NU UPDATE
Posted: 30 March 2017
SOME CLARITY REQUIRED - LEAPING THROUGH CRT LEGISLATION
Credits: Screen Goddess I,. By Keith Brocklehurst, Photo: Simon Bruntnell
It perhaps comes as no surprise but certainly with disappointment that we receive the recent news announced by the PADEP denying Nulife Glass a Variance for storage of its stocks of CRT glass and the pursuant Order regarding our valuable feedstock located in Pennsylvania. Nulife will endeavor to fully comply and manage the strategic implications and timelines of the order, whilst intending to challenge the action by appealing to the Environmental Hearing Board.
In reference to the recent blog issued by the PADEP (see link 1), Nulife would like to offer comment and clarity to some of the points raised.
Nulife takes every precaution at every level to handle CRT glass in a correct and safe manner, has a feasible recycling solution for CRT glass and believes that it has operated within the boundaries of environmental regulation and compliance.
Read more...
Nulife has invested 20 years of R&D and millions of dollars to develop a unique technology that specifically and solely addresses the leaded glass fraction of CRT funnel glass and looks forward to a continued business to deliver this service to customers seeking a domestic solution to the escalating CRT glass problem.
Nulife remains transparent (excuse the pun) with its activities and understands to be compliant with the CRT rule. On the long journey through this complicated regulatory landscape Nulife over the years has consulted with industry leaders instrumental to contributing to the CRT rule; environmental bodies; environmental lawyers and authors of the rule itself.
Nulife's processed and used CRTs are separated and stored appropriately and with regard to the composition and weight of a processed CRT (typical 27 inch tube) panel glass represents approximately 60% of the weight of the
CRT and funnel glass 30% of total weight. The funnel is a leaded glass containing approximately 20% lead oxide.
The lead oxide in the rear funnel of the tube at the time of TV manufacturing was used to protect and shield human health. Now that these types of older-style televisions are no longer in use, the unintended legacy of this material poses a potential threat to environment and human health if it is not handled correctly.
Nulife ensures that its recycled glass (an inert material by nature) is stored and contained in either Gaylords or super sacks in a dry environment and thus poses no threat and exhibits no toxic characteristics. These characteristics only manifest themselves when the glass is not stored correctly or exposed to the elements for long periods of time.
Nulife has spent many years focusing on a positive solution to deal with this material and has the only worldwide CRT glass lead oxide removal technology and know-how to extract metallic lead from CRT glass, restoring the lead oxide to metallic lead with myriad beneficial uses, not least battery manufacture for energy storage.
By storing glass safely and in a dry environment the lead remains a valuable resource that is contained in the glass matrix until such time it can be extracted.
Nulife earlier in the year due to regulatory conditions specific to New York made a business decision to downsize its operations in New York and look to move its lead-smelting furnace to its Bristol, Virginia facility.
The existing site in Dunkirk will continue to be used to dismantle CRTS and service existing customers.
Finally, to all our Customers, Industry supporters and Advocates of what we do, Nulife wishes to thank all those who wrote letters of support each containing valuable comments, valid points of view and reasoning to be considered by PADEP whilst the variance was being determined. This collective effort is commendable and reflects the positive spirit of the industry.
Posted: 27 March 2017
PANEL GLASS ON THE MOVE
Last Thursday the second 30 ton bulk trailer load of our recycled panel glass aggregate left the Dunkirk facility to go to a local NY manufacturer. More to be collected over the coming weeks.
Good to have found a local home for our product.
Posted: 21 March 2017
Stella...
The force of nature prevailed and regrettably we did not make it to the conference!
Posted: 13 March 2017
Weather Permitting!
Nulife will be attending the North East Recycling Council (NERC) Spring Conference on March 15-16 at The Sheraton Burlington Hotel, Burlington, Vermont.
NERC's events are designed to provide attendees with the opportunity to learn, share ideas, discuss the issues, and network with others. The events are focused on the most timely topics in the source reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, and green purchasing industry sectors.
