Zircon cord is a topic that continues to trouble many parts of the glass industry, & remains a priority issue for SORG. One question often asked is whether zircon cords can be removed by stirring. The simple answer is, theoretically, yes; but practically, no. Typical cords are very thin, & usually occur as a number of distinct cords grouped together. It is not difficult to distribute them so that they are no longer so distinctly visible. However, in practice, contaminated material is almost always right at the bottom of the channel. Even if it is feasible to disperse the glass with stirrers, it is only possible if the stirrers operate very close to the bottom refractory. The rate of wear on the stirrer paddles, & more importantly, the channel refractories will lead to major problems within a short time. SORG have produced the CONTI DRAIN to help solve this problem.
