Abstract: A lower blow box of a device for heat tempering glass sheets in horizontal position exhibits a series of nozzle plates which are placed at a distance (A) from one another. Between nozzle plates there are obliquely placed sheet-metal chutes, U-shaped in cross section, which laterally convey out the broken glass pieces arising in the breaking of the glass sheet during tempering. The sheet-metal chutes are vibrated with a vibrator.

Abstract: Process for vitrifying environmentally hazardous waste material in a glass melting furnace includes forming a batch including the waste material and no more than 30 weight percent additives including phonolite and SiO.sub.2 containing substances. A gall layer 2-5 cm thick including alkali salts or alkaline earth salts is produced on the molten glass, and batch is added so that a batch layer over 5 cm thick is formed on top of the gall layer. After the batch layer is formed, the molten glass is heated solely by electrodes, and the thickness of the batch layer is maintained to produce a steep enough temperature gradient therein so that the furnace atmosphere remains relatively cool, and substantially all of the condensable components which emerge from the molten glass condense in the batch layer.

Abstract: Apparatus includes a furnace for vitrifying waste material, a storage container for delivering waste material to the furnace and a pipe for passing a heat transfer medium through the storage container to preheat the waste material and remove water therefrom. The pipe may be a pipe through which exhaust gas is passed or a pipe through which a liquid medium is passed after heat transfer from the exhaust gas. The apparatus further includes means for removing dust from the exhaust gas and heating same to break down dioxines and furanes therein.

Abstract: The present invention is an integrated process for the production of glass utilizing combustion heat to melt glassmaking materials in a glassmaking furnace. The fuel combusted to produce heat sufficient to melt the glassmaking materials is combusted with oxygen-enriched oxidant to reduce heat losses from the offgas of the glassmaking furnace. The process further reduces heat losses by quenching hot offgas from the glassmaking furnace with a process stream to retain the heat recovered from quench in the glassmaking process with subsequent additional heat recovery by heat exchange of the fuel to the glassmaking furnace, as well as the glassmaking materials, such as batch and cullet. The process includes recovery of a commercially pure carbon dioxide product by separatory means from the cooled, residual offgas from the glassmaking furnace.

Abstract: Granules of glass flakes which comprise glass flakes in granular form and a binder which bonds the glass flakes to one another to form granules. The granules are used together with a molten thermoplastic resin.

Abstract: An extrnal fibre drawing furnace is maintained at or close to its normal working temperature while contaminants are removed between fibre pulls. Either a removable insert, replaceable gas port assembly, or cleanable gas transfer duct, enable this to be achieved while the furnace is maintained at or near its operating temperature, so that the down time is of the order of minutes rather than hours.

Abstract: Lead or other heavy metals are rendered immobile for sanitary disposal by vitrifying the silica-based soil or other medium in which the lead or heavy metal is contained. The silica sand or other soil contaminated with lead is heated to the melting point of the silica. A melt accelerator or fluxing agent is added to lower the melting point of the silica. A reducing agent is added to cause a separation of the metallic phases from the glass. The glass formed retains a portion of the lead, with excess metals, e.g., gold, silver, and platinum, separating. These metals may be recovered at any time after this point in the process.In the case of a silica-poor medium, such as a soil that does not contain sufficient quartz to perform the process successfully, additional quartz sand or scrap glass is added to the process in quantity sufficient to ensure the formation of the glass slag.

Abstract: A batch charger for feeding raw batch material to a glass furnace includes a jacking assembly for raising and lowering the charger plates for improved angular adjustment thereof. The batch charger includes an adjustable charger plate crank assembly for regulating the working stroke of the charger plates and further includes adjustable batch gate assemblies for controlling the height of the raw batch blanket deposited on the charger plates. A power train is also included which permits operation of the charger by one or both of the drive motors in independent or duplex drive modes.

Abstract: A glass container inspection machine includes a head assembly, a console, and a cable connecting the two. The head assembly includes a measuring oscillator and a reference oscillator the outputs of which are applied to a Phase Detector Multiplier. A fixed resistance in the output circuit of the measuring oscillator is selected so that the output of the Phase Detector Multiplier is the same no matter what the frequency of the oscillation. The oscillation and the Phase Detector Multiplier are part of a Phase Locked Loop, the amplifier portions of which are in the console. The machine is comprised of four such data channels, each of which includes a head assembly operating at a different oscillator frequency. All components that are frequency dependent are included in the head assembly while all components in the console are frequency independent. Thus the output of any of the head assemblies may be connected via the cable to any of the data channels of the console.

