Sisecam 39th International Glass Conference
The 39th edition of the Şişecam International Glass Conference will take place April 9–11, 2025, in Venice, Italy, under the theme “United to Innovate - Inspire Future.”
Join SEFPRO at the Sisecam 39th International Glass Conference
Abstract 1: Hybrid melting technology, a challenge for glass furnace lifetime
The first key challenge of the glass industry for the years to come is to achieve low carbon glass production. Glass companies have anounced clear targets to reach carbon-neutrality in the coming decades. This challenge is facing many obstacles. The most significant one being the switch to renewable energy sources.
Among them, glass furnace electrification will play a significant role for many players in the industry. Switching from fuels to electrical power on glass furnace involves high impact on refractories material lifetime. We will discuss, with CFD and corrosion simulation data support from SEFPRO, what could be the evolution of soldier block corrosion profile and bottom paving. We will analyze the contribution of numerical simulation to compare different situation.
Moreover, in order to limit the impact on glass furnace lifetime we will propose different refractory solution including Fused Cast AZS such as ER 2010 RIC, ER 1699 RS, XeBOOST™. Finally, we will address how monitoring solutions can support hybrid furnace management.
Abstract 2: Decarbonization through AI Batch Monitoring for Electric and Gas fired furnaces coupled with Model-Based Predictive Furnace Control
Batch and cullet melting represent the initial stages of the glass melting process. The stability of this process, influenced by factors such as pull, cullet level, glass color, raw material variations, rheological behavior, and the batch charger, is crucial for ensuring optimal glass quality in gas-fired furnaces. The potential instability necessitates continuous 24-hour monitoring and potential corrective control to minimize quality issues. Additionally, the increasing electric boosting levels resulting from the decarbonization process have the capacity to alter glass convection loops, displacing batch downstream in the process.
In cold top melting furnaces, the thickness of the batch plays a pivotal role in insulating the hot glass melt and minimizing heat loss. However, variations in pull and cullet can significantly impact batch thickness. Until now, there has been a lack of systems capable of measuring the actual batch thickness or height and incorporating this parameter into automatic model-based predictive furnace control.
This paper will present the latest developments and results for both gas-fired and cold top electric melters.
