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Glass
The glass industry is a major user of the soda ash manufactured
to customer specifications by Tata Chemicals.
TCL offers a broad range of soda
ash grades, in terms of densities and particle size distribution,
for various applications. The single largest use of dense
soda ash is in the manufacture of glass. TCL also customises
soda ash to cater to client specifications.
Dense soda ash is mainly used in the production of a variety
of glass articles. In order to lower the melting temperature
of sand (more than 1,700o Celsius), and to be able to use
appropriate melting containers, a fluxing agent, usually sodium
oxide, is introduced to the glass batch. Soda ash (sodium
carbonate) is introduced to the glass batch as anhydrous,
white powder. During the melting process, sodium oxide becomes
part of the glass. Carbon dioxide is released, and is allowed
to escape.
TCL offers its customers the option of customising its soda
ash to suit their requirements for glass in various shapes,
sizes and forms: flat glass and mirrors, bottles for beverages,
jars for storing food, insulation materials, bulbs and other
lighting, glassware, tableware, float glass, tubes for televisions
and computers, and laboratory ware.
These factors are critical because it determines the properties
of the final product. The soda ash that TCL makes meets the
stringent quality requirements of the glass industry. The
bulk density of TCL's soda ash ensures uniform blending; the
low chloride gives it more furnace life and the lack of lumps
guarantees uniform blending, resulting in a negligible loss
of soda in the furnace. Dense ash grains smaller than sand
grains are preferred. The finer sodium carbonate grain is
then capable of distributing more evenly on the surface of
silica grains promoting early removal of CO2 before the liquid
seals off the voids and channels in the batch.
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