Process of using a submerged combustion melter to produce hollow glass fiber or solid glass fiber having entrained bubbles, and burners and systems to make such fibers

摘要

Processes and systems for producing glass fibers having regions devoid of glass using submerged combustion melters, including feeding a vitrifiable feed material into a feed inlet of a melting zone of a melter vessel, and heating the vitrifiable material with at least one burner directing combustion products of an oxidant and a first fuel into the melting zone under a level of the molten material in the zone. One or more of the burners is configured to impart heat and turbulence to the molten material, producing a turbulent molten material comprising a plurality of bubbles suspended in the molten material, the bubbles comprising at least some of the combustion products, and optionally other gas species introduced by the burners. The molten material and bubbles are drawn through a bushing fluidly connected to a forehearth to produce a glass fiber comprising a plurality of interior regions substantially devoid of glass.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a first conduit comprising a first end, a second end, a longitudinal bore having a longitudinal axis, and an external surface: a second conduit substantially concentric with the first conduit, the second conduit comprising a first end, a second end, and an internal surface; the first and second conduits configured to form a primary annulus between the external surface of the first conduit and the internal surface of the second conduit; a third substantially concentric conduit comprising a first end, a second end, and an internal surface, the internal surface of the third conduit forming, with an exterior surface of the second conduit, a secondary annulus external to the primary annulus; a top end plate sealing the first ends of the second and third conduits, a second end plate sealing the second end of the second conduit around the first conduit, and a first end plate sealing the second end of the third conduit around the second conduit, forming a cavity for fluid to circulate; the first and second conduits having lengths measured from the second end plate configured so that the first end of the first conduit extends beyond the first end of the second conduit; one or more passages in the second end plate for passage of primary oxidant or primary fuel; one or more alternate gas tubes extending longitudinally from the first end plate through the secondary annulus, the alternate gas tubes having lengths measured from the first end plate to their distal ends less than the length of the second conduit and terminating in at least one port in the second conduit adjacent the first end of the second conduit; and one or more secondary fuel tubes extending longitudinally from the second end plate through the primary annulus, the secondary fuel tubes having lengths measured from the second plate to their distal ends greater than the length of the second conduit.