Glass Waste Melting with Solid Oxidant

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Solution Overview

Problem

Recycling glass waste containing organic matter often results in glass products of mediocre quality due to carbon particle inclusions and disrupts melting and shaping conditions, limiting the amount of waste that can be introduced into glass production methods.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a vitrifiable mixture of materials with organic matter, melted using submerged burners and supplemented with a solid oxidant, such as manganese dioxide, to produce high-quality mineral material suitable for glass melting without carbon particles and controlled redox levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If glass waste containing organic matter is directly recycled into glass production methods, then recycling effectiveness is improved, but carbon particle inclusions and mediocre quality result

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecycling effectivenessVSAvoidglass quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a solid oxidant before the melting process to pre-oxidize organic matter in the glass waste. This preliminary oxidation converts carbon-containing compounds into carbon dioxide gas that escapes during melting, preventing carbon particle inclusions in the final glass product while maintaining high recycling effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses strong oxidants (such as nitrates, sulfates, or peroxides) to accelerate the oxidation of organic matter in the glass waste. This accelerated oxidation ensures complete combustion of carbon-containing compounds before melting, eliminating carbon particle inclusions and improving glass quality while maintaining high recycling rates

Inventive Principle:
Principle #38Strong oxidants (Accelerated oxidation)

2Manufacturing precision

If glass waste containing organic matter is combusted before recycling, then organic components are removed, but an additional process step is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveorganic matter removalVSAvoidprocess steps
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the oxidation of organic matter with the glass melting process by introducing a solid oxidant directly into the melting batch. This combination eliminates the need for a separate pre-combustion step, reducing process complexity while effectively removing organic components and preventing carbon particle inclusions in the final glass product

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If large amounts of glass waste are introduced into glass production methods, then recycling effectiveness is improved, but melting and shaping conditions are disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewaste introduction amountVSAvoidmelting and shaping conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses strong oxidants to accelerate and complete the oxidation of organic matter in large amounts of glass waste before melting. This ensures that even when large quantities of waste are introduced, all carbon-containing compounds are converted to gas and escape, preventing carbon particle inclusions and maintaining reliable melting and shaping conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #38Strong oxidants (Accelerated oxidation)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method significantly reduces carbon particle presence and improves redox control, enabling the production of high-quality mineral material that can be used in glass melting without disrupting the process, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of glass recycling.

Implementation Method 1

melting the vitrifiable mixture of materials in the main tank using submerged burners to obtain a melt

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

introducing a solid oxidant into the melt

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Implementation Method 3

significantly reducing, or even avoiding the presence of carbon particles in the mineral material produced

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRedox reactions: Redox Reactions

Data Source

PatentUS20240092671A1Method for treating glass waste
Publication Date: 2024.03.21 SAINT GOBAIN ISOVER

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for producing mineral material suitable for use as raw material in a glass melting method, comprising:supplying a main tank with a vitrifiable mixture of materials comprising recycling materials comprising organic matter;melting the vitrifiable mixture of materials in the main tank using submerged burners to obtain a melt; andintroducing a solid oxidant into the melt.