For more information please visit: https://nerc.org/conferences-and-workshops/event-agenda
To all our customers, suppliers, industry supporters and followers, best wishes for a healthy, successful and prosperous 2017.
Over the next year will endeavour to keep you posted on our latest news, activities, R&D, product developments and challenges.
NU YEAR
Posted: 9 January 2017
NEW YEARS GREETINGS FROM OUR TEAM IN NY AND VA.
To all our customers, suppliers, industry supporters and followers, best wishes for a healthy, successful and prosperous 2017.
Over the next year will endeavour to keep you posted on our latest news, activities, R&D, product developments and challenges.
Posted: 12 December 2016
CHARGING AHEAD
No rest for our engineering, electrical and maintenance team both sides of the Atlantic; as they have spent the last few months replacing the computer controlled software to the furnace glass batch charger; that is the automated equipment that charges our furnace with glass; as the original equipment from the UK was damaged during shipping. This equipment is used to control the X and Y axis of the batch charger allowing motion in and out of the furnace and also controls the batch feed rates.
Batch charger in situ
Our electrical engineer has designed a program to enable this equipment to operate both automatically and manually. Extensive testing was carried to ensure all limit switches and potentiometers work and the software that monitors the charger tracking.
Once the team were satisfied that everything was functioning, they dismantled the charger and lifted onto the furnace platform. The position and alignment of the base framework required further fine tuning to allow smooth operation of the charger in both X and Y axis, as did the final set up of the limit switches.
On going batch trials are being carried out to calculate the right amount of glass sand is delivered to the furnace within the designated time period of the chargers operation.
Good team work but as first noted no rest yet!
Posted: 9 December 2016
Brrrr...
Blog silence in this instance is indicative of the hive of activity that has been going on at Nulife NY and VA.
View of first snow in Dunkirk and super sacks of panel glass product ready for collection
Team Nulife has been growing as we welcome our 3rd shift to the Dunkirk facility. All three of our shifts are working diligently round the clock to service the CRT material we receive weekly and have done an excellent job of re-organising the facility floor to ensure that operations run smoothly. Material handling and flow is a constant work in progress; best practices and logistics need to constantly be reevaluated with some creative thinking.
Over the last few months some of our team members joined the Virginia facility team to collectively set up a new CRT dismantling and breaking room. Providing valuable training and first hand experience of safe best practice. We are delighted with the progress and flow rates at at this early stage.
PANEL GLASS TO PRODUCT
We are very excited to have a new customer for our panel glass, and with the sale of all our panel glass inventory to date, we are working closely with them to provide product to their exact specification. Team Nulife refurbished and assembled existing equipment to run initial trials to create the glass specification required. With the success of the trials, they have subsequently engineered and configured a production line of conveyors, sieves and a jaw crusher to run the panel glass through to final product.
A small side story... It is pleasing to know that even in our modern times that the medieval practice to barter, where you exchange goods for other goods without using money still exists! Recently Nulife bartered a hammer mill for a jaw crusher with one of our recycling customer.
Our hammer mill wrapped like Christo sculpture ready for shipping
Fabrication of new chute to attach to the jaw crusher
POSTED: 15 November 2016
Event: Recruiting in Virginia
Nulife Glass will be attending a Manufacturing Career Fair, Thursday November 17, 2016 at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, Virginia.
The career fair will begin at 9am and will end at 12 pm.
We look forward to seeing you there!
For more information contact: People Incorporated of Virginia, Phone: (276) 619-2255
Posted: 10 November 2016
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
'Waste is what is left behind when our imagination fails'... Professor Christian Ekberg ...talking at the annual Circular Materials Conference, Sweden
This struck a cord when reading an article recently in Recycling International, August 2016 issue.
Read article...
PRESENTED
Nulife Glass' presentation amidst others presenting at the International Lead and Zinc Study Group is now available to view at:
http://www.ilzsg.org/generic/pages/list.aspx?table=document&ff_aa_document_type=P&from=108
POSTED: 20 October 2016
PICTURE PERFECT
Well almost... driving into to work this morning, we were stopped in our tracks by the view of this illegally dumped CRT TV...
