Abstract: Submerged combustion systems and methods of use to produce glass. One system includes a submerged combustion melter having a roof, a floor, a wall structure connecting the roof and floor, and an outlet, the melter producing an initial foamy molten glass. One or more non-submerged auxiliary burners are positioned in the roof and/or wall structure and configured to deliver combustion products to impact at least a portion of the bubbles with sufficient force and/or heat to burst at least some of the bubbles and form a reduced foam molten glass.

Abstract: A glass composition including SiO2 in an amount from 60.0 to 73.01% by weight, Al2O3 in an amount from about 13.0 to about 26.0% by weight, MgO in an amount from about 5.0 to about 12.75% by weight, CaO in an amount from about 3.25 to about 4.0% by weight, Li2O in an amount from about 3.25 to about 4.0% by weight, and Na2O in an amount from 0.0 to about 0.75% by weight is provided. Glass fibers formed from the inventive composition may be used in applications that require high strength, high stiffness, and low weight. Such applications include, but are not limited to, woven fabrics for use in forming wind blades, armor plating, and aerospace structures.

Abstract: Processes and systems for producing glass fibers having regions devoid of glass using submerged combustion melters, including feeding a vitrifiable feed material into a feed inlet of a melting zone of a melter vessel, and heating the vitrifiable material with at least one burner directing combustion products of an oxidant and a first fuel into the melting zone under a level of the molten material in the zone. One or more of the burners is configured to impart heat and turbulence to the molten material, producing a turbulent molten material comprising a plurality of bubbles suspended in the molten material, the bubbles comprising at least some of the combustion products, and optionally other gas species introduced by the burners. The molten material and bubbles are drawn through a bushing fluidly connected to a forehearth to produce a glass fiber comprising a plurality of interior regions substantially devoid of glass.

Abstract: A fabrication process of mineral fibers, including: introduction of raw materials into a circular furnace with electrodes; then fusion of the raw materials in the furnace to form a molten vitrifiable material; then outflow of the molten vitrifiable material from the furnace via a lateral outlet to supply a distribution channel; then outflow of the molten vitrifiable material via an orifice in the furnace bottom of the distribution channel to supply a fiber forming device; then transformation into fibers of the molten vitrifiable material by the fiber forming device, flow of molten vitrifiable material between the furnace and the distribution channel passing under a metal dam adjustable in height including an envelope cooled by cooling fluid current. Adjustment of the dam height allows temperature of the glass to be formed into fibers to be varied to bring the glass into a desired viscosity range for the fiber forming process.

Abstract: A glass fiber which features high strength, energy saving, emission reduction, environmental protection and low viscosity, whose nominal diameter goes between 5-13 ?m, the deviation value of the diameter of the said glass fiber is within ±15% of the nominal diameter, characterized in that: the said glass fiber contains Al2O3, SiO2, MgO, CaO, Fe2O3 and Na2O, wherein, calculated as per weight percentage, the said glass fiber contains Al2O3 20-39%, Fe2O3 0.01-3%, Na2O 0.01-8.8%, B2O3 0-10%, MgO 7-20% and F2O 0%, wherein the content of SiO2 is 1.9-4.1 times that of CaO, and the content of CaO is 1-1.8 time(s) that of MgO.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to effectively reduce mixing of bubbles into a spun glass fiber. A glass-melting device 10 for producing glass fibers includes; a first glass-melting tank 12 exposed to a reduced-pressure atmosphere; a second glass-melting tank 14 and a third glass-melting tank 16 arranged below the first glass-melting tank 12; an ascending conduit 18 that sends up molten glass resulting from melting in the second glass-melting tank 14 to deliver the molten glass to the first glass-melting tank 12; a descending conduit 20 that sends the molten glass down from the first glass-melting tank 12 to deliver the molten glass to the third glass-melting tank 16; a decompression housing 22; and a bushing 24. The glass-melting device 10 further includes heating means for separately heating the first glass-melting tank 12, the second glass-melting tank 14, the third glass-melting tank 16, the ascending conduit 18, the descending conduit 20 and the bushing 24.

