Schuller International, Inc.

Libbey-owens-ford Co.

Thomas Fowler Stark

Donald E Shamp

Larry Edward Howard

Jack R Elliott

Harry Earl Swisher, Jr

James W Swillinger

A method for melting and refining glass, such as E glass, comprises feeding glass batch materials into a melting and refining tank for melting and refining the glass batch materials into glass and a forehearth, downstream of the tank, for further refining the glass and delivering the glass to fiberizing means. The melting and refining tank is heated with oxygen fired burners. The oxygen fired burners in the melting and refining tank are located in the sidewalls at the upstream end of the tank and extend for about one-third, one-half or two-thirds the length of the tank. In one embodiment, burners are also located in the upstream end wall. This arrangement of the oxygen fired burners at the upstream end of the melting and refining tank moves the melter hot spot upstream for better refining of the glass and enables the furnace to produce a higher output of glass than can be obtained in a conventional E glass furnace of the same size.

Method of firing a glass melting furnace with oxygen

An oxygen-fuel firing system for a furnace comprising separate, spread apart nozzles for introducing gaseous streams of oxygen and fuel into the furnace at spaced apart locations. The gaseous streams merge within the furnace away from the furnace walls and crown. Thus, the main combustion within the furnace takes place in the central portion of the furnace where a broad flame cloud is created. The broad flame cloud provides a more uniform temperature profile within the furnace for a more efficient processing of materials being melted in the furnace.

Oxygen/fuel fired furnaces having massive, low velocity, turbulent flame

A furnace for melting and refining E glass comprises a melting and refining tank for melting and refining the glass batch materials into glass and a forehearth, downstream of the tank, for further refining the glass and delivering the glass to fiberizing means. The melting and refining tank is heated with oxygen fired burners. The oxygen fired burners in the melting and refining tank are located in the sidewalls at the upstream end of the tank and extend for about one-third the length of the tank. In one embodiment, burners are also located in the upstream end wall. This arrangement of the oxygen fired burners at the upstream end of the melting and refining tank moves the melter hot spot upstream for better refining of the glass and enables the furnace to produce a higher output of glass than can be obtained in a conventional E glass furnace of the same size.

Oxygen fired glass furnace with burners in the upstream end

Oxygen/fuel firing of furnaces with massive, low velocity, turbulent

An expendable heating device having a consumable electrode for extending into a bath of molten glass. The apparatus includes an L-shaped refractory holder whose longer leg is adapted to sit on the top of a wall such as that of a feeding extension or doghouse of a tank type glass melting furnace and whose shorter leg projects into the bath of molten glass for forming a protective jacket for the consumable electrode. The long leg of the refractory holder encases a bus bar which projects from the end thereof, the projecting end of the bus bar being adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy. The bus bar is held in place within the long leg of the holder by a pair of clamping devices.

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Littleton, CO, United States of America

Thomas Fowler Stark