glass melting processes. We also train operators and glass technologists through our standard course, dedicated programs and various e-learning modules. We strive to be the best partner for optimization of glass production worldwide.
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USA profile
Glass Recycling Developments in the United States GPI President, Scott DeFife* highlights some of the changes in recycling policy in the United States in 2021 and states even more positive progress is likely this year.
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W
hile 2021 was an active year for recycling policy in the United States, 2022 promises even more change, with a potential for positive opportunities to improve and increase glass recycling. GPI released a roadmap-centered report earlier this year, the Circular Future for Glass, detailing ways to reach its industry goal of 50% recycling for glass, a goal shared nationally as per the US Environmental Protection Agency’s 2021 announcement of a 50% recycling rate in the next decade. For background there are key differences and deficiencies in the U.S. recycling system, many in sharp contrast to the EU, UK and surrounding regions. Recently, Close the Glass Loop published new data showing collection rates for glass recycling hitting 78% across Europe. Data for the US is considerably less reliable due to the prevalence of comingled single-stream, but the closest equivalent we can compare is roughly 40% for glass recovery. While this rate is higher for beverage container glass covered within deposits systems across 10 states, the average recycling rate percentage for glass in the US has hovered in the low 30s for some time. Glass recycling rates for the container deposit states average in the mid-60% range, with the remaining states in the low 20%s, and several of those having glass recycling rates in the teens or even single digits. A critical difference is the prevalence of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes in Europe, a key feature of the current policy debate that will expand here in 2022. Comingled curbside recycling has a very small
footprint throughout European systems, with most countries separating glass and other food and beverage packaging from fibre and other recyclable materials at the point of collection. There are (virtually) no bottle banks in the United States, a dominant recycling programme feature across the EU. In many medium to larger metro areas of Europe there are hundreds of bottle banks, surface and underground systems to make collection convenient. While a handful of US communities operate source-separated glass recycling at the curb, and some have successfully retained dual-stream recycling (where some combination of glass and rigid containers are collected separately from fibre and paper), the vast majority of residential recycling involve no recyclable separation, using only single bin collection and compaction. The material recovery facilities tasked with sorting and selling these recyclables have a wide range of capabilities, with few held to any quality metric or performance standards. Many are also owned by the same companies that own the nearby landfill, which can be an economic conflict of interest that impacts the recycling of glass. This is where the EPR debate enters. This past year two US states, Oregon and Maine, enacted new packaging EPR laws. Located on opposite coasts and which take slightly different approaches, but both already among the 10 states with container deposit programmes in place. Products and materials covered by deposit programmes were exempted in both states, so the remaining glass products sold in the marketplace have some options to consider over the next few years, as the regulatory process unfolds in both
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USA profile
“While 2021 was an active year for recycling policy in the United States, 2022 promises even more change, with a potential for positive opportunities to improve and increase glass recycling.
”
GPI President, Scott DeFife � Left: Dirty MRF � Right: Clean MRF
heavy reliance on commingled single-stream collection. In addition to the financial responsibility assigned to food and beverage brands as well as packaging manufacturers, there are five key issues in the EPR policy debate critical for glass: � That glass as a material is fairly treated in the system by stewardship organisations which tend to be heavily represented by global retail brands focused on plastic. � A thorough ‘needs assessment’ of the existing recycling system is undertaken, to properly allocate fees for incremental recycling infrastructure needs. � The insistence on higher material quality standards for MRF commodity output. � The ability of stewardship organisations to adjust collection systems to reduce contamination and produce cleaner streams for reprocessing and remanufacture. � Allow industries that desire the recyclable materials back to have reasonable and costeffective access to feedstock. � Divert from landfill as much recyclable material as possible. GPI will be working on policies related to each of these points, as it navigates multiple state legislative debates going forward. There is an opportunity to dramatically increase the availability of post-consumer recycled glass for collection if these systems are designed for success. It is critical for our industry to work collaboratively, in support of policies that will impact all glass producers, domestic and global, and to keep the glass from unnecessary landfill disposal and return the infinitely recyclable glass to the supply chain.�
*President, Glass Packaging Institute, Washington DC, USA www.gpi.org
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states to formally enact their systems. In Oregon, wine and spirits bottles may enter the existing bottle deposit system, seen by most observers as the most efficient of the state systems. In Maine, which has the most expansive coverage of beverage containers in the system, there is an opportunity for the industry to present proposals on collection of the remaining glass (mainly food jars) within the EPR scheme. A dozen or more states are currently working on EPR proposals, and many are expected to introduce new legislative proposals in 2022, with large states such as California and New York, (both with container deposit systems in place), as well as Washington and Colorado (states without container deposit) being the furthest along. Much of the impetus for policy in these states is regulatory pressure to police mismanaged plastic waste, combined with financial pressures on local government waste collection systems. These municipal programmes were already dealing with the financial upheaval of the recycling markets due to global transboundary waste quality issues that sent some commodity prices plummeting. These challenges have been exacerbated by the impacts of the pandemic on the overall economy, shifting consumption habits, waste industry worker health challenges and supply chain logistics. All of this makes for what could be a very active legislative year, with policymakers anticipated to advance EPR proposals in more states across the country. Many of these proposals may include recycled content requirements for imported packaging, placing pressure on global and national brands to financially support enhanced recovery and recycling programmes. GPI and many of its member companies have spent time educating policymakers about the systemic differences between European and Canadian provinces’ with usually much higher recycling rates, to US jurisdictions, that have a
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Batch plant
VIBE: the high-performance dosing feeder from Forglass ‘ 2, Kacper Musioł3, Andrzej Ciopa4, Radosław Tomasz Zejer1, Maciej Olesinski Jurek5 discuss an RVDS system which allows for accurate dosing of the feed transferred by feeders with rotating vibrators.
the precision of which comes at the cost of a number of disadvantages for the industry, including: � large mass of the drive, which translates into a greater mass of the entire feeder, � limited length and capacity of feeders, and � limited availability of spare parts - most of the electromagnetic drives are made to order for a specific weight of the feeder, which may mean as much as a three-month waiting period. Inertial drives allow the construction of feeders of any length, several times greater transport efficiency. However, those feeders have not been used in the glass industry due to their low dosing precision. The reason for this is their inability to stop the transport of the material without stopping the feeder drive. Stopping the inertial drive is associated with the desynchronisation of the motors while passing through the resonance zone and an increase in the kick coefficient when approaching the resonant slope of the feeder, the consequence of which is a complete loss of control over the transport process (from the moment the
drive is turned off, until the movement of the feeder body stops). The presented solution, thanks to a proprietary design, can combine the previously contradictory properties: the possibility of achieving high transport efficiency, with the accuracy of weighing out a precise portion of material, available only for electromagnetic drives. What this means for the industry is: � the possibility of a three-fold increase in the efficiency of dosing feeders while maintaining the same weight of the device, � the possibility of a two-fold reduction in the weight of the dosing feeder while maintaining efficiency � significant reduction of service costs and time. To achieve the above goals, it was necessary to solve the problems presented in this article.
Description Obtaining a precise dosing function by a vibrating feeder driven by two selfsynchronising vibrators, with opposite directions of rotation, requires that the speed of transporting the material along Continued>>
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V
ibrating feeders are widely used across many industries to transport bulk materials. A particular application of vibrating feeders is the process of precise dosing of materials for the needs of technological processes. The use of feeders driven by inertial vibrators for this purpose requires the feeder to work near the natural frequency and overcome resonant frequencies during the start-up and coasting of the device. Overcoming resonance zones and working at near-resonance frequencies may cause uncontrolled flow of the feed from the feeder chute, which has made it impossible to use such solutions in industrial practice. The possibility of precise dosing with inertial drive feeders is particularly critical to the glass processing industry. The market situation and the increasing demand for glass products have forced glass producers to increase the efficiency of their furnaces. Production lines with a capacity of 1000-1200 t/day for float glass and 300400 t/day for container glass, which were a phenomenon only a few years ago, have become standard today. The increased efficiency of glass furnaces requires the equipment preparing and transporting the raw materials to the furnace to increase its effectiveness. An important role in this process is played by vibratory feeders. These devices, together with the weighing system, are responsible for the correct dosing and weighing of individual raw materials, the process in which the quality and colour of the produced glass, directly depends. The requirement to maintain high precision of dosing has so far limited the choice of transporting devices to vibrating feeders based on electromagnetic drives,
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linearly declining supply frequency until the material transport along the feeder chute is stopped, and finally stopping the vibrators, Fig. 3. The use of the RVDS system resulted in a 5.8-fold decrease in the amplitudes of maximum vertical vibrations in quasistationary resonance and a 4.5-fold decrease in the amplitudes of maximum angular vibrations in quasi-stationary resonance.
