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Industry News - June 2008 - ScientificAll news from published sources. Any queries please email: t.green@britglass.co.uk
Members’ of British Glass may order copies of any of the articles mentioned (subject to usual copyright rules).
CONTENTS
ANNUAL GLASS INDUSTRY HEALTH & SAFETY CONFERENCE RELIABLE MEASUREMENT OF CORE BODY TEMPERATURE PROJECT EU ARTIFICIAL OPTICAL RADIATION (AOR) DIRECTIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON RECYCLED PLASTICS ANALYSIS OF RAW MATERIALS IN GLASSMAKING CONTROLS QUALITY FORMATION OF GLASS DEFECTS ORIGINATING IN RAW MATERIALS GLASSMAKERS FACE EVER-GROWING LEGISLATIVE DEMANDS PRIMARY PACKAGING FROM GLASS TUBING AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS SCANDINAVIAN SOCIETY PREPARES FOR MAY MEETING IN FINLAND COATINGS CONFERENCE UNITES INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS ASAHI GLASS TO ACQUIRE SCREEN SUBSTRATE POLISHER [USA] FMC WYOMING INCREASES SODA ASH PRICES [PORTUGAL] SEMINAR FROM LINDE & GLASS GLOBAL SILICATE RELEASE FROM GLASS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [TECHNICAL PAPER] AUTOMATION OF BATCH FORMULA CALCULATION [TECHNICAL PAPER] SPECTRAL RADIATION MODEL FOR SIMULATION OF HEAT TRANSFER IN GLASS MELTS [TECHNICAL PAPER] SULPHUR MASS FLOW BALANCES IN INDUSTRIAL GLASS MELTING FURNACES [ENERGY CONSUPTION] SAVINGS IN THE SPOTLIGHT [RAW MATERIALS] SICHUAN QUAKE IMPACTS BARYTES SUPPLY [SODA ASH] PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE MARKET DEMAND FOR GROUND CALCIUM CARBONATE [INDIA] BOROSILICATE GLASS TO HOLD NUCLEAR WASTE
CONTENTS
The 2008 Annual Glass Industry Health & Safety Conference and GLASS Charter Awards ceremony are quickly approaching, so I would just like to remind all members of the GLASS Charter that to be in with a chance at the 2008 awards please start to consider and submit your entries to us as early as possible. For further information, please contact Philip Marsh (p.marsh@britglass.co.uk). ANNUAL GLASS INDUSTRY HEALTH & SAFETY CONFERENCE Over the past three years British Glass’s Annual Glass Industry Health & Safety Conference have been excellently attended. The exciting re-enactment of an Accident Investigation in 2006 and the interplay between actors, audience participation and strong Behavioural Safety speakers in 2007 shows industry’s desire for innovative topics and conference formats – getting not only Health & Safety professionals, but shop-floor and senior staff interested in what is often seen as a ‘dry’ subject. This year’s conference will be at Bagden Hall, near Huddersfield, on 6 November 2008. More details to be released later. Reminder: GLASS Charter Progress Check 2008: Please note that we do require a signed copy of the Progress Check document from all members of the GLASS Charter. If you have not received your copy of this document please contact Philip Marsh (p.marsh@britglass.co.uk).
RELIABLE MEASUREMENT OF CORE BODY TEMPERATURE PROJECT Please note that this is an ongoing project which aims to establish a reliable non-intrusive method of establishing the core body temperature of individuals exposed to elevated heat during their daily work activities. Participation in this project is open to all. For further information, please contact Philip Marsh (p.marsh@britglass.co.uk).
Course dates for our next NEBOSH General Certificate Day-Release Course have now been confirmed. Held each Wednesday, at the British Glass offices, starting 1st October 2008, for 10 weeks, this nationally recognised course is an ideal qualification for those either with Health & Safety responsibilities or line-management/supervisory positions. Please contact Philip Marsh (p.marsh@britglass.co.uk) formore information or to reserve space(s) on this course.
