High sodium oxide composition useful in the manufacture of glass

Claim 2

A dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates consisting essentially of sodium, potassium, aluminum, magnesium, silicon and calcium oxides, useful as an additive in the manufacture of glass; said composition being characterized by a sodium content (determined as sodium oxide) of from 25 to as much as 58 weight percent and a silica content of less than 35 weight percent, the ratio of sodium oxide to aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides being in the range of from about 0.67:1 to about 1.13:1 and the ratio of silicon dioxide to sodium, potassium, aluminum, calcium and magnesium oxides being in the range of from about 0.35:1 to about 0.57:1.

Claim 3

The high sodium oxide composition of claim 2 containing from about 25 to about 40 weight percent sodium oxide and characterized by a ratio of sodium oxide to magnesium and calcium oxides of from about 0.76:1 to about 1.44:1.

Claim 4

A dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates useful as an additive in the manufacture of glass obtained by (a) heating a mixture of a silicate selected from the group consisting of shale, low silicate clays and phosphate slag with a sodium carbonate ore until substantially all of the carbonates present in said ore are decomposed to form carbon dioxide said composition consisting essentially of sodium, potassium, aluminum, magnesium, silicon and calcium oxides and being characterized by a sodium content (determined as sodium oxide) of from 25 to as much as 58 weight percent and a silica content of less than 35 weight percent, the ratio of sodium oxide to aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides being in the range of from about 0.67:1 to about 1.13:1, and the ratio of silicon dioxide to sodium, potassium, aluminum, calcium and magnesium oxides being in the range of from about 0.35:1 to about 0.57:1, and (b) granulating the product so obtained.

Claim 5

A dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates useful as an additive in the manufacture of glass obtained by (a) heating a mixture of a silicate selected from the group consisting of shale, low silicate clays and phosphate slag with a sodium carbonate ore until substantially all of the carbonates present in said ore are decomposed to form carbon dioxide said composition consisting essentially of sodium, potassium, aluminum, magnesium, silicon and calcium oxides and being characterized by a sodium content (determined as sodium oxide) of from 25 to as much as 58 weight percent and a silica content of less than 35 weight percent, the ratio of sodium oxide to aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides being in the range of from about 0.67:1 to about 1.13:1, and the ratio of silicon dioxide to sodium, potassium, aluminum, calcium and magnesium oxides being in the range of from about 0.35:1 to about 0.57:1, and (b) granulating the product so obtained.

Claim 6

The composition of claim 3 wherein the sodium carbonate ore is trona.

Claim 7

The composition of claim 3 wherein the sodium carbonate ore is nahcolite.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 3 wherein the silicate is phosphate rock slag.

Claim 9

The composition of claim 3 wherein the silicate is bentonite.

Claim 10

A dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates useful as an additive in the manufacture of glass obtained by (a) heating a mixture of spent oil shale with a sodium carbonate ore until substantially all of the carbonates present in said ore are decomposed to form carbon dioxide said composition consisting essentially of sodium, potassium, aluminum, magnesium, silicon and calcium oxides and being characterized by a sodium content (determined as sodium oxide) of from 25 to as much as 58 weight percent and a silica content of less than 35 weight percent, the ratio of sodium oxide to aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides being in the range of from about 0.67:1 to about 1.13:1, and the ratio of silicon dioxide to sodium, potassium, aluminum, calcium and magnesium oxides being in the range of from about 0.35:1 to about 0.57:1, and (b) granulating the product so obtained.

Claim 11

A dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates useful as an additive in the manufacture of glass obtained by (a) heating a mixture of spent oil shale with a sodium carbonate ore until substantially all of the carbonates present in said ore are decomposed to form carbon dioxide said composition consisting essentially of sodium, potassium, aluminum, magnesium, silicon and calcium oxides and being characterized by a sodium content (determined as sodium oxide) of from 25 to as much as 58 weight percent and a silica content of less than 35 weight percent, the ratio of sodium oxide to aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides being in the range of from about 0.67:1 to about 1.13:1, and the ratio of silicon dioxide to sodium, potassium, aluminum, calcium and magnesium oxides being in the range of from about 0.35:1 to about 0.57:1, and (b) granulating the product so obtained.

Claim 12

The composition of claim 8 wherein the sodium carbonate ore is trona.

Claim 13

The composition of claim 8 wherein the sodium carbonate ore is nahcolite.

Claim 14

A dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates useful as an additive in the manufacture of glass obtained by mixing oil shale with a sodium carbonate ore, and heating the mixture to a temperature sufficiently high to ignite and burn the combustibles present in said oil shale and decompose substantially all of the carbonates present in said ore to form carbon dioxide said composition consisting essentially of sodium, potassium, aluminum, magnesium, silicon and calcium oxides and being characterized by a sodium content (determined as sodium oxide) of from 25 to as much as 58 weight percent and a silica content of less than 35 weight percent, the ratio of sodium oxide to aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides being in the range of from about 0.67:1 to about 1.13:1 and the ratio of silicon dioxide to sodium, potassium, aluminum, calcium and magnesium oxides being in the range of from about 0.35:1 to about 0.57:1, and (b) granulating the product so obtained.

