Energy Savings in Glass – Granular Form vs. Nugget
Due to the recent increase in energy, Olympic Color Rods is sending this informative letter to all our customers. Listed below are some of the differences between using a cullet form of glass vs. a granular form. Please note the cost savings examples of using Nuggets over granular and palletized batches. Also note the information regarding health issues associated with granular forms of batch.
- Melting a ton or 2000# of Nuggets produces a 100 percent return. In comparison melting raw materials returns a much lower percentage per ton. A 1000# melt of granular form yields about 800# of glass; pelletized batch would yield approximately 850# of glass. With a 20-30% loss of batch, one must use 1200-1400 lbs of batch to make 1000# of glass.
- Depending on your geographic area and the price of gas or electricity, glass made from 100% cullet uses approximately 20-35% less energy than glass made from granular or pelletized batch. Savings are achieved by reduction in charging and cooking times, as well as the lower melting temperatures. With Nuggets the furnace does not need to achieve the same high temperatures necessary to melt granular batch, thus increasing furnace life.
- The biggest increase in furnace life is achieved by lowering the amount of flux in the furnace. The fluxes designed to melt the sand in batch, also attacks the furnace. With Nuggets the fluxes have been satisfied thus reducing furnace corrosion. It is not uncommon to see a furnace that uses cullet last 50% longer than a furnace using only batch.
- For a 50 lb melt of Nuggets the average temperature is 2100-2200 F degrees. The temperature you choose to melt depends on your glass usage and how fast you use the product in your furnace. In other words, if you charge in the evening and want good glass in the morning you should melt at about 2100F – 2200F range. If you let your furnace sit a couple of days before you use the glass, then 2075 – 2100 F will work. Common working temperature is 2075 to 2125 F. “Squeezing” the glass 50 to 100 F degrees below working temp will help facilitate a seed-free melt.
- Dust in the shop is a primary safety concern. The dust from silica leads to silicosis, a scarring of the lungs that is irreversible. Nuggets contain very little silica because the sand has been changed during melting to an amorphous (rounded in shape) state. The Nuggets typically contain less than one-percent silica by weight and is therefore not considered hazardous by federal standards.
If you are interested in switching to Nuggets, please give us a call and we can quote same day.
Call 1.800.445.7742 or use our online contact form.
Click here to go to our selection of Batch.
*Above examples are averages, your saving may vary.
Sales & Specials
20% Off All Reichenbach Color
Hurricane Relief Sale - 20% Off All Zimmermann Color
The M.Zimmermann Company, upon seeing pictures of the disaster, wants to
help. A discount has been given to OCR. That amount will be sent
to the Craft
Emergency Relief Disaster Fund earmarked for glass artists in
the devastated area. In addition to the Zimmermann donation, CERF
will receive from Olympic Color Rods, a percentage of every Zimmermann
sale beginning Sunday, September 7 through October 8, 2005. Please
help the victims of Katrina by purchasing Zimmermann colors. For
more information on CERF, or to make a direct donation to the fund
contact them by phone at (802) 229-2306 or on the web at www.craftemergency.org.
October Specials 2005
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