Testing in working conditions � Fig 2. The influence of RVDS on vertical (left) and angular (right) vibrations of the feeder during start-up, nominal operation and coast-down.
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the feeder chute decreases monotonically, along with lowering the angular velocity of the vibrators until the transport is stopped. Additionally, the transported material cannot, in an uncontrolled manner, slide down from the feeder chute during its start-up and coasting. The condition for obtaining appropriate dynamic properties of the feeder, allowing for the precise dosing function, is to increase the damping properties of the suspension on elastic steel elements in the range of low operating frequencies, while limiting the damping in the operational range. This task can be accomplished with the system (patent P.425086) shown in fig. 1 overleaf and pictured first page. The resonant vibration damping system (RVDS) consists of a spring and a viscous damper connected in series, parallel to the main feeder suspension. The resonant vibration damping system is attached with one end to the mobile transport system, and the other end to the stationary supporting structure of the device. The appropriate selection of the additional spring’s stiffness and the damping constant of the damper results in a self-regulating system that dissipates energy at low frequencies with low efficiency in the range of the rated operating frequency.
Numerical simulations To assess the effectiveness of the resonant vibration damping system, the selected results of simulation tests obtained for the system without the RVDS system (red colour) and with the RVDS system (green colour) as presented in the diagrams. First, the influence of RVDS on the start-up process, the steady operation for 150 seconds and the free coast-down of the machine were checked, Fig. 2. The application of the vibration damping system shortened the duration of the transition periods in the vertical direction Y by about: 15x for the start-up, 5x for the coast-down and the reduction of the maximum amplitudes: 1.6x for the start-up, 2.5x for the coast-down. At the same time, for the α coordinate, the duration of the transition periods was shortened by approximately: 6x for the start-up, 1.7x for the coast-down, and the maximum amplitudes were reduced: 1.8x for the start-up, 2.7x for the coast-down. In the second case, the operation of RVDS in quasi-steady states was examined. The simulations included switching on the feeder and reaching the nominal speed, steady work for a period of 100 s, then work with a slowly changing,
To confirm the accuracy of the results obtained in theoretical considerations, a full-scale feeder was tested on a specially constructed test stand (Fig. 4), which allows testing feeders with continuous circulation of the feed. A feeder equipped with RVDS was tested on the stand. The pilot installation was made using a suspension with increased internal damping. Additionally, a test feeder was also installed in a working glass factory. The possibilities of building dosing feeders with inertial drives are not limited to those equipped with RVDS. The mechanical parameters of the feeder can be selected in such a way that it is possible to use standard metal-rubber suspensions with increased internal damping – known as the ROSTA type. The energy dissipation coefficient of metal-rubber suspensions at the level of Υ=0.4-0.5 allows for the precise dosing process. An example and confirmation of these possibilities is the implementation of the system for precise dosing of the batch components at the British glassworks Stoelzle Flaconnge. For this purpose, a feeder with an inertial drive, 4250 mm in length and with the capacity of ~ 30 t/h, was Continued>>
Digital model The tests of the vibration damping system were carried out on a digital model of a vibrating feeder suspended on tie rods, equipped with the system for damping resonance vibrations and a layered model of the feed. The parameters of the resonant vibration damping system were selected and the digital feeder model was then loaded with a multi-layer feed model.
� Fig 3. The influence of RVDS on vertical and angular vibrations of the feeder during start-up, steady operation and quasi-steady coast-down with linearly declining angular velocity of vibrators.
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Decorating
lehrs
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Cold-end coating
Batch plant
designed, built and installed in place of the existing feeder with electromagnetic drives, dosing soda to the mixer. The feeder is controlled by the main control and measurement system of the glassworks, which allows for the recording of individual material dosing cycles. One of the recorded cycles is shown in Fig. 5. The weighing algorithm starts with the chute in a fast mode (50Hz). Dosing continues until the weight defined in the dosing system control’s visualisation panel is reached. Exceeding this point causes the change of speed to slow (23Hz). The chute continues dosing in idle mode until the weight reaches the value equal to the target weight minus the weight value of the material that will slide off the feeder when the transport is stopped at idle speed. After the end of the cycle in automatic mode, the algorithm checks the deviation of actual weight from the set value, on the basis of which it selects a different speed change point and a stop point with each cycle to remove the weighing error (Fig. 5). During operation of the feeder in reallife conditions, the dosing efficiency was two times greater than the previous feeder’s with electromagnetic drive. The error obtained with this installation is less than 0.1% of the set value.
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Conclusions The RVDS system allows for accurate dosing of the feed transferred by feeders with rotating vibrators. The computer simulation analyses of the system’s operation proved the full suitability of the RVDS system for the process of precise dosing. In particular, they showed that this system does not interfere with the operation of the feeder in nominal conditions, while allowing limiting the vibration amplitudes in the transient resonance states and during the material dosing process to values that are acceptable in practice. The accuracy of dosing achieved by the RVDS-equipped Vibe feeder in reallife working conditions at the level of +/− 0.1% of the set mass proves that the efficient inertial drives instead of the electromagnetic drives in the construction of dosing feeders is not only viable – it is the way of the future. �
� Fig 4. Full-scale test stand – Forglass, location: Zawada.
� Fig.1. 1. Feeder with RVDS (Polish: UTDR) resonance damping system. 1-vibrating feeder, 2-main feeder suspension, RVDS - resonant vibration damping system, 3-RVDS spring, 4-RVDS damper
� Fig. 5. The course of the dosing process recorded by the glassworks control and measurement equipment.
*1 R&D Technical Director, 2 Design Engineer, 3 Design Engineering Team Leader, 4 Chief Automation Specialist, 5 Automation Engineer Forglass, Wadowicka, Kraków; Poland https://forglass.eu www.vibe-feeder.eu
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Renewable glass manufacturing
Renewable Melting and Conditioning Technology Richard Stormont* outlines how Electroglass furnaces can meet renewable energy targets by improving energy efficiency, reducing emissions and using a hybrid energy approach.
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� Fig 1.The Fuel-Fired Furnace – high heat losses, low thermal efficiency.
� Fig 2. Primary sources of energy.
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lass melting is an energy intensive process. To convert mixed raw materials into melted and refined container glass requires a net energy input of about 2.4 GJ per tonne of glass, with no allowance for the thermal efficiency of the process used. In other words, no allowance for the inevitable heat losses. Melting recycled glass or cullet requires less energy, around 1.7 GJ per tonne or about 30% less than melting pure batch. Again, this takes no account of process heat losses. It is also difficult to meet today’s glass quality expectations using only cullet, meaning that very few products are made with purely recycled glass. It is possible to reduce the net melting energy requirements of our glass products. We can to some extent adjust compositions and the raw materials used to slightly lower the melting and refining temperatures required. We can use more cullet, perhaps accepting less than perfect product colour or consistency of colour. Both these approaches, raw materials adjustments and cullet use, can help towards the key objectives of reducing energy consumption, and conserving scarce raw materials resources. However, in terms of reducing energy consumption, far more can be achieved by focusing on the heat losses in melting processes. In the large majority of fuelfired furnaces, that produce most of the world’s glass, those losses are greater than the net melting energy required by the glass. In other words, the thermal efficiency of the process is less than 50% and in most cases far less. Even if a fuel-fired furnace is capable of operating at a peak thermal efficiency of around 50%, that figure reduces greatly as soon
� Fig 3.The Booster or Hybrid option. Continued>>
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Renewable glass manufacturing
Nuclear energy, while technically nonrenewable, does not release harmful gases and is also quite readily used to generate electricity. As such, many consider it in a similar way to renewables. Many sectors of the industry have been using electric melting furnaces and forehearths for decades, but others have not. Generally, the high volume sectors of the industry that have made less use of electricity and remain heavily dependent on non-renewable oil and gas.
Melting technology options
� Fig 4.The insulating Batch Blanket of an Electroglass All-Electric Furnace.
