Method of operation of a glass melting furnace and a glass melting furnace for the practice of the method

US6154481A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Beteiligungen Sorg GmbH & Co. KG · DE

Inventors

• Helmut Sorg · Lohr am Main, DE
• Helmut Pieper · Lohr am Main, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 6, 1999
• Grant date: Nov 28, 2000
• Expiry date: Apr 6, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C03B5/225
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

In a glass melting furnace, a radiation screen wall is installed between a melting area and a refining area with a refining bank. This radiation screen wall leaves a flow path above the melt surface of the glass bath for the return flow of at least part of the combustion gases from the refining area to the melting area. In order to suppress a return flow of already refined and very hot glass melt from the refining area into a melting area, but still allow the charging material to melt completely as early as possible, the furnace is operated to produce at least one upward current between the middle of the melting area and the front face of the refining bank in the glass melt. Within the glass melt and before the melt surface is reached, this upward current is divided into a first partial current which flows upstream into the melting area and a second partial current which flows downstream over the refining bank, whereby a return current of the glass melt from the refining area into the melting area is prevented by the second partial current flowing downstream. This upward current is achieved by the use of one or more of the following arrangements: a row of bubblers; a step projectin…