System for charging batch/cullet in a glass furnace

摘要

A charger apparatus having a reciprocable charger plate for feeding batch and cullet to a glass melting furnace. The cullet is preferably first preheated in a charger mounted cullet feed hopper utilizing exhaust gas from the furnace as the heat source. The cullet feed hopper deposits a layer of preheated cullet over a layer of batch material on the charger plate prior to delivery to the furnace so as to reduce steam generation and dusting problems. The charger also includes a primary cullet hopper in which cold cullet is preheated with off-gas from the preheater of the cullet feed hopper for subsequent delivery to the cullet feed hopper. The charger may also include an under plate pusher which is tiltable about a vertical axis to provide improved melt control and to direct the charge away from the furnace sidewall so as to improve refractory life. Dusting and carry over of fines in the exhaust gas is minimized due to the use of pre-melt electrodes in the charging zone.