As many in the glass industry are aware from press and other reports, the CFGP plant closed on Monday 14 September 2009 after failing to reach agreement with its lenders to secure the necessary additi…
As many in the glass industry are aware from press and other reports, the CFGP plant closed on Monday 14 September 2009 after failing to reach agreement with its lenders to secure the necessary additional financing to continue operations following the glass leak at the beginning of 2009. The furnace, the largest of its type in the world with a rated output of 250 tonnes per day of flint soda-lime container glass, was designed by Electroglass, who also supplied specialist equipment for the furnace through US furnace engineers Frazier-Simplex. Procurement, site supervision and construction of steelwork, refractories and other materials and equipment were by US plant main contractors J H Kelly. The furnace was commissioned in late October 2008, achieving stable conditions and comfortably exceeding its guaranteed performance levels in respect of output, energy consumption and glass quality by 10 November 2008. Electroglass commissioning engineers left site on the 20 November and according to CFGP“s own reports the furnace continued to deliver excellent performance through November and December 2008. Melting energy consumption was just over 700 kilowatt-hours per metric tonne and 230 tonnes per day output, using 35% of recycled cullet. Towards the end of a colour transition being undertaken by CFGP over the Christmas-New Year period, a significant glass leak occurred in the early hours of 4 January 2009. After stopping the leak it was decided to drain and cool down the furnace for inspection and repair. The events surrounding the leak are currently subject to dispute, but Electroglass says that no evidence has been found suggesting a fault in the furnace design. This is further evidenced by the fact that the subsequent repair was carried out to the original design, the same provision expansion, the same bracing, etc. The investigation and current disputes between other parties over the cause or causes of the leak have focussed heavily on operational matters, construction techniques and material qualities, ali of which were outside the Electroglass scope of supply. Electroglass engineers were present during the furnace repair, carried out by Frazier-Simplex and King Construction, and remained on site throughout the furnace commissioning in May and into the first few months of production during which time reduced glasses were successfully produced. Electroglass remain committed to promoting its ground-breaking and highly efficient design, which operated successfully for over six months prior to the closure of the CFGP plant.