Process for producing glass in a rotary furnace

A continuous process for melting inorganic raw materials to produce molten glass in a generally cylindrical continuously rotating chamber comprising the following steps:

• a. feeding the raw materials into the chamber;
• b. providing a flame of high intensity heat produced by the combustion of fuel with a gas containing about 50 to about 100 percent by volume oxygen and directing the flame into the chamber in such a manner that the raw materials are melted;
• and
• c. rotating said chamber at a sufficient speed and cooling the exterior of the chamber with a liquid coolant in such a manner that the inner surface of the chamber is coated with a layer of molten glass, the layer is solidified, and a solidified layer of glass is maintained throughout the process whereby the solidified layer essentially prevents impurities from the inner surface of the chamber from entering the melt;
• and
• d. withdrawing molten glass.