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Plant Specifications
How much glass can a furnace unit process?
Our CRT recycling furnace is capable of processing up to 10 tonnes of leaded glass per day.
How big is the plant?
The 10 tonne per day furnace is 10 meters long and 6 meters wide. The height of the unit is 7 meters. Additional space is required for crushing of the glass prior to loading into the converter and if you are using the treated glass to manufacture products such as tiles, you will need space for glass handling equipment.
How is the plant laid out?
Ideally you should have space for a linear flow of glass through the process from CRT splitting, crushing, charging into the and handling the treated glass. However, there is no reason the CRT splitting and glass crushing can't be done away from the unit either elsewhere on your site or at an off-site location.
What power supply do I need at my site?
A 3 phase 600KVA supply is required.
What other services do I need?
When the furnace is being brought up to temperature during commissioning and following a shutdown a natural gas burner is required to create heat in the melting zone. A gas supply with pressure of 300mbar will be required, typically from a 2 inch mains supply. You also need access to water in order to top up the re-circulating cooling system but there are no discharges to drain so a sewer connection is not required.
Plant Operation
How many staff do I need to run this plant?
This depends on how you decide to operate. Maximum efficiency is achieved running the furnace 24 hours per day 7 days per week so we suggest a shift team of 2 people per shift, 10 operators and 1 manager to oversee them.
What are the requirements for maintenance?
Our cash flow models include a provision for maintenance but provided the correct operating procedures are followed maintenance on the furnace is minimal.
Environmental
How clean is the treated glass?
Leach tests on the products made from the de-leaded glass show lead leaching below 40 parts per billion.
What permits do I need?
This depends on which country and state you operate in. In the EU CRT glass is classed as a hazardous waste and an environmental permit is required. In the US you will need to obtain the necessary permissions from the state regulators.
Are there any emissions, discharges or waste?
Our process produces no solid or liquid waste. Emission tests conducted on our commercial scale unit at our Irlam site confirmed emissions of lead and other heavy metals are 6 times less than what is seen as best practice in the EU. Water used for cooling is re-circulated and there is no discharge. There is no waste from the process, the only outputs from the plant are saleable products.
Are the chemicals used hazardous?
All of the chemicals used in the process are classified as non-hazardous in the EU and US.
How pure is the recovered lead?
Typically better than 99.7% pure provided optimum operating conditions are maintained.
How safe is the unit?
Safety has been a top priority all through the design process. The computer control system will shut off the power in the event of the temperature exceeding preset levels, the cooling water system has a backup in the event of pump failure and high performance insulation protects operators from exposure to excessive heat.
Nulife Glass Service
What products can I make from the treated glass?
The glass has been successfully used as an aggregates replacement in construction products such as floor screeds and worktops and to produce glass tiles. Other potential applications include road surfacing, grit blasting and production of higher value decorative glass products.
Commercial
Can I obtain exclusive rights to a whole country?
No - We do not believe that any single recycler has sufficient market share to justify a country wide exclusivity deal.
Can I obtain exclusive rights to a territory or region?
Yes - We are prepared to discuss exclusivity for a territory or region on a case by case basis.
Does the Nulife Glass system only work on CRT glass?
Our system will remove lead and other heavy metals from a range of glass materials such as lead crystal waste, x-ray shielding and crystal cutting waste.
What is the lead time for the plant?
Off-site construction takes 4 months depending on the plant specification. Onsite installation, commissioning and training of your staff takes 4 weeks.
Can the treated glass go back to make new CRTs?
No, this process is unique because it does not rely on the declining market for "glass to glass" recycling. Once treated there are many applications for the glass in large and sustainable markets.
