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US 12,084,378 B2Granted
Feeder tank for a glass melter
AssigneeOwens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
InventorLiming Shi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A glass melting furnace and method for introducing batch feed material into a glass melter tank of the glass melting furnace are disclosed. The glass melting furnace comprises the glass melter tank, a feeder tank, and at least one conduit. The glass melter tank defines at least one melter tank inlet, a molten glass outlet, and an exhaust gas outlet, and the feeder tank, which is separate from the glass melter tank, defines a batch feed inlet and a feeder tank outlet. The at least one conduit is in fluid communication with the feeder tank outlet and the melter tank inlet. Moreover, the melter tank inlet is defined below a melt level of a glass melt contained within the glass melter tank and at least partially filling the at least one conduit.
Claims21
A glass melting furnace, comprising:
- a glass melter tank that defines at least one melter tank inlet, a molten glass outlet, and an exhaust gas outlet, the glass melter tank containing a first portion of a glass melt having a melt level rising above the melter tank inlet;
- a feeder tank that defines a batch feed inlet and a feeder tank outlet located below the melt level and that contains a second portion of the glass melt;
- and
- at least one conduit in fluid communication with the feeder tank outlet of the feeder tank and the melter tank inlet of the glass melter tank, and wherein a second portion of the glass melt at least partially fills the at least one conduit and also partially fills the feeder tank.
1 more element
A glass melting furnace, comprising:
- a glass melter tank that defines at least one melter tank inlet, a molten glass outlet, and an exhaust gas outlet, the glass melter tank containing a first portion of a glass melt having a melt level rising above the melter tank inlet;
- a feeder tank that defines a batch feed inlet and a feeder tank outlet below the melt level, wherein the feeder tank contains a second portion of the glass melt and includes
- a feeder bottom wall,
- a feeder top wall, and
- a feeder sidewall extending upwardly from the feeder bottom wall to the feeder top wall, and wherein each of the feeder bottom wall and the at least one conduit are angled downwardly with respect to horizontal;
- and
- at least one conduit in fluid communication with the feeder tank outlet of the feeder tank and the melter tank inlet of the glass melter tank, and wherein the second portion of the glass melt at least partially fills the at least one conduit and also partially fills the feeder tank.
4 more elements
A glass melting furnace, comprising:
- a glass melter tank that defines at least one melter tank inlet, a molten glass outlet, and an exhaust gas outlet, the glass melter tank containing a first portion of a glass melt having a melt level rising above the melter tank inlet;
- a feeder tank that defines a batch feed inlet and a feeder tank outlet;
- at least one conduit in fluid communication with the feeder tank outlet of the feeder tank and the melter tank inlet of the glass melter tank, and wherein a second portion of the glass melt fills the at least one conduit and at least partially fills the feeder tank;
- and
- a heat source in thermal communication with the feeder tank and configured to supply heat to the second portion of the glass melt that extends into the feeder tank in order to maintain the second portion of the glass melt at or above 1100° C.
2 more elements
A glass melting furnace, comprising:
- a glass melter tank that defines at least one melter tank inlet, a molten glass outlet, and an exhaust gas outlet, the glass melter tank containing a first portion of a glass melt having a melt level rising above the melter tank inlet;
- a feeder tank that defines a batch feed inlet and a feeder tank outlet and that includes
- a feeder bottom wall, a feeder top wall, and a feeder side wall extending upwardly from the feeder bottom wall to the feeder top wall, wherein the feeder bottom, top, and side walls define a tank chamber, and
- a piston configured to move reciprocally between the top feeder wall and the bottom feeder wall of the feeder tank and downwardly within the feeder tank away from the feeder top wall past the batch feed inlet and toward the feeder bottom wall;
- and
- at least one conduit in fluid communication with the feeder tank outlet of the feeder tank and the melter tank inlet of the glass melter tank.
3 more elements
A method for introducing batch feed material into a glass melting furnace, comprising:
- introducing batch feed material into a feeder tank that is separate from a glass melter tank but fluidly connected to the glass melter tank by at least one conduit;
- directing the batch feed material from a feeder tank outlet of the feeder tank, through the conduit, and into the glass melter tank through a melter tank inlet, the melter tank inlet being defined in the glass melter tank below a melt level of a glass melt contained in the glass melter tank and filling the at least one conduit and at least partially filling the feeder tank, wherein the melt level is above the feeder tank outlet;
- and
- melting the batch feed material in the glass melter tank.
1 more element
A glass melting furnace, comprising:
- a glass melter tank that defines at least one melter tank inlet, a molten glass outlet, and an exhaust gas outlet, the glass melter tank containing a first portion of a glass melt having a melt level rising above the melter tank inlet;
- a feeder tank that defines at least one batch feed inlet and a feeder tank outlet and that includes
- a feeder bottom wall, a feeder top wall, and a feeder side wall extending upwardly from the feeder bottom wall to the feeder top wall, wherein the feeder bottom, top, and side walls define a tank chamber, and
- a piston configured to move reciprocally between the top feeder wall and the bottom feeder wall of the feeder tank;
- and
- at least one conduit in fluid communication with the feeder tank outlet of the feeder tank and the melter tank inlet of the glass melter tank,
- wherein the at least one batch feed inlet is defined in the feeder side wall.
4 more elements
A glass melting furnace, comprising:
- a glass melter tank that defines at least one melter tank inlet, a molten glass outlet, and an exhaust gas outlet, the glass melter tank containing a first portion of a glass melt having a melt level rising above the melter tank inlet;
- a feeder tank that defines at least one batch feed inlet and a feeder tank outlet and that includes
- a feeder bottom wall, a feeder top wall, and a feeder side wall extending upwardly from the feeder bottom wall to the feeder top wall, wherein the feeder bottom, top, and side walls define a tank chamber, and
- a piston configured to move reciprocally between the top feeder wall and the bottom feeder wall of the feeder tank;
- and
- at least one conduit in fluid communication with the feeder tank outlet of the feeder tank and the melter tank inlet of the glass melter tank, wherein the feeder tank outlet is above the melt level.
3 more elements
A glass melting furnace, comprising:
- a glass melter tank that defines first and second melter tank inlets, a molten glass outlet, and an exhaust gas outlet, the glass melter tank containing a first portion of a glass melt having a melt level rising above the first melter tank inlet;
- a feeder tank that defines a batch feed inlet and first and second feeder tank outlets;
- and
- at least one conduit in fluid communication with at least one of the first feeder tank outlet or the second feeder tank outlet of the feeder tank and at least one of first melter tank inlet or the second melter tank inlet of the glass melter tank, and wherein a second portion of the glass melt at least partially fills the at least one conduit, wherein the at least one conduit includes
- a first conduit in fluid communication with the first feeder tank outlet of the feeder tank and the first melter tank inlet of the glass melter tank, and
- a second conduit spaced apart from the first conduit and in fluid communication with the second feeder tank outlet of the feeder tank and the second melter tank inlet of the glass melter tank.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.