Translucent Channel Glass System

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Contents 1 Material analysis 1.1 Traditional use 1.2 Emerging use and trends 1.3 Finish and aesthetic qualities 1.4 Surface forms / shapes 1.5 Cost analysis 2 Material properties 2.1 Common application 2.2 Material performance 2.3 Thermal property 2.4 Electrical property 2.5 Acoustic property 2.6 Dimensional and opening restriction 2.7 Manufacturing process and assembly 3 Environmental impact 3.1 Ecological footprint 3.2 Ecological advantages 3.3 Recycling Opportunities 3.4 LEED 4 Life Safety & Rating Standards 4.1 Flammability rating 5 References 5.1 Notes 5.2 Student contributions 6 See also 6.1 Similar materials 6.2 Building references 7 External links 7.1 Additional resources 7.2 Leading manufacturers

Material analysis

MasterFormat Number: 08505

Traditional use

• Typical interior frame systems are designed for single and double glazed installations in vertical and horizontal configurations.
• Interior installations can be designed for partition walls or for load-bearing structures.
• Exterior frame systems are engineered to support different applications including rain screens and curtain walls.
• The idea of using translucent colored glass to decorate windows was originated in Constantinople during the sixth century A.D. These technical skills spread throughout Christian Europe. Manufacture and use of stained or frosted glazing developed fast as the amount of cathedrals and churches increased.
• Designers and users can control the desirable amount of light using glass with different thickness, translucency and colour.

Emerging use and trends

• Offers a unique alternative to conventional interior, exterior, vertical, and horizontal glass wall systems.
• Provides "museum quality" light without glare, shadows or hotspots. Comfortable to human eyes, especially for people who needs to work in reflective environment such as computer screens, shiny table surface.
• Increasing use in art application; brings sense of fluidity to physically hard materials.
• The glass channels can be engineered for use in egress applications.
• Growing applications include store fronts, office buildings and factories because of the high levels of natural light that the channels allow into the space.
• Use in LEED applications is increasing due to its make-up of over 60% post-consumer and factory recycled glass.

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Finish and aesthetic qualities

• Translucent glass maintains the glass’s ability to reflect and transmit light, while keeping the space in privacy and sensuality of light.
• Various colored ceramic sheets can be applied for added color to the channels.
• A wide variety of pattern and texture is available. Typical finishes include soft diffuse(slight rib or sandblast), slub(corduroy ribbed), Low E and blue/green hues that enhance thermal properties.
• Many companies also offer a prism-like pattern that bends light and harvests solar heat within a space. When installed horizontally the prism allows a higher amount of solar radiation to pass through in the winter months and reflects a higher percentage of that radiation in the summer months.
• A variety of powder coated color options are available for the framing.

Surface forms / shapes

• U shaped channels can be ordered in .24" or .28" thickness, have a flange height of 1-5/8" or 2-3/8" and vary in width from 9-1/8" to 19-5/8"(see Opening Restrictions for all widths).
• They are available in lengths of up to 23 feet.
• Custom framing can be built to accommodate curved/serpentine installations.
• Light transmission can be influenced with the amount of finishes. The subtractive process includes grinding, polling or creating a matt service. The addictive processes are coating(think or thick) or with laminated film.
• There are coatings created for chemical reaction and for the dipping or the vacuum process.

Cost analysis

• $12 - $25 /SqFt: depending on quantity, treatment and finish

Material properties

Common application

• Structural use: curtain walls, trombe walls, roofs and rain screens
• Interiors: Mostly installed on ceiling, doors, windows and divider panel
• Often used in commercial and institutional spaces

Material performance

• Vertical channel glass systems allow for virtually unlimited glass facades without interim frame support. Whether 10' wide or over 500' wide, the channels provide uninterrupted spans of pure glass with the ability to turn corners and accommodate serpentine designs. They may be also stacked to create previously unattainable heights.
• A breakthrough in framing has allowed the normal aluminum frames to be replaced with steel frames which are 3x stronger and conduct less heat. This has allowed the framing systems to be sleeker and slimmer, allowing for the glass surfacing to cover approximately 3x more area than it originally could.

Thermal property

• Glass is a poor conductor of heat. Glass exposed to sudden temperature change may leads to fracture.
• The glass thickness has only a marginal effect in this aspect.
• The degree of radiation can be controlled by coatings.
• Thermal expansion depends on the chemical composition.

