POLLUTION ABATING, ENERGY CONSERVING GLASS MANUFACTURING APPARATUS

摘要

An apparatus is provided for preconditioning and preheating pellets of glass batch prior to heating and melting them in a furnace. Components of glass batch are mixed together and combined with water to form agglomerates, e.g., pellets. These agglomerates are supplied to a hopper (14) through which hot combustion gases are passed and they are preheated to an elevated temperature in the hopper prior to entering the melting furnace, thereby resulting in a savings of substantial amounts of energy. Moisture is removed from the agglomerate prior to their being supplied to the hopper; hence, the tendency for the agglomerates to adhere to one another and form aggregates, or clinkers, is substantially controlled. For that purpose, the agglomerates (120) are collected in a preconditioner (94) having a receptable (102) located above the bed (28) of agglomerates in the hopper (14) with the hot gases also passing through the agglomerates in the receptacle after passing through the bed (28) in the hopper (14). After moisture is removed, the agglomerates are dropped from the receptacle (102) onto the bed in the hopper. The agglomerates may be melted in a combustion fired melter or in an electrically powered melter.