The Boc Group, Inc.

Thomas G Clayton

John R LeBlanc

Neil George Simpson

Greg Floyd Prusia

Andrew Peter Richardson

Stephen McDonald Carney

In an industrial glass furnace which contains recuperators, regenerators, electric boost or other devices for providing heat to glass batch material an oxy-fuel burner mounted in the roof of the furnace provides additional heat to melt the batch material. A method of mounting and using such a roof-mounted oxy-fuel burner including the operating parameters to maximize heat transfer while minimizing the disturbance of the batch material is disclosed.

Method of boosting a glass melting furnace using a roof mounted oxygen-fuel burner

In an industrial glass furnace, which optionally contains recuperators, regenerators, electric boost or other devices for providing heat to glass batch material, at least one staged combustion oxy-fuel burner is mounted in the roof of the furnace to provide heat to melt the glass batch material by providing a flow of fuel to the oxy-fuel burner; providing a flow of gaseous oxidant in association with said the oxy-fuel burner; injecting the fuel and the oxidant into the furnace; and, combusting the fuel such that at least a portion of combustion is effected in the vicinity of said glass forming material to enhance convective and radiative transfer of heat to said glass forming material without substantially disturbing the glass forming material. In one embodiment, the oxy-fuel burner is adapted for injecting liquid fuels. In another embodiment, the oxy-fuel burner is adapted for fuel staged combustion and contains at least one outer oxidant injector and two inner fuel injectors, the innermost fuel injector being adapted for high velocity fuel injection and the other fuel injector, disposed between the innermost fuel injector and the outer oxidant injector, being adapted for lower velocity fuel injection.

Method of heating a glass melting furnace using a roof mounted, staged combustion oxygen-fuel burner

A process for installing a refractory burner block in a glass furnace crown, wherein the glass furnace crown comprises a second refractory material different than the burner block refractory, includes installing a refractory crown block in the furnace crown, wherein the crown block refractory is compatible with the burner block refractory and the second refractory material, wherein the crown block is provided with a hole for accepting the burner block; and disposing the burner block into the crown block hole in sealing engagement therewith. A process for installing a refractory burner block in a hot glass furnace crown, wherein the glass furnace crown comprises a second refractory material different than the burner block refractory, includes removing crown insulation from the exterior of the furnace crown; inserting a patch of refractory material compatible with the furnace crown second refractory material into the crown in the vicinity of the removed insulation; drilling a hole into the crown through the refractory patch, optionally with a water cooled diamond drill; and, inserting the refractory burner block into the hole in the furnace crown through the refractory patch. A process for installing a refractory burner block in a glass furnace crown, wherein the glass furnace crown comprises a highly thermally conductive fused cast refractory material, includes installing an insulating barrier mounting block on the upper surface of the furnace crown, wherein the mounting block is compatible with the burner block refractory and the fused cast refractory material, wherein the mounting block is provided with a hole for accepting the burner block, and wherein the insulating barrier mounting block is prepared when the furnace crown is not hot; and disposing the burner block into the mounting block hole in sealing engagement therewith.

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Toledo, OH, United States of America

Thomas G Clayton