Lower-energy routes to commercial soda-lime-silica glass manufacture through changes in the raw materials balance
Lead Participant:
GLASS TECHNOLOGY SERVICES LTD
Abstract
This project is a collaboration between Glass Technology Services Ltd and Sheffield Hallam University that will
undertake a feasibility study to develop lower-energy routes to produce commercial soda-lime-silica glass. We
propose to make changes in raw materials composition and balance, including the partial replacement of batch
ingredients in a glass melting furnace to reduce melting temperatures and melting times, and consequently
reduce energy consumption, costs and emissions by 5-10% across the UK glass manufacturing industry. An
innovative and critical aspect of this research will be to apply chemistry techniques to waste products from
other industries (e.g. rice husk, banana waste, sea shells) to develop raw materials that can be introduced into
glass melting processes to either reduce the high temperature viscosity or provide lower energy input for
fusion. If successful this project will lead on to a second stage programme of applied research targeted at
developing scalable technology that can be introduced into the UK's 18 glass manufacturing sites.
undertake a feasibility study to develop lower-energy routes to produce commercial soda-lime-silica glass. We
propose to make changes in raw materials composition and balance, including the partial replacement of batch
ingredients in a glass melting furnace to reduce melting temperatures and melting times, and consequently
reduce energy consumption, costs and emissions by 5-10% across the UK glass manufacturing industry. An
innovative and critical aspect of this research will be to apply chemistry techniques to waste products from
other industries (e.g. rice husk, banana waste, sea shells) to develop raw materials that can be introduced into
glass melting processes to either reduce the high temperature viscosity or provide lower energy input for
fusion. If successful this project will lead on to a second stage programme of applied research targeted at
developing scalable technology that can be introduced into the UK's 18 glass manufacturing sites.
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
---|---|---|
GLASS TECHNOLOGY SERVICES LTD | £99,981 | £ 69,986 |
  | ||
Participant |
||
SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY | ||
SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY | £86,659 | £ 86,659 |
INNOVATE UK |
People |
ORCID iD |
Louise Mackrell (Project Manager) |