USE OF CATHODE RAY TUBE (CRT) GLASS WASTE TO PRODUCE GLASS FOAM BY MICROWAVE RADIATION

Abstract

The paper presents experimental results obtained in the manufacturing process of a glass foam with good characteristics of insulating material (porosity of 90%, thermal conductivity of 0.042 W/m·K and compressive strength of 2.1 MPa) usable in construction. The basic raw material was recycled panel glass from cathode ray tube (CRT) waste. The heating technique was unconventional by using the microwave energy unlike the conventional techniques applied both in the industrial glass foam manufacture and in the numerous small-scale experiments known in the literature. The tests have shown an excellent energy efficiency, the specific energy consumption (0.72 kWh/kg) being more economical than that corresponding to the industrial manufacturing processes of glass foam.