GLASS MANUFACTURING

[0001] This patent application discloses innovations in glass manufacturing systems and methods that involve submerged combustion melting of feedstock materials into molten glass.

5

Background

[0002] A conventional glass factory includes a custom architectural installation specifically designed for glass manufacturing, and a glass manufacturing system supported and sheltered by the architectural installation. With reference to prior art FIGS. 6 through 10, a conventional glass 10 container factory is illustrated and described as an example. Those of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that other glass factories, for example, for producing glass fibers, glass display screens, architectural glass, vehicle glass, or any other glass products, share many aspects with a glass container factory. The example glass factory architectural installation of FIGS. 6 through 10 includes a concrete foundation including a main level or forming floor with a four-feet-thick slab, 15 and a basement below the forming floor for waste glass handling. The architectural installation also includes one or more factory buildings or enclosures on the foundation each including walls, a roof, and an upper level or raised platform above the forming floor.

[0003] The glass manufacturing system typically includes three major subsystems that occupy a large volumetric envelope both inside and outside of the factory building. First, a feedstock 20 subsystem includes a “batch house” located outside of the factory building. The batch house towers over the factory building and is generally configured to receive and store feedstock or “glass batch” including raw materials, for example, sand, soda ash, and limestone, and also including cullet in the form of recycled, scrap, or waste glass. Second, a tall and long hot-end subsystem located within the factory building is generally configured to receive the glass batch from the batch 25 house, melt the glass batch into molten glass, form glassware from the molten glass, apply a protective coating to the glassware, and anneal the coated glassware. Third, a cold-end subsystem also located in the factory building is generally configured to apply a lubricious coating to the annealed glassware, inspect the coated glassware, and prepare the inspected glassware for shipping to customers.

30[0004] The batch house is usually several stories tall, and includes a covered unloading platform and a pit to receive the glass batch from underneath railcars or trucks that arrive loaded with glass batch materials. The batch house also includes multi-story silos to store the glass batch, and glass batch elevators and glass batch conveyors to move the glass batch from the pit to tops of the silos. The batch house further includes cullet pads at ground level to receive and store cullet, crushers to crush cullet to a size suitable for melting, and cullet elevators and conveyors to move crushed

5 cullet to one of the silos in the batch house. The batch house additionally includes batch mixers to mix the glass batch received from the silos, conveyors with scales to weigh and deliver each glass batch material from the silos to the mixers, mixer conveyors to move the glass batch from the mixers to the hot-end subsystem, and dust collectors to collect dust from the various equipment. With reference to FIG. 8, the height of a batch house architectural installation is 96 feet (29.3 10 meters) above a forming floor level, the width of the batch house architectural installation is 95 feet and one inch (29 meters), and the horizontal depth of the batch house architectural installation is 60 feet (18.3 meters). With reference to FIG. 9, the height of the batch house equipment including the elevators is 93 feet and eight inches (28.5 meters) above a forming floor level, and a vertical depth of a batch house pit or basement is 19 feet and six inches (5.9 meters) below the 15 forming floor level.

[0005] The hot-end subsystem includes a multi-story, continuously-operated furnace and a batch charger to charge feedstock materials into the furnace. The furnace melts the glass batch into molten glass, and refines the molten glass, and includes a long, refractory-built tank elevated by the raised platform of the factory building, and also includes a melter section that melts the glass 20 batch into molten glass. The melter section is heated by fuel and oxidant combustion burners that are mounted in opposite sidewalls of a cross-fired furnace or in an end wall of an end-fired furnace. The combustion burners produce long flames over the surface of the molten glass. The melter section may also be heated by bottom -mounted in-melt booster electrodes, and further typically includes bottom-mounted bubblers and/or stirrers to ensure homogeneous mixing, reacting, and 25 complete melting of the different batch materials. In addition to the melter section, the furnace includes a finer section positioned downstream from the melter section. The finer section is connected by a water-cooled throat to the melter section and is constructed to facilitate the thermally- and/or chemically-induced removal of gas bubbles from the glass. The furnace also includes a pair of multi-story, heat-recycling, brickwork regenerators on either side of the tank that 30 receive, hold, and recycle heat from and to the melter section. As for the batch charger, it receives the glass batch from the mixer conveyors and screw feeds or reciprocally pushes the glass batch into the furnace. Typically, the batch charger reciprocably pushes piles of glass batch onto an exposed surface of molten glass in the melter section, and the piles slowly drift away from the charger and submerge into the molten glass.

[0006] The furnace operates continuously for many years until it becomes necessary to suspend 5 operation to reconstruct the furnace by replacing worn refractory material inside the furnace with new refractory material. Notably, such relining of the furnace typically requires several months of work at a cost of millions of dollars. Of course, the operation of the furnace can be slowed for downtime when downstream equipment is being changed or repaired, but the furnace must operate continuously, such that glass batch must continue to be charged into the furnace and molten glass 10 must continue flowing out of the furnace, to avoid freezing of glass in corners of the furnace tank and various other issues. During such downtime, the molten glass is dumped to the basement where it is water cooled and carried away for recycling as cullet. The longer such furnace downtime operation occurs, the more energy that is spent unnecessarily.

[0007] Also, glass color changes present many challenges to furnace operation. For example, 15 when it is desired to change from a first glass color to a second glass color different from the first, a color transition process normally takes about three to four days, resulting in many days of producing waste glass. And too frequently the color transition process results in various issues that can require up to a week to resolve. For example, glass chemistry reduction/oxidation imbalances lead to excessive glass foaming that can be difficult to bring under control, and/or 20 various commercial variations appear in glass containers initially produced from the transitioned second color glass. Accordingly, the frequency of glass color changes are minimized; about two per year typically, and once per month at most.

[0008] Downstream of the furnace, the hot-end subsystem includes a forehearth to receive the molten glass from the furnace, and to cool the molten glass to a uniform viscosity suitable for 25 downstream forming operations. Typically, it takes more than twenty-four hours from the time a given volume of glass batch is introduced into the furnace until the given volume exits the forehearth as chemically homogenized and thermally-conditioned molten glass.

[0009] At a downstream end of the forehearth, the hot-end subsystem further includes a gob feeder to receive the molten glass from the forehearth, produce a stream of molten glass, and cut the 30 stream into glass gobs that freefall into gob handling equipment. Gob handling equipment includes a lengthy series of distributors, scoops, chutes, deflectors, and funnels extending over ten feet (3 meters) in height. The gob handling equipment also includes ancillary lubrication equipment that applies lubricants to the gob handling equipment and liquid separators that separate or otherwise process the lubricants.

[0010] Downstream of the gob handling equipment, the hot-end subsystem further includes

5 gravity -fed forming molds to receive the gobs from the gob handling equipment and form the glassware from the gobs. Glassware handling equipment located downstream of the molds includes a conveyor to move the glassware downstream of the forming molds, take-out mechanisms to pick up and place the glassware on dead plates, and pushers to push the glassware off the dead plates and onto the conveyor.

10[0011] Moreover, downstream of molds and glassware handling equipment, the hot-end subsystem includes an annealing lehr at the end of the conveyor to anneal the glassware. The annealing lehr is a long and wide gas-fired oven with a conveyor running longitudinally therethrough and having a pusher to push long, transversely extending rows of containers into the oven.

15[0012] Finally, the hot-end subsystem includes ancillary equipment including hot-end coating equipment along the conveyor to apply a protective coating to the glassware, roof-mounted furnace ventilators in fluid communication with furnace exhaust ports, and a cullet hopper or bath in the basement beneath the gob feeder to receive rejected gobs, or molten streams of waste glass when the furnace continues to run during a forming equipment changeover or other downtime.

20[0013] The cold-end subsystem fits within a single story of the factory building, and includes conveyors to carry the annealed glassware downstream of the annealing lehr and to and between cold-end stations. The cold-end subsystem further includes a cold-end coating station to lubricate the glassware, and one or more inspection stations to inspect the coated glassware for any unacceptable commercial variations that will cause the glassware to be scrapped. The cold-end 25 subsystem also includes scrap handling equipment to return the glassware scrap to the batch house, a packaging station to package acceptable glassware together, a palletizing station to palletize the packaged glassware, and a warehouse to store pallets of packaged glassware.

[0014] The batch house, furnace, and gob handling equipment require a specialized, dedicated, and permanent architectural installation that is considered a heavy industrial building including a 30 pit, a basement, a reinforced foundation to support heavy furnace brickwork, and one or more three story building(s) that are plumbed with customized plumbing equipment and wired to handle very high industrial voltage electrical systems, which may require a dedicated substation, all of which must be constructed by skilled and expensive outside industrial construction personnel. The time to construct a new glass factory of the conventional type is about two to four years. And a conventional glass furnace cannot be relocated from one plant to another because, once assembled,

5 the furnace can only be broken apart. And even if the conventional glass furnace could be relocated, it would involve a lengthy and cost-prohibitive process of brick-by-brick deconstruction and reassembly.

[0015] With reference to FIG. 10, the batch house occupies a large footprint of about 5,700 square feet or about 530 square meters. Also, with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the batch house has a large 10 volumetric envelope of about 658,000 cubic feet or about 18,600 cubic meters. With reference again to FIG. E, the rest of the installation, not including the batch house, but including the hot- end and the cold-end portions, occupies a large footprint of about 22,570 square feet or about 2,100 square meters. Also, with reference to FIG. 7, the rest of the installation has a large volumetric envelope of about 1,557,000 cubic feet or about 44,000 cubic meters.

15[0016] The production output of such a size for a conventional glass manufacturing system is about 140 tons of glass per day (TPD). In fact, the particular system illustrated in FIGS. 6-10 is rated at a 140 TPD production capacity. Accordingly, a capacity-adjusted size of the system can be characterized by the volumetric envelope of the system divided by the production output of the system. For example, a total of 62,600 cubic meters divided by 140 TPD, is about 447 cubic 20 meters per each ton of glass produced per day. Also, the batch house size of 18,600 cubic meters is divided by 140 TPD for a capacity-adjusted size of about 133 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day. Further, the rest of the installation has a size of 44,000 cubic meters and is divided by 140 TPD for a capacity-adjusted size of about 314 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day. As used in the preceding sentences, the term “about” means within plus or 25 minus five percent.

[0017] Although such glass manufacturing systems and methods efficiently produce high-quality products for large-scale production runs, the presently disclosed subject matter introduces a revolutionary glass factory, glass manufacturing system, and individual subsystems and portions thereof that are more compact and economical, at least for smaller scale production runs or 30 incremental additions to existing large-scale production runs. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] FIG. 1 is a front perspective schematic view of a glass factory and glass manufacturing system, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, and drawn to scale;

5 [0019] FIG. 2 is another front perspective view of the factory and system of FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective schematic view of the factory and system of FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 4 is an elevational schematic view of the factory and system of FIG. 1;

[0022] FIG. 5 is a plan schematic view of the factory and system of FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. 6 is a front perspective schematic view of a conventional glass factory and glass 10 manufacturing system, in accordance with the prior art, and drawn to scale;

[0024] FIG. 7 is another front perspective view of the factory and system of FIG. 6;

[0025] FIG. 8 is a rear perspective schematic view of the factory and system of FIG. 6;

[0026] FIG. 9 is an elevational schematic view of the factory and system of FIG. 6; and

[0027] FIG. 10 is a plan schematic view of the factory and system of FIG. 6.

15

Detailed Description

[0028] In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a new glass factory and/or glass manufacturing system has a volumetric envelope that is significantly reduced compared to that of conventional glass factories and/or glass manufacturing systems. Also, the new glass factory 20 and/or manufacturing system may include prefabricated modular equipment configurations to facilitate rapid and mobile production capacity expansion in smaller increments and at lower capital cost than conventional glass manufacturing systems. Further, the new glass factory and/or manufacturing system may omit one or more conventional glass manufacturing subsystems or aspects thereof, as described in further detail below.

25 [0029] With reference to FIGS. 1 through 5, a new glass factory is illustrated and described, with reference to a glass container factory as an example. Those of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that other glass factories, for example, for producing glass fibers, glass display screens, architectural glass, vehicle glass, or any other glass products, share many aspects with a glass container factory. Accordingly, the presently disclosed and claimed subject matter is not limited 30 to glass containers, glass container manufacturing systems, and glass container factories and, instead, encompasses any glass products, glass product manufacturing systems, and glass product factories.

[0030] The new glass factory includes a new architectural installation and a new glass manufacturing system supported and sheltered by the installation. The installation includes a 5 concrete foundation having a forming floor which generally may include, for example, a four to six-inch-thick slab and at least one melter isolation pad and at least one forming machine isolation pad. Such isolation pads are less than four feet (1.2 meters) in thickness, and may be less than or equal to three feet (0.9 meters) in thickness. The installation requires no basement below the forming floor, and also includes a factory building on the foundation including walls and a roof, 10 and a feedstock building on the same foundation or on its own foundation and including walls and a roof. As used herein, the term “basement” includes the lowest habitable level of the glass factory below a forming floor of the factory and can include a first level or a below grade or below ground level portion that may require excavation of earthen material. Also, as used herein, the term “habitable” means that there is standing room for an adult human in the particular space involved 15 and there is some means of ingress/egress to/from the space while walking such as a doorway, stairway, and/or the like. In contrast, according to the present disclosure, no basement is required, such that the architectural installation includes a concrete slab with earthen material directly underneath the slab, wherein the slab establishes the forming floor.

[0031] The new glass manufacturing system includes three major subsystems that occupy a

20 volumetric envelope much smaller than conventional systems such that the glass factory likewise requires a smaller volumetric envelope than conventional glass factories. First, a feedstock subsystem is configured to receive and store feedstock or “glass batch.” The glass batch includes glassmaking raw materials, like sand, soda ash, and limestone, and also may include cullet in the form of recycled, scrap, or waste glass. The feedstock subsystem does not require a dedicated 25 conventional three-story batch house or conventional batch house batch elevators, batch mixers, and/or the like. Second, a hot-end subsystem receives the glass batch from the feedstock subsystem, melts the glass batch into molten glass, forms glassware from the molten glass, and anneals the coated or uncoated glassware. The hot-end subsystem does not require a massive conventional glass furnace, lengthy conventional gob handling equipment, and/or glassware pick- 30 and-place and pusher equipment. Third, a cold-end subsystem inspects the glassware, packages the inspected glassware for shipping to customers, and stores the packaged glassware before shipping to customers. The cold-end subsystem does not require a large conventional warehouse because the glassware can be made to order instead of being made to stock.

[0032] The installation is no more than seventeen meters in height above the forming floor and is otherwise also much smaller than a conventional glass factory. Also, the installation, not including 5 the feedstock building, is less than two stories (and certainly less than three stories) in height (e.g., the installation is less than thirteen meters tall), thereby enabling use of a light industrial building to be used to enclose the hot and cold end portions of the glass factory. As used herein, the phrase “light industrial building” means an architectural installation including a building less than thirteen meters tall and supported on footings surrounding a concrete mat slab, for example, 4 to 6 inches 10 thick, and having earthen material directly underneath the slab.

[0033] More specifically, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 5, the feedstock building occupies a smaller footprint of about 3,500 square feet or about 325 square meters. Also, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the feedstock building has a smaller volumetric envelope of about 189,000 cubic feet or about 5,350 cubic meters. With reference again to FIG. 5, the rest of the installation, not 15 including the feedstock building, but including the hot end and the cold end portions, occupies a smaller footprint of about 12,500 square feet or about 1,160 square meters. The footprint of this portion of the installation may have a maximum length less than about 70 meters, a maximum width less than about 20 meters, and a maximum height less than about 15 meters. Also, with reference to FIG. 2, the rest of the installation has a smaller volumetric envelope of about 525,000 20 cubic feet or about 15,000 cubic meters.

[0034] The production output of such a size for the new glass manufacturing system may range from 100 TPD to 120 TPD, including all ranges, subranges, values, and endpoints of that range. In fact, the particular system illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 is about 110 TPD. Accordingly, a capacity- adjusted size of the presently disclosed system can be characterized by the volumetric envelope of 25 the presently disclosed system divided by the production output of the system. For example, a total of about 20,350 cubic meters divided by 110 TPD, is about 185 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day by the glass manufacturing system. Also, the feedstock building size of about 5,350 cubic meters is divided by 110 TPD for a capacity-adjusted size of about 49 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day by the glass manufacturing system. Further, the rest 30 of the installation has a size of about 15,000 cubic meters and is divided by 110 TPD for a capacity- adjusted size of about 136 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day by the glass manufacturing system. As used herein, the term “about” means within plus or minus five percent. [0035] Therefore, the capacity-adjusted size of the new glass manufacturing system including the feedstock building is less than 200 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day by the glass 5 manufacturing system, certainly less than 250 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day, and much less than the 440+ cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day of the conventional factory. Accordingly, the capacity-adjusted size of the new glass manufacturing system including the feedstock building is 170 to 204 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced each day, including all ranges, subranges, values, and endpoints of that range. Thus, the capacity- 10 adjusted size of the presently disclosed glass factory may be less than half that of the conventional factory.

[0036] Similarly, the capacity-adjusted size of the feedstock building is less than 50 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day by the glass manufacturing system, certainly less than 75 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day, and much less than the 125+ cubic meters per 15 each ton of glass produced per day of the conventional factory. Accordingly, the capacity-adjusted size of the feedstock building is 45 to 54 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced each day, including all ranges, subranges, values, and endpoints of that range. Thus, the capacity-adjusted size of the presently disclosed feedstock building may be less than half that of the conventional batch house.

[0007] Likewise, the capacity-adjusted size of the hot-end and cold-end installation is less than 150 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day by the glass manufacturing system, certainly less than 200 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day, and much less than the 300+ cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day of the conventional factory. Accordingly, the capacity-adjusted size of the hot-end and cold-end installation of the new glass 25 manufacturing system is 125 to 150 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced each day, including all ranges, subranges, values, and endpoints of that range. Thus, the capacity-adjusted size of the presently disclosed hot-end and cold-end installation of the presently disclosed glass factory may be less than half that of the conventional hot-end and cold-end installation of the conventional factory.

30[0038] Turning first to the feedstock subsystem, this portion of the new glass factory facilitates storage and supply of feedstock for the hot-end subsystem. Notably, however, the feedstock subsystem need not include a conventional batch house or any one or more of the following conventional batch house elements: a pit to receive glass batch from underneath railcars or trucks, glass batch elevators, or a glass batch mixer.

[0039] Instead, the feedstock subsystem is a pneumatically-closed glass manufacturing feedstock

5 subsystem that includes a bulk material storage sub-system, including an array of majors silos and majors pneumatic inlet conduit configured to pneumatically convey bulk material from pneumatic conveying vessels to the array of majors silos, and also including an array of minors containers and minors pneumatic inlet conduit configured to pneumatically convey bulk material from pneumatic conveying stations to the array of minors containers. The feedstock subsystem also 10 includes a bulk material transfer subsystem including a transfer bin that pneumatically seals to the majors silos and the minors containers and receives bulk material therefrom, and an automatically guided vehicle configured to move the transfer bin between the arrays and the bulk material transfer sub-system. The feedstock subsystem also includes a bulk material transmission subsystem including a pneumatic hopper that pneumatically seals to the transfer bin and receives 15 bulk material therefrom, and a pneumatic outlet conduit coupled to the pneumatic hopper and configured to transmit bulk material to a glass melting furnace separate from and downstream of the feedstock system. The system is pneumatically closed from the pneumatic inlet conduit to the pneumatic outlet conduit. The feedstock subsystem may include the apparatus and involve the methods disclosed in accompanying CHAPTER A, which is incorporated herein by reference in 20 its entirety and included below.

[0040] The majors array includes a plurality of bulk material container systems, each including a frame having dimensions less than or equal to an intermodal freight container and including longitudinally extending corner columns, a base including horizontally extending base crossmembers, and a silo platform including horizontally extending platform cross-members and a 25 panel coupled to the platform cross-members. A silo is carried within each frame and includes a body having a body lower end and a body upper end, and a spout coupled to the body lower end and including a spout lower end. Utilities are coupled to the upper end of the silo and include a filter, a pressure relief valve, pneumatic conduit, and a level gauge, and dosing equipment is coupled to the spout lower end. Comer columns of adjacent systems are coupled together to 30 establish the silo array. The bulk material container systems are preassembled at an equipment fabricator, are shipped from the fabricator to a product manufacturer in an intermodal freight container, and are erected at the product manufacturer.

[0041] The minors array includes a plurality of bulk material container systems, each including a frame with dimensions less than or equal to an intermodal freight container and including 5 longitudinally extending corner columns, and a container platform including horizontally extending platform cross-members and a panel coupled to the platform cross-members. A plurality of containers is carried within the frame in a partial circumferential array and includes bodies having body lower ends and body upper ends, and spouts coupled to the body lower ends and including spout lower ends. Utilities are coupled to the upper ends of the containers and include 10 filters, pressure relief valves, pneumatic conduit, and level gauges. Dosing equipment is coupled to each spout lower end. Corner columns of adjacent systems are coupled together and the partial circumferential arrays of the containers establish a complete circumferential array of the containers.

[0042] Additionally, although shown as a separate architectural installation in the drawing figures,

15 at least a portion of the architectural installation of the feedstock subsystem may be integrated with the architectural installation of the hot and cold end subsystems. For example, a majors section of the feedstock subsystem including a majors silo array and the enclosure and foundation portion of the feedstock building corresponding to the majors silo array may be located outside of the architectural installation of the hot and cold end subsystems, and the rest of the feedstock 20 subsystem may be located within the enclosure of the architectural installation of the hot and cold end subsystems with no increase - and perhaps some decrease - in footprint or volumetric envelope described above. In another example, a weatherproof majors silo array may be located outside of the architectural installation of the hot and cold end subsystems on a suitable foundation, and access to the maj ors silo array may be provided by an above ground enclosed tunnel or hallway 25 traversable by automatically guided vehicles.

[0043] Turning now to the hot-end subsystem, this portion of the new glass factory includes a submerged combustion melting (SCM) furnace or SC “melter” to melt the glass batch into molten glass, and a batch charger to receive the glass batch from the feedstock subsystem and charge the glass batch into the SCM furnace. The batch charger moves the feedstock directly into the SCM 30 furnace, for example, through a side wall, a roof, or a floor of the SCM furnace. [0044] In contrast to conventional glass furnaces, SCM furnaces include submerged combustion burners that are mounted in floors or sidewalls of the furnaces and that fire fuel and oxidant mixtures directly into and under the surface of the molten glass. The fuel and oxidant mixtures of the burners produce powerful flows of combustion gasses through the molten glass that cause 5 violent sloshing and turbulence of the molten glass, so much so that the furnace tends to shake.

The burners produce intense internal shearing forces of the molten glass, thereby causing rapid heat transfer and particle dissolution throughout the molten glass. This is in contrast to the much slower kinetics of a conventional glass furnace in which the molten glass is comparatively still, and heated radiantly with above-melt burners and, in some cases, with in-melt booster electrodes.

10 And although the SCM furnace rapidly produces chemically homogenized molten glass, the glass melt is foamy, having about 30 vol% to 60 vol% entrained gas bubbles.

[0045] The relatively high heat-transfer and mixing efficiency of the SCM furnace allows for a fundamentally different melter design than that of a conventional glass furnace. Specifically, an SCM furnace is typically 50% to 90% smaller than a conventional glass furnace by tonnage weight 15 of molten glass holding capacity at steady-state. Because the SCM furnace walls can be externally cooled, the furnace is able to be shut down and emptied, and then restarted, quickly and efficiently when necessitated by production schedules or other considerations. This type of operational flexibility is simply not possible for a conventional glass furnace. Additionally, the SCM furnace may include non-submerged overhead burners to pre-heat the furnace during start-up and, 20 optionally, to impinge on the turbulent molten glass during operation to suppress foaming.

[0046] The SCM furnace generally includes a tank including a floor, a roof, and a perimeter wall extending between the floor and the roof and establishing an interior to receive feedstock, melt the feedstock into molten material, and contain the molten material produced from the feedstock. The perimeter wall may include a front end wall, a rear end wall, side walls, and angled walls between 25 the side walls and the end walls. In other embodiments, any configuration of the perimeter wall may be used including walls constituting a purely rectangular shape, or a cylindrical wall, or any other suitable configuration. The furnace also includes a batch inlet at an upstream end of the tank, a molten glass outlet at a downstream end of the tank, submerged combustion melting burners extending through the tank (e.g. through the floor) to melt the feedstock into the molten glass in 30 the interior of the tank, and an exhaust outlet through the roof. [0047] In an example embodiment of batch charging, the batch charger includes a charger conduit including an inlet to receive feedstock and an outlet at an outlet portion of the charger conduit to transmit feedstock, and an auger or other feedstock mover coupled to the charger conduit to convey feedstock in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet. A gate may be detachably coupled to the 5 outlet portion of the charger conduit and configured to be coupled directly to a wall of a melting vessel. The auger may have a helical flight with an outer diameter of varying size. A stripper may be movably carried by the charger conduit and moved by an actuator with respect to the charger conduit to facilitate transmission of feedstock and/or to strip away clogged feedstock and/or molten material. More specifically, the batch charger may include the apparatus and involve the methods 10 disclosed in International Patent Application Ser. No. PCT/US21/52930, (Attorney Docket 19587 “SUBMERGED FEEDSTOCK CHARGING OF MELTING VESSELS”), filed on September 30, 2021 and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and included herein as CHAPTER B.

