Abstract: A melt tank for the production of a glass melt having a low portion of bubbles. The melt tank includes an inlet opening, an outlet opening, a floor, at least two side walls that adjoin the floor, a roof. The glass melt having a first bath depth in a melting segment, a second bath depth in a refining segment, and a third bath depth over a threshold between and smaller than the first and second bath depths. An electrically produced first heat energy is supplied via a multiplicity of electrodes that extend into the glass melt and a second heat energy is produced by the combustion of fossil fuel via at least one burner. Also, a method for producing a glass melt.

Abstract: A feeding device for a glass melting plant, having a sealing device and at least one movement device, the movement device executing a cyclical movement during operation of the feeding device, and being guided along at least one feedthrough through the sealing device. Adjacent to an open area of each feedthrough at least one gas nozzle is situated on the side of the sealing device facing away from the glass melting plant in such a way that the gas flowing out from the at least one gas nozzle reduces the quantity of dust and/or exhaust gases that moves out of the glass melting plant through the respective feedthrough to the side of the sealing device facing away from the glass melting plant.

Abstract: A melt tank for the production of a glass melt having a low portion of bubbles. The melt tank includes an inlet opening, an outlet opening, a floor, at least two side walls that adjoin the floor, a roof. The glass melt having a first bath depth in a melting segment, a second bath depth in a refining segment, and a third bath depth over a threshold between and smaller than the first and second bath depths. An electrical produced first heat energy is supplied via a multiplicity of electrodes that extend into the glass melt and a second heat energy is produced by the combustion of fossil fuel via at least one burner. Also, a method for producing a glass melt.

Abstract: A feeding device for a glass melting plant, having a sealing device and at least one movement device, the movement device executing a cyclical movement during operation of the feeding device, and being guided along at least one feedthrough through the sealing device. Adjacent to an open area of each feedthrough at least one gas nozzle is situated on the side of the sealing device facing away from the glass melting plant in such a way that the gas flowing out from the at least one gas nozzle reduces the quantity of dust and/or exhaust gases that moves out of the glass melting plant through the respective feedthrough to the side of the sealing device facing away from the glass melting plant.

Abstract: A glass melting oven for producing a glass melt in a row arrangement, having a loading opening for raw glass materials, a melting region, a refining region, a constriction, a conditioning region and an overflow into a processing unit. To remove flaws from the melt that remain visible in the end product, a method includes the steps of a) arranging a refining bench between the melting region and the beginning of the refining region; b) arranging side burners and extraction openings for flue gases between the loading opening and the refining bench; c) delimiting the constriction at both ends by end walls that leave narrow flow cross-sections above the glass melt for flue gases; and d) cooling the glass melt inside the constriction. The glass melting oven is particularly suited for producing flat glass and panels for solar elements. The oxidants for the fuels may also be preheated.

Abstract: A device for preheating charging material for glass melting installations using its exhaust gases, having a vertical preheating shaft through which a heat exchanger extends conducting exhaust gases, the shaft upper end having a charging material opening, the lower end having a preheated charging material discharge device, the inlet of the heat exchanger connected to an exhaust gas supply line and the outlet connected to an exhaust gas outlet line. To recuperate a high portion of the exhaust gas heat, and to reduce environmental contamination and the suctioning of environmental air as false air, the exhaust gas supply line has an outlet line branch for drawing oft part of the hot gases and the outlet line is connected to a downwardly open sealing gas line in the region of the charging material above the heat exchanger exhaust gas passage for the hot gas emission into the charging material.

Abstract: A glass melting oven for producing a glass melt in a row arrangement, having a loading opening for raw glass materials, a melting region, a refining region, a constriction, a conditioning region and an overflow into a processing unit. To remove flaws from the melt that remain visible in the end product, a method includes the steps of a) arranging a refining bench between the melting region and the beginning of the refining region; b) arranging side burners and extraction openings for flue gases between the loading opening and the refining bench; c) delimiting the constriction at both ends by end walls that leave narrow flow cross-sections above the glass melt for flue gases; and d) cooling the glass melt inside the constriction. The glass melting oven is particularly suited for producing flat glass and panels for solar elements. The oxidants for the fuels may also be preheated.

Abstract: A glass melting furnace with a tank and a superstructure with a furnace crown and a total internal length (“Lg”), with a preheating zone for charging material and a combustion zone with burners. A single radiation wall is located between the preheating zone and the combustion zone such that the length of the preheating zone is between 15 and 35% of the total internal length and the length of the combustion zone is between 65 and 85% of the total internal length. The preheating zone is designed for use solely with preheating of the charging material within the furnace. The oxidation gas supply contains at least 85 volume percent oxygen and at least one outlet for the waste gases from the preheating zone is connected to the atmosphere without a heat exchanger.

Abstract: In a glass melting furnace, a radiation screen wall is installed between a melting area and a refining area with a refining bank. This radiation screen wall leaves a flow path above the melt surface of the glass bath for the return flow of at least part of the combustion gases from the refining area to the melting area. In order to suppress a return flow of already refined and very hot glass melt from the refining area into a melting area, but still allow the charging material to melt completely as early as possible, the furnace is operated to produce at least one upward current between the middle of the melting area and the front face of the refining bank in the glass melt.

