Abstract: A wet batch material charging apparatus having a charger screw housing having a batch material inlet and a batch material outlet, a dry batch material supply device adapted to deliver a dry batch material through the batch material inlet, a rotatable charger screw shaft having at least one screw flight disposed within the charger screw housing and adapted to convey the batch material from the batch material inlet to the batch material outlet, and a liquid supply apparatus for introducing at least one liquid into the charger screw housing. The liquid supply apparatus independently controls the liquid flow rate and the liquid flow duration based upon the batch material charging speed and rotation of the rotatable charger screw shaft.

Abstract: A synthetic silicate pellet is provided having a component(s) of calcium and magnesium, either together or in the alternative. Such pellet is further provided with either an aluminate silicate binder and/or an ion flow catalyst. The synthetic silicate pellet has use as a glass batch component.

Abstract: Provided herewith is a method for preheating a glass mixture to be fed into a glass furnace. The method comprises separately preheating at least some of the materials which comprise the load, and then subsequently remixing the preheated materials and passing the load to the glass furnace.

Abstract: A method for making glass and particularly ceramic frits, comprising the steps of: introducing in a wet grinding unit, after a metering step according to chosen proportions, materials which constitute a mixture to be melted, to produce a slurry; screening and collecting said slurry in a storage tank; introducing the collected slurry in a melting furnace to make a liquid component of the slurry evaporate; and forming a melted paste of vitreous material, adapted to be converted into a ceramic frit.

Abstract: Briefly, according to the present invention there is provided a refractory lined glass melter for producing refined glass from raw glass-forming material using at least one oxygen-fuel burner recessed within a burner block mounted in the roof of the furnace and a process of using the burner. The velocities of the gaseous fuel and of the oxygen from the oxygen-fuel burner are controlled such that the velocities of the gaseous fuel and the oxygen are substantially equivalent to provide a generally laminar gaseous fuel and oxygen flow to combust proximate a top surface of the raw glass-forming material and produce a flame which impinges the surface of the raw glass-forming material and which has a middle portion of a columnar shape.

Abstract: An automated method for recycling mixed colored cutlet glass (i.e., broken pieces of glass of mixed colors and types) into new glass products. A computer controlled process identifies the virgin glass raw materials, the desired target glass properties, the composition of a batch of mixed colored cullet, and the quantity of cullet to be used in the glass melt, and the computer controlled process automatically determines the proper amounts of raw materials to add to the batch of mixed colored cullet so that recycled glass is produced having the desired coloring oxides, redox agents, and glass structural oxides in the proper proportion. The recycled glass is then used to make glass products such as beer bottles.

Abstract: A glass product having high visible transmittance, low infrared transmittance, and, optionally, reduced ultraviolet transmittance is produced in a manner compatible with continuous, commercial manufacture of flat glass by employing a moderate amount of iron in the glass composition and controlling reducing conditions to maintain a relatively large portion of the iron in the ferrous state.