SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTER COMPRISING A MELT EXIT STRUCTURE DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE IMPACT OF MECHANICAL ENERGY, AND METHODS OF MAKING MOLTEN GLASS

摘要

A melter apparatus includes a floor, a ceiling, and a wall connecting the floor and ceiling at a perimeter of the floor and ceiling, a melting zone being defined by the floor, ceiling and wall, the melting zone having a feed inlet and a molten glass outlet positioned at opposing ends of the melting zone. Melter apparatus include an exit end having a melter exit structure for discharging turbulent molten glass formed by one or more submerged combustion burners, the melter exit structure fluidly and mechanically connecting the melter vessel to a molten glass conditioning channel. The melter exit structure includes a fluid-cooled transition channel configured to form a frozen glass layer or highly viscous glass layer, or combination thereof, on inner surfaces of the fluid-cooled transition channel and thus protect the melter exit structure from mechanical energy imparted from the melter vessel to the melter exit structure.

主权项

1. A melter apparatus comprising:
a melter vessel comprising floor, a ceiling, a wall connecting the floor and ceiling at a perimeter of the floor and ceiling, wherein at least some of the wall comprises fluid-cooled panels, a melting zone being defined by the floor, ceiling and wall, and a plurality of burners, at least some of which are positioned to direct combustion products into the melting zone under a level of molten glass in the melting zone and form a turbulent molten glass imparting mechanical energy to the melter vessel, the melter vessel comprising a batch feeder attached to the wall or ceiling above the level, and an exit end comprising a melter exit structure for discharging the molten glass, the melter exit structure fluidly and mechanically connecting the melter vessel to a molten glass conditioning channel, wherein the melter exit structure comprises a fluid-cooled transition channel configured to form a frozen glass layer or highly viscous glass layer, or combination thereof, on inner surfaces of the fluid-cooled transition channel and thus protect the melter exit structure from the mechanical energy imparted from the melter vessel to the melter exit structure.