EU ARTIFICIAL OPTICAL RADIATION (AOR) DIRECTIVE The Directive has provisions for employers to determine exposure and assess risk, inform and train workers and where necessary provide health surveillance. It is based on the limit values incorporated in the guidelines published by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). More information is available by clicking here. In order to assist employers both to assess risks and understand the technical provisions of the Directive, the European Commission has contracted the UK’s Health Protection Agency to produce a practical guide. Further information can be found from here.
BS EN 15593:2008 was published on 6th June. Entitled: “Packaging – Management of Hygiene in the Production of Packaging for Foodstuffs – Requirements” – A copy is held in the British Glass Library for reference, or it can be purchased from BSI, www.bsi-global.com– priced £80.00
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON RECYCLED PLASTICS Following adoption of Regulation 282/2008 on recycled plastic materials & articles intended to come into contact with foods the EC has published a series of Q&Aon recycled plastics in food contact materials. The Regulations sets conditions under which manufacturers of food contact materials can use recycled plastics & deal with: The definition of food contact materials; Legal status for use of recycled plastic in food contact materials before the Regulations was adopted; EC's reasons for introduction; Summary of main rules & rationale; Labelling requirements for the use of recycled plastics (voluntary); Expected effect on innovation. Confirming the Regulation also covers recycled plastic from third countries; & that individual Member States cannot ban or approve independently of the EU recycled plastics for food contact from the time that the first list of authorised recycling processes is developed.
Sterilin, a specialist UK manufacturer with over 40 years of experience in single use laboratory plastics, has been given new direction. Sterilin is one of four new companies created following the acquisition of Barloworld by Novo Capital in November 2007. Prior to this, Sterlin was a brand within the Barloworld Scientific organisation. Under the shake up, each new company has its own dedicated sales, marketing, operational and functional teams and investment to drive growth. Sterilin also works within the food industry and industrial packaging sectors as well as biotechnical and pharmaceutical markets. Plans are afoot to develop new products in the clinical sector. Speaking about the new company structure, Sterilin chief executive John Adkins said it was designed to provide more focus and strategic direction for each product line. He said: “With a renewed focus on manufacturing and new product development, this is an exciting time for the company and one that will enable us to grow from strength to strength. Sterilin comprises four established brands. These include Sterilin Single Use Plastics, Iwaki Tissue Culture Products, Sterilin Silicone Devices and Sterilin Packaging Products. It employs around 270 staff and products such as specimen containers and Petri dishes are manufactured at its 84,000 square feet plant at Caerphilly, South Wales.
The Savannah River National Lab (SRNL) has developed a novel class of materials for a variety of potentially new and exciting applications. This unique material is called porous wall, hollow glass microspheres. It consists of tiny glass microballoons that are smaller than the diameter of a human hair. The distinguishing characteristic of the SRNL glass microspheres is the interconnected porosity of their thin outer walls that can be produced on a scale of 100Å to 2,000 Å. The porosity in these one-of-a-kind microspheres results in unique and desirable properties. The SRNL is involved in over half a dozen programs and collaborations involving the new materials in areas such as hydrogen storage in vehicles, gas purification and separations, and even diverse applications, including abatement of global warming effects, improving lead-acid battery performance and nuclear non-proliferation. Applications such as the development of new drug delivery systems and MRI contrast agents also are blossoming in the medical field. ACerS (American Ceramic Society Bulletin) is honored to be the first to published information on this startling and promising discovery and the captivating, never-before-seen photos of these glass microspheres in action. Click hereto see the photos and read this article in full.
FORMATION OF GLASS DEFECTS ORIGINATING IN RAW MATERIALS Attention must be given to raw materials as potential sources of inhomogeneities in glass. High-melting raw materials that do not dissolve readily in the glass melt and the grain size of raw materials (silica sand, dolomite, limestone) play an important role during the batch melting process. In this article from Glass, Jan/Feb 2008, the author discusses these factors as well as wrong practices associated with the technology of batch preparation and glass melting in tank and pot furnaces.
