DELUMPER® Crusher Plays Important Role in Float Glass Production

Guardian Industries Corp.’s float glass plant in South Carolina was in search of a crusher to aid in their glass production process. They needed a unit that could break up the electrostatic precipitator material and prevent pneumatic transport plugs. Without the efficient breaking of these lumps, the process was interrupted, wasting time and money.

The process for float glass production consists of mixing sand, soda ash, limestone and other raw materials in a batch house, then melting them in a glass melting furnace. The “continuous ribbon” is formed in the tin bath, where they “float” the molten glass over molten tin and form it to a continuous ribbon of glass of specific widths and thickness to be cut to customer requirements.

The company chose a DELUMPER® Model 1077L , based on its simple, clean design. They installed the DELUMPER lump breaker in their pollution control electrostatic precipitator. The particulate matter is collected by the electrostatic precipitator and pneumatically transported to a storage silo. The pneumatic transport is sensitive to clumps. The DELUMPER was installed before the pneumatic transporter in the process to reduce plugging problems associated with clumps entering the transport system. About 6000 pounds of material passes through the DELUMPER each day. The unit operates continuously, breaking up pieces as large as a grapefruit.

“Prior to the installation, the transporter was plugging 1-5 times per week. Since the installation of the DELUMPER, the system has not experienced any plugging,” said Eric Rouse, Hot End Manager.

The DELUMPER® L Series Crushers reduce product to a desired output size with a positive, once-through, chopping action. Cutting teeth mounted to a smooth drum rotate through sizing combs to process agglomerates and chunks and reduce oversized particles to their basic grain size without over-grind, heat rise or fines.

DELUMPER lump breakers reduce lumps, crush minerals, improve product consistency, facilitate mixing, drying and conveying and keep process lines running smoothly. These units have extraordinary processing capabilities on a wide range of materials including chemicals, sugar, food, minerals, urea, ammonium nitrate, salts, colors, plastics, pharmaceuticals and more. Lumps up to full inlet opening size can be processed. The unit runs at low speed and creates little vibration or noise.

“We are very happy with the DELUMPER. It has eliminated 1-5 plugging events per week. Each event was an hour long tear down and clean out of the transport system. The DELUMPER has saved us manpower as well. Aside from some preventative maintenance, the unit has been very reliable.”