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� Fig 5. All-Electric Furnace capacity and thermal efficiency.
as furnace pull is reduced to below its optimum (Fig 1). A lot of attention has been given to ways of improving the performance of essentially fuel-fired furnaces in terms of both energy efficiency and emissions reduction, and there have certainly been improvements. Oxy-fuel firing has been developed and used for a number of years and more recently firing with hydrogen has been a focus of technical papers and seminars. Both oxygen and hydrogen are abundant and all around us, but not in usable forms for combustion and energy release. They both require investment and processing to isolate, to store and transport. When focusing on renewable glass manufacturing, we must not just look at reducing energy consumption but at the source of that energy and its sustainability – if it is renewable or non-renewable - and how we produce glass using renewable
energy sources.
Primary energy sources Primary energy sources may be grouped into non-renewable and renewable (Fig 2). Of these, only the non-renewables natural gas and oil can be used directly in the melting process, and they still account for the large majority of the industry’s melting energy consumption. At the opposite end of the range of melting energy options to fossil fuels, in terms of both emissions and energy efficiency, stands electricity. Electricity is readily produced using any of these renewable primary sources of energy. It is also the only practical form of glass melting energy that can be released directly into the glass itself, by means of immersed electrodes and joule-effect or resistance heating, with no associated carbon or nitrogen oxides gaseous emissions.
There is not one obvious path forward for the entire industry. Different sectors will continue to follow different approaches but sectors that are still heavily reliant on non-renewable fossil fuels all face the same basic choice. The first is to continue taking small steps in the same direction, which will no doubt yield further improvements in energy efficiency, and associated emissions reductions. The second is to truly focus on renewable energy and how to use it. For glass melting, in practice, that means electricity derived from the renewable primary energy sources. The high thermal efficiency of electric melting technology is proven and if that electricity is derived from renewal primary energy sources, there are no associated combustion gas emissions. Electric boosting of fuel-fired furnaces is well established, and is typically used to increase furnace outputs by 20% to 50%. However, even 50% output uplift from electric boosting means that just 33% of that furnace’s output is being produced electrically. A recent focus has been on the hybrid furnace approach - essentially using a high level of electric boosting in what may otherwise be a relatively conventional, horizontal, flow hot-top furnace (Fig 3). This certainly increases the proportion of potentially renewable melting energy derived from electricity. However, care is needed when considering the contribution proportions of electricity and fuel. In a furnace, in which (for example) 80% of the glass is deemed produced from electricity and 20% from gas, the ratio of energy usage can be different; only 65% of the total energy input being electric and 35% still coming from fuel. This is due to the very different thermal efficiencies of the two forms of heating.
Continued>>
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� Fig 6. Container glass All-Electric Forehearths. To achieve a ratio of 80% electric to 20% fuel in terms of energy input rather than glass produced, the result is that approx. 90% of the glass melted is being produced electrically and just 10% by fuel. As this is still essentially a hot-top furnace with the inevitable high heat losses, from a hot and fuel-fired superstructure, it is much better to go fully electric and cold-top. Melting energy is released directly into the glass itself rather than by heat transfer from a fuel-fired superstructure, and an insulating batch blanket covers the entire surface of molten glass (Fig 4). The excellent thermal insulation provided by the batch blanket means a very low superstructure temperature and therefore very low heat losses. The result is greatly increased thermal efficiency. The superstructure temperature in an Electroglass cold-top, all-electric melter, as shown in Fig 4, is approx. 100°C or less. Combustion gas emissions are also eliminated.
Furnace size Energy is the biggest element in the cost of glass production, and the container glass sector (for example) has progressively
adopted increasingly larger fuel-fired furnaces with a key objective of improving thermal efficiency and reducing that energy cost. However, a well-designed, cold-top, all-electric container glass furnace does not need to be of comparable size to be efficient. Fig 5 shows the actual operating thermal efficiency of a range of Electroglass all-electric melters, from less than 10 tonnes/day to over 250 tonnes/ day capacity, all based on soda-lime glass and standardised to 30% cullet. Even with a capacity of just 25 tonnes/ day, thermal efficiency is over 70%. At 50 tonnes/day it is approx. 78% and at 100 tonnes/day it has reached 80%, twice the thermal efficiency of most much larger fuel-fired furnaces. Proven energy efficiency of an Electroglass 250 tonnes/day furnace is 84%, or just 700 kWh per tonne of glass produced. There is limited experience of electric furnaces larger than this, but current designs for 300 to 350 tonnes/ day can be only marginally more efficient than this. It is time to rethink the focus on furnace size as necessary for production efficiency, as well as the switch to clean,
renewable energy. Two or three smaller, but highly efficient, electric furnaces could meet the goals of renewable energy use times three, minimising energy costs and eliminating environmentally harmful emissions.
Don’t forget the forehearths The melting process understandably receives most of the attention in efforts to maximise thermal efficiency, reducing energy consumption and cost, and in assessing and comparing its environmental impact and sustainability. However, there is another key area where there is an established, proven and highly successful technology readily available to eliminate fossil fuel use, and its associated emissions, while greatly reducing energy consumption and operating costs. All-Electric Distributors and Forehearths have been widely used in various industry sectors for decades, especially for the volatile glasses such as the borosilicates and fluoride opal compositions. They have also been successfully used in the container glass sector for a long time, but have received limited attention. This is rightly
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� Fig 7. All-Electric Furnaces and Forehearths control panels in Electroglass’ workshops.
changing. In the large majority of cases, energy cost savings of between 60% and 90% are achieved with a well-designed, all-electric forehearth compared with its gas-fired equivalent, as demonstrated when the two forehearths in Fig 6; a 36inch channel and a 48-inch channel were converted from gas to electric heating. In another series of projects for a major container-making group, involving eight forehearths that were converted from gas or newly installed, the operating energy cost savings compared
with gas range from 71% (three highcapacity forehearths) through 75% (two forehearths) to 86% (three very high capacity forehearths). Such savings translate to rapid payback times, and, of course, the complete elimination of combustion gas emissions. These combined with thermal homogeneity results equal to or better than equivalent gas forehearths, precision temperature control and ease of operation. This makes electric forehearth technology the logical way forward for the industry, irrespective
of the technology adopted for the melting furnace. These are not isolated projects. The adoption of electric melting and conditioning in every sector of the industry is growing fast and with the ability to eliminate the use of fossil fuels, adopt renewable energy sources and reduce operating costs, this is not surprising. �
*Managing Director, Electroglass, UK http://www.electroglass.co.uk
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Alternative fuels
Paving the way to Net Zero by repurposing waste R. Janani* , W. Deng*, D. J. Backhouse** , F. Kabir-Kazi*, G. Wie-Addo*, A. H. Jones*, C. M. Jackson*** , C. Holcroft**** , P. A. Bingham* discuss how wastes could be reused as valuable raw materials in glass and ceramic production processes and thus help reduce a manufacturer’s carbon footprint. chains by producing 75% of the overall fundamental materials for industrial sectors7. However, the FIs are energyand resource- intensive and contribute significantly to UK CO2 emissions. The CO2 emissions from the UK ceramics sector alone were estimated in 2012 to be 0.94 Mt/year, in addition to 0.28 Mt/year in electricity production for use within the sector1. In 2018, the UK concrete and cement sector contributed 1.5% of all UK CO2 emissions (>5.3 Mt)5 while in the same year the glass industry emitted >1.4 Mt of CO28. These numbers come as no surprise since the FIs heavily rely on fossil fuels. According to the reported UK 2019
statistics8, 3.5 Mt of glass is melted per year which translates to 6 TWh of natural gas and 1 TWh of electricity consumption. The energy costs for the glass industry are estimated to be around £240 million/year. Reduction in production costs has been a key driving force for these sectors to move towards a carbon-neutral energy strategy, even prior to the emission reduction legislations. Considerable improvements in the energy efficiency of furnaces (≈50%) in the glass sector over the past 40 years8 and a 27% reduction in carbon intensity of the cement sector since 19905 are Continued>>
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T
he 2015 Paris Agreement marked a key turning point in the global efforts against climate change. More than five years into its endorsement, the UK government (in a joint effort with industry) has published multiple decarbonisation roadmaps1–6 outlining the challenges and potential pathways for various industrial sectors to minimise their emissions and energy consumption. The UK’s Net Zero emission target by 2050 calls for urgent transformation of the six foundation industries (Fls: glass, ceramic, cement, paper, metal and bulk chemicals) valued at £52 billion/year7. These industries underpin UK supply
� Fig 1. Proposed supply chain map illustrating potential waste-streams from FIs and energy sectors to the glass, ceramic and cement industries.
