摘要 |
2105578 9215533 PCTABS00016 A method and apparatus for recycling scrap mineral fibers (42) having an organic binder coating in a highly stirred glass melter (16) wherein the organic binder coating is decomposed by applying heat. Carbon from the organic binder coating is oxidized on the surface of the glass melt (17). After oxidizing the carbon, the glass fibers are dispersed into the melt. Residual carbon may be oxidized after inclusion in the melt. Purified glass suitable for forming glass fibers is further processed by conventional glass fiber forming equipment. The method may also include the step of pre-processing the glass fiber scrap by shredding or pulverizing to facilitate feeding the glass fiber scrap to the highly stirred glass melt. The apparatus according to the present invention is preferably a stirred melter (16) having electrical joule effect heating. An impeller (22) in the glass melt stirs the melt at a high rate of speed to provide a draw down effect pulling fibers into melt.
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