ANALYSIS OF RAW MATERIALS IN GLASSMAKING CONTROLS QUALITY In glassmaking, the ability to accurately analyse raw materials is of great importance for controlling product output from a furnace. British Glass’ technical arm, Glass Technology Services (GTS), provides knowledge and assistance to companies in many aspects of glass. In this article, from Glass (Jan/Feb p.27), GTS explains a solution to common obstacles encountered with raw materials analysis. For more information on GTS, please see: www.glass-ts.comor email: t.green@britglass.co.uk
GLASSMAKERS FACE EVER-GROWING LEGISLATIVE DEMANDS Representative trade associations in Brussels are helping our industry to find its way through the maze of new rules emanating from the European Union. In this article from Glass (Jan/Feb p.12-13), Frederic van Houte of CPIV and Andrew Somogyi of FEVE report about the latest demands the glass sector is going to have to meet.
PRIMARY PACKAGING FROM GLASS TUBING AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS The use of glass for pharmaceutical preparations is governed by the Pharmacopoeia authorities. The EU and the US Pharmacopoeia acknowledge different glass container types according to a well established classification based on hydrolytic resistance, which is explained in more detail in this article from Verre, April 2008 p19-21.
COATINGS CONFERENCE UNITES INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS The 7th International Conference on Coatings on Glass & Plastics will be held June 15-19, in The Netherlands, creating an opportunity to unite scientists, technologists, managers from institutes and universities and equipment suppliers among many others to discuss the latest developments in the field. For more information please email: iccg7@congresservice.nl or to register, goto: www.iccg7.nl SCANDINAVIAN SOCIETY PREPARES FOR MAY MEETING IN FINLAND The Scandinavian Society of Glass Technology (NGF) was founded in 1949 and is a non-profit society of glass technologists. Its aim is to increase and stengthen knowledge, both technically and scientifically. It also aims to increase the possibility of contact and cooperation between persons and societies in and outside the Scandinavian countries. The Society's 58th annual meeting is due to be held on 18-20 May at the Fontana Hotel Korpilampi in Espoo, Finland. This year's programme includes 13 papers delivered across 2 days. The first presentation will be delivered from representatives from Vaxjo University in Sweden and TNO in Holland. The paper is concerning wood fired furnaces and whether it is possible to use forest residues to gain the energy necessary for high temperature industrial processes such as glass melting. For more information please email: birgitta.h.ohlsson@glocalnet.net British scientists are developing a new type of glass that can dissolve and release calcium into the body. This will enable patients to re-grow bones and could signal a move away from bone transplants towards joints made of hybrid materials. The porous glass, originally developed at Imperial College, is capable of acting as an active template for new bone growth, dissolving in the body without leaving any trace of itself or any toxic chemicals. As it dissolves it releases calcium and other elements such as silicon into the adjacent body fluids, stimulating bone growth. ASAHI GLASS TO ACQUIRE SCREEN SUBSTRATE POLISHER Asahi Glass is to acquire Schott Processing Korea Co Ltd., a wholly owned Korean subsidiary of Germany's Schott AG engaged in polishing large glass substrates for thin-film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD). Once the acquisition has been approved by the Korea Fair Trade Commission, Asahi Glass will begin the process of acquiring all the shares of SPK from Schott. SPK was established by Schott in 2005 to supply TFT glass to the Korean market. Recently, Asahi Glass reached an agreement with Schott under which it would acquire all shares of SPK. The acquisition of SPK will give Asahi Glass a second production base in Korea (in addition to its subsidiary, Asahi Glass Fine Techno Korea Co which makes and sells TFT glass) & allow it to establish a more flexible production structure in the country. CHINESE SODA ASH EXPORT PRICES UP 41.7% IN FIRST QUARTER Chinese export prices of soda ash rose substantially to US $224.5/tonne on average in the first quarter, up 41.7% over the same period 2007, according to customs statistics. China exported 467,000/tonnes soda ash in the first three months, up 4.1% year-on-year. But the total value surged 47.5% to US $100M. The average export prices gained 46% from US $158.9/tonne last May to US $231.8 in March. Export to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) hit 