Vortex process for melting glass

Abstract

A method of melting glass in a vortex reactor wherein first pulverized glass batch materials are entrained and preheated in a suspension preheater thereby creating a first gas-solids suspension. This first gas-solids suspension is thereafter mixed with a second gas-solids suspension comprised of additional glass batch material in a vortex reactor. The first gas-solids suspension and the second gas-solids suspension are introduced into the vortex reactor through at least one injector assembly. The stoichiometry and heat release in the vortex reactor are controlled by adjusting the oxidant/fuel ratio in the suspension preheater and the vortex reactor. The heated suspension particles are mixed and distributed to the walls of the vortex reactor by fluid mechanically induced centrifugal forces with glass forming reactions occurring along the vortex reactor walls. The formed glass is rapidly refined and homogenized along the vortex reactor walls in a thin layer under the influence of gas dynamic shear forces. The rapidly refined formed glass is collected in a reservoir for final refining and homogenization and distribution to glass manufacturing facilities.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.