Abstract: Undesired glass particles emitted into the atmosphere from breakage of glass jars in the manufacturing process are removed utilizing an exhaust system, comprising a hood, exhaust piping, blower and cyclone. The hood and exhaust system protects the area adjacent to where glass jars are produced from emission of dangerous glass particles which result from breakage of glass jars during the assembly process.

Abstract: Deposits of glassmaking materials are removed from an exhaust duct by periodic blasts of air from a plurality of nozzles mounted in the duct. The arrangement avoids the disruption caused by manual cleaning and permits more frequent removal of deposits, thereby minimizing perturbations to the glassmaking process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for processing glass-making materials under oxidizing conditions, and for processing materials, such as hazardous or toxic wastes, or smelting under reducing conditions. As a glass-making apparatus the invention includes a cyclone melt reactor for forming a liquid glass melt and a combustion preheater for receiving the glass-making materials and combusting the fuel and oxidant therein to heat the glass batch materials to a temperature at least equal to the melt temperature of the glass batch material. The combustion preheater has an outlet connected to the glass melt reactor, and at least one inlet is provided into the combustion preheater for introducing oxidizing materials and for creating a well-stirred region within the combustion preheater means.

Abstract: Waste substance such as incineration ash is mixed with cullet and alkaline earth salt to form a mixed batch which is added to a glass melt heated solely by electrodes, producing an exhaust gas which is introduced into the batch thereby cooling the gas to produce condensation products. The alkaline earth salt reacts with alkali in the gas and the condensation products to produce a gall layer of alkali salts and alkaline earth salts which serve as a melt accelerator and are readily removed when accumulated. According to a further step the gas is purified by separating dust therefrom and introducing it into the batch as a slurry.

Abstract: A process of melting silicate raw materials includes the steps of using the tank exhaust gases to heat the combustion air, using the tank exhaust gases to preheat a mixture of raw materials, removing acid gaseous aggressive media from the tank exhaust gases, then using the tank exhaust gases to preheat the combination air. Because the acid gaseous aggressive media are removed from the tank exhaust gases before the tank exhaust gases are used to preheat the combustion air, more heat can be withdrawn from the tank exhaust gases than was heretofore possible, since there is no danger of acid condensation even when the tank exhaust gases are cooled to near ambient temperature.

Abstract: A glass face plate press is provided with a semi-automatic, plunger changing apparatus. The changing apparatus takes the form of a movable plunger supporting head and carriage that is mounted adjacent the press station for movement into and out of position to insert a new plunger on the plunger clamping mechanism of the press. The press has a receiving box into which a plunger support plate is inserted prior to clamping and locking of the plate and supported plunger to the press.

Abstract: In a method of vacuum refining molten glass or the like, selenium is provided in the molten glass to serve as a foaming agent, which yields improved refining. Alternatively, colored glass compositions that include selenium as a colorant are refined at higher than normal pressures to retain selenium in the glass without sacrificing refining performance.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for preheating cullet used as feedstock for a glass furnace. A direct contact raining bed is described through which cullet is fed by gravity flow, with furnace flue gases as combustion products of a separately-fired heater passed in counterflow to heat the cullet by direct contact. The preheater includes deflectors to retard passage and increase the path length of cullet flowing through the raining bed, and the deflector plates are mounted at specific declination angles and have their geometric parameters selected to optimize cullet residence time. Glass furnace systems are described which include the raining bed cullet preheater in series and parallel flow relationships with a glass batch preheater.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for feeding and distributing charge material through a feeding opening onto the molten bath surface in a glass melting furnace. On a movable stand there are disposed a charge hopper, a charging device, a pusher with a pusher holder and pusher driver and a heat shield substantially covering the feed opening, in which at least one opening is disposed for the passage therethrough of the charging device and of the pusher holder. To maintain a suitable path of movement of the pusher with simultaneous improvement of the shielding action of the heat shield, the pusher holder is mounted on a horizontal linear guiding device on a horizontal platform and is displaceable with respect to the latter by a horizontal driver. The platform is mounted on the stand by means of a vertical guiding device and can be raised and lowered on the stand by a vertical driver.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved apparatus for use in processing wet scrap textile glass fiber into a dry flowable powder. The apparatus includes a unique inlet and outlet structure to prevent clogging during operation. The apparatus also includes a unique discharge unit for ground dry glass fines composed of a pair of rod gratings place proximate the outlet of the apparatus.

