Batch charger for a melting chamber

A method of feeding raw glass materials into a melting chamber having a plurality of walls, the method comprising:

• operating a feed assembly to deliver the raw glass batch materials into the melting chamber, the feed assembly comprising:
• a tubular body being hollow and having a first end and extending to a second end for connecting to one of the plurality of walls of the melting chamber, the tubular body comprising a port proximate the second end wherein the port has a first port end and tapers radially inwardly to a second port end at the second end such that the second port end has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than that of the first port end, also having an outer wall forming a coolant circulation void for circulating a coolant, with a coolant inlet in the tapered port proximate to the second end and a coolant outlet proximate the first end so that coolant enters the tubular body proximal to the second end, flows a full length of the tubular body, and exits the tubular body distal to the second end and proximal to the first end to cool the tubular body;
• and
• a batch charger disposed within the tubular body and having a first charger end and extending to a second charger end, wherein the second charger end is spaced away from the second end of the tubular body to provide a port space to fill with the raw glass batch materials, and wherein the batch charger is a screw batch charger having a central rotation shaft and a screw flight extending from the central rotation shaft so that the central rotation shaft and screw flight each form a coolant circulation void for circulating a coolant therein to cool the screw batch charger;
• filling the tubular body with the raw glass batch materials;
• and
• circulating the coolant in the voids of the tubular body and the batch charger central rotation shaft and screw flight to cool the tubular body and the screw batch charger.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a melting chamber having a plurality of walls and containing molten glass having a top level;
• and
• a feed assembly comprising:
• a tubular body being hollow and having a first end and extending to a second end, the second end of the tubular body being connected to one of the plurality of walls of the melting chamber below the top level of the molten glass contained within the melting chamber, the tubular body comprising a tapered port proximate the second end wherein the tapered port has a first port end and tapers radially inwardly to a second port end at the second end such that the second port end has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than that of the first port end, and also having an outer wall forming a coolant circulation void for circulating a coolant to cool the tubular body, with a coolant inlet in the tapered port proximate to the second end and a coolant outlet proximate the first end so that coolant enters the tubular body proximal to the second end and exits the tubular body distal to the second end and proximal to the first end;
• and
• a batch charger disposed within the tubular body and having a first charger end and extending to a second charger end, wherein the second charger end is spaced away from the second end of the tubular body to provide a port space to fill with the raw glass batch materials, and wherein the batch charger is a screw batch charger having a central rotation shaft and a screw flight extending from the central rotation shaft so that the central rotation shaft and screw flight each form a coolant circulation void for circulating a coolant therein to cool the screw batch charger.