...200 yards from our New York CRT Recycling Facility...
POSTED: 20 October 2016
AWARDED IN PENNSYLVANIA
Penn-Northwest Development Corporation hosted their 2016 Annual Meeting yesterday at the Avalon Golf & Country Club, Hermitage, PA. Simon Greer CEO and Founder was presented with an Economic Impact Award, In Honor of Nulife Investment and Creation of Jobs in Mercer County and a Citation from The House of Representatives from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, sponsored by Representatives Mark Longietti, Tedd C. Nesbit and Parke Wentling on October 13, 2016.
Nulife was also featured in Penn Northwest's Annual Financial Report for 2015/2016 under New Industry Spotlight, for initial capital investment and working with the development agency since early 2015 to establish a processing facility in Mercer County with its own furnace, bringing further capital investment and the creation of approximately 20 jobs.
PRESENTING AT INTERNATIONAL LEAD AND ZINC STUDY GROUP
61st Session, 26 - 28 October 2016, Altis Grand Hotel, Lisbon, Portugal
For the first time Nulife Glass CEO and Founder Simon Greer has been invited by the International Lead and Zinc Study Group to present the 'Recycling of CRT Glass'. Simon will discuss the recovery of the significant quantity of lead contained in the glass in the cathode ray tubes used in old-style televisions and computer screens and the challenges that this entails. The presentation will focus on the process developed by Nulife Glass to facilitate the recycling of lead contained in this material.
For further information please visit: http://www.ilzsg.org/static/home.aspx?from=4
POSTED: 10 October 2016
SUMMER RECAP
NU ORLEANS
SEPTEMBER - What a great town to host a conference! Preparing for E-Scrap before a long road trip south to New Orleans involved last minute editing to our time-lapse footage of the furnace build and final polishing of the concrete plinths that included an 85% blend of Nulife panel glass aggregates.
Nulife Team E-Scrap Booth New Orleans
Setting up the booth went smoothly and in good time for the opening. The show was an excellent opportunity to meet with our clients and discuss future plans with prospective clients. Our display of a bare CRT tube and Nulife lead ingot on cast concrete plinths, allowed us to demonstrate what our lead recovery process involves and present in physical form the actual % of lead that is contained in a CRT tube. Conference attendees were also able to view the film of our furnace build and operations.
Thank you to everyone who took time to visit us.
LOCAL COLLABORATION
JULY - Our team visited a local NY construction company who we are working with to trial concrete mixes that include our panel glass aggregates.
The streets are paved with recycled panel glass... not quite gold!
STRESSED OUT
JULY - Our team visited a local construction company who we are working with to test the compressive strength of our panel glass aggregate for use in concrete.
Nulife supplied samples of the three recycled grades of panel glass aggregate we produce and the company prepared the concrete cylinders for testing. The cylinders remained in a lime water bath to cure. Testing was done at 7 and 28 days; compressive strength of cylinders for both periods was 3000 psi. Refining of the aggregate blend continues as we strive to improve the concrete strength.
CRT GLASS IS VALUED
JUNE - Metallic lead from our CRT recycling furnace was sold to a secondary lead smelter and the combined "average sample" result from the independent lab was 98.577%. The lead commodity sale price was determined on the noon London Metals Exchange (LME) rate of the day of pickup. With an average 20% lead content CRT glass is certainly a commodity with value.
Nulife Glass 2lb lead ingot from an average 33b weight CRT tube.
Posted: 15 August 2016
UP CYCLING
Refractory bricks from our first CRT recycling furnace take on a new life as they are up cycled and incorporated in the construction of local artisans' from Chautauqua Area Potters (CAP) new kilns at the Scott Creek Fire Place.This exciting arts initiative in the town of Sheridan, is the only community based wood firing facility in Western New York.
Back in June, the project leaders, Marvin Bjurlin and Ron Nasca visited our facility to see if the available refractory material we had could be re-purposed.
A lot of the Nulife bricks were used in the chimney and stack construction, other bricks enabled CAP to make all new kiln posts for the shelving when they load the kiln.