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Alternative fuels
� Fig 2. Optical images of green container glasses produced with and without additional 5wt%
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(washed) plant-based biomass ash with a particle size ranging from large to fine.
some of the outcomes of these efforts. However, there remains a range of transformations to existing infrastructure and manufacturing processes that must be achieved in order to help meet the decarbonisation objectives. During the Glasgow Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November 2021, parties reached an agreement to ‘phasedown’ unabated coal power and to ‘phase-out’ inefficient fossil fuel subsidies in order to transition to low-transmission energy sources9. Recently, British Glass set out its Net Zero by 2050 strategy8 to complement the 2014 and 2015 glass sector decarbonisation roadmaps6,10. These documents highlighted that reduction in combustion emissions, process emissions and expansion of the circular economy are key strategies to enable incremental improvements of the glass industry (as well as other FIs) towards zero emission. Encirc’s objective to utilise hydrogen to melt glass by 2025, with the support of the HyNet scheme, is an example of a step-change towards zero CO2 emissions in the glass industry11. Nonetheless, any opportunity to make improvements (however major or incremental) to the process emissions or circular economy within FIs should not be overlooked. Carbonates used as raw materials in the FIs are another key contributor to the overall CO2 emissions, making up 1025% of emissions from the glass sector8 and 70% from the cement sector3. Sourcing reliable alternative raw materials that can not only replace the carbonates but also reduce processing energy requirements while remaining
financially viable is a great challenge. The EnviroAsh project aimed to overcome this challenge by identifying routes to convert and optimise wastestreams from across FIs and energy sectors (e.g. waste ashes) into new raw materials. This would allow converting disposal costs into opportunities for income generation whilst helping to reduce environmental impact. This project expands upon an established consortium, with a proven track record of developing raw materials from wastes within the UKRI-funded EnviroGlass 2 project (reference no. 104382) and the BEIS-funded BiomAsh project (Glass Technology Services, Sheffield Hallam University, Power Minerals, Glassworks Services), introducing new partners from the glass industry and other FIs (Encirc, Glass Futures, Hanson, Wienerberger, Saica, Drax and University of Sheffield) to expand the range of wastes to be investigated and final products that can benefit from these materials. Whilst this is a new and focused approach, utilising waste products such as ash as raw materials in the manufacture of glasses, ceramics and cement is nothing new! For example, the incorporation of ashes in ceramic manufacture in China dates back to 1500 BC in the Shang period when unexpected yellowish-green glaze began to appear on wood-fired ceramics. Lime-rich wood ashes in the hightemperature kilns are believed to have reacted with the surface of the clay body resulting in the thin yellowish glaze12. The wood ash glazing technology gradually
developed and became widespread towards the end of the Shang period and the beginning of Zhou dynasty. Ceramics from this period are known as protoporcelain. Similarly, it is believed that halophytic plant ashes (rich in sodium salts) were used as the alkali source for the earliest glasses until 800 BC13. They were predominantly replaced by natron during the Hellenistic and Roman Empires and Sasanian dynasty. Unreliable supplies of natron glass necessitated plant ashes (primarily wood ash) to become the primary alkali for glass made in northern Europe from 800 AD and continue to be utilised until the 17th Century. Wood ash glasses, also known as forest glasses, manufactured during this period in Central Europe can be differentiated by their CaO/K2O content which is associated with the composition of the wood and the proportion of twig (bark content)14. Today and to a lesser extent, plant ashes are still used for glass and ceramic glazing. Application of other types of ashes such as coal-combustion fly ashes has been explored and utilised in the production of construction ceramics with positive results15,16. Utilisation of certain ashes as the pozzolanic admixture (e.g. rice husk ash) is currently being investigated in cement and concrete production17, while fly ashes are already being used as partial replacement for cement in concrete (High Volume Fly Ash Concrete18). Despite their historical use, the utilisation of waste ashes as raw materials in FIs is yet to meet its full potential. Variations in chemical and physical composition of the waste ashes (and other waste products more widely), consistency of supply, presence of undesirable compounds and lack of industrial-scale proof of concepts are some of the barriers that require addressing. Based on the available literature and the experience within the EnviroAsh consortium, a waste supply chain map (Fig 1) was generated to help identify potential waste sources (from FIs and energy sectors) as raw material for different products across the glass, ceramics and cement sectors. This is a great step towards optimising the flow of resources within and in between FIs. The transition from waste to ready-touse raw material may require treatment and / or sorting procedures. The presence of problematic elements such as Cl and S Continued>>
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26th International Congress on Glass 3-8 July 2022, Berlin
The leading congress in the glass industry
ICG 2022 topics include: • Glass Physics • Glass Chemistry • Theory & Modelling • Properties & Applications
• Glass Technology • Environmental Issues • Art & Heritage • Cross-Cutting Topics
8 Symp osia 45 Tech nical Session s
Congress President Joachim Deubener Clausthal University of Technology joachim.deubener@tu-clausthal.de
ICG 2022 will feature a series of special activities, including the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the DGG; a variety of technical, cultural, and historical excursions around the Berlin area; and student career roundtables. Save the date to join the world’s most important meeting on glass science and technology!
Program Chair Lothar Wondraczek University of Jena lothar.wondraczek@uni-jena.de
ICG 2022 is hosted by the Deutsche Glastechnische Gesellschaft e.V (DGG).
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� Fig 3. Optical image of ceramic samples showing a representative heavy clay ceramic sample (a) and those produced by incorporating 22 different types of waste
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ashes into the heavy clay at 20wt% (b-w).
and other undesirable compounds such as heavy metals and organic residues can limit the application of waste products in some FIs, although the specific requirements can differ between glass, ceramics and cement applications. During the span of the EnviroAsh project, a variety of different techniques was examined in an attempt to sort and purify the waste materials. Magnetic separation (wet, dry, and electrostatic), air density and specific gravity separation as well as ash washing are examples of the techniques explored, some with promising results. Examples of green container glasses produced with the addition of washed waste plant ashes are presented in Fig 2. The overall comparability of the ash-containing glass samples with the benchmark glass is encouraging. The amber shade in the glass sample made with the finer ash particles (D) is due to the presence of higher levels of carbon-bearing compounds. Therefore, identifying the appropriate treatment(s) required for each waste material (for this example, a separation technique such as sieving) enables control over the physical and chemical properties of the final product. Given the compositional diversity of waste materials, careful consideration of the end-product properties is crucial when it comes to selection of the waste. Under the umbrella of the EnviroAsh project, the feasibility of waste materials for application in glass, ceramic and cement products were examined. For instance, over 20 types of ashes (including plant ashes) were incorporated
in heavy clay at 10-20wt% for the production of ceramics (Fig 3). Apart from changes to the colour of the product against the benchmark sample (which can in some cases be desirable), improvements in compressive strength19 and variations in other properties such as porosity and pore size distribution20,21 can confer benefits to the end-user. While industrial trials are currently under discussion, the work carried out during this project will feed into current activities being undertaken by the EPSRC TransFIRe and TFI Network+ projects to help FIs face the challenges set out by environmental legislation and meet the CO2 reduction commitments enshrined in UK law. Actions taken today by the industry and all of us across the UK will directly support delivery of UK Net Zero emission commitments by 2050. �
*Materials and Engineering Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University, UK. **Glass Futures, Sheffield, UK ***Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, UK ****Glass Technology Services, Sheffield, UK
Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the project partners at Glass Technology Services, University of Sheffield, Power Minerals, Glass Futures, Glassworks Services, Encirc, Saica Paper UK, Drax Group, Wienerberger and Castle Cement (Hanson). The EnviroAsh project was funded by Innovate UK as part of the Transforming Foundation Industries: Fast Start Projects funding call (reference no. 49096) and the
authors acknowledge, with thanks, Innovate UK for this funding.