Abstract: A method of forming high strength glass fibers in a continuous system is provided. The method includes supplying a glass batch to a glass melting furnace lined with a material substantially free of noble metals. The glass batch comprises about 50-about 75 weight percent SiO2, about 15-about 30 weight percent Al2O3, about 5-about 20 weight percent MgO, about 0-about 10 weight percent CaO, about 0.25-about 5 weigh percent R2O. The method further includes melting the glass batch in the furnace and forming a pool of molten glass in contact with the furnace glass contact surface, transporting the molten glass from the furnace to the bushing using a forehearth that is at least partially lined with a material substantially free of noble metal materials, discharging the molten glass from the forehearth into the bushing; and forming the molten glass into continuous fibers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing mineral wool, wherein a mineral base material is melted in a cupola furnace having a shaft to hold the base material, the lower section of said shaft being provided with a grate, and beneath said grate there is a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is heated by one or a plurality of burners, the burner or burners being run on liquid or gaseous fuel and an oxygen-containing gas. The burners are operated such that the length of the flames occurring during combustion of the fuel with the oxygen-containing gas is between 60% and 100% of the combustion chamber diameter.

Abstract: The invention relates to producing continuous organic fibers by stretching from molten minerals. These fibers can be used for producing heat resistant threads, rovings, cut fibers, fabrics, composite materials and products based thereon. The inventive glass has the following chemical composition in mass percentage: 15.9-18.1 Al2O3, 0.75-1.2 TiO2, 7.51-9.53 Fe2O3+FeO, 6.41-8.95 CaO, 2.5-6.4 MgO, 1.6-2.72 K2O, 3.3-4.1 Na2O, 0.23-0.5 P2O5, 0.02-0.15 SO3, 0.12-0.21 MnO, 0.05-0.19 BaO, impurities up to 1.0, the rest being SiO2. The inventive method consists in loading a ground composition in a melting furnace, in melting said composition, in homogenizing a melt, in consequently stabilizing the melt in the melting furnace feeder, in drawing and oiling the fiber and in winding it on a spool. Prior to loading, the composition is held in an alkali solution for 15-20 minutes, and is then washed with flowing water for 20-30 minutes and dried.

Abstract: A method of forming high strength glass fibers in a glass melter substantially free of platinum or other noble metal materials, products made there from and batch compositions suited for use in the method are disclosed. One glass composition for use in the present invention includes 50-75 weight % SiO2, 13-30 weight % Al2O3, 5-20 weight % MgO, 0-10 weight % CaO, 0 to 5 weight % R2O where R2O is the sum of Li2O, Na2O and K2O, has a higher fiberizing temperature, e.g. 2400-2900° F. (1316-1593° C.) and/or a liquidus temperature that is below the fiberizing temperature by as little as 45° F. (25° C.). Another glass composition for use in the method of the present invention is up to about 64-75 weight percent SiO2, 16-24 weight percent Al2O3, 8-12 weight percent MgO and 0.25-3 weight percent R2O, where R2O equals the sum of Li2O, Na2O and K2O, has a fiberizing temperature less than about 2650° F. (1454° C.), and a ?T of at least 80° F. (45° C.).

Abstract: The invention relates to an installation and a method of producing a glass having a low boron content, containing alumina or zirconia, the melting of the batch materials being carried out in an end-fired furnace equipped with regenerators, most of the fossil energy being introduced by the U-flame, the oxidant and fuel for which are introduced at the upstream face of said furnace, the oxidant being air or oxygen-enriched air. The melting compartment may be followed by a unit for fiberizing the glass. The invention makes it possible to produce fibers with an excellent combustion efficiency and high productivity.

Abstract: The present inventions relate to the means of production of high-silicate inorganic fibers of natural acidic rock minerals and also to products manufactured of said fibers, namely: continuous, staple fibers and scaly particles. In each variant of the M dacite or rhyodacite, granite or rhyolite, or a rock comprising mostly sand with silicon oxide content equal or exceeding 73% are used as a rock. The present inventions aim at proposing the means for producing inorganic fibers of natural acidic rock minerals and also the products manufactured of said fibers, namely: continuous, staple and coarse fibers and fine scaly particles having increased strength, corrosion and temperature resistance. This objective is attained by creating conditions for removing foreign inclusions, having high melting and boiling temperatures, from the melt by way of using rocks with higher silicon oxide (SiO2) content and, therefore, higher melting points, as raw materials.

Abstract: Techniques are here disclosed for a solar cell pre-processing method and system for annealing and gettering a solar cell semiconductor wafer having an undesirably high dispersion of transition metals, impurities and other defects. The process forms a surface contaminant layer on the solar cell semiconductor (e.g., silicon) wafer. A surface of the semiconductor wafer receives and holds impurities, as does the surface contaminant layer. The lower-quality semiconductor wafer includes dispersed defects that in an annealing process getter from the semiconductor bulk to form impurity cluster toward the surface contaminant layer. The impurity clusters form within the surface contaminant layer while increasing the purity level in wafer regions from which the dispersed defects gettered. Cooling follows annealing for retaining the impurity clusters and, thereby, maintaining the increased purity level of the semiconductor wafer in regions from which the impurities gettered.