The Soda kiln's inaugural firing was on the 14th July and we had the pleasure of touring the newly built facility and share celebratory pizza cooked in the small bespoke wood fired kiln that added all the more to the convivial atmosphere of the studio.
Front view of larger front kiln & detail of chimney and stack that serves both kilns incorporating Nulife refractory bricks
View of Scott Creek Fire Place, 1079 Newell Road, Sheridan, NY
Inaugural firing of the Soda Kiln & view of first fired pots
Posted: 15 July 2016
NULIFE GLASS AT E-SCRAP 2016
Nulife team will be exhibiting at the E-Scrap Conference, September 20-22, 2016, Hyatt Regency, New Orleans, Louisiana. Please visit us at our booth to find out more about our Dunkirk, New York and Bristol, Virginia CRT recycling facilities.
For more information visit: http://www.e-scrapconference.com/scheduleataglance/
POSTED: 5 July 2016
'LIQUID FUEL'
On a recent visit to Niagara Falls, Canada over the holiday weekend, perhaps not the best timing in view of the combination of Canada Day and Independence Day coinciding! Crowds aside, the sheer power and beauty of this natural wonder was overwhelming.
Also knowing that this mass of water produces clean low cost hydro-electricity that supplies our furnace, made the experience all the more connected.
To coin the New York Power Authority NYPA website phrase this 'liquid fuel' is diverted from the Niagara River and conveyed through conduits under the City of Niagara Falls to Lewiston, where the flowing water passes through plant turbines that power generators, converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Nulife Glass is proud to be one of the manufacturing companies that has been awarded the NYPA low cost power through its state authorised program; and privileged to be a user of a the natural, reliable power source of Niagara.
For more information: http://www.nypa.gov/facilities/niagara.htm
POSTED: 1st June
THE HEAT IS ON
Today the heat up engineers arrived on site and the gas burner was lit at 1pm this afternoon. Re-commissioning commences ahead of schedule due to our furnace team.
POSTED 26 May 2016
LONG WEEKEND
Tireless dedication and commitment from our team as a full scheduled work weekend is ahead. With refractory repairs completed, re-installing and reassembling of the electrodes, thermocouples and auxiliary equipment commences. Key testing, fault finding will be conducted by the team as well as our electrical engineer who will be overseeing checks on the software system that controls the furnace. Keeping to schedule, the commissioning heat up is due next week. After all this, Monday's holiday will be welcome.
POSTED: 24th May 2016
REFURBISHMENT UNDERWAY & ON SCHEDULE
During our routine maintenance inspection the Nulife team, (that one could compare to a team of archaeologists) have been excavating and preparing the furnace for refurbishment.
The refractory specialists arrived on site first thing this Monday morning and are busy for the next three carrying out essential repairs to the glass melter. Whilst this is going on, the Nulife team can begin refitting the furnace insulators and bracing bars.
With any maintenance service there is a lot of preparation work required. Over the last month the team have been busy cleaning the baghouse air exhaust Hepa filter system; finalising any modifications to auxiliary equipment; electrical checks including thermocouples; draining and reinstalling the chiller radiator and fan for the water cooling system; cleaning and refurbishing the electrodes; inventory and re-ordering spares. The list of detail is endless.
POSTED: 26th April 2016
Pb PURITY
With the initial first quarter trials of running our CRT recycling furnace, recent laboratory results report lead purity of 99.87%. Many other tests for in put and out put material are in progress and essential for measuring furnace performance.
"1st SERVICE" for DUNKIRK FURNACE
As well as collating data that indicates performance levels, our first planned furnace routine maintenance inspection is underway. With a controlled furnace power down and the glass melter drained, essential inspections for wear and tear and routine refurbishment are being undertaken.
VIRGINIA FACILITY RECRUITING
The CRT process at our Bristol VA facility is underway and we are actively recruiting more employees and are seeking another sixteen positions now to meet demand.
ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL
Meanwhile Nulife team continue CRT dismantling and preparing panel glass aggregate for our concrete building blocks. Our team take advantage of the milder climate to produce the retaining wall blocks which are 85% glass and weigh 4,300lb for a customer order.
