Use of modern domestically produced equipment in glassmaking practice

Abstract

Positive experience in using modern Russian equipment — series LMO magnetic separators for quartz sand and a specialized magnetic holder for glass-molds for the production of glass containers — at the “Smerdomskii steklozavod,” is described. It is shown that the use of magnetic enrichment of quartz sand from a local deposit has a positive effect on the technological processes of glassmaking, and the use of specialized magnetic holder for glass-molds increases the repair quality and decreases repair time for glass-molds. At Russian enterprises any improvements achieved by altering the production process are usually made by purchasing and mastering high-capacity imported equipment. However, modern domestically produced equipment also makes it possible not only to save money but also to obtain results equivalent in terms of effectiveness and in some cases not attainable with the use of imported equipment. We shall examine two examples from practice at the “Smerdomskii steklozavod” JSC. Example 1. Stabilization of the iron oxide content in glass batch at the “Smerdomskii steklozavod” JSC by means of magnetic enrichment of quartz sand. The negative effect of an elevated content of iron oxide and the fluctuations of the iron oxide content in glass batch on the overall yield and quality of the yearly production is well known. It is evident that sand from local deposits makes it possible to lower the final production costs of colored container glass. As a rule, to obtain high-quality products it is necessary to lower and stabilize the content of iron oxide in the main component of the glass batch — quartz sand from a local deposit. An accessible method of lowering and stabilizing iron oxide in glass sand is magnetic enrichment. Quart sand from the Sazonovskii deposit (Chagodoshchenskii rayon of Vologodskaya Oblast’) is used at the “Smerdomskii steklozavod” JSC for glass production. To improve the quality of the articles produced at the “Smerdomskii steklozavod” JSC it was necessary to lower and stabilize the content of iron oxide in the quartz sand used at the level 0.4 – 0.55% (with initial fluctuation 0.8 – 1.2%) by means of magnetic separation of hot sand (t 100 – 150°C) after it is dried. The operation of the magnetic separator must be stable in the presence of high dust contamination of the section where glass batch is prepared and the separator must provide stable results for magnetic enrichment with the expected high yield of tailings from magnetic separation (to 15%).