SORG technology for your application

SORG melting and conditioning technologies are available for all sectors of the glass industry, and in most cases reference can be made to a recent installation for the same type of glass and/or production. The following list indicates the type of installation that we would normally recommend for each application, although there may also be alternative solutions available that are not mentioned here.

Soda-lime containers

End-fired regenerative furnaces are the best solution for most applications. The largest SORG unit of this type has a melting area of > 150 m² and can produce more than 450 tons per day.

Oxy-fuel Melters and the LoNOx® Melter are alternatives that offer particularly low NOx emissions.

Opal containers, lighting ware, tableware

The VSM® all-electric furnace will provide excellent glass quality and very low emission levels for this difficult glass. Existing installations vary between 2,5 and 70 tons per day.

C glass for insulating fibre (wool)

The VSM® all-electric furnace design is ideal for this application and existing installations melt up to 190 tons per day.

However, as a result of the cost of electricity several producers have introduced
oxy-fuel melters for this application. We have built several oxy-fuel furnaces for this application, with melting capacities of up to 170 tons per day.

E glass for textile fibres

Previously recuperative furnaces were used for this application, but the most modern installations are oxy-fuel melters. Oxy-fuel is also used for the extensive forehearth systems required for this type of production. The largest SORG installation for this type of glass – an oxy-fuel furnace – melts more than 300 tons per day.

Lead crystal glass

The latest SORG furnace for this glass is a FlexMelter®, which offers flexibility of the melting rate coupled with excellent glass quality. The VSM® all electric furnace is also used to melt this glass.

Furnaces for this glass are normally quite small, with typical melting capacities < 30 tons per day.

Soda-lime tableware, lighting ware and tubing

Small quantities (e.g < 30 t/24 h) are usually produced in end-fired recuperative furnaces, but the ubiquitous end-fired regenerative furnace design is generally used for larger quantities.

Rolled plate

A typical rolled plate line produces between 80 and 130 tons per day. End-fired regenerative furnaces give excellent results for a product that has remarkably high quality requirements.

Pyrex® type hard borosilicate glass (α = 32 – 40 x 10-7)

This glass is well suited to all electric melting and the VSM® all electric furnace design is also used for this application.

As an alternative, the SORG Boro-Oxi-Melter® is a special oxy-fuel design specifically developed for this type of glass. Units up to 70 t/24 h have been built.

Basalt for insulating wool

Cupola-type furnaces are often used to melt this mineral, but typical glass furnace designs offer several advantages. SORG furnaces for this material utilise recuperative combustion air preheating, and installations with daily melting capacities of up to 120 tons have been build recently.