Glass melting tanks and refractory material therefor
AssigneePilkington Brothers Limited
InventorStanley Lythgoe
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Abstract
The glass melting tank for supplying a flat glass forming process has a melting zone for melting solid batch material and a refining zone with reduced return flow of glass. The base of the refining zone comprises a fusion cast refractory material comprising alumina, silica and between 31% and 43% by weight of zirconia. The refractory is conditioned by oxidation at at least 1450.degree. C. for 24 hours.
Claims16
A glass melting tank having a melting zone for melting batch material to form molten glass and a shallow refining zone for refining the molten glass, the refining zone providing a shallow glass flow path wherein the major portion of the glass flow is forwards away from the melting zone, wherein said refining zone has a base with a fusion cast refractory material in contact with the molten glass, said fusion cast refractory material comprising alumina, silica and between 31% and 43% by weight of zirconia and being conditioned by oxidation at a temperature of at least 1450.degree. C. for a period of at least 24 hours whereby the conditioned, fusion cast refractory may be used in contact with molten glass in said shallow refining zone at a temperature of 1450.degree. C. with reduced bubble formation from interaction between the molten glass and the fused refractory.
A fusion cast refractory for use in a glass melting tank, which fusion cast refractory comprises alumina, silica and between 31% and 43% by weight of zirconia, wherein the fusion cast refractory is conditioned by oxidation at a temperature of at least 1450.degree. C. for a period of at least 24 hours whereby the fusion cast refractory may be used in contact with molten glass at a temperature of 1450.degree. C. without bubble formation from interaction between the molten glass and the fused refractory.
A method of forming a refractory for use in a glass melting tank, which method comprises heating a fusion cast refractory comprised of alumina, silica and between 31% and 43% by weight of zirconia at a temperature of at least 1450.degree. C. for a period of at least 24 hours so as to cause oxidation whereby the fusion cast refractory may be used in contact with molten glass at a temperature of 1450.degree.0 C. without excessive bubble formation from interaction between the molten glass and the fusion cast refractory.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.