Container Glass

Spang Power Electronics is a manufacturer of custom power equipment installed throughout the Container Glass Industry. Spang’s expertise in power control and conversion has helped us become a global leader for the following applications.

Electric Melt Furnace

In modern container glass manufacturing the batch is traditionally melted into molten glass by gas or oil as the primary heat source in the melting furnace. The majority of melting furnace installations do not use electric as the source of the melting energy. Some however will use electric heat which is injected into the top or sides of the furnace by electrodes as the primary heat source for melting the batch. The molten glass itself acts as the heating element conducting electricity between the inserted electrodes (known as Joule heating).

Spang Power Electronics provides SCR Controllers, Transformers, and Power Systems to provide highly accurate controlled power to the electrodes of the melt furnace.

Melt Furnace Boosting

In modern container glass manufacturing the batch is melted into molten glass by gas or oil as the primary heat source in the melting furnace. The majority of melting furnace installations do not use any electric heat. Some however will use electric heat which is injected by electrodes into the furnace from the bottom or sides. The molten glass itself acts as the heating element conducting electricity between the inserted electrodes (known as Joule heating).

Spang Power Electronics provides SCR Controllers, Transformers, and Power Systems to provide highly accurate controlled power to the electrodes of the melt furnace. The electric heat is added to improve the quality of the glass exiting the furnace.

Forehearth

After the glass is melted in the furnace it is further conditioned and transferred to the forming section by a forehearth. A forehearth is a refractory tank whose function is to receive glass from the furnace, reduce its temperature to the desired level, and discharge it to the forming section at a uniform temperature. An electric forehearth may consist of roof mounted resistive heaters, immersed electrodes in the side, or electrodes immersed in the furnace bottom, or a combination of roof heaters and submerged electrodes. The molten glass itself acts as the heating element conducting electricity between the inserted electrodes (known as Joule heating). Gas fired forehearths are used in place of electric balanced against energy costs, environmental constraints, and process requirements. Here the gas burners are located above the molten glass providing heat.

Spang Power Electronics provides SCR Controllers, Transformers, and Power Systems to provide highly accurate controlled power to both roof top electric heaters and electrodes that extend into the forehearth.