[0048] In another example embodiment of batch charging, a batch feeding apparatus includes a

15 detachable feeder alcove configured to be coupled to an SCM furnace for providing batch material to the SCM furnace and including at least one side wall and a cover, and a batch feeder sealingly coupled to the cover and that feeds batch material to the feeder alcove. The batch feeding apparatus also may include an extendable panel that extends downwardly below a batch inlet of the feeder alcove to molten glass, and is configured to maintain contact with the molten glass to seal off a 20 feeder alcove interior. Additionally, the batch feeding apparatus may include a heating device, a cleaning device, and/or a storage device. More specifically, the apparatus may include the apparatus and involve the methods disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 17/039,713, (Attorney Docket 19598 “FEEDER ALCOVE AND BATCH FEEDING APPARATUS FOR A MELTER”), filed on September 30, 2020 and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is 25 incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and is included herein as CHAPTER C.

[0049] To facilitate a smaller and more flexible glass furnace, construction of the SCM furnace may be modular; including individual fluid-cooled panels fluidically and mechanically coupled together to create a desired shape and size of the furnace. The panels can be prefabricated off-site and assembled quickly on-site at the glass factory by coupling panel fluid connectors together and 30 fastening the panels together. Panels can be added to or removed from an existing SCM furnace to expand or reduce the size of the furnace. Likewise, panels of an existing SCM furnace can be easily removed and replaced with replacement panels or with reinforced panels at furnace locations experiencing high-wear, such that the furnace can be selectively rebuilt and need not be entirely rebuilt or repaneled during any given repair. The panels include inner plates having internal surfaces and refractory retainers extending from the internal surfaces, outer plates having fluid 5 connectors, sidewalls connecting the inner and outer plates in a fluid-tight manner, and internal baffles tack welded or intermittently connected to and between the plates to define a serpentine fluid conduit that primarily directs fluid to flow through the baffles, but permits fluid to slip between the baffles and the plates to reduce hot spots. The panels are in fluid communication with one another via conduit coupled to the fluid connectors of the outer plates. A refractory material, 10 for instance, an aluminum silicate-based material or a cullet-based material, is cast, sprayed, troweled, or otherwise applied to the internal surfaces of the inner plates, and held thereto via the refractory retainers. More specifically, the SCM furnace may include the apparatus and involve the methods disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/590,065, (Attorney Docket 19506 “COOLING PANEL FOR A MELTER”), filed on October 1, 2019 and which is assigned to 15 the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and is included herein as CHAPTER D. Likewise, the SCM furnace may include the apparatus and involve the methods disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/993,825, (Attorney Docket 19611 “CAST CULLET-BASED LAYER ON WALL PANEL FOR A MELTER”), filed on August 14, 2020 and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety 20 and included herein as CHAPTER E.

[0050] Additionally, the SCM furnace includes an exhaust system in fluid communication with the interior of the tank via the exhaust outlet thereof, and generally may include a fluid-cooled flue coupled to and in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet of the SCM furnace, and a refractory-lined hood coupled to and in fluid communication with the fluid-cooled flue at a 25 downstream end of the flue. The exhaust system also may include a dilution air input conduit coupled to and in fluid communication with the refractory-lined hood. The exhaust system also may include a non-cooled, non-refractory outlet conduit coupled to and in fluid communication with the refractory-lined hood, and a dust cleanout duct coupled to and in fluid communication with the refractory-lined hood. The fluid-cooled flue extends upwardly from the roof of the 30 furnace tank at the exhaust outlet. More specifically, the SCM furnace may include the apparatus and involve the methods disclosed in International Patent Application Ser. No. PCT/US21/52792, (Attorney Docket 19627 “SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTING EXHAUST

SYSTEM”), filed on September 30, 2021 and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and included herein as CHAPTER F.

[0051] The SCM furnace also includes a cooling system skid including a cooling fluid manifold,

5 a cooling fluid source, a pump, conduit, valves, flow meters, regulators, temperature sensors, controllers, and the like, and a pallet or other sub-structure to carry the aforementioned cooling system equipment. The SCM furnace further includes a utility skid including electrical cabling and connectors, prefabricated fuel and oxidizer manifolds, inlets, and connectors, and the like, and a pallet or other sub-structure to carry the aforementioned utility equipment. Of course, the SCM 10 furnace includes SCM burners that may be assembled on site at the glass factory or preassembled to floor panels of the SCM furnace.

[0052] Installed, the height of the SCM furnace including the exhaust system is less than ten meters tall, and may be less than nine meters tall. Given the relatively small size of the SCM furnace, its modularity, and the fact that no basement is needed under the SCM furnace, the SCM furnace can 15 be easily relocated to different portions of the factory building, for example, to accommodate reconfiguration of a production line, addition of a production line, or the like. All controls and external connectors may be carried by one panel of the SCM furnace. SCM furnace reconstruction requires less than two weeks at a small fraction of the cost of reconstructing conventional glass furnaces. Notably, the SCM furnace need not include in-melt booster electrodes, or bubblers or 20 stirrers because the in-melt burners provide sufficient heat and turbulence to thoroughly melt and mix the glass batch into chemically and thermally homogeneous molten glass. Accordingly, energy expended on such ancillary equipment can be avoided. Also, the SCM furnace does not require use of a reinforced foundation because there are no heavy furnace brickwork regenerators, it does not necessitate use of a two to three story building with a basement, and it does not 25 necessitate roof-mounted furnace ventilators. Accordingly, nearly any light industrial building having a ceiling height of less than 15 meters can now be used to house a glass factory. Similarly, such a building having standard plumbing and 480 volts electrical supply can be used. As just one example, a typical warehouse in an area zoned for light industry could be used.

[0053] In an example embodiment of operation of the SCM furnace or SC melter, good quality 30 flint glass may be reliably produced. The method involves controlling four specific process parameters of the SC melter that have been determined to have at least some influence on promoting flint glass production. The identified SC melter process parameters include (1) the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the submerged burners, (2) the temperature of the glass melt maintained in the SC melter, (3) the specific throughput rate of molten glass from the SC melter, and (4) the residence time of the glass melt. When each of these SC melter process parameters is maintained 5 within a predetermined range, the glass melt and the molten glass extracted therefrom through an outlet of the SC melter exhibit a colorless or nearly colorless visual appearance. In fact, the molten glass obtained from the SC melter can consistently meet exacting flint glass specifications that are often mandated by the commercial container and flat glass articles industries. An oxygen-to-fuel ratio of a combustible gas mixture for the burners ranges from stoichiometry to 30% excess oxygen 10 relative to stoichiometry, a temperature of a glass melt in the SC melter is between 1200°C and 1500°C, a residence time of the glass melt is maintained between 1 hour and 10 hours, and a specific throughput rate of molten glass discharged from the SC melter ranges from 2 tons per day per meter squared of cross-sectional area of the submerged combustion melter [tons/day/m ² ] to 25 tons/day/m ² . Such SC melter operation may include the apparatus and involve the methods 15 disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/788,609, (Attorney Docket 19513

“PRODUCING FLINT GLASS USING SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTING”), filed on February 12, 2020 and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and is included herein as CHAPTER G.

[0054] The vitrifiable feed material includes a base glass portion that provides primary glass- 20 forming oxides, an oxidizing agent comprising a sulfate compound, and a decolorant comprising either selenium or manganese oxide. The vitrifiable feed material comprises between 0.20 wt% and 0.50 wt% of the sulfate compound, expressed as SO3, and further comprises between 0.008 wt% and 0.016 wt% of selenium or between 0.1 wt% and 0.2 wt% of manganese oxide. The vitrifiable feed material is formulated to be introduced into a glass melt that is contained within a 25 submerged combustion melter and that comprises a total iron content expressed as Fe2C>3 in an amount ranging from 0.04 wt% to 0.06 wt% and has a redox ratio that ranges from 0.1 to 0.4. The vitrifiable feedstock may include the materials and involve the methods disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/788,631, (Attorney Docket 19514 “FEED MATERIAL FOR PRODUCING FLINT GLASS USING SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTING”), filed 30 on February 12, 2020 and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and is included herein as CHAPTER H. [0055] In another example embodiment of operation of the SCM furnace or SC melter, a redox ratio of a glass melt can be adjusted in several ways depending on a desired outcome, by controlling one, any combination of two, or three operating conditions of the SC melter that have been determined to have an influence on the redox ratio of the glass melt. The particular SC melter 5 operating conditions include (1) the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture injected by each of the submerged burners, (2) the residence time of the glass melt, and (3) the gas flux through the glass melt. The redox ratio of the glass melt is considered to be “adjusted” when the redox ratio is shifted relative to what is otherwise inherently attributable to the composition of the vitrifiable feed material in the absence of controlling the operating condition(s). The redox ratio 10 may be shifted up (more reduced glass) or down (more oxidized glass) depending on the color of the glass being produced to help minimize the need to include certain redox agents in the vitrifiable feed material. The redox ratio may also be increased to shift the glass melt to a more reduced state, or it can be decreased to shift the glass melt to a more oxidized state, to help transition between glass colorations without necessarily having to alter the quantity of redox agents included in the 15 vitrifiable feed material being fed to the submerged combustion melter. The ability to adjust the redox ratio of the glass melt through control of the operating condition(s) can help achieve certain glass colorations with less reliance on the composition of the vitrifiable feed material, can allow for rapid changes in redox ratio, and can permit modifications to the composition of the vitrifiable feed material that otherwise might not be possible. Such SC melter operation may include the 20 apparatus and involve the methods disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/788,635,

(Attorney Docket 19543 “GLASS REDOX CONTROL IN SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTING”), filed on February 12, 2020 and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and included herein as CHAPTER I.

[0056] The hot-end subsystem also may include a stilling vessel, stilling chamber, or “stiller” to

25 receive the molten glass from the turbulent confines of the SCM furnace, allow the molten glass to settle, and begin the process of fining the molten glass. The stilling vessel receives foamy molten glass discharged from the SCM furnace, which has a tendency to have a fluctuating flow rate, and delivers molten glass at a controlled flow rate to a downstream finer. In this way, the SCM furnace can be operated at maximum performance to produce molten glass, and downstream 30 glass fining can be practiced more efficiently, with a minimal size apparatus, and with better overall control, because the molten glass input flow to the finer can be regulated with precision. The stilling vessel can be operated to partially fine and/or reduce the foam content of an intermediate pool of molten glass that pools within the stilling vessel while also preventing heat loss from the glass before delivering the molten glass feed to the downstream finer.

[0057] The stilling vessel includes a stilling tank and a feeding spout appended to the stilling tank.

5 To control the flow rate of the molten glass from the feeding spout, movement of a reciprocal needle is controlled to regulate the flow rate (either by mass or volume) through an orifice of the feeding spout. As such, the stilling vessel effectively decouples viscosity of the molten glass from the flow rate of the molten glass, thereby providing improved control of finer molten glass level, e.g., twice as accurate as that of previous SCM and finer arrangements. Without the stilling vessel,

10 the SCM furnace would have to be operated more conservatively and/or the size or length of the finer would have to be significantly increased. The stilling vessel may include the stilling vessel disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/590,068, (Attorney Docket 19522 “STILLING VESSEL FOR SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTER”), filed on October 1, 2019 and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and

15 included herein as CHAPTER J. The stilling vessel may include the liquid-cooled flow control needle disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 17/039,734, (Attorney Docket 19613 “FLUID-COOLED NEEDLE FOR MOLTEN MATERIAL FLOW CONTROL”), filed on September 30, 2020 and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and included herein as CHAPTER K.

20[0058] Additionally, the hot-end subsystem also includes a downstream finer that may be mechanically decoupled from the stilling vessel. The finer serves to fine molten glass including removal of foam or gas bubbles from the surface of the molten glass and from the bulk of the molten glass. A forehearth may be located at a downstream end of the finer to receive fined molten glass from the finer, and condition the molten glass to a uniform viscosity for downstream forming 25 operations, and may include a glass feeder at a downstream end thereof to feed the conditioned molten glass to downstream forming equipment.

[0059] In an example fining embodiment, a fining tank includes a housing that defines a fining chamber and contains a molten glass bath in the fining chamber, and that further defines each of a glass inlet, a glass outlet, and an auxiliary access passage, and wherein the molten glass bath flows 30 in a flow direction from the glass inlet to the glass outlet. Unfined molten glass produced in a submerged combustion melter is received into the fining chamber of the fining tank through the glass inlet, the unfined molten glass having a volume percentage of gas bubbles and a density and, upon being introduced into the fining chamber, combining with the molten glass bath. Additive particles are introduced into the fining chamber of the fining tank through the auxiliary access passage, and comprise a glass reactant material and one or more fining agents, wherein the one or 5 more fining agents are released into the molten glass bath upon consumption of the additive particles in the molten glass bath to thereby accelerate the removal of bubbles from the molten glass bath. Fined molten glass is discharged from the glass outlet of the fining tank, having a volume percentage of gas bubbles that is less than the volume percentage of gas bubbles in the unfined molten glass and further having a density that is greater than the density of the unfined 10 molten glass. Such a finer may include one or more of the apparatuses and methods disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/590,076, (Attorney Docket 19503 “FINING SUBMERGED COMBUSTION GLASS”), filed on October 1, 2019, and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and included herein as CHAPTER L.

[0060] In another example fining embodiment, a fining vessel includes a housing that defines a

15 fining chamber, and that has a roof, a floor, and an upstanding wall extending between the roof and the floor, and that further defines an inlet to the fining chamber and an outlet from the fining chamber. The fining vessel also includes a skimmer extending in a direction downwardly with respect to the roof of the housing towards the floor of the housing and further extending across the fining chamber between opposed lateral sidewalls of the upstanding wall. The skimmer has a 20 distal free end that together with corresponding portions of the floor and upstanding wall defines a submerged passageway. A dissolvable fining material component is disposed directly beneath the skimmer, and comprises a mixture of a glass compatible base material and one or more fining agents. Such a finer may include one or more of the apparatuses and methods disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/590,062, (Attorney Docket 19517 “SELECTIVE CHEMICAL 25 FINING OF SMALL BUBBLES IN GLASS”), filed on October 1, 2019, and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and included herein as CHAPTER M. A similar finer includes a plurality of nozzles supported in the floor of the housing directly beneath the skimmer, and being configured to dispense a carrier gas into the fining chamber, the carrier gas including a main gas that contains suspended particles of one or more 30 fining agents. Such a finer may include one or more of the apparatuses and methods disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/590,072, (Attorney Docket 19592 “SELECTIVE CHEMICAL FINING OF SMALL BUBBLES IN GLASS”), filed on October 1, 2019, and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and included herein as CHAPTER N.

[0061] Downstream of the forehearth, the hot-end subsystem includes a glass feeder that receives

5 the fined and conditioned molten glass from the finer and produces a molten charge therefrom.

The feeder may include a bowl or spout at a downstream end of the forehearth to accept molten glass from the forehearth, and a plunger to push molten glass out of the glass feeder spout. Also, the feeder may include an orifice ring being located at an outlet of the spout and cooperating with the plunger to control flow of and perhaps provide heat to the molten glass. In some embodiments, 10 the feeder also may include shears below the orifice ring to cut the molten charge from the molten glass stream.

[0062] Downstream of the glass feeder, the hot-end subsystem also may include molten glass handling equipment that may be shorter in vertical height than conventional gob handling equipment, and that may result in greater quality and less commercial variations in glass products.

15 In a first example, a glass charge transporter can be located below the glass feeder, or laterally adj acent to the glass feeder, or even above the glass feeder. The transporter may include a transport cup can be formed of heat resistant material, for example platinum, graphite, and/or other suitable material, or combinations of various materials. The transport cup can be supported by a movable carrier that is configured to transport the molten glass portion away from the feeder axis to the

20 glassware forming sub-system. For example, the carrier can transport the molten glass portion vertically, and/or laterally/horizontally away from the feeder axis, to the glassware forming subsystem. The movable carrier can support one or a plurality of transport cups.

[0063] In an additional example embodiment, the glass feeder may involve bottom -feeding of blank molds using vacuum and injection molding techniques. The glass feeder may include a 25 spout, a circumferentially closed conduit in communication with the spout, and a feeder plunger to push a molten glass stream downward from the spout, through the circumferentially closed conduit and upward into a blank mold. This latter example of a glass feeder may include the subject matter disclosed in International Patent Application Ser. No. PCT/US21/52753, (Attorney Docket 19526 “GLASS FEED SYSTEM AND METHOD”), filed on September 30, 2021 and 30 which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and included herein as CHAPTER O. [0064] Notably, the glass feeder need not be, and preferably is not, a gob feeder, such that the feeder need not, and preferably does not, produce a freefalling gob. Likewise, the hot-end subsystem need not, and preferably does not, include lengthy gob handling equipment (distributors, scoops, chutes, deflectors, and funnels) and related lubrication equipment. In 5 contrast to a large positive vertical height differential (about fourteen feet or about 4.3 meters) between an outlet of a glass charge feeder and openings of forming molds required by conventional systems, the presently disclosed system may occupy zero to two feet (0 to 0.6 meters), including all ranges, subranges, values, and endpoints of that range, of positive vertical height to deliver the molten glass between a molten glass feeder and downstream forming molds. In fact, the distance 10 between the outlet of the glass feeder and the inlets of the forming molds of the presently disclosed system may be negative such that the forming mold inlets may be located above the glass feeder outlet. Accordingly, the glass feeder may require an operational envelope of no more than one or two feet of vertical height, and perhaps zero positive height differential, between the finer and downstream forming molds. Consequently, the molten charge produced by the glass feeder of 15 the present disclosure need not suffer from unequal cooling, damage, or deformity sometimes associated with significant contact with lubricant and gob handling equipment. In fact, the presently disclosed glass feeders and techniques result in molten charges that have relatively improved thermal homogeneity. This tends to result in fewer container commercial variations, and more consistent container wall thickness thereby requiring less container material, and 20 reducing container weight and annealing time due to a thinner average wall thickness of the containers.

[0065] Downstream of the glass feeder, the hot-end subsystem further includes forming molds to receive the gobs from the glass feeder and form the glassware from the glass charges. The forming molds may be part of a conventional individual section machine, or may be part of other types of 25 forming machines. Downstream of the forming molds, the hot-end subsystem includes glassware handling equipment, which may include takeout mechanisms to pick up and place the glassware on dead plates, and pushers to push the glassware off the dead plates and onto a conveyor of the glassware handling equipment so that the containers are conveyed downstream for further processing. [0066] Moreover, the hot-end subsystem may include an annealing lehr at the end of the conveyor to anneal the glassware. The annealing lehr may be a conventional lehr, or may be any other type of annealing equipment to anneal the glass containers.

[0067] Additionally, the hot-end subsystem may include hot-end coating equipment along the 5 conveyor to apply a protective coating to the glassware before it enters the annealing lehr. Notably, however, the hot-end subsystem need not include conventional ancillary equipment including roofmounted furnace ventilators, and a cullet hopper or bath in a basement.

[0068] Finally, the hot-end subsystem may include a glassware manufacturing waste glass handling system, which can enable the glassware manufacturing system to be contained within a 10 production building without a basement, and wherein cullet, process, and/or shear water can be collected and recycled within the system to minimize cost from environmental disposal. The waste glass handling system includes a sump pit in the forming floor, a waste liquid trench surrounding a glassware forming machine and flowing to the sump pit, and at least one of a cullet material handler or a molten waste glass sluice configured to receive molten glass from the molten glass 15 feeder, hot glassware rejects from the glassware forming machine, and/or molten glass from the SCM furnace and/or the finer. The forming floor may be sloped or crowned from the glassware forming machine to the waste liquid trench. The waste glass material handler may be at least partially recessed in a cullet trench, and may be mounted to the forming floor and disposed at a level of the forming floor. Liquid waste collected by the sump pit is recycled to the system. The 20 waste glass handling system also may include an enclosure over the cullet trench to establish a cullet trench conduit, and steam removal ductwork in fluid communication with the cullet trench conduit to remove steam from the cullet trench conduit. The waste glass handling system further may include a cold cullet return conveyor carried by the forming floor configured to transport cold glassware rejects from a location downstream of an annealing lehr, and a reject conveyor 25 configured to transport hot glassware rejects from the glassware forming machine to the waste glass material handler, and a hot mold charge chute configured to direct rejected mold charges from the glassware forming machine to the waste glass material handler. Because the waste glass handling system is carried by the forming floor, e.g., sits on an upper surface of the forming floor or is carried in a trench in the forming floor, there is no need for a traditional glass factory basement 30 to accommodate waste glass handling equipment. For example, the waste glass handling system may include the waste glass handling system disclosed in International Patent Application Ser. No. PCT/US21/52762, (Attorney Docket 19577 “CULLET AND CULLET WATER HANDLING SYSTEM”), filed on September 30, 2020 and which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and included herein as CHAPTER P. Additionally, recycled, scrap, and waste cullet can be crushed and returned to the feedstock handling subsystem 5 via one or more cullet crushers and cullet return conveyors.

[0069] Unlike conventional glass furnaces, the SCM furnace may be operated intermittently such that it need not be run continuously like a conventional glass furnace, although it could be run continuously. The SCM furnace operates until it is desired to suspend operation for any of a number of reasons: to change color of the glass, to change base composition of the glass, to allow 10 time to repair or change downstream forming equipment, or to interrupt production for downtime of any other type. For example, when it is desired to change from a first glass color to a second glass color different from the first, operation of the SCM furnace can be stopped, the molten glass dumped out of the SCM furnace for recycling during a subsequent production run of the first color. This may be facilitated via the cullet handling system discussed above, with or without additional 15 use of a water-cooled roller to help create more surface area on the molten glass to speed cooling and make conveying easier. In any event, operation of the SCM furnace can be restarted with fresh glass batch materials to produce the second color, without the typical operational issues associated with color changes in conventional glass furnaces. Molten glass can also be dumped from the finer and the forehearth through drains provided through sloped bottoms thereof and, 20 again, this may be facilitated via the cullet handling system discussed above, with or without additional use of the water-cooled roller. Accordingly, use of the SCM furnace facilitates a color change to be carried out in less than 30 hours (in contrast to three to five days for conventional arrangements), such that container color changes can be made much more frequently than ever before and there is no need to stockpile weeks or months of inventory of a particular color between 25 color changes.

[0070] Turning now to the cold-end subsystem, this portion of the new glass factory fits within a single story, and includes conveyors to carry the annealed glassware downstream of the lehr and to and between cold-end stations. The cold-end subsystem may include a cold-end coating station to lubricate the glassware, and includes one or more inspection stations to inspect the coated 30 glassware for any unacceptable commercial variations that result in glassware scrap. The coldend subsystem also includes scrap handling equipment to return the glassware scrap back to the upstream feedstock subsystem, a packaging station to package acceptable glassware together, a palletizing station to palletize the packaged glassware, and a warehouse to store pallets of packaged glassware. Notably, because there is no need to produce weeks or months of glassware stock of a given color with the new system, the cold-end subsystem does not require a large conventional 5 warehouse and instead, can include a finished glassware storage area on the order of 10% to 20% of the size of a typical warehouse at a glass factory.

[0071] The present disclosure provides a mobile and modular glass manufacturing system that can be moved from one standard industrial location to another, completely unlike conventional glass manufacturing systems that require dedicated, customized, permanent glass factory installations.

10 Also, the time to construct the presently disclosed new glass factory is about three to six months. Accordingly, a permanent site and facility in a heavy industrial zone need not be purchased; rather, an existing site and facility for the system can be temporarily leased in a light industrial zone, until it is desirable to relocate the system to another site and facility.

[0072] In conjunction with the above description of an illustrative embodiment of a glass factory

15 and glass manufacturing system, glassware may be produced by the following glass manufacturing process, which may or may not include all of the disclosed steps or be sequentially processed or processed in the particular sequence discussed, and the presently disclosed manufacturing process encompasses any sequencing, overlap, or parallel processing of such steps, and use of any suitable glass manufacturing system.

20[0073] A glass manufacturing method includes submerged combustion melting of feedstock into molten glass, stilling the molten glass into stilled molten glass, streaming the stilled molten glass by gravity into a finer, and fining the molten glass into fined molten glass in the finer. The glass manufacturing method also may include conditioning the fined molten glass for downstream forming operations, producing a molten charge from the fined molten glass, wherein the molten 25 charge is not a freefalling glass gob, transporting the molten charge in a manner that excludes use of gob chutes, and forming the molten charge into glassware. In an example embodiment, the transporting step includes feeding the molten charge directly from a glass feeder into a forming mold, and pushing molten glass out of the glass feeder and into and through a circumferentially closed conduit extending between and coupled to the forming mold to communicate molten glass 30 to the forming mold. [0074] Additionally, the glass manufacturing method further may include handling waste glass without using a basement below a forming floor, including collecting waste liquid in a sump pit in the forming floor, collecting waste liquid in a waste liquid trench surrounding a forming machine and flowing to the sump pit, and receiving molten glass streams from a glass feeder and hot

5 glassware rej ects from the forming machine in a waste glass handler on the forming floor. Further, the glass manufacturing method may include annealing the glassware, inspecting the glassware, and packaging the glassware. The entire method may be carried out in a volumetric envelope of less than 20,000 cubic meters and has a production capacity of about 110 tons of glass per day, for a capacity-adjusted size of less than 200 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day.