Nulife Glass Dunkirk Facility - recycled panel glass retaining wall blocks
POSTED: 02 February 2016
21st Century Alchemy in NY
Long journey toward and long journey going forward. The Nulife team is delighted to report that metallic lead (Pb) is being extracted from CRT glass in our first U.S. CRT recycling furnace. There have been many significant moments but this has to be the one; after many years of planning to bring the technology to the U.S. recycling industry and demonstrate that lead is a valuable resource that can truly be extracted out of CRT glass. With all the anticipation, debate and discussion surrounding CRT glass, this significant moment can only strengthen the view that this material is certainly a commodity with inherent value and a future.
First lead extracted from Dunkirk, NY CRT recycling furnace
POSTED: 13 January 2016
SCOTT OF DUNKIRK
Dunkirk facility, New York not Antarctica!
Snow forecast for the whole week.
Furnace remains hot.
POSTED: 7 January 2016
HAPPY NU YEAR
An exciting moment indeed for all the team as the first glass flows from the forehearth.
To summarise the last few weeks following the gas start up it is worth noting that commissioning the furnace is a phased and lengthy process. During this period refractory is put through an expansion schedule; all the electrical systems are live tested and any potential glitches resolved; PLC control systems to operate the furnace are fine tuned. All these calibrated phases are required before a single pound of glass is loaded into the furnace.
As the gas burners remain on, the initial loading of panel glass into the furnace is done according to a planned glass batching schedule. Gradually as the volume of material is increased the electrodes are activated and the switch from gas to electricity occurs. The gas burner removed, the furnace operates solely on electricity.
POSTED: 15 DECEMBER 2015
THE HEAT IS ON
At 3.00pm EST, Dunkirk NY had its own significant moment as the first U.S. Nulife Glass CRT recycling furnace began its heat up. The initial stages of the furnace commissioning is a very critical and exciting time. After many months of construction and project challenges the furnace is on.
The heat treating engineers arrived in the early hours to set up their gas monitoring equipment and lengthy gas pipes to connect the furnace to the propane supply. Meanwhile the Nulife team were doing final checks on the water flow system and prepare the heat up and expansion schedule. The process is methodical and takes place hourly during the heat and furnace expansion. The bracing bolts are checked for movement and slight adjustments are made by hand or using a torque wrench to control the bolt tension.
Following custom, for our Western New York furnace it seemed fitting to have the Buffalo mascot that was gifted to us, as well as our customary protective talisman.
POSTED: 14 DECEMBER 2015
COUNT DOWN TO WARM UP
Quantum leaps have been made over the last few days as things prepare to hot up at the Nulife facility in Dunkirk. The Nulife team are making final checks on the water flows for the cooling system as well as final testing on the electrical control wiring. All systems are go as the propane gas was delivered today in preparation for the furnace commissioning process. The engineers will begin the furnace heat up tomorrow. Exciting times indeed as the long awaited Nulife first USA based CRT recycling plant is commissioned.
POSTED: 10 DECEMBER 2015
CRITICAL FINAL STAGES
The electrical team continue diligently to install the essential cables and wiring for the furnace.
The control panel for the thermocouples arrived from the UK end of last week and is currently being installed and wired up. Whilst our software team in the UK continue work on all the programming required to operate the furnace.
Meanwhile ancillary equipment for preparing and handling the glass cullet is in the final stages of production. Some equipment was delivered yesterday and the Nulife team are assembling and running trials.
Transformer cables
POSTED: 4th December 2015
Electrical install is progressing well, with the interconnections from the melter switch gear and primary transformers scheduled for completion today.
POSTED: 25th November 2015
The long awaited melter thyristor cabinets arrived at the facility last week and so the complex electrical install continues...
Our Nulife team meanwhile are wiring up the electrode thermocouples and assisting with the install of the electrical conduit from the secondary transformer to the the main switch gear.
