A Year's Achievements in Selenium Economy in the Making of "White Flint" Glasses

JSGT 1952 V36 T181-T195

The need for conserving selenium supplies and yet for continuing the production of decolourised glass is stressed. The iron and chromium content of the raw materials, and that resulting from transport, mixing, conveying and melting, are compared with the iron content of the finished glass. The effects on the quantity of selenium necessary for decolourising of additions of arsenic, sodium nitrate, sulphates and cobalt, and of the melting and working properties are discussed in detail. The economy in the use of selenium achieved in the full scale production from 11 tank furnaces was considerable. In tests on two furnaces it was found that selenites could replace the equivalent amount of selenium without affecting the colour of the glass.

H. W. Howes