Is the glass industry's commonly known "0.3% self-explosion rate" really scientific and reasonable?


Release time:

Feb 21,2025

 

The term "self-explosion rate of three per thousand" commonly used in the glass industry, although widely cited, does have certain controversies regarding its scientific rationality. Below is a detailed analysis of this statement:

1. Source of the three per thousand self-explosion rate

It is said that this statement originated from a survey report by a French consulting company regarding the tempered glass market, which has been cited in the industry ever since. However, this figure does not have a clear national standard or industry norm to support it, so its scientific rationality is open to discussion.

Self-exploding tempered glass (2)

2. Calculation methods and influencing factors of the self-explosion rate

The self-explosion rate is a complex statistical data that is influenced by various factors, including the impurity content in the glass raw materials, production processes, glass thickness and size, etc.

Therefore, the calculation of the self-explosion rate is not simple and direct, but requires a comprehensive consideration of various factors.

Impurity content: Impurities such as nickel sulfide (NiS) in glass raw materials are one of the main causes of self-explosion. When nickel sulfide undergoes a phase change in glass, it expands in volume, which can trigger the self-explosion of the glass. Therefore, the impurity content in the raw materials directly affects the self-explosion rate.

Production process: The production process also has a significant impact on the self-explosion rate. For example, stress control during the tempering process and the quality of edge processing can affect the self-explosion rate.

 

Glass thickness and size: The thicker and larger the glass, the higher the self-explosion rate usually is. This is because when producing fewer large-sized glass pieces with the same quality of glass material, the impurity content is relatively concentrated, increasing the risk of self-explosion.

Self-exploding tempered glass (2)

3. Controversy over the rationality of the three per thousand self-explosion rate

Limitations of statistical data: The figure of three per thousand self-explosion rate is derived from years of statistical results, but the limitations of statistical data mean that this figure is not absolutely accurate. The self-explosion rates of glass from different sources and production processes may vary significantly.

 

Lack of industry standards: Currently, there are no clear national regulations or industry standards to define the allowable self-explosion rate for tempered glass. Therefore, the figure of three per thousand lacks authoritative support in terms of scientific rationality.

Differences in practical applications: In practical applications, the self-explosion rate of glass may vary significantly in different scenarios. For example, uneven heating of glass inside and outside in high-temperature weather may increase the risk of self-explosion; while glass made from high-quality raw materials and advanced production processes may have a relatively low self-explosion rate.

Self-exploding tempered glass (4)

4. Conclusion

In summary, although the term "self-explosion rate of three per thousand" commonly used in the glass industry is widely cited, its scientific rationality is indeed controversial. Due to the limitations of statistical data, the lack of industry standards, and differences in practical applications, this figure is not absolutely accurate or universally applicable.

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Therefore, when evaluating the self-explosion rate of glass, various factors should be comprehensively considered, and judgments should be made based on specific situations. At the same time, glass manufacturing companies and users should also strengthen quality control and risk prevention measures to reduce the self-explosion rate and improve the safety and reliability of glass products.