POSTED: 17th November 2015
KEEPING FOCUSED
With the recent flurry of CRT industry press and certification downstream approval being challenged it would be all too easy to be distracted and consumed by opinion that requires a lengthy, considered and thought out response.
So with this in mind, our work focus is fully on the completion and commissioning of our CRT recycling furnace. The progress may outwardly appear to be slowing up as the blogs are less frequent but our team tirelessly push on making daily adjustments and correcting discrepancies that naturally occur when working from plan to reality. Thermocouples that provide furnace temperature readings are being fitted with respective wiring completed this week; the muffle elements and connectors that provide heat to the forehearths have also been fitted.
Muffle elements protruding from forehearth
POSTED: Armistice - Veterans Day
PAUSE FOR THOUGHT
The long awaited main transformer arrived yesterday; this is a critical component for the electrical system. Meanwhile many other tasks have been accomplished: hanging the charger door; mounting the glass charger onto the furnace platform; assembling the security cages for all the transformers and finally all the melter electrodes are installed. These took some careful planning and skilful handling; no photos to show as the build progresses pictorial reporting becomes sensitive. What remains is lot of wiring and connecting to to bring it all live.
POSTED: 3rd NOVEMBER 2015
TOPPING OUT
After several industrious, noisy productive weeks, the plant seems eerily quiet today. The furnace crown was completed last Thursday and Friday morning after finalising the last details our refractory contractors packed up their tricks and headed home for Halloween. Our treat is to see a job well done and the furnace built.
With the water cooling system in place, this leaves the main power and electrical systems and mechanical auxiliary equipment to be installed.
POSTED: 22nd OCTOBER 2015
Contractors continue the conduit install for the primary power cables, that when connected to the furnace will draw hydro electric power produced by Niagara Power Project. Nulife's Dunkirk facility was awarded the allocation in 2013 and the final contract for the allocation from NYPA was recently signed.
Meticulous work to finalise the melter refractory was completed today, and so the crown build commences. The furnace is shaping up. Meanwhile the Nulife team trial the water system for leaks and continue essential auxiliary equipment install.
POSTED: 18th OCTOBER 2015
EDITORS CUT
As the furnace build progresses so our updates need to be mindful of the years of research, trials and design - understandably. This does not however diminish the report of the daily undertakings.
The main melter refractory install and forehearths are complete and the insulation brick laying is underway. The electrical contractors continue bringing primary power cables to the transformers and auxiliary material handling equipment is designed and being manufactured.
Glass forehearth
Insulation brick
POSTED: 11th OCTOBER 2015
DETAIL
Essential plumbing takes place underneath the furnace keeping the upper platform clear; whilst our team continue with install of the electrical trays in preparation for the main power cables that will connect to the furnace. Our refractory contractors continue with the meticulous detail required prior to completing the forehearth and refractory install. Very productive week.
POSTED: 8th OCTOBER 2015
SENTRIES
Three days of silence is not indicative of lack of activity, In fact quite the opposite. Long days for our refractory contractors who have been skilfully installing the insulation brick, back up refractory and furnace blocks. This type of work requires precision, patience and focus to achieve a perfect fit. Work continues on the water system with the drilled ring main in position reminiscent of a very long flute; our team fit all the valves and taps .
POSTED: 5th OCTOBER 2015
Still catching up with last week - the refractory sub-layer was poured and levelled and allowed to cure over the weekend. Work resumes today with the install of the forehearth and riser insulation bricks.
The Nulife team continue mapping out the water cooling system with the tundish return pipework all fitted and tested for leaks and cable tray assembly in progress.
POSTED: 4th OCTOBER 2015
Summarising last week's exciting progress: the remaining furnace support columns were bolted down and painted in Nulife green. All the sillimanite blocks were checked on site, whilst the furnace refractory inspection took place off site in PA.
Our refractory contractors arrived to set up their equipment and cast the furnace foundations. Whilst electrical contractors began installing the main power cables from the transformer through to the switchgear.