References 1. WSP Parson Brinkerhoff, DNV GL. Industrial Decarbonisation & Energy Efficiency Roadmaps to 2050: Ceramic Sector.; 2015. https://assets.publishing. se r vic e . g ov. u k /g over nm ent/ uploads / system/uploads/attachment_data/ file/416676/Ceramic_Report.pdf 2. WSP Parson Brinkerhoff and DNV GL. Industrial Decarbonisation & Energy Efficiency Roadmaps to 2050: Cross Sector Summary, Glass, Cement and Pulp and Paper Reports.; 2015. https://www.gov. uk/government/publications/industrialdecarbonisation-and-energy-efficiencyroadmaps-to-2050 3. Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy and MPA UK Concrete. Industrial Decarbonisation and Energy Efficiency Roadmap - Action Plan: Cement Sector.; 2017. https://assets. publishing.service.gov.uk/government/ uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/ file/651222/cement-decarbonisationaction-plan.pdf 4. Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy and British Ceramic Confedaration. Industrial Decarbonisation and Energy Efficiency Roadmap Action Plan: Ceramic Sector.; 2017. 5. MPA UK concrete. UK Concrete and Cement Industry Roadmap to Beyond Net Zero.; 2020. https://thisisukconcrete. co.uk/TIC/media/root/Perspectives/MPAU KC - Ro a d m a p - t o - B e yo n d - N e t - Z e r o _ October-2020.pdfhttps://thisisukconcrete. c o . u k / T I C / m e d i a / r o ot / Pe r s p e c t i ve s / MPA-UKC-Roadmap-to-Beyond-Net-Zero_
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October-2020.pdf 6. GL WPB and D. Industrial Decarbonisation & Energy Efficiency Roadmaps to 2050: Glass.; 2015. https:// a s s e t s . p u b l i s h i n g . s e r v i c e . g o v. u k / government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/416675/Glass_Report. pdf 7. Cranfield to lead foundation industries green recovery research consortium. Cranfield University. Published 2021. https:// www.cranfield.ac.uk/press/news-2021/ cranfield-to-lead-foundation-industriesgreen-recovery-research-consortium 8. British Glass. Glass Sector Net Zero Strategy.; 2021. https://www.britglass. org.uk/knowledge-base/resources-andpublications/glass-sector-net-zerostrategy-2050 9. COP.26 Glasgow Climate Pact Adaptation Finance - Decision (Advance Unedited Version). https://unfccc.int/sites/ default/files/resource/cop26_auv_2f_cover_ decision.pdf 10. British Glass Manufacturer’s Confederation. A Clear Future. UK Glass Manufacturing Sector Decarbonisation Roadmap to 2050 Summary.; 2014. https:// www.britglass.org.uk/sites/default/files/A
clear future - UK glass manufacturing sector decarbonisation roadmap to 2050_ summary.pdf 11. North West Selected for Hydrogen Revolution Following Government Decision. https://www.encirc360.com/2021/11/02/ nor t h-west-selected-for-hydrogenrevolution-following-government-decision/ 12. Yin M, Rehren T, Zheng J. The earliest high-fired glazed ceramics in China: The composition of the proto-porcelain from Zhejiang during the Shang and Zhou periods (c. 1700-221 BC). J Archaeol Sci. 2011;38(9):2352-2365. doi:10.1016/j. jas.2011.04.014 13. Henderson J. Ways to Flux Silica. In: Ancient Glass: An Interdiciplinary Exploration. ; 2013:22-55. doi:10.1017/ cbo9781139021883.003 14. Wedepohl KH, Simon K. The chemical composition of medieval wood ash glass from Central Europe. Geochemistry. 2010;70(1):89-97. doi:https://doi. org/10.1016/j.chemer.2009.12.006 15. Lingling X, Wei G, Tao W, Nanru Y. Study on fired bricks with replacing clay by fly ash in high volume ratio. Constr Build Mater. 2005;19(3):243-247. doi:https://doi. org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2004.05.017
16. Húlan T, Štubna I, Ondruška J, Trník A. The influence of fly ash on mechanical properties of clay-based ceramics. Minerals. 2020;10(10):1-12. doi:10.3390/min10100930 17. Bapat JD. Mineral Admixtures in Cement and Concrete. Taylor and Francis Group; 2012. doi:10.1201/b12673 18. Herath C, Gunasekara C, Law DW, Setunge S. Performance of high volume fly ash concrete incorporating additives: A systematic literature review. Constr Build Mater. 2020;258:120606. doi:https://doi. org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.120606 19. Smith A. To demonstrate commercial viability of incorporating ground glass in bricks with reduced emissions and energy savings, 2004;(March):0-35. 20. Cultrone G, Sebastián E. Fly ash addition in clayey materials to improve the quality of solid bricks. Constr Build Mater. 2009;23(2):1178-1184. doi:10.1016/j. conbuildmat.2008.07.001 21. Eliche-Quesada D, Sandalio-Pérez JA, Martínez-Martínez S, Pérez-Villarejo L, Sánchez-Soto PJ. Investigation of use of coal fly ash in eco-friendly construction materials: fired clay bricks and silica-calcareous non fired bricks. Ceram Int. 2018;44(4):44004412. doi:10.1016/j.ceramint.2017.12.039
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Decarbonising energy-related CO2 emissions in the glass industry Michael Zier,(1,2) Noah Pflugradt,(1,2) Leander Kotzur,(1,2) and Detlef Stolten(1,2,3) discuss how hydrogen combustion and electric melting will emerge as the main energy supply options for the glass manufacturing industry.
Process Control
Internal / external use
Gas
Solid
Biogas
Process Intensification
Submerged Combustion
Decarbonization Options
Fuel
Waste Heat Recovery
Electricity
Heat-toPower
Steam Turbine
Preheating Gas
TCR
Synthetic Methane
Wood Fluxing Agents
Pelletization
Oxy-Fuel Firing
Hydrogen
Recycling
Selective Batching
Solids
TEG
Fuel
Combustion Air
Cullet & Batch
Cullet
Submerged Electrodes Microwaves
Plasma Organic Rankine Cycle
� Fig 1. Energy-related decarbonisation options classified by efficiency measures and fuel switch. Efficiency measures are further categorized in terms of recycling, process intensification, and waste heat recovery (own classification) – TCR: thermo-chemical heat recovery; TEG: thermoelectric generator (adjusted
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from [2]).