Claim 15

A dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates useful as an additive in the manufacture of glass obtained by mixing oil shale with a sodium carbonate ore, and heating the mixture to a temperature sufficiently high to ignite and burn the combustibles present in said oil shale and decompose substantially all of the carbonates present in said ore to form carbon dioxide said composition consisting essentially of sodium, potassium, aluminum, magnesium, silicon and calcium oxides and being characterized by a sodium content (determined as sodium oxide) of from 25 to as much as 58 weight percent and a silica content of less than 35 weight percent, the ratio of sodium oxide to aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides being in the range of from about 0.67:1 to about 1.13:1 and the ratio of silicon dioxide to sodium, potassium, aluminum, calcium and magnesium oxides being in the range of from about 0.35:1 to about 0.57:1, and (b) granulating the product so obtained.

Claim 16

The composition of claim 11 wherein the sodium carbonate ore is trona.

Claim 17

The composition of claim 11 wherein the sodium carbonate ore is nahcolite.

Claim 18

A dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates consisting essentially of silica, about 36 weight percent sodium oxide and about 32 weight percent of aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides, useful in the manufacture of glass, obtained by (a) mixing oil shale with a sodium ore, heating the mixture to a temperature sufficiently high to ignite and burn the combustibles present in said oil shale and decompose substantially all of the carbonates present in said ore to form carbon dioxide and (b) granulating the resulting product.

Claim 19

A dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates consisting essentially of silica, about 36 weight percent sodium oxide and about 32 weight percent of aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides, useful in the manufacture of glass, obtained by (a) mixing oil shale with a sodium ore, heating the mixture to a temperature sufficiently high to ignite and burn the combustibles present in said oil shale and decompose substantially all of the carbonates present in said ore to form carbon dioxide and (b) granulating the resulting product.

Claim 20

The composition of claim 14 wherein the sodium ore is trona.

Claim 21

The composition of claim 14 wherein the sodium ore is nahcolite.

Claim 22

A dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates useful as an additive in the manufacture of glass obtained by (a) mixing trona with tailings from the trona mine and heating the mixture until substantially all of the carbonates present are decomposed to form carbon dioxide said composition consisting essentially of sodium, potassium, aluminum, magnesium, silicon and calcium oxides and being characterized by a sodium content (determined as sodium oxide) of from 25 to as much as 58 weight percent and a silica content of less than 35 weight percent, the ratio of sodium oxide to aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides being in the range of from about 0.67:1 to about 1.13:1 and the ratio of silicon dioxide to sodium, potassium, aluminum, calcium and magnesium oxides being in the range of from about 0.35:1 to about 0.57:1, and (b) granulating the product so obtained.

Claim 23

A dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates useful as an additive in the manufacture of glass obtained by (a) mixing trona with tailings from the trona mine and heating the mixture until substantially all of the carbonates present are decomposed to form carbon dioxide said composition consisting essentially of sodium, potassium, aluminum, magnesium, silicon and calcium oxides and being characterized by a sodium content (determined as sodium oxide) of from 25 to as much as 58 weight percent and a silica content of less than 35 weight percent, the ratio of sodium oxide to aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides being in the range of from about 0.67:1 to about 1.13:1 and the ratio of silicon dioxide to sodium, potassium, aluminum, calcium and magnesium oxides being in the range of from about 0.35:1 to about 0.57:1, and (b) granulating the product so obtained.

Claim 24

In the manufacture of glass, the improvement which comprises adding to the glass batch a dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates consisting essentially of from 25 to as much as 58 weight percent sodium (determined as sodium oxide), silica in amounts less than 35 weight percent, potassium, aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides; the ratio of sodium oxide to aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides being in the range of from 0.67:1 to about 1.13:1 and the ratio of silicon dioxide to sodium, potassium, aluminum, calcium and magnesium oxides being in the range of from about 0.35:1 to about 0.57:1 and heating the glass batch to fusion temperature.

Claim 25

In the manufacture of glass, the improvement which comprises adding to the glass batch a dry granulated prefused high sodium oxide composition that does not readily absorb water or carbon dioxide and is substantially free of carbonates consisting essentially of from 25 to as much as 58 weight percent sodium (determined as sodium oxide), silica in amounts less than 35 weight percent, potassium, aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides; the ratio of sodium oxide to aluminum, magnesium and calcium oxides being in the range of from 0.67:1 to about 1.13:1 and the ratio of silicon dioxide to sodium, potassium, aluminum, calcium and magnesium oxides being in the range of from about 0.35:1 to about 0.57:1 and heating the glass batch to fusion temperature.

Claim 26

The process of claim 18 wherein the composition contains from 25 to 40 weight percent sodium (determined as sodium oxide).

Claim 27

The process of claim 19 wherein the weight ratio of sodium oxide to magnesium and calcium oxides present in the composition is from about 0.76:1 to about 1.44:1.