Melting glass materials using rf plasma

Abstract

The disclosure relates to methods for forming pre-melting and/or melting glass batch materials comprising bringing glass batch materials into contact with a plasma plume for a residence time sufficient to form substantially homogeneous, spheroid-shaped glass intermediate particles. The glass batch materials may flow in a cyclonic pattern in the plasma plume for increased residence time. The glass intermediate particles may be cooled with a tangential flow of gas to produce a cyclonic flow within the collection vessel. Also disclosed herein are glass intermediate particles comprising at least about 45 wt % of alumina and/or silica and less than about 55 wt % of at least one oxide of boron, V magnesium, calcium, sodium, strontium, tin, and/or titanium, wherein the glass intermediate particles are substantially homogenous and substantially spheroid in shape and have an average particle size ranging from about 5 to about 1,000 microns.