10[0075] There thus has been disclosed a glass manufacturing system and method, that fully satisfy one or more of the objects and aims previously set forth. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject 15 matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience, and all chapters included herewith form an integral part of the application. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

CHAPTER A - 19582

CHAPTER A - Docket 19582

Background

A conventional glass factory includes a custom architectural installation specifically designed for glass manufacturing, and a glass manufacturing system supported and sheltered by the architectural installation. The conventional custom glass factory architectural installation includes a factory building that houses a glass furnace, glass container forming equipment, and the like. The installation also includes a feedstock subsystem that includes a “batch house” located outside of the factory building. The batch house towers over the factory building and is generally configured to receive and store feedstock or “glass batch” materials including glassmaking raw materials, for example, sand, soda ash, and limestone, and also including cullet in the form of recycled, scrap, or waste glass. The batch house is usually about seven stories tall, about 35 meters including above and below floor level, and includes a covered unloading platform and a pit to receive the glass batch from underneath railcars or trucks that arrive loaded with glass batch materials. The batch house also includes multi-story silos to store the glass batch, and glass batch elevators and conveyors to move the glass batch from the unloading systems at bottom of the pit to tops of the silos. The batch house further includes cullet pads at ground level to receive and store cullet, crushers to crush cullet to a size suitable for melting, and cullet elevators and conveyors to move crushed cullet to one of the silos in the batch house. The batch house additionally includes a mixer to mix the glass batch received from the silos, conveyors integrated with scales to weigh and deliver each glass batch material from the silos to the mixer, mixer conveyors to move the glass batch from the mixers to the hot-end subsystem, and dust collectors to collect dust from the various equipment.

The batch house requires a specialized, dedicated, and permanent architectural installation including a pit, and a two to three story building. The time to construct a new glass batch house of the conventional type is about one to two years. And a conventional batch house cannot be relocated from one location to another. The batch house installation occupies a large footprint on the order of 530 square meters, and a large volumetric envelope on the order of 18,600 cubic meters. A batch house installation of this size typically supports a conventional glass manufacturing system with a production output of about 140 tons of glass per day. Accordingly, a capacity-adjusted size of the batch house can be characterized by the volumetric

A-l CHAPTER A - 19582 envelope of the batch house divided by the production output enabled by the batch house, which is about 133 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day.

Brief Description of Drawing Figures

FIG. 1 illustrates an upper front perspective view of a feedstock subsystem of a glass manufacturing system according to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an upper rear perspective view of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates an upper front perspective view of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1 with an enclosure removed therefrom and also illustrating a portion of a hot-end subsystem of the glass manufacturing system.

FIG. 4 illustrates an upper rear perspective view of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1 with the enclosure removed therefrom.

FIG. 5 illustrates a fragmentary perspective view of an upper portion of a majors silo array of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the majors silo array shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged top view of a major’s silo of the major’s silo array shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a major’s silo carried on a pallet.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary schematic view of a major’s section of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a dosing portion of the majors silo array shown in FIG. 1 and also illustrating a transport bin and cradle for the bin.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the transport bin of FIG. 1 and also illustrating a table supporting the cradle and transport bin and a scale therebetween.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a minors section of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1 and illustrating a minors container array in a habitable third level, dosing equipment in a habitable second level, and pneumatic conveying stations in a habitable first level.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a minors container array module of the minors section of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1 stacked on top of a minors dosing module of the minors section of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a top view of two minors container array modules of the minors section of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1 and arranged side by side to establish a complete minors array.

A-2 CHAPTER A - 19582

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a small bag pneumatic conveying station module of the minors section of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a big bag pneumatic conveying station module of the minors section of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 17 and 18 are perspective views of control equipment modules of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a control equipment module of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1 and a dosing equipment module of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1 carried on a single pallet.

FIG. 20 is a fragmentary schematic view of a minors section of the feedstock subsystem of FIG. 1.

FIG. 21 shows an example flow path of an AGV and transport bin.

FIG. 22 shows a transmission section of the system.

FIG. 23 shows a pneumatic hopper of the transmission section.

Detailed Description

Although conventional glass manufacturing batch houses and methods enable efficient production of high-quality products for large-scale production runs, the presently disclosed subject matter introduces a revolutionary glass feedstock subsystem or “batch house” that has a volumetric envelope that is significantly reduced compared to that of conventional batch houses, includes prefabricated modular equipment configurations to facilitate easier installation, and removal and relocation, and may omit one or more conventional batch house subsystems or aspects thereof, as described in further detail below.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a new glass feedstock subsystem or “batch house” 10 is illustrated and described, with reference to a glass container factory 12 as an example. Those of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that other glass factories, for example, for producing glass fibers, glass display screens, architectural glass, vehicle glass, or any other glass products, share many aspects with a glass container factory. Accordingly, the presently disclosed and claimed subject matter is not limited to use with glass containers, glass container manufacturing systems, and glass container factories and, instead, encompasses any glass products, glass product manufacturing systems, and glass product factories.

A-3 CHAPTER A - 19582

As shown in an example embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2, the batch house 10 includes an architectural installation 14 and a batch handling system 16 supported and sheltered by the installation 14. The installation 14 includes a concrete foundation 18 having a floor 20 generally having a four to six inches thick mat or slab. The installation 14 requires no basement and no pit below the floor 20, and also includes a factory building or enclosure 22 on the foundation 18 including walls 24 and a roof 26. The installation 14 is less than three stories and, more specifically, is less than 15 meters in height above a floor of the installation 14. The feedstock subsystem 10 is configured to receive and store feedstock or “glass batch” materials. The glass batch materials include glassmaking raw materials, like sand, soda ash, and limestone, and also may include cullet in the form of recycled, scrap, or waste glass. The feedstock subsystem 10 does not require conventional batch house elevators, mixers, and/or the like.

The batch house 10 or feedstock building 22 occupies a footprint and volumetric envelope much smaller than that of conventional batch houses. The feedstock building 22 occupies a footprint of about 3,500 square feet or about 325 square meters, and a volumetric envelope of about 189,000 cubic feet or about 5,350 cubic meters. The production output of molten glass that is enabled by a batch house this size is about 110 TPD, such that a capacity- adjusted size of the presently disclosed batch house 10 can be characterized by the volumetric envelope of the presently disclosed system divided by the production output of the system. For example, the feedstock building 22 size of 5,350 cubic meters is divided by 110 TPD for a capacity-adjusted size of about 49 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day.

With reference to FIG. 1, the batch handling system 16 includes pneumatic input conduit 28 that may extend through one or more walls 24 of the batch house enclosure 22 for accessibility to batch transporters, e.g., trucks or rail cars, that bring batch materials to the batch house 10. The input conduit 28 has any suitable couplings for coupling to batch transporters in a pneumatically sealed manner, wherein the batch transporters may have pumps, valves, and/or other equipment suitable to pressurize the input conduit 28 to push batch material into the batch house 10 and/or the batch handling system 16 may include pumps, valves, and/or other equipment suitable to apply vacuum to the input conduit 28 to pull batch material into the batch house 10.

A-4 CHAPTER A - 19582

With reference to FIG. 2, the batch handling system 16 includes pneumatic output conduit 30 that may extend through one or more walls 24 or the roof 26 of the enclosure 22 for transmission to a hot end subsystem 32 of a glass manufacturing system 34.

With reference to FIG. 3, the pneumatic output conduit 30 is schematically shown coupled to a portion of the hot end subsystem 32 and is preferably sealingly coupled thereto. For example, the hot end subsystem 32 may include a receiver hopper 36, a mixer 38 in downstream communication with the receiver hopper 36, a vessel or day bin 40 in downstream communication with the mixer 38, a batch charger 42 in downstream communication with the day bin 40, and a glass melter 44 in downstream communication with the batch charger 42 to receive batch materials from the batch charger 42 and melt the batch materials into molten glass. The schematically illustrated batch charger 42 is a top feed charger that dumps batch material into an opening in a roof 46 of the glass melter 44. In another embodiment, however, the batch charger 42 may include a below-melt charger that extends through a side wall, a bottom wall, or a lower comer wall of the glass melter 44. In yet another embodiment, the batch charger 42 may be a top feed charger that is configured to feed batch material through a sidewall or a roof of an alcove appended to an upstream portion of the glass melter 44. The output conduit 30 has any suitable couplings for coupling to the receiver hopper 36 in a pneumatically sealed manner.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the batch handling system 16 includes a base frame 48 establishing a habitable first or lower level 50 of the system 16 and including columns 52 extending upwardly from the foundation 18, cross members 54 connecting the columns 52, and obliquely angled supports 56 between at least some of the columns 52. The base frame 48 spans a majors section 58 of the system 16, a minors section 60 of the system 16, and a transmission section 62 of the system 16. As used herein, the term “habitable” means that there is standing room for an adult human in the particular space involved and there is some means of ingress/egress to/from the space while walking such as a doorway, stairway, or the like.

In the majors section 58, the system 16 also includes a dosing equipment frame 64 carried on the base frame 48 to carry silo dosing equipment 66 and including lower and upper cross members 68, vertical columns 70 therebetween, and obliquely angled supports 72 between at least some of the columns 70. Also in the majors section 58, the system 16 further includes a silo array 74 carried on the dosing equipment frame 64 and including a plurality of silo modules 76.

A-5 CHAPTER A - 19582

With additional reference to FIGS. 5-8, each silo module 76 includes a frame 78 that may have dimensions less than or equal to maximum interior dimensions of an intermodal freight container and including longitudinally extending comer columns 80, a base 82 including horizontally extending base cross-members 84, a silo platform 86 including horizontally extending platform cross-members 88, a panel 90 coupled to the platform cross-members 88, and one or more brackets 91 coupled to the side wall 92 of the silo 94 and to cross members 84 of the frame 78. Each silo module 76 also includes a silo 94 carried within the frame 78 and including a body 96 having a body lower end 98 and a body upper end 100, and a spout 102 coupled to the body lower end 98 and including a spout lower end 104, as well as pneumatic conduit 106 longitudinally carried at each comer of the frame 78, and utilities 108 coupled to the upper end 100 of the silo 94 and including a filter 110, a pressure relief valve 112, pneumatic conduit 114, and a level gauge 116. Each silo module 76 may be pre-assembled, for example, at an equipment fabricator, and then shipped from the fabricator to a glass product manufacturer in an intermodal freight container, and then erected on site at the product manufacturer. As shown in FIG. 8, a silo module 76 may be carried on a pallet 118 suitable for use in an intermodal freight container. Frames 78 of adjacent modules 76 are coupled together to connect the array 74, and an upper-most level 120 of the array 74 may be habitable.

With additional reference to FIG. 9 and Appendix Al, the inlet conduit 28 extends upwardly to an upper portion 122 of the batch house 10 to an upper portion 124 of a plurality of majors silos 76. The inlet conduit 28 is routed to particular silos 94 in some cases directly, and in other cases, via upstream branches that direct flow of batch material to downstream valves and inlets of multiple silos. Five inlet conduits 126-134 are illustrated and correspond to sand, soda, limestone, alumina, and saltcake, i.e., major materials or “majors” for glassmaking. The sand inlet conduit 126 is directed to four silos, the soda inlet conduit 128 is directed to three silos, the limestone inlet conduit 130 is directed to two silos, the alumina inlet conduit 132 is directed to one silo, and the saltcake inlet conduit 134 is directed to one silo. A twelfth silo is a dust recovery silo 136 that is not coupled to the inlet conduit 28 but is coupled to an internal conduit 138 that receives recovered dust from other equipment of the batch handling system 16. The silos 94 are coupled to dosing equipment 66 that is carried by the dosing equipment frame 64 beneath the silo array 74 and that is connectable to a movable batch dosing container or transport bin 140 to dose appropriate amounts of batch materials into the transport bin 140.

A-6 CHAPTER A - 19582

With reference to FIG. 10, the dosing equipment 66 may be supported by the dosing equipment frame 64 by brackets 142 and includes a receiver 144 for coupling to the spout 102 of the lower end 100 of a corresponding silo 94, and conduit, valve(s), augers, and/or other equipment suitable to move and dose batch material to docking equipment that is adapted to dock the dosing equipment 66 to the transport bin 140 to allow flow of batch material from the dosing equipment 66 to the transport bin 140 without being exposed or open to the surrounding environment. The transport bin 140 may include one or more normally closed closures 146 at a bin inlet 148 to prevent the batch material in the transport bin 140 from being open to the surrounding environment. The door 150 is shown as open for illustrative purposes.

With reference to FIG. 11, the transport bin 140 is shown carried by a transport bin cradle 152 supported on a frame or table 154 separate from the cradle 152 and having a platform 156 and legs 158 depending from the platform 156 to support the platform 156. The cradle 152 may be supported on a weigh scale 160, which in turn is supported on the table 154.

With reference to FIG. 4 and Appendix Al, the system 16 also includes an automatically guided vehicle (AGV) 162 separate from the table 154. The AGV 162 is traversable between the legs 158 of the table 154 and under the platform 156 of the table 154, and is raisable from a lowered position to lift the table 154 with the scale 160 and transport bin 140 and cradle, and carry and move same among locations under the silos 94 and dosing equipment 66 to receive batch material from the silos 94 via the dosing equipment 66, and to further move the transport bin 140 to the minors section 60 of the system 16 to receive minors therefrom, and, ultimately, to move the transport bin 140 to a transmission station. Of course, the AGV 162 is lowerable, for example, to move around without the transport bin 140.

With reference to FIGS. 12 and 13, a fragmentary portion of the minors section 60 is shown and includes the base frame 164 housing minors small bag unloaders 166, a minors dosing equipment module 168 carried on the base frame 164 and partially establishing a habitable second or intermediate level 170 of the minors section 60 of the system 14, and a minors container module 172 carried on the minors dosing equipment module 168 and establishing a habitable third or upper level 174 of the minors section 60 of the system 16.

Each minors container module 172 includes a frame 176 with dimensions less than or equal to maximum interior dimensions of an intermodal freight container and including lower and upper cross members 178, vertical columns 180 therebetween, and obliquely angled supports

A-7 CHAPTER A - 19582

182 between at least some of the columns 180, and a container platform 184 supporting the containers 186. Each container module 172 also may include a plurality of containers 186 carried within the frame 176 in a partial circumferential array 188 wherein the containers 186 receive minors from the minors unloaders 166 via pneumatic conduit 190 that include any suitable couplings for coupling to the unloaders 166 and the container modules 172 in a pneumatically sealed manner. The containers 186 include bodies 192 having body lower ends 194 and a body upper ends 196, and spouts coupled to the body lower ends 194 and including spout lower ends, and utilities 198 coupled to the upper ends 194 of the containers 186 and including filters, pressure relief valves, pneumatic conduit, and level gauges.

Each minors dosing module 168 includes a frame 200 with dimensions less than or equal to maximum interior dimensions of an intermodal freight container and including lower and upper cross members 202, vertical columns 204 therebetween, and obliquely angled supports 206 between at least some of the columns 204, and an equipment platform 208 carried by the cross members 202 and supporting minors dosing equipment 210. The minors dosing equipment 210 is supported by the dosing equipment frame 200 and includes a receiver 212 for coupling to the spout 102 of the lower end 98 of a corresponding silo 94, and conduit, valve(s), and augers, and/or other equipment suitable to move and dose batch material to docking equipment that is adapted to dock the dosing equipment 210 to the transport bin to allow flow of batch material from the dosing equipment 210 to the transport bin 140 without being exposed or open to the surrounding environment.

Corner columns and/or cross-members of adjacent minors container and dosing equipment modules 168,172 are coupled together and partial circumferential container and dosing equipment arrays 214,216 establish a complete circumferential array 218 as shown in FIG. 14. The array of minors containers may be adjacent to the array of majors silos in a downstream direction.

With reference to FIG. 15, a small bag unloader module 220 includes a frame 222 with dimensions less than or equal to maximum interior dimensions of an intermodal freight container and including lower and upper cross members 224, vertical columns 226 therebetween, and obliquely angled supports 228 between at least some of the columns 226, and a bag unloader platform 230 supporting one or more bag unloaders 166 and associated pneumatic transfer

A-8 CHAPTER A - 19582 conduit and equipment 232 constituting one or more pneumatic conveying stations 234 that pneumatically convey batch material minors to the array of minors containers 218.

Similarly, with reference to FIG. 16, a big bag or bulk unloader module 236 includes a frame 238 with dimensions less than or equal to maximum interior dimensions of an intermodal freight container and including lower and upper cross members 240, vertical columns 242 therebetween, and obliquely angled supports 244 between at least some of the columns 242, and a bulk unloader platform 246 supporting one or more bulk unloaders 248 and associated pneumatic transfer conduit and equipment 250.

Likewise, with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18, control room and electrical room modules 252,254 include frames 256,258 with dimensions less than or equal to maximum interior dimensions of an intermodal freight container and including lower and upper cross members 260,262, vertical columns 264,266 therebetween, and obliquely angled supports 268,270 between at least some of the columns 264,266, and platforms 272,274 supporting control panels and associated equipment 276,278.

With additional reference to FIG. 19, multiple modules 168,254 may be carried, for example, end to end, on a pallet 280 suitable for use in an intermodal freight container.

With reference to FIG. 20 and Appendix Al, the AGV 162 is configured to move the transport bin 140 among locations under the minors containers 186 and dosing equipment 210 to receive batch material from the minors containers 186 via the dosing equipment 210, and to further move the transport bin 140 to the transmission station 62. The minors may include magnesium, potassium, sulfur, chromium, iron, cobalt, titanium, barium, strontium, nickel, chromium, manganese, copper, tin, bismuth, carbon, selenium, and/or vanadium.

With reference to FIG. 21, an example flow path 282 of the AGV 162 and transport bin 140 is illustrated. In the example flow path 282, and among the majors, alumina is collected first, sand is collected second, limestone is collected third, saltcake is collected fourth, recycled dust is collected fifth, and soda is collected sixth. In the example flow path 282, and following collection of the majors, minors are collected last at one or both of two stations each corresponding to one half of the circumferential minors container array 218. Then the AGV 162 carries the transport bin 140 to the transmission station 62 for transmission through the outlet conduit 30 to the hot end 32 of the glass manufacturing system 34.

A-9 CHAPTER A - 19582

With reference to FIGS. 22 and 23, a transmission section 62 of the system 16 includes a batch transmission station 284. The station 284 may include a transfer bin handler 286 including a transfer bin elevator 288 including elevator columns 290 and an elevator carriage 292 translatable along the elevator columns 290 and carrying movable pins, and a transfer bin conveyor 294 including conveyor rails 296 and a conveyor pallet 298 translatable along the conveyor rails 296 and carrying stationary locators. The station 284 also includes a pneumatic hopper 302 that may be located below the transfer bin conveyor 294 and having a sealingly closeable inlet 304, and a pneumatic conveying sub-system 306 including an air pump, valves, and/or other equipment suitable to pressurize and push batch material to a downstream location. A pneumatic conduit 308 may be coupled to the air pump and/or to the pneumatic hopper 302 to convey bulk material out of the pneumatic hopper 302 and through the outlet conduit 30. The pneumatic hopper 302 includes the normally closed inlet 304 that is configured to receive batch material from a normally closed outlet of the transport bin 140. The transport bin 140 and/or the pneumatic hopper 302 include one or more actuators or other devices suitable to open the normally closed inlet 304 and outlet. Although the illustrated embodiment includes the separate pneumatic hopper 302 to convey batch material downstream, in other embodiments, the transport bin 140 can be adapted similarly to the pneumatic hopper 302 such that it is configured to convey batch material downstream through the outlet conduit 30 directly from the transport bin 140.

Those of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the batch handling system 16 is pneumatically closed between the pneumatic input conduit 28 and the pneumatic output conduit 30. This is in contrast to conventional systems where batch material is open to the surrounding environment. The phrase “pneumatically closed” means that the path, and the batch materials following that path, from inlet conduit 28 to outlet conduit 30 is/are enclosed, although not necessarily always sealed air-tight, and not openly exposed to the surrounding environment.

Moreover, although the drawings illustrate a 3 x 4 array configuration of twelve silo modules, the presently disclosed modular designs permit larger or smaller arrays, for example, 2 x 3, 4 x 6, or any other desired array size and configuration. Likewise, although the drawings illustrate a circular array of six minors containers, the presently disclosed modular designs permit larger or smaller arrays, for example, a square array of four minors containers, a matrix array of two rows of four minors containers for a total of eight minors container, or any other suitable

A-10 CHAPTER A - 19582 configuration and size array. Additionally, the modules 168,172,220,236,252,254 may share common exterior dimensions such that the modules 168,172,220,236,252,254 can be carried together on a common pallet 118,280, and can be easily aligned with one another to facilitate positioning and assembling them together on site. In fact, many of the modules may have identical exterior dimensions. In this regard, each of FIGS. 3, 4, 13, 14, and 19 are to scale. Additionally, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize various other characteristics of the modules 168,172,220,236,252,254, and other aspects of the system 16, from the drawings themselves.

Example claims for docket 19582 include the following:

1.

A bulk material handling method, comprising: receiving feedstock into silos and/or containers; dosing the feedstock from the silos and/or containers into a dosing container; transmitting the feedstock from the dosing container to a downstream location for melting the feedstock, wherein the entire method is carried out in a volumetric envelope of less than 7,500 cubic meters and produces about 110 tons of glass per day, for a capacity adjusted size of less than 70 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day.

2.

The method of claim 1, wherein the entire method is carried out in a volumetric envelope of less than 6,000 cubic meters and produces about 110 tons of glass per day, for a capacity adjusted size of less than 55 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day.

3.

The method of claim 2, wherein the entire method is carried out in a volumetric envelope of about 5,350 cubic meters and produces about 110 tons of glass per day, for a capacity adjusted size of less than 50 cubic meters per each ton of glass produced per day.

4.

A bulk material container system, comprising: a frame having dimensions less than or equal to an intermodal freight container and including longitudinally extending corner columns, a base including horizontally extending base

A-l l CHAPTER A - 19582 cross-members, and a silo platform including horizontally extending platform cross-members and a panel coupled to the platform cross-members; a silo carried within the frame and including a body having a body lower end and a body upper end, and a spout coupled to the body lower end and including a spout lower end; and utilities coupled to the upper end of the silo and including at least one of a filter, a pressure relief valve, pneumatic conduit, or a level gauge; and dosing equipment coupled to the spout lower end.

5.

A bulk material container system array, comprising: a plurality of the container system of claim 4, wherein comer columns of adjacent systems are coupled together.

6.

A feedstock system, comprising: a base frame establishing a habitable lower level; a dosing frame carried on the base frame and carrying dosing equipment; and the bulk material container system array of claim 5 carried on the dosing frame.

7.

A method of constructing a feedstock system, comprising: pre-assembling the bulk material container system of claim 4 at an equipment fabricator; shipping the pre-assembled bulk material container system from the fabricator to a product manufacturer in an intermodal freight container; and erecting the pre-assembled bulk material container system at the product manufacturer.

8.

A bulk material container system, comprising: a frame with dimensions less than or equal to an intermodal freight container and including longitudinally extending corner columns, and a container platform including horizontally extending platform cross-members and a panel coupled to the platform crossmembers; a plurality of containers carried within the frame in a partial circumferential array and including bodies having body lower ends and a body upper ends, and spouts coupled to the body lower ends and including spout lower ends; and

A-12 CHAPTER A - 19582 utilities coupled to the upper ends of the containers and including at least one of filters, pressure relief valves, pneumatic conduit, or level gauges; and dosing equipment coupled to the spout lower end.

9.

A bulk material container system array, comprising: a plurality of the container system of claim 8, wherein the frames of adjacent systems are coupled together and the partial circumferential arrays of the containers establish a complete circumferential array of the containers.

10.

The bulk material container system of claim 9, further comprising: a plurality of small bag unloaders pneumatically coupled to corresponding containers; and a plurality of big bag unloaders pneumatically coupled to corresponding containers.

11.

A pneumatically-closed glass manufacturing feedstock system, comprising: a bulk material storage sub-system, including an array of majors silos, majors pneumatic inlet conduit configured to pneumatically convey bulk material from pneumatic conveying vessels to the array of majors silos, and a bulk material transfer sub-system, including a transfer bin including a sealingly closeable bin inlet configured to pneumatically seal to the majors silos and the minors containers and receive bulk material therefrom, and an automatically guided vehicle configured to move the transfer bin between the arrays and the bulk material transfer sub-system; and a bulk material transmission sub-system, wherein the bulk material transmission subsystem includes a pneumatic hopper having a sealingly closeable hopper inlet configured to pneumatically seal to the transfer bin and receive bulk material therefrom, and pneumatic outlet conduit coupled to the pneumatic hopper and configured to transmit bulk material to a glass melting furnace separate from and downstream of the feedstock system,

A-13 CHAPTER A - 19582 wherein the system is pneumatically closed from the pneumatic inlet conduit to the pneumatic outlet conduit.

12.

