Glass Manufacturing
Globally, more than 50 per cent of the world-wide production of soda is earmarked for glass production. Soda ash is used to make the most common type of glass – soda-lime silica glass – which is then used to manufacture flat glass (for windows and automobiles), lighting, glassware, laboratory vessels, televisions and other products.
Soda-lime silica glass combines three essential ingredients. Silica (sand) is the glass forming oxide while lime provides chemical stability. Soda ash acts as the fluxing agent. It is an essential ingredient because it reduces the furnace temperature necessary to melt the silica, thus reducing the energy required to produce glass. Soda ash is generally used to supply the bulk of the alkali element needed in glass making because it is a cost-effective source of Na20.
ANSAC dense soda ash is an ideal product for glass manufacturing because the particles are similar in size to silica sand. This enables a homogeneous mixing of raw materials and results in a high quality end product.
Soda ash is a critical ingredient in glass making – now and for the foreseeable future. As the construction, automotive and consumer packaged goods industries employ new technical and functional requirements for their glass products, the demand for the high quality soda ash ANSAC distributes will continue to grow.