258,000/tonnes, taking up more than half total volume, as ASEAN demand for chemical products kept increasing on its growing manufacturing capacity & consumption, analysts said. The stronger bargaining power of China in international market was behind the major price rise, analysts said, as China & the US, two major soda ash exporters, developed different market priorities. To read more, please click here. [USA] FMC WYOMING INCREASES SODA ASH PRICES FMC Corp.'s subsidiary, FMC Wyoming Corp, will increase list & off-list prices of all grades of soda ash by US $50 a short ton. The Philadelphia-based manufacturer of industrial, specialty & agricultural chemicals said the increase, effective 1 July 2008 or as contract terms allow, applies to both bulk & packaged soda ash. The company's current energy surcharge & freight policies for soda ash will remain in effect indefinitely. [PORTUGAL] SEMINAR FROM LINDE & GLASS GLOBAL The Gases Division of the Linde Group & Glass Global are to present a 2-day seminar on the theme of "Improved glass melting through oxy-fuel technologies" in Lisbon, Portugal, 24-25 June/08. This seminar includes a visit to SG Covina float glass plant & offers glass manufacturers the unique opportunity to see Linde's CGMÖ technology applied to a large air-fuel float furnace. CGMÖ has been installed in this furnace for just over 2 years in the "zero port" area to increase furnace capacity above its air-fuel design capability. The CGMÖ installation, including the drilling of the crown, was accomplished with the furnace in production. Linde respects the need to maintain confidentiality of the customer's process information. Therefore, attendance to the seminar & the plant visit is by invitation only, with no float glass manufacturers permitted. For more information please contact: seminar@glassglobal.com SILICATE RELEASE FROM GLASS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS Although silicon is not recognised as a toxic species for humans & is even used as a food additive, the toxicological effects of silica are not well documented. It is considered an essential element for humans, & its mode of action is related to the formation of bones, although silicon has been found in the aorta, skin, tendons, & nails. In this paper, from Int J Pharmaceutics, the release of silica from glass by action of constituents from pharmaceutical formulations was investigated. The study included products used in large volumes & usually stored in glass containers. Released silicates were measured either by photometry of atomic absorption spectrometry, depending on the nature of the sample. Results showed silicate is released during the heating cycle even if the contact is with pure water only. The pH exerts a considerable influence on the release, the higher the pH, the higher the silica dissolved. An elevated pH, however, is not the only factor responsible for silica dissolution. [TECHNICAL PAPER] AUTOMATION OF BATCH FORMULA CALCULATION Problems arising in automating the calculation of glass batch formula and algorithms used to solve this problem are considered. A universal program for automating batch formula calculation is described in this article from Glass & Ceramics, No 3-4, 2005. [CHINA] PHARMA GLASS PRODUCER HeBei ZHONGYA EXPANDS WITH BRITISH OWNER This article, from Glass International, May 2008, takes a look at Asia Medical Glass, which was incorporated in April 2007 as an England and Wales public limited company to acquire as sole shareholder Hong Kong Zhong Fa Holdings, which in turn is the sole owner of HeBei Zhongya Glass Co Ltd in mainland China. Shares in Asia Medical Glass were floated onto he market in London to raise funds for expansion and possible acquisitions. Zhongya is one of the largest manufacturers of pharmaceutical glass packaging and bottles in Heibei province in Northern China and the fifth largest domestic manufacturer of moulded transfusion bottles. The company has recently applied for two patents; one for components of industry glass and one for freezing technology on gaseous sulphur for glass vials. These patented technologies will increase thermal stability, mechanical strength & pressure resistance of the glass. Chinese law prohibits the recycling of transfusion bottles and provides that pharmaceutical glass is compulsory for the storage and packaging of pharmaceuticals, creating a strong demand for Zhongya’s products. By the end of 2006, annual demand for transfusion bottles in China was around 5bn pieces. Optical glass filters are a core component for laser protection windows and safety eyewear, and are, at present, in great demand, due to the increased prevalence of high-power lasers in industrial and medical applications around