The pneumatically-closed glass manufacturing feedstock system of claim 11, wherein the bulk material storage sub-system also includes an array of minors containers adjacent to the array of majors silos, and minors pneumatic inlet conduit configured to pneumatically convey bulk material from pneumatic conveying stations to the array of minors containers.

A-14 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883)

CHAPTER B: SUBMERGED FEEDSTOCK CHARGING OF MELTING VESSELS

This was a provisional patent application under 35 USC §111(b).

Technical Field

This patent application discloses innovations to material melting systems and, more particularly, to submerged charging of feedstock into melting vessels.

Background

Material melting systems include feedstock or “batch” chargers, and melting furnaces having vessels to receive feedstock from the feedstock chargers and hold molten material and also having burners, electrodes, or other heating devices to melt the feedstock into the molten material. Such melting furnaces are used to melt metal, waste material, glass, and various other materials.

In glass manufacturing, raw glass materials are used to form a uniform composition of molten glass that can be subsequently processed into glass objects. The raw glass materials can include a variety of different chemical compositions (e.g., various oxides to form soda-lime- silica glass), and can be mixed with recycled glass (“cullet”). The raw glass materials and/or the cullet constitute feedstock or glass batch, which is typically delivered into a glass melting furnace by a glass batch charger, which receives loose glass batch from upstream equipment and then transmits the loose glass batch into the furnace. For example, in some glass melting furnaces, a batch charger reciprocably feeds piles of loose glass batch onto an exposed surface of molten glass in a furnace melter section, and the piles slowly drift away from the charger and submerge into the molten glass. A U.S. patent that illustrates a batch charger of this type is US 8,783,068. In another example, involving a submerged combustion melting (“SCM”) furnace, a batch charger continuously screw feeds loose glass batch beneath a free surface of molten glass and, thereafter, the batch melts and may rise within a melting section of the furnace. A U.S. patent that illustrates a batch charger of this type includes US 9,822,027. Although such batch chargers are acceptable, challenges to batch charging remain.

Brief Summary of the Disclosure

In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a melting furnace feedstock charger includes a charger conduit including an inlet to receive feedstock and an outlet at an outlet portion of the charger conduit to transmit feedstock, an auger or other feedstock mover coupled to the charger conduit to convey feedstock in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet.

B-l CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883)

In another embodiment, a gate may be detachably coupled to the outlet portion of the charger conduit and configured to be coupled directly to a wall of a melting vessel. In a further embodiment, the auger may have a helical flight with an outer diameter of varying size. In an additional embodiment, a stripper may be movably carried by the charger conduit and moved by an actuator with respect to the charger conduit to facilitate transmission of feedstock and/or to strip away clogged feedstock and/or molten material.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, sectional, elevational view of a material melting system according to an aspect of the present disclosure, and including a feedstock charger, and a melting furnace having a vessel to receive feedstock from the feedstock charger and melt the feedstock into molten material;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the feedstock charger of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the feedstock charger of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the feedstock charger of FIG. 1, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top view of the feedstock charger of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary rear view of a fluid-cooled panel of the feedstock charger of FIG. 1.

Detailed Description

Several example embodiments will be described with reference to use in a glass manufacturing environment. However, it will be appreciated as the description proceeds that the presently disclosed subject matter is useful in many different applications and may be implemented in many other embodiments.

Submerged combustion melting (SCM) is a type of melting used in manufacturing of glass in which an air-fuel or oxygen-fuel mixture is injected directly into a pool of molten glass. SCM is also used in manufacturing metal, and other materials. As combustion gases bubble through the molten glass, they create a high-heat transfer rate and turbulent mixing of the molten glass until it achieves a uniform composition. A typical submerged combustion melter or furnace has a bottom with an outer wall, a refractory inner wall having an upper surface establishing a floor of the furnace, and a vertical burner passage extending through the inner and

B-2 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883) outer walls and being submerged in the molten glass. The typical melter also includes a burner extending into the burner passage.

With prevailing batch charging technology for SCM, glass batch materials are charged into a gas phase, or a gas atmosphere, above a free surface of molten glass within the melter, as opposed to being charged directly into the molten glass. It remains a challenge with SCM to engulf the raw glass materials and/or the cullet into the molten glass without causing dust and batch particulate carryover, due to charging the potentially partially dry materials into the melter in the turbulent gas phase. These particulates are typically filtered out with the use of bagging processes, and particulate control equipment, which is often large in size and expensive to obtain and operate. Adding water to wet the batch helps to limit the carryover, but increases the cost of operation, maintenance, and energy use.

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a feedstock charger is provided for a melting furnace to reduce risk of dust and batch particulate carryover in furnace exhaust. In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a feedstock charger could eliminate batch water addition system/operation and reduce the need for filtration bagging process and particulate control equipment to deal with dust and batch particulate carryover in the furnace exhaust.

With specific reference to the drawing figures, FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of a melting furnace 10 including a melting vessel 12 and a feedstock (or batch) charger 14 to charge feedstock (or batch) into the melting vessel 12. The melting furnace 10 may be any type of melting furnace, for example, for melting glass, steel, aluminum, or any other suitable material.

The melting vessel 12 includes a bottom wall 16, a top wall 18, and one or more perimeter walls 20a, b (e.g. side walls, end walls, and/or the like) extending in a direction between the bottom wall 16 and the top wall 18. The melting vessel 12 also may include a corner wall 17 extending between the bottom wall 16 and a front perimeter wall 20a. The various walls of the melting vessel 12 may be fluid-cooled, and, although not shown, may be coupled to any suitable fluid supply equipment, cooling equipment, and/or any other fluidhandling equipment suitable for use with a melting furnace. In any case, the melting vessel 12 includes a feedstock inlet 19, for example, through the corner wall 17. In the illustrated embodiment, the melting vessel 12 may be part of a submerged combustion melter (SCM)

B-3 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883) having one or more burners 22 configured to be submerged in a molten material M, e.g., molten glass, during operation of the furnace 10. In other embodiments, the melting vessel 12 may be heated instead, or additionally, by above-melt burners, in-melt electrodes, or by any other devices and configurations suitable to melt feedstock into molten material. The melting vessel 12 may be polygonal, cylindrical, oval, and/or of any other type of configuration suitable for melting feedstock or batch into molten material. A rear perimeter wall 20b may include a molten glass outlet 21, such that the outlet 21 is on an opposite end of the melting vessel 12 with respect to the charger 14 and is at a vertical level higher than that of the inlet 19, such that the inlet 19 is below the outlet 21.

The feedstock charger 14 is configured to be in fluid communication with an interior of the melting vessel 12 through one or more of the walls thereof so as to charge feedstock or batch below a free surface of molten material in the melting vessel. As illustrated, the charger 14 may be in fluid communication with the interior of the melting vessel 12 through the comer wall 17 and via the inlet 19. In other embodiments, the charger 14 may be in fluid communication with the interior of the melting vessel 12 through the bottom wall 16 or the perimeter wall 20 of the melting vessel 12.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and/or 3, the charger 14 may include an inlet chute 24 to receive feedstock, a charger conduit 26 coupled to the inlet chute 24 to receive feedstock from the inlet chute 24 and direct feedstock into the melting vessel 12, and a feedstock mover 28 coupled to the charger conduit 26 that drives feedstock through the charger conduit 26 toward the melting vessel 12. Also, the charger 14 may include a fluid-cooled panel 30 at a distal end of the charger conduit 26 and through which feedstock may be fed into the melting vessel 12. Further, the charger 14 may include a gate 32 operatively disposed between the charger conduit 26 and the fluid-cooled panel 30 to open and close communication of the charger conduit 26 with respect to the melting vessel 12 (FIG. 1). Additionally, the charger 14 may include a mount 34 that may couple the charger conduit 26 to the fluid-cooled panel 30, and a stripper 36 that may be carried by the mount 34 and the charger conduit 26 to maintain clear communication between the charger conduit 26 and the interior of the melting vessel 12.

The inlet chute 24 may be of circumferentially closed conical or polygonal shape, or of circumferentially open C-shape, V-shape, or U-shape, or of any other shape and configuration suitable to communicate feedstock to the charger conduit 26. The inlet chute 24 may be

B-4 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883) composed of metal, for example, stainless steel, or of any other material(s) suitable for use with melting furnaces. The inlet chute 24 is coupled to the charger conduit 26 via fastening, welding, or in any other manner suitable for use with melting furnaces. Although not illustrated, the inlet chute 24 may receive feedstock from an upstream hopper, mixer, chute, or any other feedstock handling equipment suitable for use with a melting furnace.

The charger conduit 26, with reference to FIG. 2, is configured to receive feedstock and direct the feedstock in a direction along a longitudinal axis A from an upstream portion 26a of the charger conduit 26 toward a downstream or outlet portion 26b of the charger conduit 26. The longitudinal axis A intersects a lateral axis B and a normal axis C, which is perpendicular to both the longitudinal and lateral axes A, B. In the illustrated embodiment, the charger conduit 26 is a cylinder or is a cylindrical component of circular transverse cross section. In other embodiments, the charger conduit 26 could be a component having a transverse cross section that is ovular, rectangular, triangular, or of any other suitable shape. The upstream portion 26a of the charger conduit 26 may be coupled to the feedstock mover 28 as will be described in further detail herein below. The outlet portion 26b may be coupled to the melting vessel 12 via the fluid-cooled panel 30 and the mount 36, as will be described in further detail herein below.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and/or 5, the charger conduit 26 includes an inlet 26c at an intermediate portion of the charger conduit 26 between the upstream and outlet portions 26a, b and is in communication with the inlet chute 24. The outlet portion 26b of the charger conduit 26 includes an outlet 26d that terminates the outlet portion 26b. The charger conduit 26 may include a single wall sleeve, a multiple wall fluid-cooled assembly, weldment, or extrusion, or any other configuration suitable for use with melting furnaces. The charger conduit 26 also may include a mounting flange 26e. The charger conduit 26 may be composed of metal, for example, stainless steel, or any other material(s) suitable for use with melting furnaces.

The feedstock mover 28 may include a movable element 38 that is movable to transmit feedstock in a direction from the charger conduit inlet 26c to the charger conduit outlet 26d, and an actuator 40 to move the movable element 38. In the illustrated embodiment, the movable element 38 includes an auger but, in other embodiments, the movable element 38 could include a reciprocable piston, or any other movable element suitable for use with melting furnaces. In still other embodiments, the feedstock mover 28 may include pneumatics (not shown), like pneumatic nozzles, to move feedstock or to assist with moving of feedstock through the charger conduit 26.

B-5 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883)

The illustrated auger 38 includes a central shaft 38a that may extend along the longitudinal axis A and one or more helical flights 38b extending radially away from the central shaft 38a. The auger 38 may be composed of metal, for example, stainless steel, or any other material(s) suitable for use with melting furnaces. The helical flights 38b have a minimum outer diameter 38c over at least a portion of the length of the auger 38. In assembly, the minimum outer diameter 38c is configured to be in registration with the inlet 26c of the charger conduit 26, for example, to overlap the inlet 26c of the charger conduit 26. The helical flights 38b also have a maximum outer diameter 38d larger in dimension than the minimum outer diameter 38c. More specifically, the helical flights 38b are greater in outer diameter at an upstream portion 38e of the auger 38 and at a downstream portion 38f of the auger 38 than they are at an intermediate portion 38g of the auger 38.

The actuator 40 of the feedstock mover 28 may include, with continued reference to FIGS. 4 and/or 5, a powertrain, as shown in the illustrated embodiment. In other embodiments, the actuator 40 may include any other device(s) suitable for moving the movable element of the feedstock mover. The powertrain may include a motor 42, a geartrain 44 coupled to and driven by the motor 42, and a conduit coupling 46 to couple the geartrain 44 to the charger conduit 26.

The motor 42 includes a housing 42a that may be supported by upstream ends of one or more beams 48a, b via one or more powertrain mounts 50, which also may be coupled to the geartrain 44. Downstream ends of the beam(s) 48a, b may be coupled to the melting vessel 12 (FIG. 1), supporting framework for the melting vessel 12, or any other structure suitable to support the feedstock charger 14. The illustrated motor 42 is an electric motor, but may be a pneumatic or hydraulic motor in other embodiments.

The geartrain 44 includes, with continued reference to FIGS. 4 and/or 5, a geartrain housing 44a. And, although not shown, the geartrain 44 also includes gears, belts, pulleys, sheaves, and/or any other such torque multiplying components carried in the housing 44a for multiplying torque output from the motor 42, and an input coupling to couple the torque multiplying components to an output shaft of the motor 42. The geartrain 44 also includes a geartrain output shaft 44b to couple the torque multiplying components to the auger central shaft 38a at the upstream portion 38e of the auger 38. The geartrain output shaft 44b may be a solid or tubular shaft fit inside the auger central shaft 38a, which itself may be tubular at least at the upstream portion 38e thereof, and which may be pinned, press-fit, fastened, and/or otherwise

B-6 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883) coupled against relative rotation to the geartrain output shaft 44b. The geartrain housing 44a also may include a mounting flange 44c for mounting to the conduit coupling 46.

The conduit coupling 46 may include the geartrain housing mounting flange 44c at an upstream end, the conduit mounting flange 26e at a downstream end, an intermediate housing 46a, and mounting flanges 46b, c for coupling, respectively, to the geartrain housing flange 44c and to the charger conduit flange 26e. The conduit coupling 46 also may include a shaft seal or escutcheon 52 carried by and surrounding the geartrain output shaft 44b to prevent ingress of feedstock into the housing 46a of the conduit coupling 46 and/or the geartrain 44. The escutcheon 52 may include a flange 52a seated against a downstream facing surface of the conduit mounting flange 26e and a hub 52b extending axially from the flange 52a and along a portion of the geartrain output shaft 44b. A clamp 53 may be used to couple the escutcheon 52 to the output shaft 44b.

The fluid-cooled panel 30 includes, with reference to FIG. 6, an outside wall 30a, an inside wall 30b (FIG. 4), side walls 30c, d extending between the outside and inside walls 30a, b, and end walls 30e,f extending between the outside and inside walls 30a, b and between the side walls 30c, d. The panel 30 also includes internal baffles 30g extending between the outside and inside walls 30a, b to define a serpentine flow path, an inlet 30g to receive cooling fluid into the flow path, and an outlet 30h to transmit cooling fluid from the flow path out of the panel 30. The panel 30 also has a fixed feedstock aperture 30i through which feedstock is communicated into the melting vessel. Although not shown, the panel 30 may be coupled to any suitable fluid supply equipment, cooling equipment, and/or any other fluid-handling equipment suitable for use with a melting furnace. Also, the various components of the panel 30 may be composed of metal, for example, stainless steel, or any other material(s) suitable for use with a melting furnace, and the various components of the panel may be stamped, bent, cut, welded, and/or constructed in any other manner suitable for use with melting furnaces.

With reference to FIG. 5, the illustrated gate 32 intersects the longitudinal axis A of the charger conduit 26, and is configured to reciprocate back and forth along the normal axis C (FIG. 2) to close the charger conduit 26, and to open the charger conduit 26 during charging of feedstock into the melting vessel 12. The gate 32 is detachably coupled to the charger conduit 26 and is configured to be coupled to a panel of the melting vessel 12, for example, the corner wall 17 (FIG. 1) of the melting vessel 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the fluid-cooled panel 30 of

B-7 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883) the charger 14 is, or constitutes a portion of, the corner wall 17. The gate 32 includes, in the illustrated embodiment, mounting rails 54 that may be coupled directly to the outside wall 30a of the fluid-cooled panel 30, a closure 56 slidably mounted between the mounting rails 54, and at least one actuator 58 (FIG. 3) to translate the closure 56 along the mounting rails 54 between open and closed positions. The mounting rails 54 are configured to be coupled to fluid-cooled panel 30, for example, via fastening, welding, or any other coupling technique suitable for use with melting furnaces. The closure 56 may include a single-walled solid plate, a multiple-walled fluid-cooled panel, or any other configuration suitable for use with a melting furnace. The closure 56 includes a feed aperture 56a (FIG. 4) for selective registration with the feed aperture 30i of the fluid-cooled panel 30, and a wall 56b (FIG. 4) for selective obstruction of the feed aperture 30i of the fluid-cooled panel 30, to selectively open, and close, the gate 32. With reference to FIG. 2, the closure 56 also may include a cooling fluid inlet 56c and outlet 56d, and an actuator coupling 56e such as a block clevis, or any other coupling suitable for use with melting furnaces. With reference to FIG. 4, the gate actuator 58 may include a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, which may include a cylinder housing 58a, and a piston 58b having a closure coupling 58c, for instance, a piston rod clevis or any other coupling suitable for use with melting furnaces. The piston closure coupling 58c is for coupling to the actuator coupling 56e of the closure 56. In other embodiments, the gate actuator 58 may include an electric motor, or any other actuating devices suitable for use with melting furnaces.

With reference to FIG. 5, the mount 34 may be used to couple the fluid-cooled panel 30 and/or the gate 32 to the charger conduit 26 and may include one or more gate brackets 60 coupled to the gate 32, and one or more conduit brackets 62 coupled to the conduit 26, wherein the conduit brackets 62 are coupled to the gate bracket(s) 60. The gate bracket(s) 60 may include bracket bases 60a coupled to the gate rails 54 and/or the fluid-cooled panel 30, and bracket arms 60b coupled to the bracket bases 60a and extending rearwardly therefrom. The conduit bracket 62 includes a conduit aperture 62a extending therethrough to accommodate the charger conduit 26. The bracket 62 may be a single plate or may be constructed of multiple plates coupled to one another. In any event, the conduit bracket 62 includes sides 62b, c. In the illustrated embodiment, there are a plurality of bracket arms 60b on either side of the mount 34, for instance, four arms 60b on either side, wherein the arms 60b have rear ends fastened to the sides 62b, c of the conduit bracket 62.

B-8 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883)

With reference to FIG. 3, in the illustrated embodiment, the gate and conduit brackets 60, 62 include multiple separate components but, in other embodiments, the brackets 60, 62 could be constituted by fewer components or even a single, integral component. Also, the various components of the gate 32 may be composed of metal, for example, stainless steel, or any other material(s) suitable for use with a melting furnace.

The stripper 36 includes, with reference to FIG. 2, a stripping tool 64 that may be movably carried by the charger conduit 26, and one or more actuators 66 coupled to the stripping tool 64 to move the stripping tool 64 with respect to the charger conduit 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the stripping tool 64 is translatably disposed around the outlet portion 26b of the charger conduit 26, and may be of cylindrical shape with circular transverse cross section as illustrated, or may be of any other shape corresponding to the shape of the charger conduit 26. Also, the stripping tool 64 includes a rearward end 64a having a rearward outer diameter, and a forward end 64b having a forward outer diameter smaller than the rearward outer diameter and extendable into and through the fixed and translatable feed apertures 3 Oi, 56a of the fluid-cooled panel 30 and the gate 32. The stripping tool 64 also may include actuator couplings 64c for coupling to the stripper actuator(s) 66. The stripper actuator(s) 66 may include pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, which may include cylinder housings 66a, and pistons 66b (FIG. 5) having stripper couplings 66c for coupling to the actuator couplings 64c of the stripping tool 64. In other embodiments, the stripper actuators 66 may include electric motors, or any other actuating devices suitable for use with melting furnaces.

In operation, and with reference to FIG. 2, the actuator 40 of the feedstock mover 28 is activated to rotate the auger 38 in a feed forward direction, and feedstock is fed into the inlet chute 24 in any suitable manner so that the feedstock is received into the charger conduit 26 via the inlet 26c thereof. The rotation of the auger 38 pushes the feedstock toward the outlet 26d of the charger conduit 26.

With reference to FIG. 4, the gate actuator 58 may be energized to retract the gate closure 56 and thereby open the gate 32 so that the interior of the charger conduit 26 is in open communication with the interior of the melting vessel 12 (FIG. 1) via the registered feed apertures 30i, 56a of the fluid-cooled panel 30 and the gate closure 56 and so that feedstock flows into the melting vessel 12. In one embodiment, and with reference again to FIG. 2, the stripper actuator 66 may be activated to advance the stripping tool 64 toward the interior of the

B-9 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883) melting vessel 12 from its retracted position, and into at least the gate closure feed aperture 56a, if not entirely through the gate closure feed aperture 56a and into the panel feed aperture 30i. Either way, the stripper 36 can act as a funnel or guide to facilitate entry of feedstock into the melting vessel 12.

With reference to FIG. 5, the stripper actuator 66 may include three positions: a fully retracted position to facilitate closure of the gate 32; a fully advanced position to facilitate stripping of the feed apertures 30i, 56a; and an intermediate position to facilitate feeding of feedstock from the charger conduit 26 through the gate 32 and panel 30. A stroke length from the fully retracted position to the fully advanced position may be, for example, two to four inches, and preferably three inches. A stroke length from the fully retracted position to the intermediate position may be, for example, half an inch to two inches, and preferably one inch.

With reference to FIG. 1, the submerged combustion burners 22 of the melting furnace 12 melt the feedstock in the melting vessel 12, and the feedstock charger 14 continues to charge feedstock into the melting vessel 12 through the charger conduit 26, the gate 32, and the fluid- cooled panel 30.

With reference to FIG. 2, when it is desired to stop charging feedstock into the melting vessel 12, the stripper actuator 66 may be activated to retract the stripping tool 64 out of the panel and gate closure feed apertures 3 Oi, 56a, and the gate 32 may be actuated to move the gate closure 56 to a closed position to prevent molten material from flowing into the charger conduit 26. Likewise, the actuator 40 of the feedstock mover 28 may be deactivated to stop conveying feedstock toward the charging conduit outlet 26d.

When it is desired to restart the charging of the feedstock into the melting vessel 12, the actuator 40 of the feedstock mover 28 may be reactivated to push feedstock toward the charging conduit outlet 26d, the gate 32 may be actuated to move the gate closure 56 back to the open position, and the stripper actuator 66 may be activated to advance the stripping tool 64 into at least the gate closure feed aperture 56a, if not also the panel feed aperture 30i, to communicate feedstock into the melting vessel 12 through the gate 32 and the fluid-cooled panel 30.

When one or both of the feed apertures 30i, 56a become clogged with feedstock and/or molten material, the stripper actuator 66 is energized to advance the stripping tool 64 through the apertures 30i, 56a of the fluid-cooled panel 30 and the gate 32 to strip clogged feedstock and/or molten material away therefrom. The stripper actuator 66 may be activated to advance the

B-10 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883) stripping tool 64 from its fully retracted or intermediate positions to its fully advanced position. In any case, the stripping tool 64 is advanced along the charger conduit 26 to a position in which a stripping end 64d of the stripping tool 64 extends beyond the outlet end 26d of the charger conduit 26 and into and through the feed apertures 30i, 56a, as depicted in phantom lines in FIG. 5. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that power supplies, fluid supplies, valves, conduit, controllers, and the like of any type suitable for use with a melting furnace may be used to energize or activate the powertrain, the gate actuator(s), and/or the stripper actuator(s).

The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

The claims of as-filed US 63/085883 include the following:

1.

A melting furnace feedstock charger, comprising: a charger conduit including an inlet to receive feedstock into the charger conduit and an outlet at an outlet portion of the charger conduit to transmit feedstock out of the charger conduit; a feedstock mover coupled to the charger conduit to convey feedstock in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet; and a gate detachably coupled to the charger conduit and including a closure having a movable feed aperture and a closure wall.

2.

The feedstock charger of claim 1, further comprising a fluid-cooled panel including a fixed feed aperture for selective registration with the movable feed aperture of the gate closure.

3.

The feedstock charger of claim 2, wherein the gate includes mounting rails coupled to the fluid- cooled panel, wherein the closure is slidably mounted between the mounting rails.

B-l l CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883)

4.

The feedstock charger of claim 2, wherein the gate is fluid-cooled.

5.

The feedstock charger of claim 1, further comprising a charger conduit mount including a conduit bracket coupled to the conduit, and a gate bracket coupled to the gate, wherein the conduit bracket is coupled to the gate bracket.

6.

The feedstock charger of claim 5, wherein the conduit and gate brackets are separate components.

7.

The feedstock charger of claim 1, further comprising: a stripper including a stripping tool movably carried by the charger conduit; and at least one actuator coupled to the stripping tool to move the stripping tool with respect to the charger conduit.

8.

The feedstock charger of claim 7, wherein the stripping tool is translatably disposed around the outlet portion of the charger conduit.

9.

The feedstock charger of claim 8, wherein the stripping tool includes a rearward end having a rearward outer diameter, and a forward end having a forward outer diameter smaller than the rearward outer diameter and extendable into and through the fixed and translatable feed apertures of the fluid-cooled panel and the gate.

10.

The feedstock charger of claim 1, wherein the feedstock mover includes an auger having a central shaft and at least one helical flight carried around the central shaft.

11.

The feedstock charger of claim 10, wherein the at least one helical flight has an outer diameter of varying size over at least a portion of the length of the at least one helical flight, including a minimum inner diameter that longitudinally overlaps the inlet of the charger conduit.

B-12 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883)

12.

The feedstock charger of claim 10, further comprising a feedstock mover actuator including a motor, a geartrain coupled to and driven by the motor, a conduit coupling to couple the geartrain to the charger conduit, a geartrain output shaft coupling the geartrain to the auger central shaft, and a shaft seal carried by at least one of the geartrain output shaft or the auger central shaft and seated against a downstream facing surface of a mounting flange of the conduit coupling to prevent ingress of feedstock into the geartrain.