Abstract: The operation of mineral wool cupolas is improved in several respects and a waste material is efficiently disposed of by using spent pot lining from electrolytic aluminum reduction vessels in the mineral wool cupolas as a partial or complete replacement for coke. The spent pot lining is impregnated with a cryolytic type slag material which aids in both reducing the reactivity of an already unreactive graphitic material such that it burns low in the cupola with desirable thermal results and also prevents the formation of siliceous build-up in the cupola hearth areas. Several variations of cryolytic impregnated carbonaceous materials having the desirable effect of the invention are possible and described.

Abstract: A filter cake formed of a glass precursor material and impregnated with a normally leachable toxicant can be heated, preferably with at least one other glass precursor material, at a sufficiently high temperature to form a molten composition which solidifies, upon cooling, to form a glass. The normally leachable toxicant becomes fixed within the glass rendering it substantially more non-leachable allowing for a more environmentally sound means for disposal, e.g., by landfill techniques. The process can be used to treat the arsenic sulfide-impregnated filter cake derived from the manufacture of food grade phosphoric acid.

Abstract: Wate asbestos is converted into a glass by maintaining within an electrical glass melting furnace a body of molten glass at a temperature above the decomposition temperature of asbestos; supplying asbestos to the furnace by a conveyor discharging above the body of molten glass so that the asbestos falls onto the molten glass and becomes decomposed and melted into glass; and withdrawing molten glass from the furnace at a temperature of at least 1000.degree. C. The asbestos is advantageously mixed with cullet and a melt accelerator and fed into the furnace by means of a screw mixer/conveyor. The furnace is advantageously operated at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: Method of preparing a melt for the production of mineral wool wherein suitably composed raw material and coke are fed into a preheating zone in the upper portion of a shaft furnace and are caused to descend down through the oxidation zone in which air is introduced to effect a combustion of the coke and to heat the raw material to a temperature not exceeding 1000.degree. C., and wherein the actual melting is effected by plasma heating in the lower portion of the shaft furnace where which the melt formed is discharged.

Abstract: In a process for refining molten glass or the like by vacuum, the collapse of foam is accelerated by contacting the foam with foam breaking substances. The foam breaking substances include water, alkali metal compounds such as sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate, and solutions of such compounds.

Abstract: A lid of a glass batch melting vessel is subjected to corrosive and thermal degradation. The lid is cooled and the temperature of the exploded inner surface of the lid is controlled such that particulate and molten materials entrained in exhaust gas circulating within the vessel adhere to the lid surface forming a protective, insulating coating that prolongs the service life of the lid.

Abstract: Foaming of molten glass or the like as it enters a vacuum refining vessel is enhanced by altering the incoming stream so as to increase its surface area and/or retarding the passage of the stream through the vacuum headspace so as to increase its exposure to the vacuum.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preheating particulate glass batch comprises a rotatable drum for mixing batch with heat transfer media in a heat transfer relationship, means for directing the heated batch from the container to a glass melting furnace, means for venting gases and gas-borne particulate matter from the drum, means for separating a selected portion of the particulate matter from the vented gases, and means for directing the separated particulate matter into the glass melting furnace.

Abstract: A glass melting system involving preheating, precalcining, and prefluxing of batch materials prior to injection into a glass furnace. The precursors are heated by convection rather than by radiation in present furnaces. Upon injection into the furnace, batch materials are intimately coated with molten flux so as to undergo or at least begin the process of dissolution reaction prior to entering the melt pool.

Abstract: The circulation of exhaust gas within a heating vessel is controlled to reduce the adverse effects of the abrasive and corrosive exhaust gas on exposed interior surfaces of the vessel. The firing rates of the burners in the vessel may be varied to alter the flow patterns within the vessel. Additional jet burners with high exhaust gas velocity may be used to direct their exhaust flow in a direction opposing the exhaust flow of other selected burners. Burners may also be angled so as to reduce the flow component of the exhaust gas that may pass over the exposed interior surfaces of the vessel.