the world. A range of Schott filters can be viewed from their website: www.schott.com [TECHNICAL PAPER] SPECTRAL RADIATION MODEL FOR SIMULATION OF HEAT TRANSFER IN GLASS MELTS Radiation of heat in the near and mid-infrared wavelength range to the glass melt and into the molten glass is the main mechanism of heat transfer from the combustion space to the melting tank. Since glass is a semi-transparent medium in the mid-infrared, an accurate description of the heat transfer in glass melts requires a spectrally resolved thermal radiation model. In this paper, a newly developed spectral model, using the discrete ordinate method, and example modelling results are presented in this article from Glass Technology 49 2 April 2008, 73-82 [TECHNICAL PAPER] SULPHUR MASS FLOW BALANCES IN INDUSTRIAL GLASS MELTING FURNACES This paper, from Galss Technol 49 (2) April 2008, reports that sulphur mass flow balances have been worked out for the furnace chambers of cross-fired and horseshoe-fired regenerative glass melting furnaces for the production of container, brick and float glass. Good mass flow balances were seen with a largest mismatch of 15%; balance mismatches can be explained by a non-steady state of the furnace during the investigations. Sulphur release can be assigned to the reaction of sulphate with reducing components in the batch; the reaction between the sulphate and reducing components of the furnace atmosphere and the refining reaction. In almost all cases, most sulphur is emitted from the batch blanket. Recommendations are given for the minimisation of sulphur emissions. [ENERGY CONSUPTION] SAVINGS IN THE SPOTLIGHT This article, from GMPA 3/2008 p65-68, looks at the differences between old-fashioned tungsten light bulbs, which are due to be phased out in Australia, UK and the US over the next five years, and the new, energy-efficient types. Most people are a little shocked by the considerable difference in price of the new bulbs, compared to traditional ones. This is mainly caused by the fact that making compact fluorescents is expensive and complicated, compared with incandescents, in part because of the electronic controls each bulb contains, and in part because swirls, for example, remain partly hand crafted. To make each spiral, a worker takes a tube of glass, holds it over an open flame, then wraps the heat softened tube around a metal form, which requires a skilful hand so the tube is not flattened while getting its spiral shape. In a global market economy, more and more plants source their raw materials from suppliers located far away. In this new context, the qualification process of a raw material should not be limited to just evaluating the chemical performance of the product itself, but should take into account several other factors. The Sisecam Group is the leading producer in Turkey with a strong international presence and its subsidiary Soda Sanayii has a long history in soda ash production, as described in this article, from GMPA 3/2008 p70-72 REIVEW OF SILICA AND ALUMINA SOURCES FOR GLASSMAKING IN ITALY The design and development of a glass container composition remains important to glassmakers and the selection of the raw materials is a vital step. In this article, from GMPA 3/2008, the purity and composition of a number of potential raw materials is reviewed and several prospective glass compositions explored. There are often a number of alternatives that may be chosen such as alkali content, viscosity, or a fixed final composition, and each route provides an alternative glass formulation. A series of melting trials have been carried out to investigate the effect of changes in the formulation and to explore the possibility that feldspathic and quartz-based silica sources may demonstrate different melting and refining characteristics depending on the final glass chemistry targeted for by glassmakers. The impact of these factors on total glass manufacturing is examined. Engineers at the Ohio State University are developing a technology to coat jet engine turbine blades with zirconium dioxide to combat high-temperature corrosion. As explained in this article, from Ceramic Industry May 2008, the zirconia chemically converts sand and other corrosive particles that build up on the blade into a new, protective outer coating. In effect, the surface of the engine blade constantly renews itself. Ultimately, the technology could enable manufacturers to use new kings of heat-resistant materials in engine blades so that engines will be able to run hotter and more efficiently. [RAW MATERIALS] SICHUAN QUAKE IMPACTS BARYTES SUPPLY Following the earthquake on 12 May, measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale, that devastated parts of China's