Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of making a mineral melt, the method comprising the steps of providing a circulating combustion chamber (1); injecting fuel, preheated mineral material and combustion gas into the circulating combustion chamber (1); combusting the fuel in the circulating combustion chamber (1) thereby melting the mineral material to form a mineral melt and generating exhaust gases; separating the exhaust gases from the mineral melt, collecting the mineral melt (9) and passing the exhaust gases (10) to a heat exchange system, the method being characterised in that the mineral material comprises a first mineral material and a second mineral material wherein the first mineral material has a higher sintering temperature than the second mineral material and the first and second mineral materials are provided separately to the heat exchange system, wherein the first mineral material is preheated through contact with the exhaust gases and subsequently the second mineral mate

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making a particulate material comprising; providing mineral wool base material in a form having size at least 80% not more than 40 mm, subjecting the mineral wool base material to sintering by use of a pulse combustor and thereby forming a particulate material in the form of particles having size at least 80% not more than 20 mm. An apparatus for carrying out the method comprises means for size reduction of coherent mineral wool substrate and a reaction chamber in communication with a pulse combustor.

Abstract: A method for recycling glass mat waste, wound rovings, and other products includes providing a source of glass mat, or a plurality of rovings, for example on a roll, and routing the glass mat or rovings into a submerged combustion melter. An unwind system and a pair of powered nip rolls, powered conveyors, or other arrangement may work in combination to provide a substantially consistent rate of material into the melter. The melter may operate under less than atmospheric pressure to avoid fumes escaping the melter. A slot in the melter allows ingress of the glass mat or rovings into the melter, and a glass mat former such as a folder may be used to ensure that the mat fits through the slot. Alternatively, the glass mat may be cut by a slitter prior to entering the slot.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a process for manufacturing red glass containing copper that comprises the steps consisting in: obtaining a mass of colorless molten glass, free of sulfides, the iron oxide weight content of which is between 0.01 and 0.15%; then conveying said mass of molten glass in a feeder channel, in which copper oxide and tin oxide are added to said mass of molten glass, the partial pressure of oxygen in said mass of molten glass being between 10?7 and 10?4; then forming glass objects, especially bottles or flasks from said mass of molten glass; then subjecting said glass objects to a heat treatment so as to develop a red tint.

Abstract: A glass composition useful in preparing fiberglass comprises 12 to 25 weight % CaO; 12 to 16 weight % Al2O3; 52 to 62 weight % SiO2; 0.05 to 0.8 Fe2O3; and greater than 2 up to about 8 weight % alkali metal oxide.

Abstract: Glass compositions and high-modulus, and high-strength glass fibers made therefrom, being capable of economical, continuous processing and suitable for the production of high-strength and/or high stiffness, low-weight composites, such as windturbine blades, the glass composition comprises the following constituents in the limits defined below, expressed as weight percentages: between about 56 to about 61 weight percent SiO2; between about 16 to about 23 weight percent Al2O3, wherein the weight percent ratio of SiO2/Al2O3 is between about 2 to about 4; between about 8 to about 12 weight percent MgO; between about 6 to about 10 weight percent CaO, wherein the weight percent ratio of MgO/CaO is between about 0.7 to about 1.5; between about 0 to about 2 weight percent Na2O; less than about 1 weight percent Li2O; and total residual transition metal oxides of less than about 2 weight percent.

Abstract: Particulate mineral material suitable for forming a fiberisable melt is melted in a flame formed by combustion of powdered carbonaceous fuel with preheated air and the particulate mineral material is then preheated, and the exhaust gases are subjected to NOx reduction, in a cyclone preheater (22).

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: A method of forming high strength glass fibers in a refractory lined glass melter is disclosed. The refractory lined melter is suited to the batch compositions disclosed for the formation high modulus, and high-strength glass fibers. The glass composition for use in the method of the present invention is up to about 70.5 Weight % SiO2, 24.5 weight % Al2O3, 22 weight % alkaline earth oxides and may include small amounts of alkali metal oxides and ZrO2. Oxide based refractories included alumina, chromic oxide, silica, alumina-silica, zircon, zirconia-alumina-silica and combinations thereof. By using oxide based refractory lined furnaces the cost of production of glass fibers is substantially reduced in comparison with the cost of fibers using a platinum lined melting furnace. Fibers formed by the present invention are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is shown for retarding the reactivity of quicklime. The quicklime is contacted with an aqueous solution of a boron-containing compound after being calcined. The boron-containing solution can be sprayed on the quicklime as it moves past on a conveyor belt. The retarded quicklime can be used for various industrial purposes and is especially useful as a reactant in a glass making operation.

Abstract: A method of forming high strength glass fibers in a refractory-lined glass meter, products made there from and batch compositions suited for use in the method are disclosed. The 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 and Na2O, has a fiberizing temperature less than about 2650° F., and a ?T of at least 80° F. By using oxide-based refractory-lined furnaces the cost of production of glass fibers is substantially reduced in comparison with the cost of fibers produced using a platinum-lined melting furnace. High strength composite articles including the high strength glass fibers are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and to an installation for preparing a final glass, comprising a main furnace with electrodes and/or overhead burners, which is fed with main batch materials generating a main molten glass, and a submerged-combustion auxiliary furnace, said auxiliary furnace being fed with auxiliary batch materials, the auxiliary molten glass feeding the main furnace toward its upstream end in the first third of its length, the auxiliary glass being substantially of the same composition as the main glass. The downstream zone of the main furnace is thus used to remove both gases coming from the main glass and gases coming from the auxiliary glass, in order to finish melting the batch stones and impurities contained in the auxiliary glass and to homogenize the two glass streams from their redox standpoint, when this is necessary.

