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Furnace Room
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Gradient Furnace
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Energy, Furnaces and Thermophysical Tests Department
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The Department's area of activity includes industrial plants, glass
furnaces, production processes, thermophysical tests, experimental
meltings, bubble analyses, models, containers strength.
Specific activities are:
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- setting up of test methods and certification according to
international, EC and Italian standards, of the strength of glass
containers, fibres, objects and other silicate materials;
- finite elements theoretical analysis of stresses in glass objects under different kinds of
load;
- internal pressure, thermal shock, axial load, impact
resistance;
- fracture analysis to identify breakage causes;
- glass surface studies in relation to strenght;
- production process analyses in relation to strength behaviour
prediction;
- waste devitrification and possible production of
artifacts;
- experimental meltings to verify the influence of raw materials on glass quality
(melting properties, fining, colour);
- experimental meltings of special glasses to be studied in other
laboratories;
- studies on melting and forming processes to optimize production;
- studies on conventional and electric furnaces for energy
saving;
- thermophysical measurements on glass (viscosity,
expansion, specific heat, electrical resistivity, thermal
conductivity, Young's modulus);
- analysis of micro-bubbles in glass aimed at diagnosing their origin in the production
process;
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Following equipment is
used:
- strain gauges, polariscope, stereoscope and polarizing
microscopes, surface stress detector;
- AGR equipment for internal pressure, axial load and impact resistance
measurements;
- Apparatus for thermal shock according to ASTM
- Balzers mass spectrometer;
- Varian 1700 gas-chromatograph.
- Viscosimeters for the measurement of viscosity according to present
standards;
- DMA for the measurement of elastic moduli and strain up to 600°C;
- DSC for the measurement of specific heat up to 1400°C;
- DTA up to 1450°C;
- DTG up to 1600°C.
- HOT DISK for the measurement of thermal diffusivity (on glass and moulds
materials) up to 200°C;
- Cell for the measurement of electrical conductivity between 800 and 1500°C.
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Furnaces |
Following furnaces are
available:
- 2 methane-fuelled, one-pot furnaces for temperatures up to 1700°C;
- Kanthal A1 electric furnace for temperatures up to 1250°C;
- Crusilite electric furnace for temperatures up to 1400°C;
- Super Kanthal electric furnace for temperatures up to 1700°C;
- 2 annealing furnaces for temperatures up to 650°C;
- Mono-filament bushing;
- Multi-filament bushing;
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