Abstract: A bushing for fiberizing molten material, such as molten glass, having a screen mounted in the bushing spaced above the tip or orifice plate with a central portion of the screen having a significantly lower percent of hole area than the percent of hole area in end portions of the screen. This bushing improves fiberizing efficiency in channel positions of a fiberizing operation. Also, such a screen can be laid on top of a conventional screen to convert a normal bushing to a channel position bushing. Methods of using these types of bushings to improve fiberization in the channel positions and for modifying conventional bushings for other uses are also disclosed.

Abstract: A bushing for fiberizing molten material, such as molten glass, having a screen mounted in the bushing spaced above the tip or orifice plate with a central portion of the screen having a significantly lower percent of hole area than the percent of hole area in end portions of the screen. This bushing improves fiberizing efficiency in channel positions of a fiberizing operation. Also, such a screen can be laid on top of a conventional screen to convert a normal bushing to a channel position bushing. Methods of using these types of bushings to improve fiberization in the channel positions and for modifying conventional bushings for other uses are also disclosed.

Abstract: Mineral fibers made of natural basalt materials are produced by preheating basalt to a temperature of between 150 and 900° C., loading the preheated basalt into a melting furnace, melting the basalt to form a glass mass, moving the melted glass mass through a stabilization zone of the melting furnace until a fiber production temperature of tmelt+(50-250° C.) is reached, further stabilizing the glass mass in a feeder at a temperature of 1250 to 1450° C. to obtain a glass mass having the composition 1 Al 2 ⁢ O 3 + SiO 2 CaO + MgO ≥ 3 ⁢   ⁢ FeO Fe 2 ⁢ O 3 ≥ 0.5 2 ⁢ Al 2 ⁢ O 3 + SiO2 2 ⁢ Fe 2 ⁢ 0 3 + FeO + CaO + MgO + K 2 ⁢ O + Na 2 ⁢ O > 0.

Abstract: Based on a known process for the manufacture of opaque quartz glass, by mixing SiO2 particles and an additive which is volatile at a melting temperature, forming a body and melting said body with an advancing melt front forming in the body, it is proposed according to the invention that in order to reduce the danger of contamination, a body (1) be formed with an inner bore (6) and be heated in such a manner that the melt front (10) advances from the inner bore (6) to the outside. The article of pure opaque quartz glass according to the invention has high resistance to temperature change, high mechanical strength and good chemical durability. It is distinguished by an opening (6) enclosed by an inner wall (9), with an inner SiO2 surface layer (15) having a layer thickness ranging from 30 mm to 500 mm and a density of at least 2.15 g/cm3.

Abstract: A bushing tip plate support assembly for a bushing in a filament forming apparatus is disclosed. The support assembly improves the flatness of the tip section within the spans between the external support and the center support. The filament forming apparatus includes a bushing having a bottom plate from which nozzles or tips depend. The disclosed support assembly is an improvement on the internal support assemblies in conventional bushings because it has several functions. The support assembly includes two vertical dividers mounted in the bushing. The bottom ends of the dividers are welded to the tops of tip plate gussets in the bushing. The dividers are attached to side plates of the bushing as well. An upper portion of each divider serves as an upper side wall for the bushing and defines part of the throat of the bushing into which the molten glass flows. The dividers also include middle and lower portions with perforations through which the glass in the bushing may flow.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of molten mineral compositions wherein organic impurities are removed by reaction with oxygen introduced via the decomposition of calcium peroxide.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of, in particular, continuous mineral fibers from rock, glass-containing technical wastes, technical glass wastes, and to an apparatus. The object of the invention is to create a process which enables the said group of starting materials to be processed from a stable melt to give, in particular, continuous fibers and thus to improve fiber quality and processability. The starting products are melted in a melting bath, transferred to a forehearth, a feeder device and then fed to a bushing device and from there taken off as thread, the melt being fed to the feeder device from a take-off area of the melt in which the melt has the parameters according to the invention of temperature, processing range, viscosity, quotient of viscosity and surface tension and energy of activation of viscous flow of the melt, and the ratio of height of the melt in the forehearth to the height of the melt in the melting bath being in a defined range.

