Granted Patent B2

US 8,631,668 · App. 11/270,654 · Granted Jan 21, 2014

Abstract

Claims (35)

1. A method of creating a batch of recycled glass from mixed color recycled glass cullet, the method comprising:

receiving target specification data for mixed color recycled glass cullet from a glass plant;

receiving a first batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet provided by a first processing facility having a first color composition percentage, the first batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet comprising flint, green, and amber glass;

receiving a second batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet provided by a second processing facility having a second color composition percentage, the second batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet comprising flint, green, and amber glass; and

generating, after the receiving the target specification data, a third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet, the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet having specification data consistent with the target specification data, the generating including blending a first amount of the first batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet with a second amount of the second batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet, the first amount of the first batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet calculated at least in part by the first color composition of the first batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet, the second amount of the second batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet calculated at least in part by the second color composition percentage of the second batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet;

combining a portion of the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet with plant scrap to form a further color composition; and

adjusting the further color composition by combining raw materials with the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet and the plant scrap.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

producing glass at the glass plant, using at least the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet; and

determining a glass coloring oxide agent level to produce a desired color of a glass product, the glass product including at least a portion of the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the glass coloring oxide agent is copper oxide.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising producing glass at the glass plant, using at least the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet; wherein the produced glass has a desired transmission property.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining a glass coloring oxide agent level to produce the desired transmission property.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first color composition percentage and the second color composition percentage is analyzed by at least one optical imaging device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the at least one of the first color composition percentage, the second color composition percentage, and the third color composition percentage for use on a specification sheet.

8. A method of creating a consistent feed stream to glass plant of mixed color recycled glass cullet, the method comprising:

receiving a first batch of recycled glass provided by a first processing facility, the first batch of recycled glass comprising flint, green and amber glass;

removing contaminants from the first batch of recycled glass;

separating a first portion of glass from the first batch of recycled glass, the first portion of glass including pieces of glass greater than approximately 0.625 inches in size;

crushing said separated first portion of glass to a piece size of less than 0.625 inches;

returning, after the crushing, said first portion of glass to the first batch of recycled glass;

measuring the color composition percentage of the first batch of recycled glass; and

combining a first portion of the first batch of recycled glass with a second portion of a second batch of recycled glass provided by a second processing facility having a second color composition percentage to generate a third batch of recycled glass having a third color composition percentage, the second batch of recycled glass comprising flint, green and amber glass, the third color composition percentage being consistent with a color composition percentage specified by a glass plant before the combining;

combining a portion of the third batch of recycled glass with plant scrap to form a further color composition; and

adjusting the further color composition by combining raw materials with the third batch of recycled glass and the plant scrap.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one of the first color composition percentage and the second color composition percentage is analyzed by at least one optical imaging device.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising storing the at least one of the first color composition percentage, the second color composition percentage, and the third color composition percentage for use on a specification sheet.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the third color composition percentage of the third batch of recycled glass is consistent with the specified color composition percentage when the third color composition percentage of the third batch of recycled glass is (1) equal to the specified color composition percentage, or (2) within a predetermined percentage range identified by the specified color composition percentage.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target specification data includes at least one of one of a color specification, purity specification, and contaminant specification.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specification data of the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet is consistent with the target specification data when the specification data of the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet is (1) equal to the target specification, or (2) within a predetermined percentage range identified by the target specification.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specification data of the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet includes data associated with a third color composition percentage of the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet, the third color composition percentage of the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet is consistent with a specified color composition percentage included in the target specification data such that the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet can be used in a glass production process by the glass plant, the glass production process having determined a glass coloring oxide agent level before the generating the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

reducing the organic content of the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet.

16. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

reducing the organic content of the third batch of mixed color recycled glass cullet.

Assignments (15)