METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MELTING AND REFINING GLASS IN A FURNACE USING OXYGEN FIRING

摘要

A method for melting and refining glass, such as E glass, comprises feeding glass batch materials into a melting and refining tank for melting and refining the glass batch materials into glass and a forehearth, downstream of the tank, for further refining the glass and delivering the glass to fiberizing means. The melting and refining tank is heated with oxygen fired burners. The oxygen fired burners in the melting and refining tank are located in the sidewalls at the upstream end of the tank and extend for about one-third, one-half or two-thirds the length of the tank. In one embodiment, burners are also located in the upstream end wall. This arrangement of the oxygen fired burners at the upstream end of the melting and refining tank moves the melter hot spot upstream for better refining of the glass and enables the furnace to produce a higher output of glass than can be obtained in a conventional E glass furnace of the same size.