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Glass wool

ISOVER glass wool is a high-tech product, mainly made from sand and recycled glass; we have constantly improved its features and performances.
Its exceptional thermal properties contribute to save energy and combat climate change. Its porous and elastic structure absorbs noise in the air and offers acoustic correction inside premises. Incombustible by nature, ISOVER glass wool does not fuel fire or propagate flames.
 
Assiette
 

The seven stages in the glass wool manufacturing process.

Glass wool process
Glass wool process
Arthur Raihno

1. BATCH: Glass wool is made mainly of sand, soda-ash, limestone and recycled glass; stored in silos, they are weighed, mixed and poured into a furnace.
2. MELTING: The mixture is then melted at a temperature exceeding 1,400°C in an electric or gas furnace. 
3. FIBERIZING: The liquid glass passes via a feeder to a fiberizing machine, where it is propelled through tiny holes by a centrifugal spinner - creating the fibers. These are sprayed with a binder and shaped into a blanket.  
4. FORMING: Then the blanket passes through a curing oven. During this process, the blanket can be compressed to achieve its final thickness.
5. CUTTING: The blanket is then cut to the required width. Off-cuts are recycled. A facing can eventually be glued to the blanket..  
6. PACKAGING: The end of the line is generally equipped with a rolling machine for mats and a stacking machine for boards. 
7. PALLETIZATION: The glass wool can be compressed to up to a tenth of its volume. A total of 36 rolls of glass can be packed onto a single pallet. 

Recycled glass as a raw material

Recycled glass
Since 1990, Saint Gobain ISOVER has incorporated recycled glass into the production of glass wool, reaching 80% in certain sites. This recycled glass has various origins: glass, glazing, vials, neon tubes, etc. Thanks to this raw material, the quality of products is constantly improved and the level of energy consumed for fusion of the glass, regularly lowered. 

Did you know?

  • The average proportion of recycled content in the production of ISOVER glass wool is 54%.
  • One roll of glass wool contains the equivalent of at least 10 recycled glass bottles.
  • The diameter of the hole through which molten glass is extruded to become fibers is around 1 millimetre.
  • Glass wool can be compressed up to 10 times its original thickness at the end of the production cycle, considerably reducing the costs of transport and storage.

LCA: The example of glass wool

A LCA assesses the use of resources, the releases into the air, ground and water, and the waste generation at each stage of the building life cycle, from the extraction of the raw materials to the products’ end of life following deconstruction or demolition of the building. 
LCA
LCA
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