The main requirements for these furnaces are :

• Glass Quality : given the cost of the finished products, quality is the top priority. Opal glass cannot contain any blisters, stones or cords !
• Furnace life : Opal is a very agressive glass by nature, so furnaces refractory linings currently last only 18-20 months. Any increase in furnace life represents a significant improvement of profitability.

Saint-Gobain SEFPRO provides glass makers with materials and solutions answering these specific constraints.

These solutions include :

• ER 1195 RT and Scimos Z, high zirconia fused-cast materials. Thanks to a corrosion resistance in opal glass twice as high as for a 40% Zirconia fused-cast AZS, its use has spreaded out from melting area down to the feeders.
• Increased block thickness that significantly extends the sidewall life.
• A full range of unshaped materials.