Basic trends in development of production of refractory materials for the glass industry in Russia

Abstract

The basic refractory plants in Russia that manufacture refractory products for glass companies and the materials made by them are presented. The basic trends in development of refractory production are examined.The production volumes and advances in the technology for preparation and use of refractories, as well as their quality, have traditionally been determined by the requirements of the iron and steel industry, which currently consumes approximately 65% of world production of refractories [1], while only 15% of refractory products are consumed by the glass industry. As a result, the demand for refractories in this sector has been satisfied by materials developed for the needs of the iron and steel industry, and glass works have been supplied with refractories of inferior quality.In the 1990s, enterprises in the domestic refractories industry were characterized by a high level of physical wear and obsolescence of the basic equipment, commercial aluminosilicate, Dinas, and periclase and periclase-chromite refractories for which the technical level and quality did not satisfy current requirements. From 1990 to 2000, production in almost all of the leading sectors of the industry decreased significantly in Russia, and this negatively affected refractory companies. The total production volume of refractory products dropped by 3.5 times. Since 1990, some of the refractory shops, especially those manufacturing chamotte articles, have been saved, while many works in the Center and districts near Moscow have closed due to lack of demand [2].Qualitative changes in the approach to production, radically increasing efficiency, and focusing on manufacturing refractories that satisfy the increasing requirements of industry sectors were necessary for surviving in a market economy. These problems could only be solved by retooling the enterprises, which would really allow mastering new types of products and raising the quality of the refractories to the level of world standards.