ISSN 2360-7955
Abstract
This study details the design, construction, and performance assessment of a 10-kilogram glass melting furnace used for research and development at Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic in Zaria, Nigeria. The construction of small-scale glass production facilities that can support research and entrepreneurial activities is necessary due to Nigeria's expanding need for glass goods and the country's supply of native raw materials including silica sand, limestone, and soda ash. The furnace was built as a day tank furnace using zirconium refractory bricks that can tolerate temperatures above 2000°C. By using contemporary equipment, such as infrared pyrometers and thermal imaging sensors, real-time temperature monitoring and quality control during melting and cooling were made possible. Five batches were processed: one batch utilised recycled cullet with additives, while the other four used local quartz sand, calcium carbonate, and sodium carbonate. Temperatures as high as 1800°C were reached in experimental melting trials. Glass was successfully made by batches 2, 3, and 4; batch 5 (based on cullet) also produced glass at a lower temperature (1200 °C). Due to insufficient temperature monitoring and uneven heat distribution, batch 1 failed. Operational performance studies, construction techniques, and thermodynamic design calculations are all part of the project. The created furnace decreases dependency on imported glass goods, shows technological viability for small-scale glass manufacturing, and provides research, teaching, and entrepreneurial prospects.
Keywords: Glass melting furnace, day tank furnace, zirconium refractory, soda‑lime glass, cullet recycling, pyrometer monitoring.