Abstract: At least one cooling zone and a subsequent homogenization zone are installed between the inlet and the outlet of a forehearth for conditioning and homogenizing a stream of colored glass. The glass temperature in the forehearth is reduced from the inlet temperature T1 to an outlet temperature T2. In order to increase the cooling effect while simultaneously homogenizing the glass temperature at a throughput of at least 70 tons per day, a raised area is installed in the bottom along the length of the cooling zones to set a maximum bath depth Dmax of 120 mm. Furthermore, the cooling capacity is such that the temperature 20 mm above the bottom is reduced by at least 40.degree. C. in the cooling zone. In the apparatus used, the raised area above the bottom covers the complete length of the cooling zones K. The maximum depth Dmax of the glass bath is 120 mm above the raised area and in the homogenization zone the channel is at least 30 mm deeper.

Abstract: A continuously flowing glass stream is conditioned and homogenized along a conditioning stretch, which extends from an entry side to at least one extraction point, and at the beginning of which there is a cooling zone, to which at least one homogenizing zone for the glass temperature is connected. In the working end or the distribution channel the temperature is reduced from the entry temperature T1 to an outlet temperature T2. In order to achieve the necessary conditioning and homogenization, even at high throughputs, the glass stream in the at least one cooling zone of the working end or distribution channel has a cross section with a depth/width ratio D/W of a maximum 0.6, or 0.5, or 0.4, or 0.3 or 0.

Abstract: A continuously flowing glass stream is conditioned and homogenized along a conditioning stretch, which extends from an entry side to at least one extraction point, and at the beginning of which there is a cooling zone, to which a homogenizing zone for the glass temperature is connected. This method is preferentially used for the manufacture of molded glass articles, such as containers and pressed articles. In order to achieve the necessary conditioning and homogenization, even at high throughputs, the glass stream in the cooling zone has a cross section with a depth/width ratio D/W of a maximum 0.6 or 0.5, or 0.4, or 0.3, or 0.

Abstract: In a furnace for melting glass, a preheating zone, a melting zone, a refining zone with a refining bank raised above the rest of the floor and an homogenizing zone, are arranged lengthwise behind one another between the charging end for the glass raw materials and a throat for the molten glass. The furnace chamber formed between two end walls is split up by dividing walls with the exception of flow paths for the glass and waste gases. The melting zone, the refining zone, several burners and the homogenizing zone have a common combustion chamber in the superstructure. A first flow path "L1" for the glass is defined between the inside face of the first end wall and the vertical center line (E) of the final dividing wall in front of the refining zone, and a second flow path "L2" is defined in the combustion chamber between the vertical center line (E) and the inside face of the second end wall. The ratio of the length "L2" to the total length ("L1"+"L2") is chosen to be at least 0.5, preferably at least 0.53.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preheating material in a glass melting furnace is provided. An indirect heat exchanger is utilized in which exhaust gases from the glass melting furnace are directed, in a counter flow relation, to raw materials and glass cullet being fed into a glass melting furnace. A first conduit is connected to the heat exchanger to withdraw gases formed from the decomposition of organic matter present in the materials being preheated and the gases are directed by the conduit into the glass melting furnace where they are combusted. A second conduit may also be provided for extracting water vapor released from the preheated materials prior to decomposition of the organic material.

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: A plurality of conduit segments contact on another which run vertically and transversely to the direction in which molten glass is channelled. Each segment includes at least one trough section and at least one cover section, an insulation of individual formed bodies, and an external casing. The segments are coupled together on support beams and may have removable insulation at joints to facilitate inspection.

Abstract: Electrode for a glass melting furnace which avoids the disadvantages of known electrodes which are either expensive and difficult to manufacture, or have operational disadvantages, especially in regard to the delivery of electric power into the molten glass and/or in regard to trouble-free useful life. The new electrode is less costly to make and has better operational properties. The electrode shaft 2 is a coaxial tube 20 with an inner tube 21 of a metal constituting a good electrical conductor, preferably copper, and with the outer tube 22 of a mechanically strong, heat-resistant metal, preferably steel. Moreover, the electrode body 3 can be made thicker in areas of intense corrosion. The new electrode is suitable for all glass melting furnaces which are partially or entirely heated with electricity.

Abstract: Furnace has a melting section and a withdrawal section bounded by side walls of refractory material which extend to a glass outlet formed by an overflow edge remote from the melting section. In operation a molten glass layer, a molten layer of undissolved sulfates, and a batch layer succeed one another from the bottom up in the melting section. The withdrawal section is separated from the melting section by a first dividing wall extending downwardly and terminating above the surface of the molten glass. A second dividing wall is disposed for the formation of an underside glass passage, and at least one closable opening for withdrawing the molten sulfates is disposed at the level of the sulfate layer between the first and second dividing walls. The opening has a bottom boundary whose height is adjustable, so that it can be adjusted to lie above the surface of the glass melt.

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: Roof of a working tank or of a glass melting furnace having a basin containing molten glass and covered by the radiation roof of highly refractory firebrick material, in which the roof is constructed with horizontal supporting elements in the form of straight arches (3) bearing the load of the roof (1) and spanning the tank at intervals, and with horizontal slabs (4) covering the open intervals between the supporting elements (3) and laid crosswise between the supporting elements (3).