13.

A submerged combustion melter, comprising: a melter vessel including a bottom wall, a top wall, at least one perimeter wall extending in a direction between the bottom wall and the top wall, and a corner wall between the bottom wall and the at least one perimeter wall; and the feedstock charger of claim 1 coupled to at least one comer wall.

14.

A melting furnace feedstock charger, comprising: a charger conduit including an inlet to receive feedstock into the charger conduit and an outlet at an outlet portion of the charger conduit to transmit feedstock out of the charger conduit; and an auger carried in the charger conduit to convey feedstock in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet, and having a central shaft and at least one helical flight carried around the central shaft, wherein the at least one helical flight has an outer diameter of varying size over at least a portion of the length of the at least one helical flight.

15.

The feedstock charger of claim 13, wherein the outer diameter of the at least one helical flight includes a minimum inner diameter that longitudinally overlaps the inlet of the charger conduit.

16.

A melting furnace feedstock charger, comprising: a charger conduit including an inlet to receive feedstock into the charger conduit and an outlet at an outlet portion of the charger conduit to transmit feedstock out of the charger conduit; a feedstock mover coupled to the charger conduit to convey feedstock in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet; and

B-13 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883) a stripper carried at the outlet portion of the charger conduit, and including: a stripping tool movably carried by the charger conduit, and at least one actuator coupled to the stripping tool to move the stripping tool with respect to the charger conduit.

17.

The feedstock charger of claim 16, wherein the stripping tool is translatably disposed around the outlet portion of the charger conduit.

18.

The feedstock charger of claim 17, further comprising a fluid-cooled panel including a fixed feed aperture for selective registration with the movable feed aperture of the gate closure.

19.

The feedstock charger of claim 18, further comprising a gate disposed at the outlet portion of the charger conduit, and including mounting rails coupled to the fluid-cooled panel, and a translatable closure slidably mounted between the mounting rails and having a translatable feed aperture for selective registration with the fixed feed aperture of the fluid-cooled panel to selectively open and close the gate.

20.

The feedstock charger of claim 19, wherein the stripping tool includes a rearward end having a rearward outer diameter, and a forward end having a forward outer diameter smaller than the rearward outer diameter and extendable into and through the fixed and translatable feed apertures of the fluid-cooled panel and the gate.

21.

A method of using a melting furnace feedstock charger, the method comprising: passing feedstock through a melting furnace feedstock charger having a charger conduit with an inlet, and an outlet end at an outlet portion of the charger conduit to transmit feedstock out of the charger conduit; and translating a stripping tool along the charger conduit to a position in which a stripping end of the stripping tool extends beyond the outlet end of the charger conduit.

B-14 CHAPTER B - 19587 (US 63/085883)

22.

The method of claim 21, wherein the step of translating the stripping tool includes actuating the stripping tool when feedstock and/or molten material accumulates at the outlet portion in order to clear the feedstock and/or molten material from the outlet portion.

B-15 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713)

CHAPTER C: FEEDER ALCOVE AND BATCH FEEDING APPARATUS FOR A MELTER

Technical Field

This patent application discloses devices and methods for use in glass manufacturing, and more particularly, equipment to provide batch materials for a melter.

Background

Glass manufacturing can occur at high temperatures that require the equipment used in the glass manufacturing process to withstand harsh conditions. In particular, submerged combustion melting (“SCM”) is a specific type of glass manufacturing, in which an air-fuel or oxygen-fuel mixture is injected directly into a pool of molten glass. As combustion gases forcefully bubble through the molten glass, they create a high-heat transfer rate and turbulent mixing of the molten glass until it achieves a uniform composition. The combustion gases can rise through the molten glass and exit the SCM through an exhaust vent.

Brief Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a batch feeding apparatus that comprises a detachable feeder alcove for providing batch material to a melter, the feeder alcove including at least one side wall and a cover; and a batch feeder sealingly coupled to the cover, that feeds the batch material to the feeder alcove. The batch feeding apparatus may include an extendable panel that extends downwardly below a batch inlet of the feeder alcove to molten glass, and is configured to maintain contact with the molten glass to seal off a feeder alcove interior. Additionally, the batch feeding apparatus may include a heating device, a cleaning device, and/or a storage device.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a submerged combustion melter comprising a melting tank including: a floor configured to carry at least one submerged combustion burner, a roof, an inlet wall extending between the floor and the roof to at least partially establish a melting tank interior having a tank head space, and including at least one tank inlet; and a feeder alcove appended to the inlet wall of the melting tank to cover the at least

C-l CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713) one tank inlet, and including: at least one upstream wall, and a cover extending between the at least one upstream wall of the feeder alcove and the inlet wall of the melting tank to at least partially establish a feeder interior having a feeder head space shorter than the tank head space, and including at least one batch inlet configured to receive glass batch into the feeder interior. The submerged combustion melter may include an extendable panel carried by at least one of the melting tank and/or the feeder alcove.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a method of providing vitrifiable feed material to a melter having some or all of the features discussed herein. The method includes providing vitrifiable feed material to a batch feeder; carrying the vitrifiable feed material with the batch feeder to a detachable feeder alcove with at least one side wall and a cover, wherein the batch feeder is sealingly coupled to the cover, and wherein the feeder alcove is at a reduced pressure; melting the vitrifiable feed material in the melter, where the melter is in downstream communication with the feeder alcove. In some instances, the method may include providing compressed gas to at least one of the detachable feeder alcove or the melter and/or adjusting an extendable panel carried by at least one of the melter or the feeder alcove based on a melt level in the melter.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a system including a melter, and a batch feeding apparatus and stilling vessel coupled to the melter, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a top fragmentary view of the melter and batch feeding apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional fragmentary view of a fluid-cooled panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic fragmentary cross-sectional view of a batch feeding apparatus coupled to the melter shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, where the batch feeding apparatus includes a batch

C-2 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713) feeder oriented at an oblique angle, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic fragmentary cross-sectional view of a batch feeding apparatus coupled to the melter shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, where the batch feeding apparatus includes a batch feeder vertically-oriented, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the system shown in FIG. 1 having a compressed gas device and/or a heating device, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing various steps of an illustrative embodiment of a method for providing vitrifiable feed material to a melter as shown in FIGS. 1 through 5.

Detailed Description

In accordance with at least one aspect of the disclosure, a melter and a feeder alcove in upstream communication with the melter is provided that prevents or reduces carryover of fine particulates from feed material and avoids equipment damage from the harsh conditions of the melting furnace.

Due to flow of combustion gases above a glass melt surface in a submerged combustion melter (SCM), some fine particles in the glass batch material can be carried away by the combustion gases exiting the SCM, which can be referred to as “carryover,” when glass batch material is fed from the top of the SCM. Carryover can lead to a loss of batch material, result in an unintentional change in melt composition, and create additional environmental concerns. Often, a SCM includes a particulate collection device, for example a baghouse, to collect the fine particles from the exhaust gases. However, including the particulate collection device adds cost to the process.

Sometimes, the glass batch material may be fed below the glass melt surface to minimize carryover. However, feeding the glass batch material below the glass melt can present its own challenges. For example, a seal may fail, and glass melt may leak through an opening in the SCM for feeding the glass batch material below the glass melt surface. Additionally, glass batch material fed below the glass melt surface may be prematurely softened by the high-temperature glass melt and/or can be exposed to back pressure, and can become difficult to move into the SCM.

C-3 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713)

Accordingly, a melter and a feeder alcove in communication with the melter is disclosed. A batch feeder can feed vitrifiable feed material into the feeder alcove that can be melted by glass melt in the melter. An extendable panel can be disposed between a feeder interior of the feeder alcove and a tank interior of the melter and extended to be at least partially submerged in the glass melt to prevent carryover between the feeder interior and the tank interior. Exhaust gases in the glass melting tank cannot flow into the feeder tank to make direct contact with the glass batch material because of the extendable panel, thus preventing carryover of fine particulate in the glass batch material. Additionally, the melter can melt at different glass melt levels because the batch feeder and feeder alcove can be configured to feed vitrifiable feed material at different levels, and less head space is needed to feed the vitrifiable feed material as close as possible to the glass melt level. Further, the feeder alcove can comprise multiple panels enabling the feeder alcove to quickly be detachable from the melter and to be quickly assembled and disassembled.

Referring to FIG. 1, a batch feeding system 100 for producing glass can include a melter 102, a stilling vessel 104, and a batch feeding apparatus 106 with a feeder alcove 108 in upstream communication with the melter 102 according to various practices of the present disclosure. The melter 102 can be configured for melting and/or containing a molten material and can be fed with a vitrifiable feed material 110, for example glass batch that exhibits a glass-forming formulation, or a metal for forming molten metal. When the vitrifiable feed material 110 includes glass batch, the batch can be melt-reacted inside the melter 102 within an agitated glass melt 112 to produce molten glass 114. The molten glass 114 can be drawn from the glass melt 112 and discharged from the melter 102 through a throat 116 that interconnects and establishes fluid communication between the melter 102 and the stilling vessel 104. The stilling vessel 104 can receive the molten glass 114 discharged from the melter 102 and can controllably deliver a molten glass feed 118 to a downstream component (not shown). The downstream component may be, for example, a glass finer that fines and optionally thermally conditions the molten glass feed 118 for subsequent glass forming operations.

The melter 102 may include a glass melter (e.g., a submerged combustion melter), or any other furnace suitable for melting glass, metal, or other materials, and can include a housing 122 that has a roof 124, a floor 126, and a surrounding upstanding wall 128 that connects the roof 124 and the floor 126. The surrounding upstanding wall 128 further includes a front-end wall 130a, a rear-end wall 130b that opposes and is spaced apart from the front-end wall 130a, and two opposed

C-4 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713) lateral sidewalls 130c, 130d (FIG. 2) that connect the front-end wall 130a and the rear-end wall 130b, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Together, the roof 124, the floor 126, and the surrounding upstanding wall 128 define an melter interior 132 of the melter 102 that holds glass melt 112 when the melter 102 is operational. The roof 124 and the glass melt 112 define a tank head space 134. Although the shape of the melter 102 is oblong octagonal in plant view, those of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the geometry of the melter 102 may take on other shapes/configurations, including, but not limited to cylindrical, ovular, rectangular, or any other shape(s) suitable for melting glass, metal, or other materials.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, at least the floor 126 and the upstanding wall 128 of the housing 122, as well as the roof 124, if desired, may be constructed from one or more interchangeable fluid-cooled panels 136. The fluid-cooled panels 136 may be configured to both provide structure to the melter 102 and provide cooling to at least a portion of the glass melt 112 using a cooling fluid, for example water. Using a fluid cooled panel may eliminate issues with un-melted inclusions from, for example, refractory materials. It is contemplated that the melter 102 may be comprised entirely of multiple fluid-cooled panels 136 or may comprise only one or several fluid- cooled panels 136. One or more of the fluid-cooled panels 136 may include an inner wall 138a and an outer wall 138b that together define an internal cooling space 140 through which a coolant, such as water, may be circulated. One or more baffles (not shown) may extend fully or partially between the confronting interior surfaces of the inner wall 138a and the outer wall 138b to direct the flow of the coolant along a desired flow path. The inner wall 138a, the outer wall 138b, and/or the one or more baffles can be formed of a material suitable for withstanding a high temperature environment of the melter 102, for example steel. In other embodiments, the various melter walls may be constructed of any refractory materials suitable for contact with molten glass, metal, or other materials. In yet other embodiments, the various melter walls may not include refractory materials, but may instead include other materials, for example, sodium silicate, that can be suitable as a safety layer.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the glass melt 112 in the melter 102 can typically exist in a liquid or semi-liquid state. A portion of the glass melt 112 that flows closer to the fluid-cooled panels 136 may become a solid (or at least a very viscous state) as a result of being liquid cooled. The inner wall 138a of each fluid-cooled panel 136 may support and be covered by a layer of the solidified material (which can be glass) comprising a frozen material layer 142 that forms in-situ

C-5 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713) between an outer skin of the glass melt 112 and a surface of the inner wall 138a. This frozen material layer 142, once formed, can shield and effectively protect the underlying inner wall 138a from the glass melt 112.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, the housing 122 of the melter 102 defines a tank inlet 144, a molten glass outlet 146, and a port 148. The tank inlet 144 may be defined in the front-end wall 130a of the housing 122, and the molten glass outlet 146 may be defined in the rear-end wall 130b of the housing 122 adjacent to or a distance above the floor 126, although other locations for the tank inlet 144 and the molten glass outlet 146 are possible. The tank inlet 144 provides an entrance to the melter interior 132 for the delivery of the vitrifiable feed material 110. The molten glass outlet 146 provides an exit from the melter interior 132 for the discharge of the glass melt 112 out of the melter 102.

The port 148 can be defined in the roof 124 of the housing 122 between the front-end wall 130a and the rear-end wall 130b. The port 148 can be configured to couple to a heat burner and/or other suitable system component.

The melter 102 may include one or more submerged burners 150. Each of the one or more submerged burners 150 can be mounted in a port 152 defined in the floor 126 (as shown) and/or at a portion of the surrounding upstanding wall 128 that is immersed by the glass melt 112. Each of the submerged bumer(s) 150 can forcibly inject a combustible gas mixture G into the glass melt 112 through an output nozzle 154. The combustible gas mixture G can comprise fuel and an oxidant. The fuel supplied to the submerged burner(s) 150 may be methane or propane, and the oxidant may include pure oxygen or a high percentage (> 80 vol%) of oxygen, in which case the bumer(s) 150 can be oxy -fuel burners, or may be air or any oxygen-enriched gas. Upon being injected into the glass melt 112, the combustible gas mixture G can autoignite to produce combustion products — namely, CO2, CO, H2O, and/or any uncombusted fuel, oxygen, and/or other gas compounds such as nitrogen — that are discharged into and through the glass melt 112. Anywhere from one to thirty submerged burners 150 can be typically installed in the melter 102 although more burners may certainly be employed depending on the size and melt capacity of the melter 102.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, during operation of the melter 102 and the stilling vessel 104, each of the one or more submerged burners 150 can individually discharge combustion products directly into and through the glass melt 112 contained in the melter 102. The glass melt

C-6 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713)

112 can be a volume of molten glass that weighs, for example, between 1 US ton (1 US ton = 2,000 lbs.) and 20 US tons, although the weight can be higher, and can generally be maintained at a constant volume during steady-state operation of the melter 102. As the combustion products are thrust into and through the glass melt 112, which create complex flow patterns and severe turbulence, the glass melt 112 can be vigorously agitated and experiences rapid heat transfer and intense shearing forces. The combustion products eventually escape the glass melt 112 and are removed from the melter interior 132 through an exhaust port (not shown) along with any other gaseous compounds that may volatize out of the glass melt 112. Additionally, in some circumstances, one or more non-submerged burners (not shown) may be mounted in the roof 124 and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 128 at a location above the glass melt 112 to provide heat, either directly by flame impingement or indirectly through radiant heat transfer, and to also facilitate foam suppression and/or destruction.

The stilling vessel 104 can be connected to the melter 102 with both the stilling vessel 104 and the melter 102 mechanically attached and supported on a common frame to rock and vibrate in unison in response to sloshing and generally turbulent nature of the glass melt 112. The stilling vessel 104 can receive the molten glass 114 discharged from the melter 102, which may have a tendency to have a fluctuating flow rate, and can deliver the molten glass feed 118 at a controlled flow rate to the downstream component. In this way, the melter 102 can be operated to produce molten glass, and the downstream processing of the molten glass — most notably glass fining and thermal conditioning — can be practiced more efficiently and with better overall control since the molten glass input flow to the component(s) performing those operations can be regulated with precision. The stilling vessel 104 can additionally be operated to partially fine and/or reduce the foam content of the intermediate pool of molten glass that pools within the stilling vessel 104 while also preventing heat loss from the glass before delivering the molten glass feed 118 to the downstream component. The stilling vessel 104 depicted in FIG. 1 includes a stilling tank 156 and a feeding spout 158 appended to the stilling tank 156. An example stilling vessel is thoroughly disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/590,068, filed on October 1, 2019, and assigned to the assignee hereof, and the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

While the one or more submerged burners 150 are being fired into the glass melt 112, the vitrifiable feed material 110 can be controllably introduced and dispersed into the melter interior 132 through the tank inlet 144. The dispersed vitrifiable feed material 110 can be subjected to

C-7 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713) intense heat transfer and rapid particle dissolution throughout the glass melt 112 due to the vigorous melt agitation and shearing forces caused by the submerged bumer(s) 150. This causes the vitrifiable feed material 110 to quickly mix, react, and become chemically integrated into the glass melt 112. With continued reference to FIG. 1, the vitrifiable feed material 110 introduced into the melter interior 132 can give a composition that is formulated to provide the glass melt 112, particularly at the molten glass outlet 146, with a predetermined glass chemical composition upon melting. For example, the glass chemical composition of the glass melt 112 may be a soda-lime- silica glass chemical composition, in which case the vitrifiable feed material 110 may be a physical mixture of virgin raw materials, cullet (i.e., recycled glass), and/or glass precursors that provides a source of SiO ₂ , Na2O, and CaO in the correct proportions along with any of the other materials listed below in Table 1. The exact constituent materials that constitute the vitrifiable feed material 110 are subject to much variation while still being able to achieve the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition as is generally well known in the glass manufacturing industry. The constituent materials may contain moisture levels up to 5%.

Table 1: Glass Chemical Composition of Soda-Lime-Silica Glass

C-8 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713)

For example, to achieve a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition in the glass melt 112, the vitrifiable feed material 110 may include primary virgin raw materials such as quartz sand (crystalline SiCh), soda ash (Na2CO ₃ ), and limestone (CaCO ₃ ) in the quantities needed to provide the requisite proportions of SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, respectively. Other virgin raw materials may also be included in the vitrifiable feed material 110 to contribute one or more of SiO2, Na2O, CaO and possibly other oxide and/or non-oxide materials in the glass melt 112 depending on the desired chemistry of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition and the color of the glass articles being formed therefrom. These other virgin raw materials may include feldspar, dolomite, and calumite slag. In some instances, the vitrifiable feed material 110 may even include up to 100 wt.% cullet depending on a variety of factors. Additionally, the vitrifiable feed material 110 may include secondary or minor virgin raw materials that provide the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition with colorants, decolorants, and/or redox agents that may be needed, and may further provide a source of chemical fining agents to assist with downstream bubble removal. The molten glass feed 118 may be further processed into a glass article including, for example, a flat glass or container glass article, among other options. To that end, the molten glass feed 118 delivered from the feeding spout 158 may have a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition as dictated by the formulation of the vitrifiable feed material 110.

As shown in FIG. 1, the batch feeding apparatus 106 can be in upstream communication with the melter 102 and can include the feeder alcove 108, a batch feeder 160, and a storage device 162. The feeder alcove 108 can be offset from and securely attached to an upstream side of the melter 102 and appended to the front-end wall 130a of the melter 102. The feeder alcove 108 can be sealed and can at least partially cover the at least one tank inlet 144. The feeder alcove 108 can allow vitrifiable feed material 110 to be fed into the melter 102 as close as possible to the glass melt 112, which can reduce the speed of entrance of the vitrifiable feed material 110 into the feeder alcove 108 and function to reduce or prevent carryover. The feeder alcove 108 can be formed

C-9 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713) from at least one individual panel, which may be fluid-cooled, and can be detachable, repositionable, and/or reconfigurable by removing, adding, or relocating the at least one individual panel.

Shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the feeder alcove 108 can include at least one upstream wall 164, at least one side wall 166, and a cover 168. The feeder alcove 108 also may include a bottom wall 165. In the illustrated embodiment, the upstream wall 164 includes a lower portion 164a extending upwardly from the bottom wall 165, an obliquely angled portion 164b extending up and away from the lower portion 164a in an upstream direction at an angle between 5 and 90 degrees from vertical including all ranges, subranges, values, and endpoints therein, and an upper portion 164c extending upwardly from the obliquely angled portion 164b, and the cover 168 extends from the upper portion 164c to the upstream wall 130a of the melter 102. The upstream wall 164 may include at least one fluid-cooled panel 136, and/or one or more panels composed of refractory material. The at least one side wall 166 can be coupled to and extend from the upstream wall 164 to the front-end wall 130a of the melter 102. Similar to the upstream wall 164, each side wall 166 may include at least one fluid-cooled panel 136 and/or one or more panels composed of refractory material.

As depicted in FIG. 1, the cover 168 can extend between the at least one upstream wall 164, the at least one side wall 166, and the front-end wall 130a of the melter 102 and may include at least one fluid-cooled panel 136 (FIG. 3), and/or one or more panels composed of refractory material. The cover 168 of the feeder alcove 108 can include at least one batch inlet 176, for example, an aperture, configured to receive the vitrifiable feed material 110 into the feeder alcove 108.

The cover 168, the at least one upstream wall 164, the at least one side wall 166, and the front-end wall 130a can at least partially establish a feeder interior 170 into which the vitrifiable feed material 110 can be fed. The feeder interior 170 can have a feeder head space 172 (e.g., a distance from the cover 168 to the surface of the glass melt 112) that is shorter than the tank head space 134, and the feeder interior 170 may be smaller in volume than the melter interior 132 of the melter 102. During operation, the feeder interior 170 and/or feeder head space 172 may be at least substantially occupied by the vitrifiable feed material 110, which can function as a protective barrier to the cover 168 and/or feeding equipment and prevent splashing of the glass melt 112 and

C-10 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713) protect the feeding equipment. Also, the feeder interior 170 can be sealed from an exterior of the feeder alcove 108, and may be at a reduced air pressure.

To help prevent or at least minimize the loss of some of the vitrifiable feed material 110 (e.g., fine particulates) through an exhaust port as unintentional feed material carryover, an extendable panel 174 can depend from the roof 124 of the housing 122 and/or from the feeder alcove 108 and may be positioned between the melter 102 and the feeder alcove 108 and proximate the tank inlet 144. The extendable panel 174 may be movable, for example, along a direction extending from the cover 168 and/or the front wall 130a toward or to a free surface of the melt 112. For example, the extendable panel 174 may be slid along and guided by at least one guide rail (not shown). The extendable panel 174 can be extended and/or moved using, for example, at least one pneumatic, hydraulic, and/or electric actuator (not shown). Additionally, the extendable panel 174 may be extended and/or moved using a jack screw with a gearbox and an electric motor and/or a hand wheel. It will be appreciated that the extendable panel 174 may be extended and/or moved using other suitable means. The extendable panel 174 may include a lower free end 178 that may be configured to be submerged, or is submergible, in the glass melt 112 over at least a portion of the tank inlet 144, as illustrated. The extendable panel 174 may be moved in response to fluctuations in the level of the glass melt 112. For example, when the level of the glass melt 112 rises, the extendable panel 174 may be raised, and when the level of the glass melt 112 lowers, the extendable panel 174 may also be lowered so that the lower free end 178 can remain submerged in the glass melt 112 to maintain a seal between the feeder interior 170 and the melter interior 132. The extendable panel 174 may be constructed from a fluid-cooled panel similar to that depicted in FIG. 3. Also, because of the submergible extendable panel 174, the seal between the feeder interior 170 and the melter interior 132 can serve to reduce carryover from the vitrifiable feed material 110 and allow the vitrifiable feed material 110 to include up to 100% raw material, which can include fine particulates.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, the batch feeder 160 can be configured to provide a metered amount of the vitrifiable feed material 110 to the feeder alcove 108. One example of the batch feeder 160 may include a rotating screw-type feeder that rotates within a feed tube 180 of a slightly larger diameter that is sealingly coupled to the cover 168 of the feeder alcove 108 (e.g., by way of a flexible sealing material) and provides the vitrifiable feed material 110 to the feeder alcove 108 through the batch inlet 176 at a controlled rate. Another example of the batch feeder

C-l l CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713)

160 may include an extruder-type feeder that uses a piston, for example, to feed the vitrifiable feed material 110 through the batch inlet 176. The batch feeder 160 may be horizontally-oriented, as illustrated in FIG. 1, oriented at an angle from vertical (e.g., 5 degrees to 85 degrees, including all ranges, subranges, endpoints, and values in that range), as illustrated in FIG. 4, or vertically- oriented, as illustrated in FIG. 5. In some instances, the batch feeder 160 may include a cleaning device 161. In an example, the cleaning device 161 can include a chopper disposed on an end of the batch feeder 160 proximate the batch inlet 176. The chopper may include an inner tubular chopper configured to slide up and down and may include a chopping end configured to break or remove solidified glass from inner surfaces of the cleaning device 161. The cleaning device 161 can include at least one actuator (not shown) configured to move the chopper.

The storage device 162 can be operatively coupled to the batch feeder 160 and can provide the vitrifiable feed material 110 to the batch feeder 160. The storage device 162 may include a hopper, for example, which can contain and feed the vitrifiable feed material 110 to the batch feeder 160. The storage device 162 may also include other devices, for instance, a chute, silo, or other device(s), suitable for containing and feeding the vitrifiable feed material 110 to the batch feeder 160.