Abstract: A pulverulent batch stream is fed into a liquefying vessel by means of an angled feed tube so as to direct the stream tangentially onto side wall portions. The tube may be rotated so as to change the location onto which the batch stream is impinged.

Abstract: In an arrangement for preheating and liquefying glass batch materials or the like, the material is transferred from the preheater to the liquefying vessel by conveyor means that isolates batch material from exhaust gas and permits feeding of the batch material to selected regions of the liquefying vessel.

Abstract: A process for making a homogeneous melt for producing mineral wool insulation. This insulating material is made from waste products namely, bottom ash, cement kiln dust, slag, and waste from mineral wool production. These materials, along with a binder, are homogenized into a mixture. Thereafter, the process includes briquetting the mixture into agglomerated pieces. The agglomerates are then melted in a cupola furnace and the molten agglomerate is discharged into a receiver. Hot combustion gases are then passed into the melt or molten agglomerate to chemically homogenize the melt and heat the melt to preselected temperature. Thereafter, the melt is converted into fibers using conventional practices.

Abstract: A method is set forth for controlling the height of batch material on the surface of a molten bath in a cold-crown or vertical melting furnace by measuring the level of the upper surface of the batch material, the level of the fusion line between the batch and bath, and the effective hydrostatic head of the molten glass and batch material thereon over a predetermined height at such known fusion line level. The thickness of the batch blanket is then determined from the level of the fusion line and the measured level of the top of the batch blanket, and power input and rate of batch distribution are controlled to maintain such desired levels and accordingly a predetermined batch thickness, by continuously monitoring the level of the batch material and the effective hydrostatic head.

Abstract: An air cooled rotary kiln collar for use in improving the delivery of preheated charge material from the rotary kiln to the second stage of a multi-stage heating process. Adustable rate fans circulate air through an annular collar at the discharge end of the rotary kiln to remove heat from the charge material and prevent it from agglomerating and sticking to the kiln.

Abstract: A bushing assembly is described which involves two fiber glass bushings, one being a production bushing and the other a permanent bushing attached to a fiber glass forehearth. Restricted flow channels are provided in the upper bushing to flow small quantities of glass into the production bushing. Means are provided to electrically isolate one bushing from the other, and means are provided to cool the flow channels from the upper bushing to the lower bushing.

Abstract: In the production of bonded mineral fibre wool, binder is injected in the chute (16) onto the fibres, as a result of which there is a tendency for the fibres to adhere to the walls of the chute (16) and to form encrustations due to binder becoming cured in the course of time. To avoid such encrustations, which can cause production shortfalls, the circumferential walls (18, 20) of the chute are constructed as jacketed walls and are cooled by passing cooling liquid in the hollow space (30) between the inner and outer surface portions (28, 29). It has been found, surprisingly, that as a result no solid encrustations can form even over prolonged periods, since temporarily adhering fibres cannot in fact become adhesively bonded due to insufficient curing of the binder at the low temperatures, but are continuously removed from the wall again.

Abstract: In a material preheating and liquefying process such as in a glassmaking operation, particulates entrained in the exhaust from the preheating stage are collected and returned to the process at a location where a molten phase is present and re-entrainment is suppressed.

Abstract: In glass production, waste gases are usually produced which still have a residual temperature of 400.degree.-600.degree. C. even though they are normally used for preheating the fresh air for a glass melting furnace. To be able to utilize this residual energy effectively for the preheating of the raw materials for glass production, particularly cullet, the invention proposes to conduct the waste gases through a bunker (19) for the temporary storage of cullet (20) and to heat the cullet mixture (20) to up to 380.degree. C. during this process. According to a proposal of the invention, the cooled waste gases contaminated during the preheating of the cullet mixture (20) are conducted via a wet scrubber (26) before they are returned to the waste-gas duct (17) leading to the chimney or similar.

Abstract: An apparatus for the thermal treatment of a batch of raw material has a casing and a drum rotatably mounted in the casing, the drum being made of good thermally conductive material and being substantially closed off from the open atmosphere. A drive is provided for rotating the drum and a feeder can introduce a bath of raw material into the drum and a device is provided for discharging a said batch which has been heated in the drum. A conduit conveys hot gases in heat exchange relationship with the drum.

