Pyrotek’s P-25W carbon material a durable solution for hot-glass applications

Milton Hershey, Supply Chain Manager, Pyrotek’s Global Glass Division, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA - For hot-glass applications, Pyrotek’s P-25W carbon/carbon ware handling material is hard and durable and has high strength, low thermal conductivity, minimal porosity and high temperature stability.   

Top, a stacker bar with P-25W carbon/carbon inserts. Bottom, inserts made from P-25W are durable and heat resistant.

Q: What are P-25W’s basic characteristics?

A: P-25W carbon/carbon material is tough, durable, heat resistant and has low thermal conductivity. The material can be used in applications up to 1500°C (2700°F). It can be produced in thicknesses up to 127 millimetres (5 inches).

Q: What are the benefits of using this material?

A: P-25W is a viable solution for container manufacturers who are experiencing unacceptable container scrap rates and/or short life from hot-glass contact materials. It has long life in hot-glass contact areas. Its properties and competitive price, bring considerable value to glass manufacturers.

Q: What are the best applications for P-25W in a container glass plant?

A: In container plants, P-25W performs best in the most demanding applications, such as mould top inserts, deadplates, sweep-out fingers, lehr transfer plates and stacker/ pusher contact inserts.

Q: Are there other applications for this product in the glassmaking industry?

A: One container-glass recently trialled P-25W inserts in the bottle take-out application, and the continuous operating lifetime of these was several months. It is exciting to consider the enormous value P-25W could bring to the most problematic take-out applications a glass container manufacturer could have, one where constant, extreme heat and harsh handling conditions often result in frequent section shutdowns to replace broken inserts.

Q: What other materials are used for those applications and how does P-25W compare?

A: Graphite, stainless steel and bronze are common deadplate materials. Graphite is brittle, and bronze and steel conduct heat out of a newly formed container, possibly resulting in defects in the bottom of the container. P-25W, conversely, is extremely tough and exhibits low thermal conductivity.

Q: In what situations would P-25W not be ideal?

A: Repetitive, direct contact with liquid or vapour cleaning solutions, in a hot environment, likely will result in a shortened life.

Q: How can manufacturers extend the life of products made of P-25W?

A: Good maintenance—avoid having non-oil based liquids come into contact with P-25W.

Q: What are some successes Pyrotek has seen with this material?

A: Currently, the most prevalent and promising P-25W applications are as fingers/pads for sweep-out assemblies and lehr pusher pads/inserts. For one European customer who was experiencing thermal bottom checks caused by stainless steel deadplates, the carbon material significantly reduced the company’s 4 percent scrap rate.

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