T
o mitigate the natural disasters associated with anthropogenic climate change, cross-sectoral (energy, industry, buildings, mobility) greenhouse gas mitigation is essential. Although historic specific CO2 emissions (tCO2/tglass) in industrialised countries have steadily decreased, the global absolute emissions of the glass industry increased by about 215% in the period from 1995 to 2015 [1]. Therefore, the glass industry faces the
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challenge of profoundly decarbonising its production processes. Preserving product quality and process stability, as well as cost-competitiveness, is a prerequisite for this though. Both energy and raw material prices, as well as their availability, will be crucial for decision-making and these must be evaluated in conjunction with the capital expenditures (CAPEX) of different corresponding melting furnace designs [2]. As the larger portion of CO2 emissions is
produced by generating the process heat needed to melt the glass, it is logical to first reduce these energy-related emissions. Fig 1 illustrates different energy-related decarbonisation options, which are classified in terms of fuel switch, process intensification, waste heat recovery, and recycling. The most significant options are discussed in the following and their ellipses presented in bold in Fig 1. Switching the fuel to renewable energy carriers is by far the most important
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Regenerative end-port fired
Regenerative side-port fired
Oxy-Fuel
Electric melting ++
Specific energy consumption (SEC)
o
-
+
Lifetime
+
+
o
-
CAPEX
-
--
o
o
Footprint
-
--
+
++
Load flexibility
o
o
+
--
NOx emissions
-
-
+
++
Other
+ Temp. profile
+ Temp. profile
+ No carry-over
+ High capacity
+ Glass quality
- Capacity
+ Stable flame
- Cullet share
- Oxygen price
-Not every glass
� Table 1. Strengths and weaknesses of different glass furnace types (adjusted from [2]). option, as it will enable 100% abatement mixed with about 20% of the recirculated of energy-related CO2 emissions. hot flue gas (mainly H2O and CO2) to In the medium to long term, hydrogen reform the gas. combustion and electric melting will This produces a hot synthesis gas emerge as the main energy supply options, that mainly consists of hydrogen and but their distribution is uncertain. carbon monoxide, increases the calorific Alternative fuels such as biogas or value, and therefore improves specific biomethane will not be widely used, as energy consumption (SEC) by 30% their availability is limited and thus most (in comparison to an air-regenerative likely steady prices cannot be assured. furnace). However, this option requires Electric melting processes by plasma or fossil natural gas, and is therefore not a microwaves are currently not applicable sustainable long-term solution. on an industrial scale due to their low Among the process intensification technology readiness levels (TRLs). options, oxy-fuel combustion and Because of additional efficiency losses and advanced process control systems will investment costs, synthetic methane will serve an important function. With the be more expensive than hydrogen [2]. reduction of the nitrogen share for oxyWith respect to waste heat recovery, two fuel combustion, the gas flow through the main developments must be considered. furnace decreases, leading to an efficiency First, the share of electrical energy for enhancement of approximately 10% melting will increase and thus usable compared to air regenerative furnaces. waste heat in flue gases will decrease. Furthermore, oxygen may be used as an Second, the energy price level for fuels oxidator in combination with hydrogen, will rise as ever more greenhouse gas which will mostly be produced via water emissions from fossil fuels are priced electrolysis. As oxygen is a byproduct globally. In addition, the marginal costs of the electrolysis process, oxygen costs of renewable fuels are higher than those will probably decline. Advanced process of fossil fuels, as additional processing control systems may slightly contribute stages such as electrolysis are necessary. to CO2 reduction, but are a necessary Consequently, heat recovery condition to compensate for fluctuating applications will be used in which energy prices and availability, e.g., gas, hydrogen is burned as the main energy hydrogen, or electrcity [2]. The recycling of cullet, a low hanging resource, resulting in usable amounts of exhaust gas and correspondingly usable fruit, accelerates the melting process, thus reducing specific energy consumption waste heat. The preheating of cullet (and batch) (SEC) as well as energy-related CO2 reduces fuel consumption by about 15%, emissions. An increase of 10% recycled but requires additional know-how in cullets improves energy efficiency by 2.5%. In addition, process-related order to be operated successfully. Among the different heat-to-power emissions are reduced because cullet does options, the organic rankine cycle (ORC) not entail chemical reactions that emit is considered the best in the glass industry, CO2 [2]. For green glass, production with mainly due to it most likely having the 100% cullet is possible. However, cullet availability and cost lowest levelised cost of electricity (LCOE), superior reliability, and low maintenance. with the appropriate quality requirements Thermo-chemical heat recovery (TCR) is an issue for every glass type [3]. The summary indicates the future combines oxy-fuel combustion with a heat recovery process. Natural gas is energy supply of a profoundly or fully
decarbonised glass industry will be renewable electricity and hydrogen. To further evaluate the probability distribution of future electricity and hydrogen in the glass industry, different criteria such as furnace type, TRL, or energy security are addressed in the following. Table 1 summarises the strengths and weaknesses of different glass furnace types. Theoretically, hydrogen can be used in furnaces where natural gas or fuel oil is currently used, but design modifications, especially for burner systems, must be accounted for. When comparing different melting furnaces using combustion technology, the oxy-fuel furnace performs better than regenerative furnaces in all areas (SEC, CAPEX, footprint, load flexibility, NOx emissions), except for service life. Although oxy-fuel furnaces use different refractory materials than airregenerative furnaces, their lifetimes are shorter, mainly because of higher temperatures and higher water contents in the waste gas. The decisive factor for or against oxygen–hydrogen furnaces will be the development of the oxygen price. The anticipated installation of large electrolyser capacities may also be a key development that will contribute to lower oxygen prices. Thereby, the major argument against oxygen can be negated [2]. Cold top all-electric furnaces (EM) use submerged electrodes and offer the most efficient energy transfer into the glass melt. Due to a different process behaviour, a large number of operating conditions change. Therefore, different characteristics, such as pull rate flexibility, a limited cullet share, or lower furnace lifetimes (strong Continued>>
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TRL Product quality and process stability Energy security energy price volatility
Total cost of ownership GHG reduction
Electricity
Hydrogen
6-7
5-6
Eligible for many glass types
Increased water content in the flue gas
Limited pull flexibility
Ideally like natural gas
Storage of large quantities not cost-efficient
Storage of large quantities cost-efficient
Short term availability depends on grid capacity
Short term availability uncertain
Static switching between hydrogen / gas and electricity
Dynamic switching between hydrogen and gas
Depends (CAPEX, OPEX, lifetimes, energy prices, efficiencies, CO2 prices) Depends (electricity mix, PPAs, subcontracting, certificates of origin)
High (only low CO2-intense hydrogen is reasonable)
� Table 2. The TRL, advantages, and disadvantages of hydrogen combustion and electric melting in the
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glass industry.
convection currents stress the walls of the furnace) must be considered. A limited capacity of approximately 250 tGlass/d may be overcome by means of modular approaches [2]. Hybrids of EM and combustionbased technologies are used to smooth out the disadvantages of fuel-fired and electrically-heated furnaces. Depending on the ratio of the energy sources introduced, one can speak of electric boosting (EB <= 20% electric energy share) or hybrid melters (HMs). In comparison to all-electric melting, the lifetime, cullet share, and pull, as well as material flexibility, may be increased by HMs [2]. First, hybrid melting systems with pull rates of up to 400 tGlass/d and electrical energy shares of up to 80% are projected (FEVE – furnace of the future) and commercially-available [4] [5]. The flexible switching of energy supply between fossil or renewable fuel and electricity is limited by the time required to achieve a sufficiently stable temperature distribution after a fuel switch, which can offer acceptable glass quality. This can take up to several days, posing a challenge to the practical implementation of flexible hybrid furnaces. Table 2 displays the advantages and disadvantages clustered according to TRL, product quality, and process stability, energy security, as well as energy price volatility, cost-competitiveness, and the GHG reduction of hydrogen combustion and electric melting in the glass industry. The TRL for electric melting is higher than for hydrogen combustion, as
it is already applied in special glass applications with smaller capacities. However, all-electric melting in large-scale containers or flat glass furnaces is nonexistent. Recently, the TRL for hydrogen combustion has rapidly increased. For instance, there has been the successful application of hydrogen combustion for container glass (air regenerative end-port fired furnace), flat glass (air regenerative side-port fired furnace), and speciality glass (oxy-fuel furnace) [6] [7]. Concerns regarding higher flame temperatures, different flame lengths, higher flame velocities, and a reduced heat transfer into the glass melt have not been confirmed. From a product quality and process stability perspective, it is advantageous that in principle, many types of glass may be melted fully electrically. Amber glass, for example, is problematic, as it tends to foam and thus the batch blanket cannot be kept stable. To increase the electrical content for foaming glasses, a transition away from cold top design to hybrid designs is promising. Likewise, hybrid design allows for high melting capacities and increased pull rate flexibility while increasing the electric share. In hydrogen combustion, slightly increased fractions of water vapour are present in the exhaust gas for air combustion. In oxy-fuel combustion, an atmosphere consisting only of water vapour and the gases emitted from the batch can be present. The increased water vapour concentration could negatively influence the service life of the refractory materials
or may even lead to water inclusions in the glass melt and therefore to quality problems [2]. With regard to supply safety, at the energy quantities required by the glass industry, hydrogen storage is less expensive, although the CAPEX of batteries has dropped dramatically in recent years [8]. However, the short-term availability of green hydrogen remains unclear. Provided that burner systems, fuel, and oxidizer feed lines, as well as the necessary control technology are adapted, the composition of the fuel (eg natural gas or hydrogen) and oxidiser (eg air or oxygen) can be varied. This advantage is immense, as an existing melting furnace design could be maintained and, at the same time, the energy supply could be varied depending on different external conditions, such as the energy prices of natural gas and hydrogen, the CO2 price, and political regulations (Table 2). With respect to the total cost of ownership (TCO), slight advantages are on the side of the electrical energy supply. Although the trend points away from the cold top design and thus larger CAPEX are to be anticipated, this also means that longer lifetimes can be expected while maintaining the better efficiency levels. In addition, electricity will be the most economical energy type during periods when renewables are producing electricity (the global expansion of photovoltaic and wind power plants will continue to grow exponentially, as these are already the lowest-cost alternatives for electricity generation and their cost reductions will continue). In times when there is a shortage of renewable energy, it is conceivable hydrogen will be cheaper than electricity. Long term, global electricity production will be based on renewable energy sources. Until then, the greenhouse gas emissions of companies highly depends on the composition of the electricity mix in the local electricity market. Possible ways to decouple from the electricity mix include power purchase agreements (PPAs), in-house electricity production, or certificates of origin that reduce the CO2 emissions in the balance sheet of a company. Due to its favourable storage properties, hydrogen offers the possibility of decoupling from local markets in terms of time and place. Continued>> 49
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Decarbonisation
Decarbonisation in the glass industry Johann Overath* discusses the German glass industry’s decarbonisation options and how it will meet the Federal Government’s plan to reduce all emissions by 2045. high quality and efficiency with low pollutant emissions. In view of climate targets, but also customer and societal demand, the glass industry is working hard to decarbonise its energy-intensive manufacturing steps. Melting glass requires process temperatures of up to 1,650°C (comparable to the temperatures in oxygen steel production). The glass industry is thus one of the most energy-intensive industries. The production of glass in Germany uses about 13.5 TWh of natural gas and about 4.0 TWh of electricity. This means that the glass industry covers about 75% of its energy needs with natural gas, which corresponds to about 2% of national German gas consumption. Direct CO2 emissions amount to about 4.9 million tonnes, of which about 4 million tonnes are emitted from plants subject to emissions trading. About a quarter of these CO2 emissions, about 1 million t, are process-related and come from the thermal decomposition of the carbonate raw materials (similar to the lime and cement industries). In principle, these cannot be reduced by switching to renewable energy sources, be it electricity or CO2-neutral fuels. The glass industry is therefore facing
enormous challenges. Energy savings in the glass melting process are only possible to a small extent, because the specific energy con-sumption today is close to the physical / technical minimum.