Abstract: Use of borax in the removal of and/or to prevent the build-up of slag on heat transfer surfaces in glass manufacture and allied industries. The borax may be used in association with a minor amount of a transition metal acetylacetonate. The borax is preferably applied directly onto the heat recuperator tubes.

Abstract: Exhaust from a melting vessel passes through a transition section and into a rotary kiln to preheat batch material. A gas jet injects a high velocity gas stream into the transition section to alter its flow and reduce buildup of material due to entrained material in the exhaust leaving sticky deposits on interior surfaces of the transition section and kiln.

Abstract: Waste asbestos is converted into a glass by maintaining within an electrical glass melting furnace a body of molten glass at a temperature above the decomposition temperature of asbestos; supplying asbestos to the furnace; and withdrawing molten glass from the furnace at a temperature of at least 1000.degree. C. The asbestos is advantageously mixed with cullet and a melt accelerator and fed into the furnace by means of a screw mixer/conveyor. The furnace is advantageously operated at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for liquefying material such as glass batch, primary thermal protection for the vessel is provided by a lining of the batch material, with secondary protection being provided by a partial refractory lining on the interior of the vessel in regions where the primary protection is irregular.

Abstract: In a heating vessel wherein corrosive exhaust degrades exposed positions of the vessel, a high velocity gas jet injects gas between the corrosive exhaust and the exposed portions of the vessel. The gas minimizes contact between the exhaust and the exposed portions so as to reduce wear due to corrosive degradation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the bending and toughening of glass panes in a horizontal position during movement from a bending station through a toughening station to a transfer station. A monitoring device in the form of a detector, located in the transfer station, provides a signal of whether or not a glass pane is located on a carriage for moving the glass pane between stations. The apparatus includes a blowing device responsive to a signal from the detector to blow jets of compressed air on the carriage during return movement to the bending station under the circumstance that a glass pane is not located on the carriage to free the carriage of any adhering glass splinters.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing dust from the atmosphere around an externally heated tube (1) having a deposit being made on its inside surface from a vapor phase, said dust being removed by setting up a laminar flow of dust-free air around the tube. The apparatus includes members (7, 8, 9, 10) for setting up laminar air flows in planes parallel to the axis of the tube and on either side thereof, together with members (15, 16) for setting up flows of air perpendicularly to the axis of the tube and on either side thereof.

Abstract: In a rotating vessel for liquefying pulverulent material wherein the pulverulent material forms a lining on sidewall portions of the vessel, pressing means are provided for creating a flattened end portion at the top of the lining onto which additional pulverulent material is fed and subsequently pressed into the lining. The pressing means is preferably a rotationally driven wheel and the pulverulent material may be glass batch. A more stable feeding operation and reduction of dusting are attained.

Abstract: A process is provided for treating an aqueous stream of nonradioactive hazardous waste containing inorganic compounds capable of forming oxides upon thermal treatment in which at least one of the oxides is a glass former, glass intermediate or a glass modifier. The process comprises (a) introducing the waste stream into a thermal treatment zone; (b) heating the inorganic compounds in the thermal treatment zone to convert the compounds to the corresponding inorganic oxides and form a melt solution while vaporizing volatile components to form an off-gas; (c) scrubbing the off-gas to provide a ventable flue gas and a liquid condensate with the condensate being recycled to the thermal treatment zone; and (d) removing the melt solution from said thermal treatment zone and cooling the melt solution to form a nonleachable glass containing the hazardous waste. An apparatus particularly adapted to practice the process is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of adjusting the effective length of a rotary kiln. Preheating gas enters the kiln, passes over a portion of the material to be heated and exits the kiln through an axially extending exhaust duct. Changing the length of the duct modifies the amount of time the material is subjected to direct heating by the gas so that the effective heating length of the kiln is changed.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a method and a system for treating gaseous effluents to remove impurities therefrom, these gaseous effluents flowing out from a high temperature reactor, into which a particulate material is being fed. The method comprises directing the flow of gaseous effluents counter-currently through the particulate material which is fed into the reactor, and independently controlling the particulate material feed rate and the velocity of the gaseous effluents so that particles in the gas feed are substantially all trapped by the particulate feed material and are returned to the high temperature reactor. Volatile materials may also be condensed on the particulate feed material. The purified gaseous effluents are then allowed to exit. A system for carrying out this method is also disclosed.