POSTED: 30 SEPTEMBER 2015
RAMPING UP
Our furnace specialist has returned to the facility to ensure the build is on schedule for the imminent refractory installation. Main stairs were fitted yesterday and the furnace enclosure measured up and marked out. First set of water cooling jackets that arrived from the UK and the electrodes were inspected and assembled; water pump station was also finished and now needs connecting to the tank and ring main.
POSTED: 25 SEPTEMBER 2015
IN THE PIPELINE
Work on the water cooling system required for the furnace electrodes has started; yesterday the ring main was completed, trial fitted and in position. The main valve locations have also been marked up and work on the pump station is in progress. Platforms are finished with all welding and fabrication completed of the new sections. The charger platform handrails and top sections of the furnace painted.
POSTED: 23 SEPTEMBER 2015
GOOD DAY TODAY
Nulife team erect the last of the lower platforms albeit not as straight forward as hoped, a lot of cutting and fabricating was required for it all to fit! This however allowed for a substantial amount of the remaining floor plates to be fitted. More furnace components arrived on site, as well as a visit from our refractory suppliers who spent some time finalising details on site.
Small glitches occur, like the supplier who is no longer able to supply what you require or fabricated components don't actually fit; finding the solutions and overcoming the hurdles all part of a good day.
Lower platform extended
POSTED: 22 SEPTEMBER 2015
PIECING THE PUZZLE
Deliveries of the various furnace components are shipping in from near and far, including the lead chutes, remaining electrode extensions and refractory material. Our team continue piecing together the last platform sections and complete painting the top section of the furnace. Behind the scenes, installation of ancillary equipment is underway with the water feed system to the furnace, as well as design and planning for scraper conveyors, hoists and electrical layouts.
POSTED: 18 SEPTEMBER 2015
FROM STRUCTURE TO FORM
Nulife team have been busy cutting and welding chequer plate to create the furnace charger platform. Handrails have been installed as well the steel work receiving a coat of heat resistant paint.
POSTED: 17 SEPTEMBER 2015
BUILDING BLOCKS
First delivery of our bespoke refractories arrived yesterday from our U.S. supplier; including the sillaminate blocks, andalusite bricks and the crown block work.
POSTED: 8th September 2015
This latest post is coming to you directly from our Dunkirk facility after returning from the E-Scrap Conference in Orlando, Florida. The trade show was an opportunity for us to update our clients and the recycling industry first hand on our furnace build progress; for those who didn't attend the conference apologies for our blogging absence.
Latest report from our UK supplier, the electrode water-cooling jackets are fabricated and ready to be shipped.
Posted: 30th August 2015
SETTING THE STAGE
Our steel contractors have completed their part of the installation project, with the last modified platform pieces installed, now waiting for remaining new steels to be delivered.
Meanwhile the forehearth cases where the glass will flow from are suspended and the risers due to be installed shortly.
Lecturn looking piece of steel will support the riser.
Suspended forehearth case.
Posted: 26th August 2015
BRIDGING THE GAPS
Nulife team modify the platform steels and install first set of stairs to the charger platform. Furnace structure shaping up...
Posted: 23rd August, 2015
Hoisting the platform
Platform steels assembled
Posted: 20th August, 2015
JIGSAW
Yesterday the Nulife team installed the platform steel pieces and the last few sections are due to be fitted today. The electrical contractors have started installing conduits in preparation for bringing the main power supplies to the furnace equipment.
Posted: 19th August, 2015
FIRST COAT
Painting of furnace column supports has started, treating the steel with heat resistant paint.
Posted: 14th August, 2015
FURNACE EXPANDS
Apologies for the seven-day silence... meanwhile our Nulife team have prepared and sorted all the steels for the furnace platform. They have shimmed up the columns so they now sitting firmly on the ground and not appearing to float in space; installed the two main platform columns so the top beams could be located and fixed.
Platform columns in situ
Platform steels going in
Hands on
Birds eye view
NU UPDATE: August 2015
Posted: 7th August, 2015
FURNACE BEAMS ON THE HORIZON
The steel crew finalise and secure furnace door lifting beams as well as roof and forehearth support beams. Our Nulife team continues the refurbishment of essential furnace components.
Horizontal roof beams installed
