# US 2014/0190214 A1 · Submerged combustion glass manufacturing system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190214 A1 - Document ID: US20140190214A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/208,029 - Filed: 2014-03-13 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-10-07 - Assignees: Johns Manville - Applicants: Johns Manville - Inventors: Aaron Morgan Huber; Marlon Keith Martin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190214A1 ## CPC - C03B 5/167: Means for preventing damage to equipment, e.g. by molten glass, hot gases, batches (C03B5/20, C03B5/42 take precedence) - C03B 5/183: using thermal means, e.g. for creating convection currents - C03B 5/193: using gas, e.g. bubblers - C03B 5/2353: {by combustion with pure oxygen or oxygen-enriched air, e.g. using oxy-fuel burners or oxygen lances} - C03B 5/2356: {Submerged heating, e.g. by using heat pipes, hot gas or submerged combustion burners (bubblers C03B5/193)} - C03B 5/237: Regenerators or recuperators specially adapted for glass-melting furnaces - C03B 2211/22: by direct combustion in the melt - C03B 2211/23: using oxygen, i.e. pure oxygen or oxygen-enriched air - C03B 2211/40: using oxy-fuel burners - C03B: MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES ## Abstract Submerged combustion glass manufacturing systems include a melter having a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, and an exhaust passage through the roof. One or more submerged combustion burners are mounted in the floor and/or wall structure discharging combustion products under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in the material. The melter exhausts through an exhaust structure connecting the exhaust passage with an exhaust stack. The exhaust structure includes a barrier defining an exhaust chamber having an interior surface, the exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the melter. The barrier maintains temperature and pressure in the exhaust structure at values sufficient to substantially prevent condensation of exhaust material on the interior surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A submerged combustion glass manufacturing system comprising: a melter comprising a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, and an exhaust passage through the roof; one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material; and an exhaust structure fluidly connecting the exhaust passage with an exhaust stack, the exhaust structure comprising a barrier preventing exhaust material from contacting the atmosphere, the barrier defining an exhaust chamber having an interior surface, the exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the melter, the barrier configured to maintain temperature and pressure in the exhaust structure at values sufficient to substantially prevent condensation of exhaust material on the interior surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the exhaust passage and exhaust chamber have a cross-sectional area at least large enough to allow non-turbulent flow of exhaust gases in the exhaust material through the passage and chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the barrier of the exhaust structure is constructed of materials selected from the group consisting of refractory, metal, and combinations thereof, with the proviso that if metal, the service temperature of the metal is higher than the temperature of the exhaust materials. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the barrier of the exhaust structure comprises a refractory lined metal layer wherein the refractory comprises the interior surface of the barrier, the metal layer having one or more air-cooled surfaces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4 wherein the metal layer is Inconel, and the air-cooled surfaces are steel. ### Claim 6 A submerged combustion glass manufacturing system comprising: a melter comprising a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, a feed inlet in a feed end, a molten glass outlet in an exit end, and an exhaust passage through the roof positioned substantially centrally between the feed and exit ends; one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material; and an exhaust structure fluidly connecting the exhaust passage with an exhaust stack, the exhaust structure comprising: a barrier preventing exhaust material from contacting the atmosphere, the barrier defining an exhaust chamber having an interior surface, the exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the melter, the barrier configured to maintain temperature and pressure in the exhaust structure at values sufficient to substantially prevent condensation of exhaust material on the interior surface; a liquid-cooled transition structure fluidly connecting the exhaust passage and the exhaust structure; and an air inspirator fluidly connecting the barrier and the exhaust stack. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein the air inspirator is selected from the group consisting of one or more adjustable panels, and one or more adjustable hoods. ### Claim 8 A submerged combustion glass manufacturing method comprising: melting glass-forming materials in a submerged combustion melter, the melter comprising a floor, a roof, and a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, and an exhaust passage through the roof; combusting a fuel in one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners discharging combustion products under a level of the glass-forming material being melted in the melter and creating turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material; and exhausting exhaust material from the melter through an exhaust structure fluidly connecting the exhaust passage with an exhaust stack, the exhaust structure comprising a barrier preventing the exhaust material from contacting the atmosphere, the barrier defining an exhaust chamber having an interior surface, the barrier configured to maintain temperature and pressure in the exhaust structure at values sufficient to substantially prevent the exhaust material from condensing on the interior surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the exhaust passage is substantially centrally located between a feed end and an exit end of the melter, and the exhausting of the exhaust material through the exhaust structure comprises exhausting the exhaust material substantially centrally between the feed end and the exit end of the melter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 comprising cooling the exhaust material prior to the exhaust chamber by flowing the exhaust material through a liquid-cooled transition structure fluidly connecting the exhaust passage and the barrier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 comprising inspiring air into the exhaust material through an air inspirator fluidly connecting the barrier and the exhaust stack. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 comprising adjusting the air inspirator to allow more or less air to enter the stack. ### Claim 13 A submerged combustion method of manufacturing glass comprising: melting glass-forming materials in a submerged combustion melter, the melter comprising a floor, a roof, and a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, and an exhaust passage through the roof; combusting a fuel in one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners discharging combustion products under a level of the glass-forming material being melted in the melter and creating turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material; and exhausting exhaust material from the melter through an exhaust structure fluidly connecting the exhaust passage with an exhaust stack, wherein the exhaust passage is substantially centrally located between a feed end and an exit end of the melter, and the exhausting of the exhaust material through the exhaust structure comprises exhausting the exhaust material substantially centrally between the feed end and the exit end of the melter, wherein the exhaust structure comprises: a barrier preventing the exhaust material from contacting the atmosphere, the barrier defining an exhaust chamber having an interior surface, the barrier configured to maintain temperature and pressure in the exhaust structure at values sufficient to substantially prevent the exhaust material from condensing on the interior surface; a liquid-cooled transition structure fluidly connecting the exhaust passage and the exhaust structure; and an air inspirator fluidly connecting the barrier and the exhaust stack.