Method for controlling currents in glass melter
AssigneePPG Industries, Inc.
InventorsJohn F. Krumwiede, William C. Harrell, William G. Hilliard, James E. Harris
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a glass melting furnace, the beneficial effects of passing molten glass streams through the intensified heating at the surface of the "spring zone" are enhanced by the use of bubblers. In one aspect, the rate of bubbling is greater near a side wall of the furnace than in the center immediately upstream of the spring zone so as to direct side portions of the throughput stream into the spring zone. In another aspect of the invention, the rising currents of the spring zone are enhanced by bubbling a stream entering the spring zone at a first elevation and then bubbling the same stream portion at a higher elevation.
Claims9
A method of melting glass comprising feeding a layer of glass batch materials onto a pool of molten glass at an upstream end of a furnace, withdrawing molten glass at a downstream end of the furnace longitudinally spaced from the upstream end, providing heat to the furnace above the pool of molten glass so as to melt the glass, whereby a zone of rising glass currents is established in the pool between the downstream end of the batch layer and the downstream end of the furnace, on the upstream side of the zone of rising glass currents injecting gas into the molten glass at a plurality of locations extending transversely across the furnace so as to enhance the rising glass currents, the gas injection in at least one transverse side portion being sustained at a volume rate at least ten percent greater than the rate of gas injection in central portions of the furnace.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.