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: A method for producing fibers from molten waste includes melting waste in a melter into high-temperature molten fluid, discharging the high-temperature molten fluid from the melter, and fiberizing the high-temperature molten fluid to form solid fibers. The solid fibers possess excellent fire-resistant properties and thus can be used as fire-resistant materials.

Abstract: The invention is an improved method for manufacturing fiberglass. In the method of the invention, traditional raw materials are at least partially replaced by pre-reacted materials. Use of these pre-reacted material results is less energy based to manufacture glasses and better melting of the raw material.

Abstract: Rock fibres are made from a melt formed from a blend of low and high halogen waste materials. 80 to 98% are low halogen materials (containing less than 0.5 wt. % halogen) and 2 to 20% are high halogen materials (containing at least 1 wt. % halogen).

Abstract: A glass composition to be used for manufacturing inorganic fiber has a composition that entirely or partly eliminates the use of expensive boron oxide that is employed to lower the glass softening point and the viscosity. The glass composition contains 45 to 75 wt % of SiO2, 1 to 6 wt % of Al2O3, 0 to 4 wt % of MgO, 0 to 15 wt % of CaO, 0 to 6 wt % of B2O3, 0.1 to 10 wt % of BaO, 0.1 to 25 wt % of SrO, 5 to 17 wt % of Na2O, 0.5 to 10 wt % of K2O and 0 to 3.5 wt % of Fe2O3.

Abstract: The glass base material drawing apparatus for heating and drawing a glass base material has a storage unit for storing the glass base material having an opening unit that is opened along the longitudinal direction of the storage unit when the glass base material is placed inside the storage unit, a heating unit for heating the glass base material that has been stored inside the storage unit via the opening unit, and a pull-out unit for pulling out the glass base material heated by the heating unit. The opening unit may be opened in such a manner that the glass base material is moved from a side direction of the storage unit into the interior of the storage unit. A main axis for supporting the glass base material is connected to the glass base material. The storage unit may have a penetration hole through which the main axis is inserted when the opening unit is closed.

Abstract: Glass fibers, particularly those prepared by flame attenuation, display excellent chemical resistance to both acids and moisture while being highly biosoluble at the same time. The glass compositions used to make the fibers consisting essentially of: 38-52 wt % SiO2, 8-17 wt % A1203, 7-17 wt % B203, 0-7 wt % RO, wherein R is Ca, Mg, in a combination thereof, 20-31 wt R120, wherein R1 is Na, K, or a combination thereof, and 0-2.5 wt % Li20, and has a Final Aged Tensile Value of at least 3000; a HTV of 1700° F. or less and a liquidus temperature at least 200° F. lower than HTV.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing glass. A calcium magnesium silicate is used to replace some or all of magnesium oxide being used as an aid to reduce the use of boron during glass batch operations. Reduced batch-free times and operating temperatures are additional benefits.

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: A process for making mineral wool fibers having high-temperature stability consisting essentially of: (a) preparing a mixture containing basalt and a quantity of uncalcined raw bauxite sufficient to provide the resulting fibers with an alumina content of at least 18 weight percent, preferably of from 19 to 23 weight percent; (b) heating the mixture to a temperature sufficient to form a substantially homogeneous melt, e.g., in a cupola furnace using coke in a quantity of from about 11 to 25 percent by weight of the mixture; and (c) forming the melt into fibers. The mixture may optionally contain a flux, e.g., limestone and/or dolomite, such as a flux providing a weight ratio of limestone plus dolomite to basalt of less than about 0.6, e.g., 0.1-0.4. The mixture may also contain slag in a weight ratio of slag:basalt of less than about 1.0, more preferably about 0.6.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for producing glass fiber product from scrap glass fibers comprising at least one crusher having at least one pair of rotatable rollers which rotate at essentially the same speed, the rollers having intermeshing protuberances for crushing scrap glass fibers passing therebetween; a dryer for drying the crushed glass fibers to form dried glass fibers having a mean average moisture content of less than about one weight percent; and a separating device for separating the crushed glass fibers into (1) a first portion of crushed glass fibers having a mean average length of less than about 5 millimeters and (2) oversize dried waste material.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are described for forming glass fibers which utilizes a rotating melter for the fiber glass batch materials and stators which house the fiber forming bushings. The stators are encompassed by the rotating melter, but not physically touching it. The glass melt flows directly from the melter to the bushings in the stators and temperatures at the bushings are controlled by raising or lowering the stator with respect to the melter, the bushings being devoid of any electrical energy input as is conventionally practiced.

Abstract: The melting tub for producing the molten mass from a mixture of raw material is associated with an additional melting unit by means of which a recycled molten mass is obtained from mineral wool waste largely corresponding to the molten mass obtained from the mixture of raw materials in quality and composition. The recycled molten mass is supplied to the molten mass in the melting tub through a suitable introduction device. The recycling exhaust gas from the additional melting unit is fed to the tub exhaust gas, and the mixture of exhaust gas is utilised for pre-heating combustion air and mixture of raw materials.

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: The initial stages in the manufacture of a glass-like mineral fiber suitable for a multiplicity of industrial uses are essentially conventional; a charge of raw minerals (igneous rock, basalt, slag from a blast furnace or other metal working furnace, phosphate slag, etc.) is melted, then spun and collected to produce a fibrous mineral "blanket". The "blanket" is chopped up, separated, and screened, producing a prilled material constituting a multiplicity of mineral fiber pellets of given average size. These pellets are subjected to brief, rapid acceleration, as by contact with a high-speed toothed rotary wheel, to accelerate and stress the pellets into an industrially usable material constituting a multiplicity of shredded, flake-like mineral fiber elements, at least one such element for each pellet.