Leaded, heat resistant and ceramic glass

LEADED, HEAT RESISTANT AND CERAMIC GLASS – “A THORN IN THE GLASS INDUSTRIE’S SIDE”

The glass industry is highly challenged by the increase of impurities in the recycled glass stream due to leaded, heat resistant and ceramic glass.

Heat-resistant glass due to its high melt rate can lead to serious damage should it pass into the proc-essing of container glass. These particles cause stress within the container resulting in failure of the container. Heat resistant / ceramic glass found in such items as “cooker worktops” will cause severe damage to the container glass production equipment and loss of production. Leaded glass or actual pieces of lead is also a challenge for the industry. Legal regulations rule a limi-tation of lead in glass. These regulations are valid as an EU directive and must be implemented by the glass manufactures.

The new and unique REDWAVE XRF-GLASS sorting system is the answer to these problems. The REDWAVE XRF-GLASS system works with the X-Ray Fluorescence technique and for the very first time it analyses glass on the basis of it’s specific chemical compositions. Certain elements such as Titan, Zink, Zirconium or Lead are minerals found in lead and ceramic glass, these can be detected, identified and automatically ejected from the glass stream.

This technology gives excellent results. In comparison with other technologies the REDWAVE XRF-GLASS functions efficiently with dirty, contaminated glass as it works through x-ray rather than optics to detect the chemical compounds. This unique technology is capable of sorting both glass ceramic and leaded glass through one sorting machine, only, in a single step process.

Assuming the legal regulations regarding purity of the glass will continuously be stricter into the future. For example should law be enacted for percentage of heavy metal, such as Strontium, Chrome, etc., in the recycled glass. The REDWAVE XRF-GLASS system is flexible in design and can be re-calibrated to meet each new requirement.

REDWAVE XRF-GLASS was developed in close collaboration with the American company Innov-X-Systems, which are specialized in X-Ray Fluorescence technologies. It is important that the technol-ogy be proved, tested and further developed so a system has been installed in a German company Bernhard Reiling Glas Recycling GmbH in March. The Reiling Glas Recycling started the test run with the first sorting machine working with the X-Ray Fluorescence technology. To date large quantities of recycled glass have been processes with the successful removal of contaminants such as glass ce-ramic and leaded glass. The improved glass qualities have increased the production process at the glass factories. There is overwhelming evidence that pure glass processed by X-Ray Fluorescence technology has benefits for the re-melt industry.

To achieve the different tasks of the glass recycling industry the REDWAVE XRF-GLASS can be de-livered in different sorting widths and types. Cullet with a size from 8 to 60 mm at a output of 25 to/hour can be sorted out by a very high effectiveness. The rejection of good glass along with the con-tamination, is minimal. Between 0,5 and 0,8 % of the input.

There are three REDWAVE XRF-GLASS which will be delivered to Bernhard Reiling Glas Recycling GmbH to Germany in January 2010 and a further two which will start operation in the end of June 2010 in Finland.

Interested parties can test the new REDWAVE XRF-GLASS at a demonstration plant at BT-Wolfgang Binder GmbH in the Austrian.

REDWAVE dates:
REDWAVE sorting technology enables fully automated separation of recyclable materials and is suc-cessfully worldwide for sorting a variety of materials in many fields. Depending on the requirements the material will be identified on the basis of its colour, shape or other material characteristics. The REDWAVE through excellent industrial design achieves high performance and quality recovery of materials.

Different contaminants can be sorted out of the glass stream by REDWAVE such as:

• ceramics, stones, porcelain
• metals
• heat resisting glasses
• leaded glasses
• organic impurities
• plastics
• cork
• paper

Further application areas of REDWAVE:

• Plastics recycling
• Paper recycling
• Glass recycling
• Mining industry
• Electronic scrap
• Automotive industry
• Wood recycling
• Separation of ferrous and non-ferrous metals 

REDWAVE is a trademark of BT-Wolfgang Binder GmbH, which is manly used in the recycling area to sort different materials. BT-Wolfgang Binder was found in 1997 as a plant construction company under the direction of Heinrich Fuchs and is worldwide operating. Beyond BT-Wolfgang Binder is a general contractor in the field of mixing plants, sand processing plants and materials handling technology.

REDWAVE, a trademark of BT-Wolfgang Binder GmbH