Glass experts seek carbon-free glassmaking materials

Researchers from UK-based Glass Technology Services are leading key research areas to develop innovations to significantly reduce carbon emissions generated during glass manufacture. Victoria Adams discusses the project and its goals. The full version of this article appears in the November/December issue that has been mailed globally and is also now available free of charge in the digital archive*.

Glass experts seek carbon-free glassmaking materials

The glass industry is already working hard to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon levels but there is a lot to do to decarbonise and reach the industry aim to achieve net zero by 2050” says Dr Nick Kirk, Technical Director at Glass Technology Services. “We’ve seen an increase in energy efficiency and a reduction in CO2 levels already due to carbon reduction technologies but more can be done to reduce factory emissions.”

According to Dr Kirk, through research into raw materials, there is an opportunity to reduce the quantity of virgin raw materials needed to produce glass products, whether that is increasing recycling rates and recycled content or looking at glass compositions and the use of waste ash.

Alternative fuels research

Research into alternative fuels also poses a huge opportunity for the industry to move away from gas-fired furnaces to biofuels and hydrogen and is currently being researched by the Glass Technology Services’ team and Glass Futures, amongst other partners.”

The latest in a number of Glass Technology Services’ projects aimed at reducing carbon emissions kicked off in September.

The EnviroAsh project, led by Marlin Magallanes, is looking at the development of waste-derived raw materials that can be used across other industries, not just within the glass industry.

Partners from across six foundation industries – glass, ceramics, steel, paper, cement and chemicals – as well as the energy sector, academia and the waste and raw material supply chain have been brought together to identify opportunities to take waste ashes, slags, mineral by-products and filter dusts from across the industries and convert them into new raw materials for a range of products in the glass, ceramic and cement industries.

Creating opportunities

Another goal of the project is exploring how these feedstocks might create opportunities to improve product performance in a cost-effective manner. Using practical laboratory demonstrations and exploring commercial-scale demonstrations, the consortium is assessing how the new waste materials can be incorporated into existing products and processes.

The project is a follow on from successful research projects EnviroGlass2 and Biomash conducted by Glass Technology Services that demonstrated reductions in CO2 emissions through batch reformulations. The team has shown that using waste ash could cut carbon emissions and replace up to a fifth of the conventional mined and man-made raw materials used to make glass (sand, soda ash and limestone). UK biomass power plants currently produce more than one million tons of waste ash/year.

The EnviroAsh consortium, led by Glass Technology Services includes Sheffield Hallam University, The University of Sheffield, Power Minerals, Glassworks Services, Glass Futures, Encirc, Saica Paper, Drax Power, Wienerberger and Castle Cement.

We are delighted to receive funding to expand upon an established consortium (EnviroGlass2), introducing new partners from others foundation industries” commented Marlin Magallanes. “The work we have undertaken has the potential to revolutionise glass manufacture by using waste materials and can support the important goal to decarbonise the glass industry.

Project funding

Project funding was received as part of the Innovate UK ‘Transforming Foundation Industries: Fast Start Projects’ funding call. Support was secured alongside three other projects, namely:

  • ‘IRIFIO Intelligent Robotic Inspection for Foundation Industry Optimisation’ led by i3D robotics and supported by Glass Technology Services and Lucideon, which aims to translate sensor technology from the steel sector for use in glass and ceramic manufacture.
  • ‘Hybrid Sintering for Decarbonisation and Productivity in Manufacturing’ led by Lucideon with The University of Sheffield, Knowles, Vesuvius and Glass Technology Services. The project will develop techniques to sinter ceramics and glass materials at faster speeds and lower temperatures.
  • ‘PowerCO2 Power Generation and Heat Recovery from Industrial Waste Heat with Advanced CO2 Thermodynamic Power Cycles’ led by Celsa Manufacturing including Glass Technology Services, 

The University of South Wales and Glass Futures to develop techniques for using CO2 fluids for electricity generation from foundation industry waste heat.

 

Pictured: Bioash glass samples.

 

About the Author: 

Victoria Adams is Communications Manager at Glass Technology Services

Further Information: 

Glass Technology Services, Sheffield, UK
tel: +44 114 290 1801
email: enquiries@glass-ts.com
web: www.glass-ts.com

 

* The full version of this article appears in the November/December issue that has been mailed globally. To increase accessibility in the current environment, the digital version of this issue can be read free of charge in its entirety alongside back copies in the Digital Archive (sponsored by FIC) at https://www.glassworldwide.co.uk/Digital-Issues. To receive the paper copy, all future issues and a free copy of the Who’s Who / Annual Review 2020 yearbook, subscribe now at https://www.glassworldwide.co.uk/subscription-choice