Energy efficiency The Federal Association of the German Glass Industry (BV Glas) represents the economic, environmental and climate policy interests of the glass industry in Germany. It has been working hard to improve energy efficiency in the glass industry since the early 1990s and has communicated the results transparently to politicians and the public. For example, BV Glas, on behalf of the entire glass industry in Germany, has committed itself to reducing specific CO2 emissions by at least 20% by 2012 compared to 1990 as part of the German industry’s climate agreement with the federal government. This target was reviewed by an independent institute every year and the targets were always met. In 2012, a reduction of as much as 24.8% CO2 per tonne of saleable glass was achieved compared to 1990. Furthermore, BV Glas has accompanied the introduction of Continued>>
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G
lass is a material indispensable in modern society and is used everywhere: as packaging for food, beverages and medical vaccination vials, as energy-efficient high-performance glazing, as reinforcing glass fibres in wind turbines, as fibre optic cables for the digital infrastructure and as special glass for the semi-conductor industry. Only with the help of glass products decarbonisation and the transformation to a climate-neutral world will succeed. Nevertheless, the glass industry must also decarbonise or defossilise its processes. The European Union has decided to achieve climate neutrality by the year 2050. In Germany, the goals are even more ambitious. As a result of a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, the German government has decided to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions to zero as early as 2045. This means national emission reductions, not compensation through projects in other countries, such as Joint Implementation or Clean Development Mechanism. Therefore, greenhouse gas emissions from glass production must also be reduced to zero. The glass industry’s production processes are highly optimised in order to be able to manufacture products of
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Decarbonisation
� Fig 2. Resulting reduction in CO2 emissions as a � Fig 1. German glass container industry’s assumed decarbonisation transformation path.
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� Table 1 Decarbonisation - Technologies. energy management systems according to ISO 50.001 in the glass industry. Almost all non-SME member companies are certified according to ISO 50.001. BV Glas represents the glass industry in several governmental and non-governmental energy and climate studies and projects. These include: � Study by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) “Ener-giewende in der Industrie” (Calculation of climate pathways, measures and costs) � dena - (German Energy Agency). Promotion of lighthouse projects for CO2 reduc-tion in the glass industry � BV Glas is one of the founding members of the Energy Efficiency Networks Initiative of the German government and industry. In the meantime, it has established five energy efficiency networks. Among them GlasNET2.0, which received an award from the BMU and BMWi. � IN4Climate.NRW: Initiative of the Ministry of Economics of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. The aim is to help shape the transition to a climateneutral in-dustrial sector. � KEI - Competence Centre for Energy-Intensive Industries in Cottbus, participation in the Advisory Board
� RE4iNDUSTRY - European project. Use of renewable energies in the glass industry � HyGlass project with the Gas and Heat Institute, GWI, to investigate the effects of higher hydrogen concentrations in natural gas, but also of pure hydrogen, on combustion processes in glass production. Energy savings in the glass melting process are only possible to a small extent, as energy consumption today is close to the theoretical energy requirement.
Transformation pathways Climate neutrality can therefore only be achieved by substituting conventional energy sources with renewable energy sources. The remaining process-related emissions must be reduced via CCS (Carbon Capture & Storage), CCU (Carbon Capture & Utilisation) or by using greenhouse gas-neutral raw materials. In principle, decarbonisation technologies include the all-electric furnace, the hybrid furnace with hydrogen or other greenhouse gas-neutral fuels, whereby these can be designed as oxygen/fuel or air/fuel heated. These technologies are not yet available
result of the transformation path.
in the required plant size or are still being developed or tested. It should also be borne in mind that not all types of glass can be electrically melted for purely physical reasons. Furthermore, the size of electric melting furnaces is limited for physical/ technical reasons, so that plants such as those common in the flat glass industry cannot be fully electrified. The use of hydrogen seems inevitable for the glass industry, along with the possible use of synthetic methane or biogases. Another technology that could be considered - especially for a transitional period - is the already proven oxy-fuel technology with conventional natural gas and subsequent CO2 capture as CCS or CCU. However, CCS is currently controversial in Germany and politically unenforceable, as large parts of the population reject it. Therefore, CCU seems to be the better option in Germany. Furthermore, the use of natural gas is also viewed critically, as the European discussion on taxonomy shows. This article presents the first results of the study Energy transition in industry by the Federal Ministry of Economics for the container glass and flat glass industry in Germany (calculation of climate pathways, measures and costs). The decarbonisation technologies considered are shown in table 1. It is assumed that the technologies mentioned will be available on a large scale in the future. Fig 1 shows the assumed decarbonisation transformation path for the container glass industry. Simplified, the status quo of the container glass industry in Germany is assumed with 100% regenerative horseshoe-fired furnaces or cross-fired furnaces. Although smaller all-electric or oxy-fuel furnaces already exist in the
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container glass industry, they are not included for simplicity. In this decarbonisation scenario, the first conversion to oxy-hybrid furnaces will take place from 2025, which will then be increasingly used from 2030. Likewise, the first fully electric furnaces will be used from 2030. Around 2040, the last 25-30% of the remaining horse-shoefired furnaces will be replaced by the two technologies in this scenario. The plant mix in 2045 is assumed to be around 70% oxy-hybrid furnaces with hydrogen and around 30% fully electric furnaces. The path for the resulting CO2 reductions is shown in fig 2. The graphic shows that CO2 emissions decrease slightly until 2025 due to the higher share of renewable energies in the electricity mix and then moderately after the installation of the first oxy-hybrid furnaces. With the increasing use of electric and oxy-hybrid furnaces, the CO2 emissions drop rapidly until in 2045 only the processrelated emissions remain at 15%. Assuming that the technologies mentioned are available, the study concludes that climate neutrality would be achievable for the container and flat glass industry in 2045, but would lead to a
large increase in production costs. Production costs in the container glass industry would increase by just under 45% and in the flat glass industry by just under 70% by 2045. This does not yet take into account the decarbonisation of process-related emissions. Since these enormous in-creases in production costs would lead to a loss of competitiveness, the study recom-mends the following policy instruments, which BV Glas also raises as demands on politicians: � Compensation mechanisms: Subsidies to compensate for the additional costs of decarbonisation, e.g. through Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD/CfD). � Energy system: Provision of ‘green’ energy at internationally competitive prices � Infrastructure: Expansion of the electricity and gas grids (hydrogen) to ensure a nationwide supply of green energy sources and a high level of supply security.
Enormous investments and efforts are required. The new German govern-ment has recognised this and has combined the topics of economy and climate protection in one ministry. The next few months will show whether the new government will tackle the transformation in an effective way for industry and implement the necessary regulatory framework. Despite the enormous challenges, we are convinced that there are also great opportunities for the glass industry, because the glass industry supplies many highly developed products for climate protection and future energy supply. Furthermore, glass is very resourceefficient due to its unlimited recyclability. This is another advantage for upcoming resource efficiency programmes and last but not least, glass has good prerequisites for food safety and medical applications because of its material properties, as the international COVID19 vaccination campaigns impressively show. �
In principle, the result is not surprising. In its Climate Path Study 2.0, the Federation of German Industries (BDI) also comes to the conclusion that climate neutrality is not availa-ble for free.