In some instances, at least one bubbler 182a, 182b may be operatively coupled to the feeder alcove 108 and/or the melter 102. The at least one bubbler 182a, 182b may include a sacrificial component, for example, extending through a wall or floor of the feeder alcove 108 for introducing compressed or bubble gases into the glass melt 112 to assist in mixing the vitrifiable feed material 110 with the glass melt 112 around slow batch displacement zones. In FIG. 1, a first bubbler 182a is shown extending through a portion of the upstream wall 164 to provide compressed gas to the feeder alcove 108, and a second bubbler 182b is shown extending through the floor 126 of the melter 102 to provide compressed air into the melter 102. It will be appreciated that the at least one bubbler may be positioned in other suitable locations of the feeder alcove 108 and/or the melter 102. The at least one bubbler may be in communication with a compressed gas device 184 (FIG. 6), or any other device(s) suitable for providing gas for bubbling.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 6, a heating device 186 may be disposed proximate to or as part of the feeder alcove 108 and may be inserted at a variety of positions and/or angles with respect to the feeder alcove 108. The heating device 186 can provide heat to the vitrifiable feed material 110 and/or the glass melt 112 and can function to ensure that the vitrifiable feed material

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110 melts and/or flows from the feeder alcove 108 into the melter 102. In an example, the heating device 186 may include a low capacity burner coupled to the upstream wall 164 proximate to the batch inlet 176, where the heating device 186 can provide heat to the vitrifiable feed material 110 entering the feeder alcove 108.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a method 200 for providing vitrifiable feed material 110 to the melter 102. For purposes of illustration and clarity, method 200 will be described in the context of the melter 102 and feeder alcove 108 described above and generally illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5. It will be appreciated, however, that the application of the present methodology is not meant to be limited solely to such an arrangement, but rather method 200 may find application with any number of arrangements.

Method 200 includes a step 202 of providing vitrifiable feed material 110 to the batch feeder 160. Providing the vitrifiable feed material 110 can include using a storage device 162, for example a hopper, to contain and feed the vitrifiable feed material 110. When the vitrifiable feed material 110 includes glass batch material, the glass batch material can include 100% raw material, 100% cullet, or a mixture of raw material and cullet (e.g., raw material to cullet ratio between 1 :0 and 0: 1). Providing the vitrifiable feed material 110 can also include using gravity and/or metering equipment (not shown) to feed the material 110 at a metered rate into the batch feeder 160.

Method 200 includes a step 204 of carrying the vitrifiable feed material 110 with the batch feeder 160 to the detachable feeder alcove 108. Carrying the vitrifiable feed material 110 can include using, for example, a screw conveyor or an extruder-type conveyor to carry the material 110, wherein the batch feeder 160 is sealingly coupled to the cover 168 to prevent and/or reduce fine particulates from escaping the batch feeder 160 and/or the feeder interior 170. During operation, the feeder alcove 108 can be completely or substantially occupied by vitrifiable feed material 110 that is fed by the batch feeder 160, which can serve as a protective barrier between the batch feeder 160 and the glass melt 112. Additionally, carrying the vitrifiable feed material 110 may include feeding the material 110 into the feeder alcove 108 having a reduced pressure, which further serves to prevent carryover and contain the fine particulates in the feeder interior 170.

Method 200 may include a step 206 of melting the vitrifiable feed material 110 in the melter 102. As the vitrifiable feed material 110 is fed into the feeder alcove 108 and the feeder interior 170, the material 110 can form a layer on the glass melt 112, where most of the feeder head space

C-13 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713)

172 is occupied by the material 110. This layer can be at least partially melted by the heat from the glass melt 112 and/or the heating device 186 and then flow into the melter interior 132 to be completely melted.

In some instances, method 200 may include a step 208 of providing compressed gas to the detachable feeder alcove 108 or the melter 102. The compressed gas can be provided, for example, from a compressed gas device 184 to the feeder alcove 108 and/or the melter 102 through the at least one bubbler 182a, 182b. The compressed air can provide physical motion to keep the vitrifiable feed material 110 moving in critical areas of the feeder alcove 108 and from forming frozen or built-up areas of material 110 or glass melt 112.

In some instances, method 200 may include a step 210 of moving or adjusting the extendable panel 174 carried by the melter 102 and/or the feeder alcove 108 based on a level of glass melt 112 in the melter 102. The extendable panel 174 can be adjusted to maintain contact with the glass melt 112 in the melter 102, to seal off the feeder interior 170 from the melter atmosphere (e.g., melter interior 132), and to restrict and reduce the amount of very fine batch material particles passing from the feeder alcove directly to the exhaust. In one example, adjusting the extendable panel 174 may include manually adjusting the extendable panel 174 to submerge the lower free end 178 under the glass melt 112. In another example, adjusting the extendable panel 174 may include using automated means (e.g., a controller, a servo motor, a hydraulic and/or pneumatic arm, and the like) to adjust the extendable panel 174. In some instances, a controller (connected to a wired or wireless network (the Internet of Things)) can be used to control the extendable panel 174 in response to change in level of glass melt 112.

The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The drawings are not necessarily shown to scale. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

C-14 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713)

The claims of as-filed US 17/039713 include the following:

1.

A batch feeding apparatus, comprising: a detachable feeder alcove for providing batch material to a melter, the feeder alcove including at least one side wall and a cover; and a batch feeder sealingly coupled to the cover, that feeds the batch material to the feeder alcove.

2.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, wherein the feeder alcove comprises at least one fluid-cooled panel.

3.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, wherein the feeder alcove comprises a plurality of panels.

4.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, wherein the feeder alcove comprises at least one bubbler configured to provide compressed gas into the feeder alcove.

5.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, wherein the feeder alcove is sealed from an outside atmosphere.

6.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 5, wherein the feeder alcove is at a reduced pressure.

7.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, wherein the batch material comprises a raw material -to-cullet ratio between 1 :0 and 0: 1.

C-15 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713)

8.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, further comprising: an extendable panel that extends downwardly below a batch inlet of the feeder alcove to molten glass, and is configured to maintain contact with the molten glass to seal off a feeder alcove interior and to restrict and reduce batch material passing from the feeder alcove directly to an exhaust.

9.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, wherein the batch feeder is oriented vertical to the feeder alcove.

10.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, wherein the batch feeder is oriented at an oblique angle to the feeder alcove.

11.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, wherein the feeder device includes at least one of a screw conveyor or an extruder.

12.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, wherein the cover is a flexible connection.

13.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, further comprising: a heating device configured to provide heat to the feeder alcove.

14.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, further comprising: a cleaning device disposed proximate to and configured to clear a batch inlet of the feeder alcove.

C-16 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713)

15.

The batch feeding apparatus in claim 1, further comprising: a storage device that provides batch material to the batch feeder.

16.

A batch feeding system, comprising: a melter; and the batch feeding apparatus of claim 1 in upstream communication with the melter.

17.

A submerged combustion melter, comprising: a melting tank including: a floor configured to carry at least one submerged combustion burner, a roof, an inlet wall extending between the floor and the roof to at least partially establish a melting tank interior having a tank head space, and including at least one tank inlet; and a feeder alcove appended to the inlet wall of the melting tank to cover the at least one tank inlet, and including: at least one upstream wall, and a cover extending between the at least one upstream wall of the feeder alcove and the inlet wall of the melting tank to at least partially establish a feeder interior having a feeder head space shorter than the tank head space, and including at least one batch inlet configured to receive glass batch into the feeder interior.

18.

The melter of claim 17, further comprising: an extendable panel carried by at least one of the melting tank or the feeder alcove and configured to maintain contact with molten glass in the melter to seal off the feeder alcove interior and the melting tank interior.

C-17 CHAPTER C - 19598 (US 17/039713)

19.

The melter of claim 17, further comprising at least one bubbler carried by the feeder alcove to bubble gas into the feeder alcove upstream of the melting tank.

20.

The melter of claim 17, wherein the at least one upstream wall extends upwardly and away from the inlet wall of the melting tank at an angle between 5 and 60 degrees from vertical.

21.

The melter of claim 17, wherein the melting tank also includes at least one rear-end wall including a molten glass outlet, and a port in the roof at a location of the tank longitudinally opposite of the feeder alcove.

22.

A method of providing vitrifiable feed material to a melter, comprising: providing vitrifiable feed material to a batch feeder; carrying the vitrifiable feed material with the batch feeder to a detachable feeder alcove with at least one side wall and a cover, wherein the batch feeder is sealingly coupled to the cover, and wherein the feeder alcove is at a reduced pressure; melting the vitrifiable feed material in the melter, where the melter is in downstream communication with the feeder alcove.

23.

The method of claim 22, further comprising: providing compressed gas to at least one of the detachable feeder alcove or the melter.

24.

The method of claim 22, further comprising: adjusting an extendable panel carried by at least one of the melter or the feeder alcove based on a melt level in the melter, the extendable panel configured to maintain contact with glass melt in the melter to seal off a feeder alcove interior and a melting tank interior.

C-18 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

CHAPTER D: COOLING PANEL FOR A MELTER

This patent application discloses devices and methods for use in glass manufacturing, and more particularly, devices to provide fluid cooling for a glass melter.

Background

Glass manufacturing often occurs at high temperatures that require the equipment used in the glass manufacturing process to withstand harsh conditions. In particular, submerged combustion melting (“SCM”) is a specific type of glass manufacturing, in which an air-fuel or oxygen-fuel mixture is injected directly into a pool of molten glass. As combustion gases forcefully bubble through the molten glass, they create a high-heat transfer rate and turbulent mixing of the molten glass until it achieves a uniform composition. A typical submerged combustion melter has a floor and a vertical burner passage extending through the floor. A burner positioned within the burner passage is submerged in the molten glass.

In order to withstand the harsh conditions within the melter for traditional glass manufacturing or SCM, part or all of the melter’s floor, walls, or roof can be fluid-cooled. A portion of the melter’s floor, walls, or roof that contacts the molten glass can include a refractory material in order to withstand the high temperatures. Another portion of the melter’s floor, walls, or roof can include the fluid-cooling.

Brief Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, there is a cooling panel for a melter that includes first and second outer walls and a plurality of side walls coupled to the first and second outer walls, defining an interior space, and a plurality of baffles disposed in the interior space, where each baffle includes a plurality of projections. Each of the first and second outer walls has a plurality of openings. Respective openings and projections fit together and are connected from outside of the cooling panel so that the outer walls and the baffles are fixed together, and the side walls are fixed to the outer walls so that the cooling panel is fluid-tight.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a cooling panel for a melter that has first and second outer walls and a plurality of side walls, defining an interior space, and a plurality of baffles disposed in the interior space and dividing the interior space into a plurality of rows wherein each row has a width W. Each baffle has first and second longitudinal

D-l CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) surfaces and an open transverse surface. Each open transverse surface of each baffle is spaced away from an adjacent side wall by a distance D that is 70% to 80% of the width W of each row.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a method of forming a cooling panel having some or all of the features discussed herein. The method includes receiving a plurality of side walls, first and second outer walls each having a plurality of openings, and a plurality of baffles each having a plurality of projections; connecting the first and second walls with the plurality of baffles disposed between the outer walls; and connecting the side walls to the first and second outer walls to fix the sides walls to the outer walls and so that the cooling panel is fluid-tight.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, there is a cooling panel for a melter that includes first and second outer walls and a plurality of side walls coupled to the first and second outer walls, defining an interior space, where the first outer wall includes a plurality of inwardly- facing first grooves, and the second outer wall includes a plurality of inwardly-facing second grooves parallel with the first grooves; and a plurality of baffles disposed in the interior space and carried by the first grooves and the second grooves; wherein a first set of the first grooves and the second grooves extends a length of the cooling panel, and a second set of the first grooves and the second grooves partially extends the length of the cooling panel, and wherein the first set and the second set alternate to create a serpentine fluid flow path in the interior space.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 A is an isometric view of a melter having at least one cooling panel, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. IB is a cross-sectional view of the melter illustrated in FIG. 1 A, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a side view of a first outer wall of the cooling panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1 A and IB, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2B is a side view of a second outer wall of the cooling panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1 A and IB, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

D-2 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

FIG. 2C is a side view of a baffle of the cooling panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1 A and IB, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3A is an isometric view of the cooling panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1A and IB, illustrated without baffles and with one outer wall removed, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3B is a front view of the cooling panel shown in FIG. 3 A, illustrated with baffles and with one outer wall removed, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional side view of the cooling panel shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, showing refractory material disposed on one outer wall and a frozen glass layer disposed on the refractory material, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3D is a cross-sectional top view of the cooling panel shown in FIGS. 3 A through 3C, showing multiple baffles in the interior space of the cooling panel, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional front view of an embodiment of the cooling panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1A and IB, where the cooling panel is fabricated using additive manufacturing, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional side view of the cooling panel shown in FIG. 4A illustrating refractory material disposed on one outer wall and a frozen glass layer disposed on the refractory material, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional side view of the cooling panel shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, where fluid passages in the cooling panel include internal features, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 A is a front view of an embodiment of the cooling panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1A and IB, where the cooling panel includes a door and frame with at least one wall extension for protecting the refractory material, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional side view of the cooling panel shown in FIG. 5A, illustrating the door and frame with a wall extension, refractory material disposed on one outer wall, and a frozen glass layer disposed on the refractory material, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

D-3 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

FIG. 5C is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the wall extensions shown in FIG. 5B, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional front view of the cooling panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1A and IB, illustrating one embodiment of baffles and fluid passages within the cooling panel, where the distance D is 55% of the width W, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional front view of the cooling panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1A and IB, illustrating one embodiment of baffles and fluid passages within the cooling panel, where the distance D is 75% of the width W, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7A is a side view of a first outer wall of the cooling panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1 A and IB, where the first outer wall includes multiple grooves, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7B is a side view of a second outer wall of the cooling panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1 A and IB, where the second outer wall includes multiple grooves, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7C is a side view of a baffle of the cooling panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1 A and IB, where the baffle is configured to be carried by the grooves in FIGS 7A and 7B, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8A is an isometric view of the cooling panel included in the melter shown in FIGS. 1A and IB, illustrated without baffles, with multiple grooves configured to carry the baffles illustrated in FIG. 7C, and with one outer wall removed, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8B is a front view of the cooling panel shown in FIG. 8A, illustrated with baffles and with one outer wall removed, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional side view of the cooling panel shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, showing refractory material disposed on one outer wall and a frozen glass layer disposed on the refractory material, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8D is a cross-sectional top view of the cooling panel shown in FIGS. 8A through 8C, showing multiple baffles in the interior space of the cooling panel, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

D-4 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram showing various steps of an illustrative embodiment of a method for fabricating a cooling panel as shown in FIGS. 1 A through 3D and 8D; and

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram showing various steps of an illustrative embodiment of a method for additively manufacturing a cooling panel as shown in FIGS. 4 A through 4C.

Detailed Description

In accordance with at least one aspect of the disclosure, a cooling panel for a glass melter is provided that is better able to withstand the harsh conditions of the melter than prior cooling panels.

As briefly described in the background, harsh environments within a melter for glass manufacturing, particularly in SCM, can lead to wear, cracking, erosion, and/or failure of the melter’s floor, walls, or roof. The melter’s floor, walls, or roof can be constructed of panels that include a steel portion and a refractory material portion coupled to the steel portion, where the refractory portion contacts a molten material within the melter. Temperatures in the melter can be between approximately 1300 - 1500 degrees Celsius (°C) or higher. The refractory material portion can better withstand the high temperatures within the melter and may have a thickness in the range of 0.1 - 3.0 inches, including all ranges, subranges, and values therebetween. However, due to the harsh conditions, the panels and even the refractory material can be susceptible to wear, cracking, erosion, and/or failure because of its direct contact with the molten material (e.g., molten glass).

Accordingly, a melter having at least one cooling panel is disclosed. Each cooling panel requires less time than conventionally fabricated panels to position internal baffles, assemble and weld each panel, and reduces the likelihood of error. Projections on each baffle fit into corresponding openings in outside walls and can be welded using plug welds. No fillet welds are required inside the cooling panels because each baffle can be welded from the outside using plug welds. Each outside wall, side wall, and baffle can be laser cut with the required openings and projections and require no layout time.

Additionally, each cooling panel can include fluid flow paths that can be configured to reduce stagnant areas of fluid flow and minimize surface hot spots on the hot side of each cooling panel. The fluid flow paths can also be configured to reduce pressure drop of the coolant. Each cooling panel can include an inlet at the bottom and an outlet at the top, which reduces risk of developing an air pocket in the top of the panel. Moreover, each cooling panel can be configured

D-5 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) to be the same size and/or interchangeable, which also allows different configurable locations for an access door and/or melter exits.

Further, each cooling panel may be fabricated as a single monolithic part, which can improve conduction heat transfer. When fabricated as a single monolithic part, each cooling panel can include flow passages with fluid flow paths optimized for convective heat transfer and for minimizing pressure drop through the cooling panel. The flow passages can be configured to withstand higher pressure than conventional panels, which allows the use of cooling fluids other than water. Also, the flow passages may include internal features that can be configured to enhance heat transfer, which can be done by changing the cross-sectional area of the flow path and/or by changing centerline distance between each flow passage.

FIGS. 1A and IB depict a melter 10 comprised of multiple cooling panels 12 and submerged burners 14 (FIG. IB), the melter 10 configured for melting and containing molten material 16 (FIG. IB). The melter 10 can include, for example, a glass melter (e.g., a submerged combustion melter) or melter for other material. The molten material 16 in the melter 10 can typically exist in a liquid or semi-liquid state; however, a portion of the molten material 16 that flows closer to the floors, walls, or roof of the melter 10 can become a solid (or at least a very viscous state) because of its lower temperature, due to a cooling effect from the floors, walls, or roof, than the first portion of the molten material 16. The solidified material (which can be glass) can comprise a solid or frozen material layer 18 that can be coupled to the floors, walls and roof (e.g., at least one cooling panel 12).

The melter 10 can comprise at least one cooling panel 12 configured to both provide structure to the melter and to cool a portion of the molten material 16 and form the frozen material layer 18 coupled to each cooling panel 12. In a specific embodiment, the floor, the walls, and the roof of the melter 10 can include interchangeable cooling panels, as depicted in FIG. 1A. It is contemplated that the melter 10 may be comprised entirely of multiple cooling panels 12 or may comprise only one or several cooling panels 12.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 A through 2C, each cooling panel 12 can include a first outer wall 20, a second outer wall 22, and at least one baffle 24. FIG. 2A illustrates the first outer wall 20, which includes a perimeter 26 and a plurality of first openings 28. The first outer wall 20 is also depicted as including a coolant inlet 30 and a coolant outlet 32, although it will be appreciated that the second outer wall 22 may instead include the coolant inlet 30 and the coolant outlet 32. A

D-6 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) plurality of side walls 34, 36, 38, 40 can be configured to be coupled (e.g., welded) to the first outer wall 20 around and/or proximate to the perimeter 26 as shown in FIG 3 A. FIG. 2B illustrates the second outer wall 22 having a perimeter 42 and a plurality of second openings 44. The side walls 34, 36, 38, 40 can also be configured to be coupled (e.g., welded) to the second outer wall 22 around and/or proximate to the perimeter 42.

The first openings 28 and the second openings 44 are depicted as holes or slots, although other configurations may be included. Even though the first openings 28 and the second openings 44 are depicted as having a circular cross-section or as slots, they could also be configured with a variety of cross-sections and/or shapes, including oval, rectangular, square, triangular, other types of polygons, or the like.

As illustrated in FIG. 2C, each cooling panel 12 can include at least one baffle 24. Each baffle 24 can have a first side 46 with respective first projections 48 and an opposing second side 50 with respective second projections 52. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2C, the first and second projections 48, 52 are depicted as tabs extending from both the first and second sides 46, 50 of the baffle 24, although the first and second projections 48, 52 may be configured in other ways. As depicted, the first projections 48 extend from the first side 46 of the baffle 24 and are configured to fit in respective first openings 28 of the first outer wall 20, and the second projections 52 extend from the second side 50 of the baffle 24 and are configured to fit in respective second openings 44 of the second outer wall 22. It will be appreciated that the projections 48, 52 could comprise other configurations, for example posts, studs, screws, rivets, slugs, bolts, welds, welded pieces, or the like.

The openings 28, 44 and the projections 48, 52 can be configured to fit together (e.g., a loose fit, an interference fit, and so forth) and connect from outside of the cooling panel 12, requiring no welds (e.g., fillet welds) within the cooling panel 12. In this way, the first and second outer walls 20, 22 and the baffles 24 can be fixed (e.g., coupled) together, and the side walls 34, 36, 38, 40 can be fixed to the first and second outer walls 20, 22 so that the cooling panel 12 is fluid-tight.

Additionally, each baffle 24 can comprise a pair of longitudinal surfaces including a first longitudinal surface 54 and an opposing second longitudinal surface 56. Each baffle 24 can also include an open transverse surface 58 configured to not be coupled to anything else (e.g., exposed to coolant). While the open transverse surface 58 in FIG. 2C is shown at the bottom of the baffle

D-7 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

24, it will be appreciated that the open transverse surface 58 could also be located at the top of the baffle 24.

In the cooling panel 12, the first and second outer walls 20, 22, the side walls 34, 36, 38, 40, and the baffles 24 can define an interior space 62 in which the coolant can flow through a serpentine fluid flow path 60. The baffles 24 function to divide the interior space 62 into a plurality of rows (e.g., row 64), where each row can be parallel with a longitudinal axis A and can have a width W. The width W can be between baffles 24 or between one baffle 24 and an adjacent side wall 36, 40. In order to provide a uniform width W for each row 64, the width W between baffles 24 may be the same as the width W between the one baffle 24 and the adjacent side wall 36, 40.

FIGS. 3 A-3D illustrate an embodiment of a cooling panel 12 showing one outer wall (e.g., first outer wall 20) including side walls 34, 36, 38, 40 coupled to the outer wall around a perimeter (e.g., perimeter 26) of the outer wall. The plurality of side walls 34, 36, 38, 40, along with the first outer wall 20 and the second outer wall 22, can define an interior space 62 with fluid passages 66 through which a coolant can flow. The fluid passages 66 can be aligned and/or correspond with a respective row 64. FIG. 3 A illustrates one arrangement of the openings 28 in the first outer wall 20, where the openings 28 are arranged parallel to longitudinal axis A and configured to be coupled with respective projections 48, 52 of each baffle 24. The second outer wall 22 and the baffles 24 are shown removed in FIG. 3 A.

FIG. 3B illustrates a plurality of baffles 24 coupled to the first outer wall 20, where the first projections 48 are coupled with respective first openings 28. The first outer wall 20, and the side walls 34, 36, 38, 40 define a plurality of fluid passages 66 when the second outer wall 22 is also coupled to the baffles 24 and the side walls 34, 36, 38, 40. It will be appreciated that the outer wall shown in FIGS. 3 A through 3D may be either the first outer wall 20 and/or the second outer wall 22. Additionally, the second outer wall 22 is shown removed in FIG. 3B.

In manufacturing and/or construction of the cooling panel 12, the cooling panel 12 can be formed so that the first and second openings 28, 44 and the projections 48, 52 fit together, respectively, in order to secure the first and second outer walls 20, 22 to the baffles 24. In an example, the first and second openings 28, 44 and the projections 48, 52 can be held together by clamps until welds have been made and connected together from outside of the cooling panel 12 so that no interior welds are necessary within the cooling panel 12. Once a baffle 24 has been coupled to an outer wall, the other of the first and second outer walls 20, 22 can include one or

D-8 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) more holes that matches the location of the baffles 24, and the other of the first and second outer walls 20, 22 can be placed on top of the baffles 24 for welding, for example plug welding or a weld at the holes, to couple to the baffles 24. The plug welding would occur from outside of the cooling panel 12. Subsequently, the side walls 34, 36, 38, 40 can be welded, for example fillet welded or welded along a joint between two parts at an angle to each other, to the first and second outer walls 20, 22 to form a fluid-tight cooling panel 12.

With conventional technology, a cooling panel would typically be constructed such that baffles were welded, for example stitch welded or intermittently welded, along a joint between a respective baffle and one of the first and second outer walls from within the interior space. These internal welds have been necessary to hold the baffles in place prior to attaching the first and/or second outer walls.

With the disclosed first and second openings 28, 44 and projections 48, 52, the first and second outer walls 20, 22 and the baffles 24 can be fitted together without needing to internally weld either of the first and second outer walls to the baffles 24 before also fitting the other of the first and second outer walls 20, 22 to the baffles 24. This can save time and cost in construction. This construction also can reduce the chance for any errors in positioning the first and second outer walls 20, 22 and the baffles 24 together. All welds can be made from outside the cooling panel 12 such that a liquid-tight joint results. Additionally, the first and second outer walls 20, 22 and the baffles 24 can be more easily cut, including being laser-cut, to the correct geometries.

FIGS. 3A through 3D also show the coolant inlet 30 and the coolant outlet 32 for passing a coolant into and from the cooling panel 12. In one aspect, the coolant inlet 30 can be located at the bottom portion 68 of the cooling panel 12 and the coolant outlet 32 can be located at a top portion 70 of the cooling panel 12. More specifically, the coolant inlet and outlet 30, 32 may both be formed as apertures in at least one of the first and second outer walls 20, 22 so that the coolant can pass through the interior space 62, between the baffles 24, and through the fluid passages 66. The coolant can be any type of coolant known in the art, including water, various heat transfer fluids, solvents, solutions, CO2, ionic fluid, molten salts, or the like.

