Parkinson-Spencer Refractories has served the glass industry for over two hundred years and during this time we have seen dramatic transformations within the sector as processes, materials and products have evolved. To remain a leader in the market and offer the latest solutions in refractories and glass conditioning equipment, it is imperative to stay at the forefront of technological advancements as we look to the future of glassmaking.
Glass Futures’ Global Centre of Excellence for Glass: PSR Engineered Solutions
PSR was therefore delighted to be selected to design and supply the distributor, container alcove, container forehearth and rolled plate forehearth with construction now mostly complete at the Glass Futures site in the historic glassmaking town of St Helens in Merseyside.
The Global Centre of Excellence for Glass is a not-for-profit research and development facility that will host a 30 tonne per day glass melting furnace, as well as raw materials and cold-end processing. The intention is that this will support research and development projects for the container, flat glass and tableware industries, where clients will be able to use the plant to bridge the difficult gap between the lab and full-scale manufacturing.
The Glass Futures project has been an opportunity to demonstrate our expertise and unique capabilities, as a manufacturer of both glass conditioning machinery and forehearth refractories.
Flexible Forehearths Designs.
At the heart of this project is the flexibility to switch seamlessly between production and research and development initiatives.
Both forehearths will be capable of producing the full 30 tonnes per day of the glass melting furnace. Each will be designed suitable for the installation of water jackets, to allow one line to be drained and shut down. There is also a third forehearth entrance position off the Throat Riser section of the Distributor, to allow for the future installation of a Drain Forehearth to balance furnace tonnage and assist in flushing the furnace Melting End.
The container alcove and flat glass forehearth are designed and supplied suitable for the future installation of Colourant Systems. The Colourant Sections are configured to allow seamless transfer of one Forehearth Colourant Stirrer System between the two lines, should this be required. This would enable a common Frit Weighing and Delivery System to be positioned between the two lines, allowing either line to be supplied by re-location of the vibratory tube conveyer.
Each forehearth equalising section is configured suitable for the future installation of PSR Cord Dispersal Systems to combat the common cat-scratch cord defect, should this be required. The Cord Dispersal System is supplied with a money-back guarantee that it will successfully eliminate the cat-scratch cord defect, with over three hundred systems having been successfully installed across the globe.
Automated Jacking System to Enable Production Flexibility.
Both Forehearths will be equipped with an Automated Forehearth Jacking System consisting of eight screw jacks. Each of these has +/- 30mm movement capability, installed underneath the forehearth casing and controlled by four helical bevel gear motors and inverters. The position of the casings is measured by eight lasers, one at each screw jack position. Measurements are relayed back to the forehearth control system, providing continuous monitoring of the forehearth levels.
This allows the operator to control the forehearth height and slope, and therefore the glass level, to accommodate a wide range of production conditions as necessitated by the vast array of possible projects demanded by clients.
Alternative Combustion Methods for a Low Carbon Future.
As we transition to a low carbon future, more research is needed to provide alternative combustion methods. Although the forehearths will be started up on air / natural gas combustion, supported by our MR-5000 combustion equipment, it is expected that future research projects and development work may involve the use of hydrogen or oxy-hydrogen combustion in the forehearths. We look forward to working closely with Glass Futures on any developments as we look to the future of glass conditioning in the forehearth.
Strengthening the Next Generation of Engineers.
The majority of PSR’s equipment for the forehearths and distributor has now been installed on site in St Helens. Our Technical Services Manager, Paul Curry, has been on-site to oversee the installation of the refractories, alongside two of PSR’s more recent engineering recruits. With over 30 years of experience in the design and installation of forehearth refractories, Paul’s knowledge is invaluable to the next generation of PSR engineers.
This project has provided an excellent training and mentoring experience. Our refractory manufacturing personnel were also given a tour of the facility by Paul, so that they could see a glass melting furnace under construction. This helps them to gain a better understanding of how the refractories they produce in Halifax come together in a glass factory.
This article features in the latest issue of PSR Review 2024 which we have produced for Glasstec 2024 where you find us on Stand A63 in Hall 13. Please come and see us. You can also read more about this project, as published in the recent edition of Glass International.
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