Electrical property

• Glass has very high electrical resistance, since the material has strong directional interatomic bonds, the outer electrons of the individual atoms are restricted to them. Electric current are not free to conduct.

Acoustic property

• Standard STC Rating- 42 can vary according to specification and use of single or double glazed walls.

Dimensional and opening restriction

• The placement of openings needs to be calculated and may be accommodated by selecting varying widths.
• Available widths: 9-1/8", 10-5/16", 13-1/32" & 19-5/8"

Manufacturing process and assembly

• Channel glass forms are made up of sand, lime, soda, and recycled glass. The mix is combined in a melting furnace which results in a ribbon of molten glass. It is then drawn over a series of steel rollers to form a continuous glass channel of specific dimensions and surface finish. The endless ribbon of channel glass is carefully cooled and cut prior to custom processing and packaging for dispatch.
• Produced according to safety and impact standards as a single plank and as an assembly. The tempering process allows the product to be used in areas requiring safety glazing.
• The frame and sills can be shaped to form walls with curves. The glass channels can be installed vertically or horizontally in interior or exterior applications.
• Translucent glass is made using sandblasting and acid etching techniques. The former involves the blasting of glass using small abrasive sand particles and high-pressure air. When sandblasted glass is submerged into hydrofluoric and hydrochloric acids, acid-etched glass is produced. The product can be coated or silvered.

Environmental impact

Ecological footprint

• The manufacturing process requires energy in extraction and transportation of raw materials, as well as the heating process.
• Globally, energy used in the production of container and flat glass leads to emissions up to 60 million tonnes carbon dioxide per year.
• Emissions from the decarbonisation of soda ash and limestone contribute up to 200 kg CO2 per tonne of product, depending on the specific composition of glass and the amount of cullet used.
• The melting process accounts for about 10 to 30% of the total energy input. The furnaces have great demand for energy as they are continuously operated to obtain high temperature.

Ecological advantages

• Improves thermal and acoustic insulation
• It helps to maintain a balance in light transmission and energy efficiency. Its light-diffusing quality helps illuminating the space with less artificial lights. In afternoons or summers when sunlight is most intense, translucent glass acts as a shading device.
• Standard Cast: U-Value - 0.49, Light Transmission - 75%, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient - 0.69, STC rating - 42
• Amethyst: U-Value - 0.49, Light Transmission - 52%, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient - 0.69, STC rating - 42
• Antisol: U-Value - 0.49, Light Transmission - 40%, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient - 0.39, STC rating - 42
• Plus 1.7 (Low-E): U-Value - 0.34, Light Transmission - 70%, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient - 0.45, STC rating - 42
• 60% Post-consumer and factory recycled glass

Recycling Opportunities

• Although the degree of reuse depends on purity of the glass, all glass can be recycled.
• 10 per cent cullet use can save 3 per cent furnace energy consumption, leading to reduction in carbon dioxide emission.
• It also reduces soda production during the manufacturing process. Less soda is needed when recycled glass is used as feedstock. Using 10% extra cullet can result in 1.0 GJ/t additional savings.
• The current average glass recycling rate is about 50%. Yet, it varies widely for different types of glass and in different place.
• The process: (1)mix reclaimed scrap glass with raw materials

(2)melt the batch in furnace at temperatures around 1200˚C to 1400 ˚C (3)can burn at a lower temperature if more cullets are used (4)the melted glass is dropped into a forming machine and being blown, pressed, rolled or floated, depending on the final product

• Noted that the process requires extensive sorting and cleaning prior to batch treatment. Impurities have higher melting temperatures than the glass and will form a solid inclusion in the outcome.

LEED

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Life Safety & Rating Standards

• ASTM F 588-97, NFRC 100-97, ANSI Z97.1-984, CPSC 16CFR1201, Cat II

Flammability rating

• Self-extinguishing - Temperature resistant up to 120° C (272°F)

References

Notes

Student contributions

• Klaudia T White, Spring 2010
• edit this entry, semester

See also

Similar materials

• Crystallized Glass Ceramic Panels

Building references

• Shaw Center for the Arts in Baton Rouge, LA www.shawcenter.org

External links

Additional resources

• http://www.tgpamerica.com
• http://www.bendheimwall.com

Leading manufacturers

• TGP America
• CitiGlass Group LTD
• Bendheim Wall Systems, Inc.
• Pilkington Group Limited
• Pollard Windows INC
• Kit Glass Manufacturing Company