The modern float line has a highly energy-efficient furnace.
“A special feature of the new float line is its highly energy efficient furnace. This has incorporated the latest system of heat recovery from flue glasses. This saves power equivalent to 1mw,” said Swaminathan Eisenhower (Ike), Director – Manufacturing at Saint-Gobain India Pvt Ltd (Flat Glass Business).
With the experience gained in constructing and operating newer generation float lines in quick succession, Ike and his team have ensured incorporation of advanced features in every part of the new plant.
Ike described the fascinating journey: from the electrostatic precipitator and de-sulphurisation facilities installed in the earlier stages to the present super-efficient energy saving system.
CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY
SGIPL has set up an Excellent Centre for float line standard 4.0. Under this, efficiency is ensured across the entire process. Ike provided the instance of the company developing a special software Orion, for handling glass: this system eliminates substantially the packaging of glass for dispatch in wooden crates.
In the new system of warehouse management and display, 50 per cent of the glass produced is transported naked, ie without wood. Standard Operating Procedures have been perfected for handling, loading, transportation and unloading of glasses and mirrors of various sizes. There is the move towards eliminating almost wholly wood for packing. The extensive work in design and research inputs has resulted in the ‘Inloader’ system for transporting glasses.
EFFECTIVE WATER UTILITY
Remember SGIPL pioneering rain water harvesting (RWH) over a decade ago, effectively collecting water from the vast roof surfaces and at a special, well-lined pond? With water assuming a critical issue, lot more of attention is paid to economise on the use of water: the hi-tech new float line has been designed to bring about handsome economies in water use.
Ike referred to further expansion of its RWH; a new pond has been created as part of the expansion to store 72 kl of water. In addition SGIPL has opted for adiabatic cooling towers: in this water is recycled in a closed circuit and thus consumption for cooling is drastically reduced. Ike referred with understandable pride to the high level of self sufficiency – about 50 per cent saving in water.