*Director General, BV Glas, Dusseldorf, Germany www.bvglas.de
The previously mentioned open question concerns when low-CO2 hydrogen will be available at a reasonable price. Finally, the interplay of the outlined
decision factors regarding TRLs, product quality, and process stability, energy security, TCO, and greenhouse gas emissions will, together with the aspects of in-house technology know-how
and political framework conditions, determine each individual case if hydrogen or electricity are to be the predominant energy resources in the glass industry. �
References
[4] „The Furnace for the Future“, FEVE. https://feve.org/about-glass/furnace-forthe-future/ (zugegriffen Dez. 07, 2021). [5] „Sorg launches hybrid furnace for high tonnage glass manufacturing“, Glass International. https://www.glassinternational.com/news/sorg-launcheshybrid-furnace-for-high-tonnage-glassmanufacturing (zugegriffen Dez. 24, 2020). [6] „Architectural Glass Production Powered by Hydrogen in World First“. h t t p s : / / w w w. n s g . c o m / e n / m e d i a / ir-updates/announcements-2021/agp r o d u c t i o n - p owe r e d - b y - hy d r o g e n
(zugegriffen Dez. 07, 2021). [7] „Kopernikus-Projekte: P2X: Glasherstellung mit Grünem Wasserstoff erfolgreich getestet“. https://www. ko p e r n i k u s - p r o j e k t e . d e / a k t u e l l e s / news/glasherstellung_mit_guenem_ wasser stoff_er stmalig_er folg reic h_ getestet (zugegriffen Dez. 07, 2021). [8] J. Figgener u. a., „The development of stationary battery storage systems in Germany – status 2020“, J. Energy Storage, Bd. 33, S. 101982, Jan. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j. est.2020.101982.
[1] E. G. Hertwich, „Increased carbon footprint of materials production driven by rise in investments“, Nat. Geosci., Bd. 14, Nr. 3, S. 151–155, März 2021, doi: 10.1038/s41561-021-00690-8. [2] M. Zier, P. Stenzel, L. Kotzur, und D. Stolten, „A review of decarbonization options for the glass industry“, Energy Convers. Manag. X, Bd. 10, S. 100083, Juni 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.ecmx.2021.100083. [3] „Jahresbericht des BV Glas 2018“. https://www.bvglas.de/media/BV_Glas/ Jahresbericht_2018.pdf (zugegriffen Okt. 21, 2020).
Contact (1) Institute of Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany (2) Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance, JARA-Energy, Jülich, Aachen, Germany (3)Chair for Fuel Cells, RWTH Aachen University, c/o Institute of Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany
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Company profile: The Glass Company
The Glass Company: from humble beginnings to award winner
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The Glass Company won Design of the Year in Flat Glass in conjunction with Ubiquitous Energy coating at the recent British Glass Focus awards. Jess Mills spoke to owner Sanmukh Bawa* about his upbringing into the world of glass and how sustainability influences the group’s operations.
L
ike most children, Sanmukh Bawa (pictured inset with the British Glass award) used to race home from school - but not to play video games or watch TV after a day of learning. Sanmukh was keen to see the production of glass. The Bawa family owned a glass factory, and Sanmukh was regularly enchanted by it. “I used to go straight from school as it was so exciting to see the production magic within the facility. The smell of silicon from insulated glass units still takes me back to that time as a child.” Sanmukh is the fourth generation glass person in his family, after his great-grandfather started the company in 1961. The company was later established in 1983, under the names Safe-
� Ubiquitous Energy Headquarters in Redwood City, California.
Maxx and Innovative Glasses, in New Delhi and Gurgaon, India. At first, the company simply used window glass and timber, before Sanmukh’s grandfather, Mr Charanjit Singh Bawa, brought in aluminium and steel. Sanmukh’s father, Bhupinder Singh Bawa, then introduced curved glass to the company in 1998, making Innovative Glasses one of the first companies in India to bring curved glass to the market. It still remains as one of the biggest producers of curved glass in India today. With this upbringing, it’s unsurprising that Sanmukh’s career has been entirely dedicated to glass. In 2012, he started as a Project Engineer for Eckersley O’Callaghan before becoming the
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Company profile: The Glass Company
Glass Focus Awards TGC was named Design of the Year in Flat Glass in conjuction with Ubiquitous Energy coating, which the judges believed to be a revolutionary development in the area of glazing. The transparent solar coating absorbs and converts non-visible light, such as ultraviolet and infrared, into electricity. It can also be applied directly onto glass, such as windowpanes, using standard coating equipment. Sanmukh said: “It was a very humbling experience to win an award at the prestigious British Glass Awards. The other nominees were also really innovative technologies so it was nice to share the stage with them.” Mr Bawa founded TGC two years ago. The design, consultant and procurement practice supports architects, contractors and corporations with innovative glass products. The company is an advocate for new and sustainable technology, such as building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and electrochromic glazing for BSI glass. TGC was also nominated for Design of the Year in Flat Glass for its G-Smatt media glass, which Mr Bawa classifies as ‘the future of technology’ alongside the Ubiquitous Energy coating. On the media glass, Mr Bawa said: “G-Smatt is a fully transparent smart glass, capable of displaying any photograph, video or digital art. It can convert a whole building into a very immersive experience.” The company is currently expanding in the UK, although Mr Bawa still returns to his roots in India for curved glass production or special projects. He said that TGC plans to use the curved glass furnaces from his family’s site to reuse and recycle glass, as well as focusing more on upcycling.
Ubiquitous Energy Coating The technology that would become the Ubiquitous Energy coating was invented in 2010 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Michigan State University. Its three founders, Vladimir Bulovic, Richard Lunt and Miles Barr, theorised a solar device that could capture nonvisible light. In 2011, Ubiquitous Energy, which was founded the same year, patented the concept of selective absorption. Mr Bawa outlined what
“
I’ve been
involved with COP26 and the UN sustainability goals, and felt that we all need to do our little bit for the environment. And, to me, this technology is my little bit to give back to
”
society.
happened next: “In 2012, Ubiquitous Energy had a small prototype which basically showed the functionality – it worked. And ever since then, the company’s gone through a process converting a small-scale technology into a more realistic pilot project, which is being done now. “The future plans for 2023 and 2024 are to have a full-scale, commercial set up. […] We’ll be able to do a standard façade glass size of 1.5m wide by 3m high. Eventually, that is where we expect the buildings will have the right momentum to start absorbing.” The amount of power the coating can generate is dependent on the area. The coating absorbs and converts 3-5% of the energy from non-visible light, a percentage Mr Bawa believes is ‘game-changing’. TGC has introduced the Ubiquitous Energy coating to markets in the UK, Europe and Middle East. Mr Bawa said now is exactly the right time for the technology to be out there. “We all have been through climate change, in some shape or form, during the last year. This year is apparently one of the worse for climate change so far. “I’ve been involved with COP26 and the UN sustainability goals, and felt that we all need to do our little bit for the environment. And, to me, this technology is my little bit to give back to society.”
The Future
� Glass panel with Ubiquitous Energy coating, the only fully transparent
TGC is working towards commercialising the Ubiquitous technology for application on buildings. Mr Bawa said the company is currently in talks with architects and government officials to set up a variety of projects around the world – all of which will come from the company’s pilot factory in the US. “At the moment, we are getting our glass technology specified for projects starting in 2025/26. So, by the time the projects are on site, our full-scale production of the glass will be available.” Mr Bawa also outlined that there will be several pilot projects within the next two years, and a larger installation in the years after. �
solar technology that generates electricity from non-visible light.
*Founder and director of The Glass Company, London, UK https://theglass.company/
www.glass-international.com
Technical Director of G-Smatt Europe in 2017. As well as this role, and running The Glass Company (TGC), Sanmukh has been a Technical Committee Member of the British Standards Institute (BSI) since 2019 due to his expertise. He believes he owes all of this experience to his family. “Before I said ‘Papa’ or ‘Mama’ I used to hear the word ‘glass’ – I think it’s in my DNA to be here. Now, if I look back, I’m so grateful to my greatgrandfather for stepping into the industry. “If I were somewhere else, I would still eventually find my path back to glass because I think I was made for it.”
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