FIG. 3C illustrates a cross-section view along line 3C in FIG. 3B showing a fillet weld 72 between the side walls 34, 36, 38, 40 and the first and second outer walls 20, 22 and showing a refractory material 74 that may be disposed proximate to and/or coupled to an outer wall (e.g., the second outer wall 22). At least one form 76 may be coupled to at least one side wall 34, 36, 38,

D-9 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

40 for assisting in forming the refractory material 74 on the second outer wall 22. The refractory material 74 can be configured to initially contact the molten material 16 in the melter 10. As the refractory material 74 is cooled by the cooling panel 12, a portion of the molten material 16 can become solid and/or at least very viscous and can form a frozen material layer 18 that can be coupled to the refractory material 74. The frozen material layer 18 can protect the refractory material 74 and the cooling panel 12 from the corrosive molten material 16.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3C, the cooling panel 12 may include one or more protrusions 78, for example studs having enlarged heads, extending from the second outer wall 22 that are configured to at least partially carry the refractory material 74 that is cast onto the second outer wall 22. In this way, the one or more protrusions 78 can be embedded into the refractory material 74 to assist in holding the refractory material 74 onto the second outer wall 22. It will be appreciated that the one or more protrusions 78 may include a variety of configurations, for example screws, tabs, posts, rivets, slugs, bolts, welds, welded pieces, or other members that can be formed of any suitable material known in the art, including steel, various metals, refractory material, or the like.

Additionally, to assist in holding the refractory material 74 on the second outer wall 22, the second outer wall 22 can include a first outer edge 80 disposed and extending about the perimeter 42 of the second outer wall 22 so that the first outer edge 80 extends about the refractory material 74. By using the one or more protrusions 78 and/or the first outer edge 80, the refractory material 74 can be protected and better secured to the second outer wall 22. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that, in some instances, the refractory material 74, the one or more protrusions 78, and the first outer edge 80 may also be included in the first outer wall 20. It will be appreciated that the cooling panel 12 may also be formed without any refractory material 74, the protrusions 78, and/or the first outer edge 80.

In FIG. 3C, on the opposite side of the cooling panel 12 from the refractory material 74, the first outer wall 20 is depicted as having a second outer edge 82 extending about the perimeter 26. In an embodiment, the second outer edge 82 may include a flange with a plurality of internal apertures 84 (e.g., equidistantly spaced). The internal apertures 84 can be formed in order to accommodate bolts, screws, fasteners, or the like, that would secure the first outer wall 20 and the second outer edge 82 to adjacent cooling panels 12 and/or other parts of the melter 10. As discussed above, the features of one of the first and second outer walls 20, 22 may be switched or

D-10 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) additionally added to the other of the first and second outer walls 20, 22. For example, the second outer edge 82 with the internal apertures 84 could be added to or part of the second outer wall 22 and/or first outer edge 80.

FIG. 3D illustrates a cross-section view along line 3D in FIG. 3B showing an embodiment of a plurality of baffles 24 coupled to the first outer wall 20 and the second outer wall 22. Additionally, FIG. 3D shows at least one plug weld 86 between the first and second outer walls 20, 22 and the baffles 24 from the outside of the cooling panel 12. The refractory material 74 and the one or more protrusions 78 have been omitted from the cooling panel 12 shown in FIG. 3D in order to more clearly see the plug weld(s) 86.

In some implementations, the melter 10 and/or one or more cooling panels 12 may include various temperature sensors. For example, one or more temperature sensors can detect the temperature within the portions of the molten material 16, the frozen material layer 18, a surface of a cooling panel 12, and/or temperature of the coolant. In other implementations, the cooling panel 12 does not include any temperature sensors for directly measuring the temperature within the portions of the molten material 16 nor does it include any temperature sensors for directly measuring the temperature of the coolant. In this implementation, various pipes, conduits, or the like (not shown) that can be adjacent to the cooling panel 12 and that route the coolant may include one or more temperature sensors for detecting and/or measuring the coolant temperature. The temperature measurements within the various pipes, conduits, or the like can provide an indirect temperature measurement of the temperature of the coolant when it is in the cooling panel 12. Of course, it will be appreciated that the cooling panel 12 can also be constructed to include various temperature sensors (e.g., a thermocouple) that directly detect and measure, for example, the temperature of the molten material 16, a surface of the molten material 16, the frozen material layer 18, the cooling panel 12, and/or the temperature of the coolant.

The additional embodiments discussed below may be similar in many respects to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3A through 3D, and like numerals (e.g., increased by 100, 200, etc.) among the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawing figures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments are incorporated into one another, and description of subject matter common to the embodiments generally may not be repeated here.

D-l l CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

FIGS. 4A through 4C illustrate an embodiment of a cooling panel 112 that has been fabricated using additive manufacturing. As depicted in FIG. 4A, the first and second outer walls 120, 122, the side walls 134, 136, 138, 140, the baffles 124, the coolant inlet 130, and the coolant outlet 132 can all be part of a single monolithic structure 188 so that there are no welds within the cooling panel 112. As a single monolithic structure, the cooling panel 112 can be formed as part of a material build up process, layer upon layer, and may not have seams, joints, or the like therebetween. Additionally, when implemented as a single monolithic structure, the first and second outer walls 120, 122, the side walls 134, 136, 138, 140, and the baffles 124 do not require external welds. Additive manufacturing may provide a cooling panel 112 with a geometry that may not be possible if other fabrication methods, for example welding, were used.

As shown in FIGS. 4 A through 4C, the cooling panel 112 can be additively manufactured so that the first outer wall 120, the second outer wall 122, the side walls 134, 136, 138, 140, and the baffles 124 define multiple fluid passages 166 each having a generally circular cross-section, although it will be appreciated that the cross section of any or each fluid passage 166 may include other configurations and cross-sections (e.g., rectangular, square, and so forth). In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 4 A through 4C, the cooling panel 112 can include a plurality of fluid passages 166 having circular cross sections and a flow path 160 configured in a serpentine pattern. The fluid passages 166 can be arranged into at least one row 164 parallel to a longitudinal axis A and can have a width W.

In addition to additively manufacturing the first and second outer walls 120, 122, side walls 134, 136, 138, 140, and baffles 124, the single monolithic structure 188 can also include one or more protrusions 178 and/or a first outer edge 180 extending from one of the first and second outer walls 120, 122, as shown in FIG. 4B. The one or more protrusions 178 and/or the first outer edge 180 can be additively manufactured as part of the cooling panel 112. Additionally, a refractory material 174 can either be additively manufactured as part of the single monolithic structure 188 or can be cast onto the single monolithic structure 188. In either case, it is possible to utilize different materials as part of the additive manufacturing process such that the refractory material 174 could be different from the rest of the material included in the single monolithic structure 188 and yet still be part of the single monolithic structure 188. It will be appreciated that it is possible to use various materials within the material build up process (e.g., steel, refractory, and so forth). A second outer edge 182 extending about the perimeter of the other of the first and second outer

D-12 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) walls 120, 122 and forming one or more apertures 184 can either be additively manufactured as part of the single monolithic structure 188 or attached as a separate part to the single monolithic structure 188.

FIG. 4C depicts a cross-sectional side view of a specific embodiment of a portion of the cooling panel 112. In this view, the fluid passages 166 are shown as a cross section along the line 4B in FIG. 4A. This specific embodiment illustrates where the fluid passages 166 include an internal feature 190, which can be formed as a part of the single monolithic structure 188. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4B, the internal feature 190 may include a central wall or fin. However, it is contemplated that the internal feature 190 may include other embodiments or configurations. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4C, the internal feature 190 can extend parallel to longitudinal axis A and along the fluid passage 166 within each respective row 164 and can divide each respective fluid passage 166 into multiple portions (e.g., two portions 192, 194). It is contemplated that the internal feature 190 may have a surface that is parallel with respect to the longitudinal axis A, parallel with respect to longitudinal axis B, or positioned at an angle with respect to longitudinal axis A and/or longitudinal axis B. The internal feature 190 can function to enhance heat transfer between the melter 10 and the coolant by providing additional heat transfer surface area and/or by mixing or otherwise altering the flow pattern of the coolant. All or any of the rows 164 or fluid passages 166 may include the internal feature 190. Because the internal feature 190 is part of the single monolithic structure 188, it can provide good heat transfer because its geometry can be engineered and optimized in a way not possible through other manufacturing techniques.

During manufacturing by way of additive manufacturing, three-dimensional printing, rapid prototyping, or a combination thereof, the cooling panel can be formed to include the first and second outer walls 120, 122, side walls 134, 136, 138, 140, and baffles 124, one or more protrusions 178, first and second outer edges 180, 182, refractory material 174, rows 164, and/or internal features 190. In some instances, some of these parts may not be formed as part of the single monolithic structure 188. By additively manufacturing some or all of these parts of the cooling panel 112, they can form intricate passages optimized for heat transfer. For example, the cooling panel 112 can be optimized for conductive heat transfer, or direct transfer of kinetic energy. The cooling panel 112 can also be optimized for convective heat transfer, or indirect fluid

D-13 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) transfer as warmer fluid rises and cooler fluid falls in a bulk fluid, and/or to minimize the pressure drop within the cooling panel 112.

Additionally, having a cooling panel 112 comprising a single monolithic structure 188 can allow the various components to withstand greater pressures and use coolants that may not be possible with other manufacturing techniques. Some exemplary coolants that may be used within the cooling panel 112 may include super critical carbon dioxide (scCCh), ionic fluid, molten salts, or the like. Further, the possible intricate geometries can be optimized to reduce any stagnant coolant areas and/or hot spots within the cooling panel 112, for example around the connections and/or turns from one row 164 to the next. The baffles 124 may withstand the internal pressures of the cooling panel 112 better through additive manufacturing as opposed to welding because the maximum internal pressure for welded baffles may depend on the thicknesses of the first and second outer walls and the width between the baffles.

FIGS. 5A-C depict an embodiment of a cooling panel 212 that includes a door 201 and a frame 203 for the door 201 with at least one wall extension 205 configured to provide protection to the refractory material 274 disposed on the door 201, the frame 203, and/or the cooling panel 212. The door 201 and/or the frame 203 may include or at least be a portion of the first outer wall 220 and/or the second outer wall 222 (e.g., flat inner surface) that is internal to the melter 10. When a conventional melter door is opened and detaches from a surrounding frame, refractory material on the door or frame may crack, chip, break, or otherwise become damaged due to the shearing force of opening the door. In order to reduce or eliminate this damage, one or more wall extensions 205 can be formed as a portion of the door 201 and/or frame 203. It will be appreciated that the door 201 and frame 203 may include any other type of opening for the melter 10, including an access point, hatch, or the like.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 A, a side view of the cooling panel 212 illustrates the door 201 housed by or disposed within the frame 203, which is further disposed in the cooling panel 212. In some instances, the first outer wall 220 may comprise the frame 203. The door 201 and frame 203 can be manufactured and constructed in accordance with any aspect of the disclosure, including welding, attaching, and/or additive manufacturing. The door 201 and frame 203 can include all or any of the parts discussed herein in the various other aspects of the cooling panel 12, 112, 212. Additionally, at least one coolant inlet 230a, 230b and at least one coolant outlet 232a, 232b may be disposed as a portion of the cooling panel 212 and/or the door 201.

D-14 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

FIG. 5B illustrates a cross section view of the cooling panel 12 along line 5B in FIG. 5 A showing the door 201, the frame 203, refractory material 274 disposed on the door 201 and frame 203, protrusions 278, and wall extensions 205 that extend beyond a surface of the second outer wall 222. The wall extensions 205 can include a wall that is integrally formed with and/or coupled to the door 201 and/or the frame 203. Each wall extension 205 can perpendicularly extend beyond a plane of the second outer wall 222 and along a length of the refractory material 274 to protect the refractory material 274 from damage from opening the door 201. The wall extension(s) 225 may extend along at least a portion of a perimeter of the door 201, the frame 203, and/or at least a portion of the refractory material 274. The wall extension 205 can be formed of the same or similar material as the first and/or second outer walls 224, 226 (e.g., steel or the like) and can extend beyond the second outer wall 222 any length desired (e.g., 0.25-2.0 inches). A castable refractory material 274 can be coupled to the second outer wall 222 using, for example, protrusions 178. FIG. 5C illustrates an enlarged view of circle 5C in FIG. 5B.

Each wall extension 205 serves to provide protection to the refractory material 274 when the door 201 is opened. By protecting the refractory material 274, the one or more wall extensions 205 reduce cost and downtime of the melter 10 because repair time of damaged refractory is prevented and/or minimized.

With general reference to FIGS. 3A-5C, the cooling panel 12, 112, 212 can be manufactured such that the rows 64, 164 have a particular geometry that provides optimal pressures and/or flow rates of the coolant. Each row 64, 164 can have a width W between a first baffle 24, 124 and an adjacent baffle 24, 124. Additionally, each baffle 24, 124 can be positioned such that the open transverse surface 58 can be spaced from an adjacent side wall 34, 36, 38, 40 by a distance D. The baffles 24, 124 can alternate such that one baffle 24, 124 has the respective distance D spaced away from a first side wall 34, 38, 134, 138, and an adjacent baffle 24, 124 has the respective distance D spaced away from a second side wall 34, 38, 134, 138 (e.g., distal from the first side wall). The distance D between the side walls 34, 38, 134, 138 can be manufactured such that it is substantially the same between each baffle 24, 124 and each respective side wall 34, 38, 134, 138 so that it is approximately 70% to 80% of the width W of each row 64, 164, including all ranges, subranges, values therebetween, and endpoints. The range of 70% to 80% can be a desirable range for the relationship between the width W and the distance D in order to provide desirable pressures, coolant acceleration from one row 64, 164 to an adjacent row 64, 164, and/or

D-15 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) flow rates of the coolant within the cooling panel 12, 112, 212. In contrast, conventional cooling panels may be formed with distance D as 55% to 65% of the width W, including all ranges, subranges, values therebetween, and endpoints.

FIGS. 6A-B depict a cross-section of a specific configuration for a cooling panel 312a, 312b derived from a computer simulation using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) that compares a prior cooling panel configuration to the cooling panels 12, 112, 212 of the present disclosure. For example, FIG. 6A depicts the geometry of a cooling panel 312a having the distance D in the range of 45% to 65% (shown at 55%). The cooling panel 312a can include side walls 334a, 336a, 338a, 340a, coolant inlet 330a, coolant outlet 332a, at least one baffle 324a, and at least one fluid passage 366a. The fluid flow path 360a is depicted by arrows. FIG. 6B depicts the geometry of a cooling panel 312b with the distance D as 75% of the width W (although the range of 70% to 80% can be used, including all ranges, subranges, values therebetween, and endpoints. The cooling panel 312b can include side walls 334b, 336b, 338b, 340b, coolant inlet 330b, coolant outlet 332b, at least one baffle 324b, and at least one fluid passage 366b. The fluid flow path 360b is depicted by arrows.

In addition to the features of any or all of the cooling panel 312b shown, FIG. 6B also depicts that at least some baffles 324b can have a stepped portion 307. The stepped portion 307 may be included in order to accommodate portions of the cooling panel 312b in which the coolant would not flow or flow easily. Each baffle 324b may contain the same length of the stepped portion 307 such that the width W is uniform within the cooling panel 312b. Alternatively, the length of the stepped portion 307 can vary such that the width W is not uniform and varies within the cooling panel 312b. By using the geometry of cooling panel 312b discussed above, hot spots within the cooling panel 312b created by stagnant flow (e.g., proximate to a turn and/or a corner) can be prevented and/or minimized.

Illustrated in FIGS. 7A through 7C, components of a cooling panel 412 are shown that can include a first outer wall 420, a second outer wall 422, at least one baffle 424, and at least one groove formed in the first outer wall 420 and the second outer wall 422, where the at least one groove is configured to carry the at least one baffle 424.

FIG. 7 A illustrates the first outer wall 420, which may further include a coolant inlet 430 and/or a coolant outlet 432. A plurality of side walls 434, 436, 438, 440 can be configured to be coupled (e.g., welded) to the first outer wall 420 around and/or proximate to the perimeter 426.

D-16 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

Moreover, the first outer wall 420 can include at least one first groove 498. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7A, multiple inwardly-facing first grooves 498 can be formed in the first outer wall 420, where the first grooves 498 can be aligned along longitudinal axis A and can be parallel to each other and/or at least some of the side walls (e.g., side walls 436, 440). Some of the first grooves 498 can extend a length of the first outer wall 420, and some of the first grooves 498 can extend only partially the length of the first outer wall 420. In FIG. 7A, the first grooves 498 are shown alternatively between first grooves 498a that extend the full length of the first outer wall 420 and first grooves 498b that extend only partially the length of the first outer wall 420. It will be appreciated that the first grooves 498 may include other configurations.

FIG. 7B illustrates the second outer wall 422 having a perimeter 442 and a plurality of inwardly-facing second grooves 499, which can correspond with the first grooves 498 in a respective first outer wall 420. A set of side walls (e.g., side walls 434, 436, 438, 440) can also be configured to be coupled (e.g., welded or otherwise attached) to the second outer wall 422 around and/or proximate to the perimeter 442.

The second grooves 499 can be formed in the second outer wall 422 and can be aligned along longitudinal axis A and parallel to each other and/or some of the side walls (e.g., side walls 436, 440). Some of the second grooves 499 can extend the length of the second outer wall 422, and some of the second grooves 499 can extend only partially the length of the second outer wall 420. In FIG. 7B, the second grooves 499 are shown alternating between second grooves 499a that extend the full length of the second outer wall 422 and second grooves 499b that extend only partially the length of the second outer wall 422. It will be appreciated that the second grooves 499 may include other configurations.

As illustrated in FIG. 7C, each cooling panel 412 can include at least one baffle 424. Each baffle 424 can have a first side 446 and an opposing second side 450. Also, the at least one baffle 424 can comprise a pair of longitudinal surfaces including a first longitudinal surface 454 and an opposing second longitudinal surface 456. The at least one baffle 424b may also include an open transverse surface 458 configured to not be coupled to anything else (e.g., exposed to coolant). While the open transverse surface 458 in FIG. 7C is shown at the bottom of the baffle 424, it will be appreciated that the open transverse surface 458 could also be located at the top of the baffle 424. The at least one baffle 424 can be configured to be carried by the first grooves 498 and the second grooves 499.

D-17 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate an embodiment of a cooling panel 412 showing a first outer wall 420 and side walls 434, 436, 438, 440 coupled to the first outer wall 420 around a perimeter 426 of the first outer wall 420. The plurality of side walls 434, 436, 438, 440, along with the first outer wall 420 and the second outer wall 422, can define an interior space 462 with fluid passages 466 through which a coolant can flow in a generally serpentine fluid flow path 460. The fluid passages 466 can be aligned and/or correspond with a respective row 464. The baffles 424 can function to divide the interior space 462 into a plurality of rows (e.g., row 464), where each row can be aligned and parallel with a longitudinal axis A and can have a width W. The width W can be between baffles 424 or between a baffle 424 and an adjacent side wall 436, 440. In order to provide a uniform width W for each row 464, the width W between baffles 424 may be the same as the width W between the one baffle 424 and the adjacent side wall 436, 440.

FIG. 8 A illustrates an embodiment with the first outer wall 420 including first grooves 498 and side walls 434, 436, 440 coupled to the first outer wall 420. The second outer wall 22 and the baffles 24 are shown removed in FIG. 8A. The baffles 424 may be placed so that they are securely carried by the first grooves 498, which, in some instances, may include using welding or an interference fit.

FIG. 8B illustrates a plurality of baffles 424 coupled to the first outer wall 420 and securely carried by the first grooves 498. The second outer wall 422 is shown removed in FIG. 8B. The second grooves 499 shown in the second outer wall 422 correspond to and are configured to carry respective baffles 424 so that the connections between the first outer wall 420, the second outer wall 422, and the side walls 434, 436, 438, 440 are at least substantially water tight. It will be appreciated that the outer wall shown in FIGS. 3 A through 3D may be either the first outer wall 420 and/or the second outer wall 422.

In manufacturing and/or construction of the cooling panel 412, the cooling panel 412 can be formed so that the first grooves 498 and the second grooves 499 are configured to correspond with and carry the baffles 424, respectively, in order to secure the first and second outer walls 20, 22 to the baffles 24. In some implementations, the baffles 424 may be placed before the second outer wall 422 is coupled to the side walls 434, 436, 438, 440. In other implementations, the first outer wall 420 and the second outer wall 422 may be coupled to the side walls (e.g., side walls 434, 436, 440) and one side wall (e.g., side wall 438) may not yet be coupled to the first outer wall 420 and the second outer wall 422. In this implementation, the baffles 424 may be positioned

D-18 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) between the first outer wall 420 and the second outer wall 422 by inserting each baffle 424 into the side of the cooling panel 412 where the side wall 438 is not yet coupled. The baffles 424 can be inserted or slid into a respective first groove 498 and a corresponding second groove 499 until the baffle 424 reaches the end of the respective first groove 498 and second groove 499 and/or the side wall 434. The side wall (e.g., side wall 438) may then be coupled to the first outer wall 420, the second outer wall 422, and side walls 436, 440, and the baffles 424 can form the serpentine fluid flow path 460. It will be appreciated that other arrangements and fluid flow paths may be implemented other than a serpentine-type configuration. The cooling panel 412 may also include the coolant inlet 430 and the coolant outlet 432 for passing a coolant into and from the cooling panel 412.

FIG. 8C illustrates a cross-section view along line 8C in FIG. 8B showing the first outer wall 420 and the second outer wall 422 coupled to the side walls 434, 436, 438, 440 and showing a refractory material 474 configured to initially contact molten material 16 in the melter 10, upon which a portion of the molten material 16 can become solid and/or at least very viscous and can form a frozen material layer 18 on the refractory material 474. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 3C, the cooling panel 412 may include one or more protrusions 478, a first outer edge 480, and/or a second outer edge 482 including a flange with a plurality of internal apertures 484 (e.g., equidistantly spaced). As discussed above, the features of one of the first and second outer walls 420, 422 may be switched or additionally added to the other of the first and second outer walls 420, 422.

FIG. 8D illustrates a cross-section view along line 8D in FIG. 8B showing an embodiment of the cooling panel 412 with a plurality of baffles 424 coupled to the first outer wall 420 and the second outer wall 422 and disposed in and carried by the first grooves 498 and the second grooves 499. The refractory material 474 and the one or more protrusions 478 have been omitted from the cooling panel 412 shown in FIG. 8D.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a method 500 for manufacturing and/or fabricating a cooling panel 12. For purposes of illustration and clarity, method 500 will be described in the context of the melter 10 and cooling panels 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 described above and generally illustrated in FIGS. 1A through 8D. It will be appreciated, however, that the application of the present methodology is not meant to be limited solely to such an arrangement, but rather method 500 may find application with any number of arrangements.

D-19 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

Method 500 can include a step 502 of receiving a plurality of side walls 34, 36, 38, 40, first and second outer walls 20, 22 each having a plurality of first and second openings 28, 44, respectively, and a plurality of baffles 24 each having a plurality of projections 48, 52. Second, the method 400 can include a step 504 of connecting the first and second openings 28, 44 and projections 48, 52 together, respectively, from outside of the cooling panel 12 so that the baffles 24 are disposed between the first and second outer walls 20, 22. Subsequently, the method 500 can include a step 506 of connecting the side walls 34, 36, 38, 40 to the first and second outer walls 20, 22 so that the cooling panel 12 is fluid-tight. This method may not include forming any interior welds within the cooling panel 12, and especially not before the step of connecting the first and second openings 28, 44 and projections 48, 52 together.

More specifically, the method 500 can include the first and second openings 28, 44 including slots, and the projections 48, 52 including tabs, so that a plurality of first projections 48 extend from the first side 46 of each baffle 24 to fit in the openings 28 of the first outer wall 20 and so that a plurality of projections 52 extend from the second side 50 of each baffle 24 to fit in the openings 44 of the second outer wall 22. Subsequently, the first and second openings 28, 44 and the respective projections 48, 52 can be plug welded together, respectively, from outside of the cooling panel 12. Further, the side walls 34, 36, 38, 40 can be fillet welded to both of the first and second outer walls 20, 22, also from outside the cooling panel 12.

Next, the method 500 may include a step 508 of attaching the coolant inlet and outlet 30, 32 to one of the first and/or second outer walls 20, 22 so that the coolant inlet 30 is attached to the bottom portion 68 of the cooling panel 12, and the coolant outlet 32 is attached to the top portion 70 of the cooling panel 12. By attaching the coolant inlet 30 to the bottom portion 68 (e.g., a bottom comer), the coolant can be fed into the bottom portion 68 and forced or pumped upwards within the cooling panel 12 and through the fluid flow path 60 so that it exits at the top portion 70 (e.g., a top comer). This flow pattern can reduce the risk of developing an air pocket at the top portion 70, which otherwise might occur if the coolant started at the top portion 70 and flowed downward by way of gravity and/or pumping. Such an air pocket can expand over time and eventually cause the cooling panel 12 to operate inefficiently, develop cracks or breaks, and/or otherwise require repair or replacement. Reducing the risk of developing an air pocket can also reduce the pressure drop of the coolant within the cooling panel 12 and assist in a more uniform and continuous coolant flow rate.

