Process for treating silica refractory

摘要

1,035,415. Glass melting furnaces. LIBBEYOWENS-FORD GLASS CO. June 10, 1965, No. 24512/65. Heading F4B. Crystalline scale formation on the roof and side walls of the refining zone of a glass melting furnace is turned into a sticky mass of sodium silicate which adheres to said walls by injecting a reducing gas, e.g. CO, H 2 , SO 2 or dissociated NH 3 or hydrocarbons, when the furnace has been operating for a while. Under the reducing conditions alkali and sulphate vapours where the both react with the silica refractory to form a protective silicate absorbing the crystalline scale which would otherwise fall off on to the glass. The gas can be introduced by burning natural gas incompletely in a burner extending through the breastwall of the refining chamber care being taken to avoid reduction to the glass melt. This may be achieved by operating the burner for 30-100 minutes followed by an off cycle of 20-30 minutes.