Energy efficient apparatus and process for manufacture of glass

摘要

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing glass, and apparatus for effecting same, which comprises passing flue gases from a glass melting furnace through a bed of agglomerates of glass forming batch materials so as to heat the agglomerates to a temperature less than that at which they form an aggregated mass, cooling the flue gases as they pass through the bed with a heat exchanger positioned in the bed, and then melting the heated batch materials in a fossil fuel fired melter to form molten glass. The heat transfer medium of the heat exchanger may then be transported to a different location and the increased energy therein employed for a beneficial purpose.