south-western province of Sichuan, the Chinese government was quick to act in mobilising rail cars. Many of these have the primary, but now temporarily of lesser priority, use of serving the industrial minerals industry. The emergency use of the rail cars to take food, water and medical supplies to the devastated area, has in particular delayed transportation of barytes from mines in Guizhou and Guangxi, and brown fused alumina from Guizhou, to the southern part of Xhanjiang, Guangdong province. The action has also caused iron ore shipment delays, the port’s primary mineral. This article from Industrial Minerals, examines how the earthquake’s impact has been felt right across China, both physically and economically. [SODA ASH] PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE Industrial Minerals, June 2008, reports: Following price increases for US soda ash & exports to Asia in late 2007, two of the USA's four soda ash leaders based in Wyoming announced further increases . General Chemical Ind Prod Inc (GCIP) & its soda ash producer General Chemical (Soda Ash) Partners increased off-list prices for all bulk & packaged soda ash shipments by $50.00/ton effective immediately. List prices for all bulk & packaged soda ash shipments have been increased by $75/ton. The increase applies to all grades of soda ash from all GCIP plant, terminal & warehouse shipping locations. The new list prices, per ton FOB Green River, Wy, are: Bulk Dense Soda $260; Bulk Natural Light $265; Bulk Natural Light-HA $290; Bulk Dense Ash-Food Grade $375. The soda ash price increase by GCIP appears to be unprecedented, clearly outstripping the previous twice annual price rise of around $15/ton. This article, from Industrial Minerals, June 2008, takes a look at the worldwide market for borates. World borates supply is limited to California, Turkey and South America, and dominated by just two major players. One of these, Rio Tinto Borax, is for sale: which begs the question, just how attractive is the outlook for borates? While most markets expect steady growth, the money is on the high tech TV screen market. MARKET DEMAND FOR GROUND CALCIUM CARBONATE Eastern European minerals and markets are attracting increasing interest. This article, from Industrial Minerals, June 2008, examines the main sources of supply, players involved and market demand for ground calcium carbonate. [INDIA] BOROSILICATE GLASS TO HOLD NUCLEAR WASTE The waste immobilization plant at IGCAR, Kalpakkam, will soon become operational. Radioactive material that is vitrified will not leach and contaminate the ground water or soil. The vitrified waste put into canisters is kept in an overpack and then kept in underground vaults. “Borosilicate glass is good in retaining the radio-nuclide and has low leaching properties,” said Dr. S D Misra, Director, Nuclear Recycle Group, BARC. Vitrification is particularly attractive as the final vitrified glas product is chemically very stable, so the radioactive material cannot be leached and therefore doesn’t contaminate groundwater of soil. Vitrification is seen as an ideal solution for long-term storage of radioactive waste. According to papers published in 2003, the chemical resistance of glass allows it to remain in a corrosive environment for many thousands of years without damage. Glass has many advantages, it has the natural ability to incorporate a vast range of elements including radioactive waste into its structure. According to Dr Banerjee (Director of BARC, Mumbai), the vitrified waste is cast into blocks and put into stainless steel canisters whose caps are welded. Three such canisters are then put in an “overpack” which is then kept in underground vaults with good ventilation. Some Benefits of British Glass Membership:Help with legislation/regulations – regular bulletins keep you posted of any changes to existing legislation: Information on industry standards (international as well as UK) and access to the British Glass Standards Archive (loans available): Bi-yearly Standards Alert to keep you aware of what’s current, what’s new and what’s obsolete: Technical dataon any glass-related topic: Market Research on any country: Recycling Information, for industry, schools, general public etc: Environmental issues - help and assistance:Country Production Data: Worldwide Supplier File: The Only UK Dedicated Library on Glass Technology available for Members’ Use: Regular Industry Sector News Bulletins: Immediate Help and Advice - on the end of a phone: Quarterly publication, Digest of Information free of charge: Please contact me for more information. Theresa Green Information Officer British Glass - Information Services 9 Churchill Way, Sheffield S35 2PY Tel: 0114 290 1850 Fax: 0114 290 1851 |