Abstract: This invention relates to a high throughput glass fiber production system and process to provide optimum glass delivery to the glass fiberizing bushing and enhanced glass production of textile fibers or filaments of glass. The fiberizing system includes dual melters which feed the molten glass through various screens within a high throughput feed bushing positioned below the melters to reduce seeds and condition the glass. The feed bushing directs the molten glass into a dual flow diverter for supplying the molten glass into the optimum location of the glass fiberizing bushings placed below the dual flow diverter.

Abstract: In the process of drawing optical fibers, a protective plastic coating is applied to the fiber by applying a curable liquid coating material thereto and the subsequently curing the liquid coating to a protective plastic layer. At high fiber draw speeds, air entrained with the fiber enters the liquid coating material and causes bubbles in the cured coating. The incidence of bubbles in the coating is reduced by replacing air adjacent the fiber surface with helium.

Abstract: A porous silica body with a density of 0.1 g/cm.sup.3 to 0.5 g/cm.sup.3 and a density variation of less than 30% is subjected to a first heat-treatment in an ammonia-containing atmosphere, a second heat-sintering in non-oxidizing atmosphere, and further heat-treatment at a temperature in the range of 1400.degree. C. to 2000.degree. C. under an increased pressure of 500 kg/cm.sup.2 or more in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.

Abstract: An apparatus for defibrating optically dense glass melts, such as a glass melt from basalt by the jet process, is proposed which is equipped with a feeding mechanism (1) for the melt and defibrating aggregates (2), the feeding mechanism (1) having a feed channel (3) and a subsequent distributing channel (4) with outlet ports (5) to the defibrating aggregates (2). To homogenize the glass temperature in the area before the defibrating aggregates (2) the feed channel (3) has on the bottom side at least in the area adjacent the distributing channel (4) a warming device (8) serving as a thermal barrier or active insulation and advantageously formed as an electric resistance heating device.

Abstract: The mineral fiber forming apparatus having electrodes for heating heat softenable mineral material to form a molten mineral mass is disclosed. Organically-coated glass fiber scrap and cullet are supplied to the vessel providing the heat softenable mineral material. An impeller turbulently mixes the molten mineral mass dispersing batch into the molten mineral mass and converting water in the molten mineral bath to steam. Molten mineral material formed by the apparatus includes small seeds and gaseous occlusions. The molten mineral material is fed from an outlet port in the vessel to a rotary spinner which forms hollow mineral fibers having gaseous occlusions of between 1% and 10% by volume by centrifuging the molten mineral material through a rotary bushing.

Abstract: The invention provides a process which makes it possible to regulate the degree of oxidation-reduction of a glass during its production. According to the invention, which relates to glasses intended to be transformed into continuous or staple fibers containing at most about 1% by weight of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, the degree of oxidation of the glass is obtained by incorporating in the mixture of vitrifiable products at least two oxidizing agents, one of them being an inorganic nitrate, the other being, according to preference, an oxidized compound of manganese in which the oxidation state of the manganese is greater than 2, potassium dichromate and/or ceric oxide. The invention particularly favors the recycling of waste from products with a glass fiber base in the vitrifiable mixture.

Abstract: A glass melter 30 having a mixing impeller 34 for converting a feed stream 38 supplied to a vessel 32 into a vitrified glass melt 50. Heating means such as electrodes 36 or a gas burner 58 are used to heat the glass melt 50. Electrode 36 arrangements are proposed for minimizing current flow through the impeller 34. Current flow through a special continuous circular impeller or conical pump 70 is disclosed. A cylindrical vessel 98, triangular vessel 94, square vessel 32, and hexagonal vessel 96 are disclosed. Methods of processing particular waste streams are disclosed including coated mineral fibers, fly ash, radioactive material, chemical waste and the like.

Abstract: The process and apparatus of the present invention enable the production of glass fiber product from scrap glass fibers. The process includes: feeding the scrap glass fibers having an average length up to around 12 inches to a glass melting tank having a pool of molten fiberizable glass, melting the scrap glass fibers without the presence of non-vitrified glass forming materials in an oxidizing environment, conditioning the melt to a formable viscosity, and forming the glass fiber from the conditioned melt where for a given glass fiber product there is a near constant pull of the melted glass from the melter. The rate of feeding of the scrap glass to the melter is sufficient to maintain the pool of melted glass with a level within the range of .+-.0.35 inch (9 mm.) over a period of eight hours. The scrap glass fibers have a similar fiberizable inorganic composition to that of the desired glass fiber product and generally include fibers with organic-containing sizes and/or coatings.