D-20 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

The method 500 may include a step 510 of forming the one or more protrusions 78 on one of the first and second outer walls 20, 22 (e.g., the second outer wall 22). The method 500 may also include a step 512 of disposing and/or casting the refractory material 74 onto the one or more protrusions 78 so that the one or more protrusions 78 are embedded into the refractory material 74. As discussed above, the one or more protrusions 78 can assist in holding the refractory material 74 to the one of the first and second outer walls 20, 22 and/or in protecting the refractory material 74 from cracking, chipping, breaking, or otherwise becoming damaged during use of the melter 10.

Optionally, the method 500 may include the step 514 of attaching one or more forms 96 to at least one side wall 28, 30, 32, 34 of the cooling panel 12 to assist in disposing the refractory material 74 on to one of the first and second outer walls 20, 22. Once the one or more forms 96 are attached to the respective side walls, the method 500 may include the step 512 of disposing and/or casting the refractory material 74 onto the one or more protrusions 78 so that the one or more protrusions 78 are embedded into the refractory material 74. After the refractory material 74 is solidified or otherwise set, the method 500 may further include the step 516 of removing the one or more forms 96 from the at least one side wall 28, 30, 32, 34 of the cooling panel 12. In this way, the forms 96 are not a permanent part of the cooling panel 12, but rather part of an intermediate structure of the cooling panel 12, and simply assist in its construction. The optional first and second outer edges 80, 82 can also be attached as part of the construction, having any or all of the features discussed herein.

As shown in FIG. 10, another method 600 of manufacturing and constructing the cooling panel 112 can include additive manufacturing or a similar process. Additive manufacturing can include a process by which three-dimensional structures are created, typically layer upon layer, to build up material to a desired geometry. For example, a step 602 can include forming the cooling panel 112 using additive manufacturing, three-dimensional printing, rapid prototyping, or a combination thereof.

Because the desired geometry is created through this build up process, it is possible to create three dimensional structures having geometries that are not feasible and/or otherwise possible through other types of manufacturing, including welding various parts together, for example the cooling panel 112 illustrated in FIGS. 4A through 4C. The final geometry created can be a single monolithic structure that does not include any welds, seams, or other joint areas

D-21 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) between parts. Some examples of additive manufacturing include three dimensional (3D) printing, rapid prototyping, powder bed fusion, sheet lamination, directed energy deposition, or a combination thereof. It will be appreciated that the final geometry can include various parts that are not additively manufactured and/or are not part of the single monolithic structure. These parts can be formed using traditional manufacturing techniques, such as cutting and/or welding, while other parts are additively manufactured using the material build up process.

It will be appreciated that the cooling panel 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 can be included in any part of the melter 10, and there can be as many cooling panels 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 as desired. In one aspect, the melter 10 includes ten cooling panels 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 that are identical. Having multiple identical cooling panels 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 allows the advantage of easier manufacturing of at least a portion of the cooling panels 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 within the melter 10. It will be appreciated that all cooling panels 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 in the melter 10 could be identical to each other. Additionally, the melter 10 can also include more cooling panels 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 that are similar, but not identical, to each other. In one aspect, the melter 10 includes fourteen cooling panels 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 in addition to the ten identical cooling panels 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 that are in accordance with various aspects of this disclosure; however, each of the fourteen cooling panels 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 are unique to any other cooling panels 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 within the melter 10 in some way. It will be appreciated that all cooling panels 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 in the melter 10 could be similar, but not identical, to each other.

The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The drawings are not necessarily shown to scale. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

D-22 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065)

The claims of as-filed US 16/590065 include the following:

1.

A cooling panel for a melter, comprising: first and second outer walls and a plurality of side walls coupled to the first and second outer walls, defining an interior space, where each of the first and second outer walls have a plurality of openings; and a plurality of baffles disposed in the interior space, where the baffles include a plurality of projections; wherein respective openings and projections fit together and are connected from outside of the cooling panel so that the outer walls and the baffles are fixed together, and the side walls are fixed to the outer walls so that the cooling panel is fluid-tight.

2.

The cooling panel of claim 1, wherein the cooling panel does not include interior welds inside the cooling panel.

3.

The cooling panel of claim 1, wherein at least one of the baffles has a first side and a second side, and the respective projections for each baffle extend from both of the first and second sides so that a plurality of first projections extend from the first side to fit in respective first openings of the plurality of openings of the first outer wall, and a plurality of second projections extend from the second side to fit in respective second openings of the plurality of openings of the second outer wall.

4.

The cooling panel of claim 1, wherein the side walls, outer walls, and baffles form a serpentine flow path for passing a coolant within the interior space.

5.

The cooling panel of claim 1, wherein the cooling panel has a bottom portion and a top portion and includes a coolant inlet at the bottom portion and a coolant outlet at the top portion for passing a coolant.

6.

The cooling panel of claim 1, wherein the cooling panel does not include a temperature

D-23 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) sensor.

7.

The cooling panel of claim 1, further comprising refractory material and one or more protrusions extending from one of the first and second outer walls so that the one or more protrusions are embedded into the refractory material.

8.

The cooling panel of claim 7, further comprising a first outer edge extending about a perimeter of one of the first and second outer walls so that the first outer edge extends about the refractory material.

9.

The cooling panel of claim 8, further comprising a second outer edge extending about a perimeter of the other of the first and second outer walls wherein the second outer edge forms one or more internal apertures.

10.

The cooling panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of baffles divides the interior space into a plurality of rows.

11.

The cooling panel of claim 1, further comprising refractory material extending from the second outer wall, and wherein the cooling panel includes a door and a frame for the door.

12.

The cooling panel of claim 11, further comprising one or more wall extensions extending from at least one of the door or frame beyond the second outer walls and at least partially surrounding a portion of the refractory material.

13.

A method of forming a cooling panel for a melter, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of side walls, first and second outer walls each having a plurality of openings, and a plurality of baffles each having a plurality of projections; connecting the first and second outer walls with the plurality of baffles disposed between the outer walls, where the projections are inserted through respective openings; connecting the side walls to the first and second outer walls to fix the sides walls to the

D-24 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) outer walls and so that the cooling panel is fluid-tight.

14.

The method of claim 13, wherein the method does not include forming interior welds within the cooling panel.

15.

The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of baffles includes each baffle having a first side and a second side, and the respective projections for each baffle extend from both of the first and second sides so that a plurality of first projections extend from the first side to fit in respective first openings of the plurality of openings of the first outer wall, and a plurality of second projections extend from the second side to fit in respective second openings of the plurality of openings of the second outer wall.

16.

The method of claim 13, wherein the step of connecting the side walls includes fillet welding the side walls to both of the first and second outer walls.

17.

The method of claim 13, further comprising attaching a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet to one of the first and second outer walls for passing a coolant and so that the coolant inlet is attached to a bottom portion of the one of the first and second outer walls and the coolant outlet is attached to a top portion of the one of the first and second outer walls.

18.

The method of claim 13, further comprising forming one or more protrusions on one of the first and second outer walls.

19.

The method of claim 18, further comprising disposing refractory material onto the one or more protrusions of the one of the first and second outer walls so that the one or more protrusions are embedded into the refractory material.

20.

The method of claim 18, further comprising: attaching one or more forms to at least one side wall of the plurality of side walls; disposing refractory material onto the one or more protrusions of the one of the first and second outer walls so that the one or more protrusions are embedded into the refractory material;

D-25 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) and removing the one or more forms from the at least one side of the plurality of side walls.

21.

A cooling panel for a melter, comprising: first and second outer walls and a plurality of side walls coupled to the first and second outer walls, defining an interior space; and a plurality of baffles disposed in the interior space and dividing the interior space into a plurality of rows wherein the rows have widths W, and wherein the baffles have first and second longitudinal surfaces and an open transverse surface; wherein the open transverse surfaces of the baffles are spaced away from adjacent side walls by a distance D that is 70% to 80% of the widths W of the rows.

22.

The cooling panel of claim 21, wherein the first and second walls, the plurality of side walls, and the plurality of baffles are a single monolithic structure so that there are no welds within the cooling panel.

23.

The cooling panel of claim 22, wherein the single monolithic structure is formed by way of additive manufacturing.

24.

The cooling panel of claim 22, wherein the single monolithic structure includes one or more protrusions extending from one of the first and second outer walls, and a first outer edge extending about a perimeter of the one of the first and second outer walls.

25.

The cooling panel of claim 24, further comprising a second outer edge extending about a perimeter of the other of the first and second outer walls wherein the second outer edge forms one or more internal apertures.

26.

The cooling panel of claim 22, wherein at least one row of the plurality of rows of the single monolithic structure includes a longitudinal axis and an internal feature extending along the longitudinal axis so that the internal feature divides the at least one row into two portions, and the

D-26 CHAPTER D - 19506 (US 16/590065) internal feature being part of the single monolithic structure.

27.

The cooling panel of claim 26, wherein the internal feature comprises a fin.

28.

A method comprising: forming the cooling panel of claim 21 by way of a process selected from the group consisting of additive manufacturing, three-dimensional printing, rapid prototyping, and a combination thereof.

29.

The method of claim 28, wherein the method does not include welding.

30.

The method of claim 28, wherein the step of forming the cooling panel includes forming one or more protrusions extending from one of the first and second outer walls and a first outer edge extending about a perimeter of the one of the first and second outer walls.

31.

The method of claim 28, wherein the step of forming the cooling panel includes forming at least one row of the plurality of rows to include a longitudinal axis and an internal feature extending along the longitudinal axis so that the internal feature divides the at least one row into two portions.

32.

A cooling panel for a melter, comprising: first and second outer walls and a plurality of side walls coupled to the first and second outer walls, defining an interior space, where the first outer wall includes a plurality of inwardly- facing first grooves, and the second outer wall includes a plurality of inwardly-facing second grooves parallel with the first grooves; and a plurality of baffles disposed in the interior space and carried by the first grooves and the second grooves; wherein a first set of the first grooves and the second grooves extends a length of the cooling panel, and a second set of the first grooves and the second grooves partially extends the length of the cooling panel, and wherein the first set and the second set alternate to create a serpentine fluid flow path in the interior space.

D-27 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825)

CHAPTER E: CAST CULLET-BASED LAYER ON WALL PANEL FOR A MELTER

Technical Field

This patent application discloses devices and methods for use in glass manufacturing, and more particularly, devices to provide fluid cooling for a melter.

Background

Glass manufacturing often occurs at high temperatures that require the equipment used in the glass manufacturing process to withstand harsh conditions. In particular, submerged combustion melting (“SCM”) is a specific type of glass manufacturing, in which an air-fuel or oxygen-fuel mixture is injected directly into a pool of molten glass. As combustion gases forcefully bubble through the molten glass, they create a high-heat transfer rate and turbulent mixing of the molten glass until it achieves a uniform composition. A typical submerged combustion melter has a floor, a vertical burner passage extending through the floor, and a burner positioned within the burner passage and submerged in the molten glass.

In order to withstand the harsh conditions and temperatures within the melter for traditional glass manufacturing or SCM, a portion of the melter’s floor, walls, and/or roof that contacts the molten glass can include a refractory material.

Brief Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.

A melting furnace panel in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure includes at least one outer wall having an outer surface; and a cast sacrificial layer carried by the outer surface of the at least one outer wall and composed of a mixture of cullet and a binder solution.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a melting furnace including the melting furnace having at least one melting furnace panel, the panel including at least one outer wall having an outer surface; and a cast sacrificial layer carried by the outer surface of the at least one outer wall and composed of a mixture of cullet and a binder solution. In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a method of producing a glass melting furnace panel including the steps of providing at least one outer wall having an

E-l CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825) outer surface; mixing cullet particulates with a binder solution to produce a cullet and binder mixture; and casting the cullet and binder mixture on the outer surface of the at least one outer wall to produce a cast sacrificial layer carried by the outer surface of the at least one outer wall.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of a melting furnace having at least one furnace panel, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. IB is a cross-sectional view of the melting furnace illustrated in FIG. 1A, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a side view of a first outer wall of the furnace panel included in the melting furnace shown in FIGS. 1A and IB, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2B is a side view of a second outer wall of the furnace panel included in the melting furnace shown in FIGS. 1A and IB, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2C is a side view of a baffle of the furnace panel included in the melting furnace shown in FIGS. 1 A and IB, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3A is an isometric view of the furnace panel included in the melting furnace shown in FIGS. 1 A and IB, illustrated without baffles and with one outer wall removed, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3B is a front view of the furnace panel shown in FIG. 3 A, illustrated with baffles and with one outer wall removed, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional side view of the furnace panel shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, showing a cast sacrificial layer disposed on one outer wall and a frozen material layer disposed on the cast sacrificial layer, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3D is a cross-sectional top view of the furnace panel shown in FIGS. 3 A through 3C, showing multiple baffles in the interior space of the furnace panel, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure;

E-2 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825)

FIG. 4A is a diagrammatic view illustrating heat flux through a furnace panel during heatup of a melting furnace without a cast sacrificial layer on the furnace panel;

FIG. 4B is a diagrammatic view illustrating heat flux through the furnace panel, as shown in FIGS. 1 A through 3D, during heat-up of a melting furnace with the cast sacrificial layer on the furnace panel;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing various steps of an illustrative embodiment of a method for fabricating the furnace panel as shown in FIGS. 1 A through 3D;

FIG. 6 is a photographic depiction illustrating a second outer wall provided for casting a cast sacrificial layer;

FIG. 7 is a photographic depiction illustrating a partially mixed cullet and binder solution mixture for forming a cast sacrificial layer;

FIG. 8 is a photographic depiction illustrating the partially mixed cullet and binder solution mixture in FIG. 8, for forming a cast sacrificial layer;

FIG. 9 is a photographic depiction illustrating the partially mixed cullet and binder solution mixture in FIGS. 7 and 8 with a sheen on its surface, for forming a cast sacrificial layer;

FIG. 10 is a photographic depiction illustrating the fully mixed cullet and binder solution mixture in FIGS. 7 through 9 with a sheen on its surface, for forming a cast sacrificial layer;

FIG. 11 is a photographic depiction illustrating the fully mixed cullet and binder solution mixture in FIGS. 7 through 10 formed into a ball, with a sheen on its surface, for forming a cast sacrificial layer;

FIG. 12 is a photographic depiction illustrating the fully mixed cullet and binder solution mixture in FIGS. 7 through 11 formed into a ball with part of the mixture removed to show consistency;

FIG. 13 is a photographic depiction illustrating a step of casting a cast sacrificial layer, where the cullet and binder solution mixture mixed in FIGS. 7 through 12 is applied to a portion of the second outer wall in FIG. 6;

FIG. 14 is a photographic depiction illustrating a step of casting a cast sacrificial layer, where the cullet and binder solution mixture mixed in FIGS. 7 through 12 is applied to an entire surface of the second outer wall in FIG. 6;

FIG. 15 is a photographic depiction illustrating a step of packing and/or compressing the cullet and binder solution mixture cast on the second outer wall in FIGS. 13 and 14; and

E-3 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825)

FIG. 16 is a photographic depiction illustrating a step of setting the cullet and binder solution mixture packed in FIG. 15 to form a cast sacrificial layer.

Detailed Description

In accordance with at least one aspect of the disclosure, a furnace panel for a melting furnace is provided that is better able to withstand the harsh conditions of the melting furnace than prior furnace panels and prevents refractory stone issues in the molten material and final product.

Harsh environments within a melting furnace, for example in glass manufacturing and particularly in submerged combustion melting, can lead to wear, cracking, erosion, and/or failure of the furnace floor, walls, and/or roof. The furnace floor, walls, or roof can be constructed of panels that include a steel portion and a refractory material portion coupled to the steel portion, where the refractory material portion may contact a molten material within the melting furnace. Temperatures in the melting furnace can be between approximately 1300 - 1500 degrees Celsius (°C) or higher, for example, and the molten material may be corrosive. The refractory material portion can be designed to be resistant to the high temperatures and corrosiveness within the furnace. But due to the harsh conditions and turbulence within the melting furnace, the panels and/or the refractory material portion can be susceptible to the wear, cracking, erosion, and/or failure because of direct contact with the molten material. To slow wear and erosion of the refractory material portion, traditional furnace walls are often constructed of steel, liquid-cooled, and include 1.5 - 2 inches of a castable refractory on an inside surface of the furnace walls. However, even with this construction, the castable refractory can still erode away over time and cause refractory stone to appear in the molten material and final product.

Accordingly, a melter furnace having at least one furnace panel is disclosed, wherein each furnace panel can be cooled and can include a cast sacrificial layer comprising a binder and cullet. Upon initial heating of the melting furnace, the cast sacrificial layer fuses together providing an insulating layer that reduces heat flux through the furnace panels. Additionally, the cast sacrificial layer can comprise a composition that is the same or similar to the molten material so that when erosion of the cast sacrificial layer occurs, the eroded material will be

E-4 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825) melted into the surrounding molten material in the melting furnace and will not contribute to refractory stone in a final product.

Referring to FIG. 1 A, a melting furnace 10 is shown comprising at least one furnace panel 12. The melting furnace 10 can be configured for melting and/or containing a molten material. For example, the melting furnace 10 may include a glass melter (e.g., a submerged combustion melter) or a furnace for melting metal.

Shown in FIG. 1A, a floor, walls, and a roof of the melting furnace 10 may comprise interchangeable furnace panels 12. The furnace panels 12 may be configured to both provide structure to the melting furnace 10 and provide cooling to at least a portion of the molten material. It is contemplated that the melting furnace 10 may be comprised entirely of multiple furnace panels 12 or may comprise only one or several furnace panels 12.

FIG. IB depicts a cross-sectional view of the melting furnace 10 comprised of multiple furnace panels 12 and submerged combustion burners 14. FIG. IB also illustrates some of the furnace panels 12 fully or partially contacting molten material 16 within the melting furnace 10 and some of the furnace panels 12 not contacting the molten material 16.

Referring to FIG. 2A, each furnace panel 12 can include a first outer wall 18, which can include a first perimeter 20 and a plurality of first openings 22. The first openings 22 and are depicted as holes or slots, although other configurations may be included. For example, even though the first openings 22 are depicted as having a circular cross-section or as slots, they may also be configured with a variety of cross-sections and/or shapes, including oval, rectangular, square, triangular, other types of polygons, or the like. The first outer wall 18 is also depicted as including a coolant inlet 24 and a coolant outlet 26. The first outer wall 18 can be formed of a material suitable for withstanding a high temperature environment of the melting furnace 10, for example steel.

FIG. 2B illustrates a second outer wall 28 of the furnace panel 12. The second outer wall 28 can include a second perimeter 30 and a plurality of second openings 32. The second openings 32 are depicted as holes or slots, although other configurations may be included. For example, even though the second openings 32 are depicted as having a circular cross-section or as slots, they could also be configured with a variety of cross-sections and/or shapes, including oval, rectangular, square, triangular, other types of polygons, or the like. In some instances, the second outer wall 28 may include a coolant inlet (not shown) and a coolant outlet

E-5 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825)

(not shown) instead of or in addition to the coolant inlet 24 and the coolant outlet 26 in the first outer wall 18. The second outer wall 28 can be formed of a material suitable for withstanding a high temperature environment of the melting furnace 10, for example steel. Those of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the first outer wall 18 and/or the second outer wall 28 are outer walls in the context of the furnace panel 12, even though the furnace panel 12 may also be an outer wall of and/or an inner wall (e.g., a baffle) within the melting furnace 10 as a whole.

FIG. 2C illustrates a baffle 34 of the furnace panel 12, where each furnace panel 12 can include at least one baffle 34. Each baffle 34 can have a first side 36 with respective first projections 38 and an opposing second side 40 with respective second projections 42. Additionally, each baffle 34 can comprise a first longitudinal surface 44 and an open transverse surface 46 configured to be open and not be coupled to anything else (e.g., exposed to coolant). While the open transverse surface 46 in FIG. 2C is shown at a bottom of the baffle 34, it will be appreciated that the open transverse surface 46 could also be located at the top of the baffle 34.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2C, the first projections 38 and the second projections 42 are depicted as tabs extending from both the first side 36 and the second side 40 of the baffle 34, although the first projections 38 and the second projections 42 may be configured in other ways. As depicted, the first projections 38 extend from the first side 36 of the baffle 34 and are configured to fit in respective first openings 22 of the first outer wall 18, and the second projections 42 extend from the second side 40 of the baffle 34 and are configured to fit in respective second openings 32 of the second outer wall 28. It will be appreciated that the first projections 38 and the second projections 42 may comprise other configurations, for example posts, studs, screws, rivets, slugs, bolts, welds, welded pieces, or the like.

FIG. 3 A illustrates an embodiment of the furnace panel 12 showing one outer wall (e.g., the first outer wall 18) coupled (e.g., welded) to a plurality of side walls 48, 50, 52, 54 with a second outer wall (e.g., the second outer wall 28) and the baffles 34 removed. The side walls 48, 50, 52, 54 can be coupled to the first outer wall 18 around and/or proximate to the first perimeter 20. The side walls 48, 50, 52, 54 can also be configured to be coupled (e.g., welded) to the second outer wall 28 around and/or proximate to the second perimeter 30 to form at least

E-6 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825) a portion of the furnace panel 12. FIG. 3 A also illustrates one arrangement of the coolant inlet 24 and the coolant outlet 26.

Additionally, FIG. 3 A illustrates one arrangement of the first openings 22 in the first outer wall 18, where the first openings 22 are arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis A and configured to be coupled with respective first projections 38 of each baffle 34. The second outer wall 28 and the baffles 34 are shown removed in FIG. 3 A, but the second outer wall 28 may also include a similar arrangement of second openings 32 arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis (e.g., the longitudinal axis A) and configured to be coupled with respective second projections 42.

FIG. 3B illustrates a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the furnace panel 12 showing the second outer wall 28 removed. The furnace panel 12 is shown with a plurality of side walls 48, 50, 52, 54 and a plurality of baffles 34 coupled to the first outer wall 18, where the baffles 34 each include the open transverse surface 46. The first outer wall 18 and the second outer wall 28, when coupled with the side walls 48, 50, 52, 54, define an interior space 56 with fluid passages 58 through which a coolant can flow. The fluid passages 58 can be aligned and/or correspond with a respective row 60. It will be appreciated that the second outer wall 28 may also be arranged similar to the first outer wall 18 as shown in FIG. 3 A.

FIG. 3B also shows the coolant inlet 24 and the coolant outlet 26 for passing a coolant into and out of the furnace panel 12. In one aspect, the coolant inlet 24 can be located at the bottom portion 62 of the furnace panel 12 and the coolant outlet 26 can be located at a top portion 64 of the furnace panel 12 and may both be formed as apertures in at least one of the first outer wall 18 and the second outer wall 28 so that the coolant can pass through the interior space 56, between the baffles 34, and through the fluid passages 58. The coolant can be any type of coolant known in the art, including water, various heat transfer fluids, solvents, solutions, CO2, ionic fluid, molten salts, or the like.

In the furnace panel 12, the coolant can flow through a serpentine fluid flow path 66. The baffles 34 function to divide the interior space 56 into a plurality of rows 60, where each respective row 60 can be parallel with the longitudinal axis A and can have a width W. The width W can be between baffles 34 or between one baffle 34 and an adjacent side wall 50, 54. In order to provide a uniform width W for each row 60, the width W between baffles 34 may be the same as the width W between the one baffle 34 and the adjacent side wall 50, 54.

E-7 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825)

Additionally, each baffle 34 can comprise a pair of longitudinal surfaces including a first longitudinal surface 44 and an opposing second longitudinal surface 68. Each baffle 34 can also include an open transverse surface 46 configured to not be coupled to another component and to be exposed to the interior space 56 and/or coolant. FIG. 3B shows a plurality of open transverse surfaces 46 that alternate between the bottom of the baffle 34 and an opposite end at a top of the baffle 34.

With conventional technology, a furnace panel would typically be constructed such that baffles were welded, for example stitch welded or intermittently welded, along a joint between a respective baffle and one of the first and second outer walls from within the interior space. These internal welds have been necessary to hold the baffles in place prior to attaching the first and/or second outer walls.

When manufacturing the furnace panel 12, the furnace panel 12 can be formed so that the first openings 22 and the second openings 32 and the first projections 38 and the second proj ections 42 fit together, respectively, in order to secure the first outer wall 18 and the second outer wall 28 to the baffles 34. In an example, the first and second openings 22, 32 and the projections 38, 42 can be held together by clamps until welds have been made and connected together from outside of the furnace panel 12 so that no interior welds are necessary within the interior space 56 of the furnace panel 12. Once the at least one baffle 34 has been coupled to an outer wall 18, 28, the other of the first and second outer walls 18, 28 can include one or more holes that matches the location of the baffles 34, and the other of the first and second outer walls 18, 28 can be placed on top of the baffles 34 for welding, for example plug welding or a weld at the holes, to couple to the baffles 34. The plug welding can occur from outside of the furnace panel 12. Subsequently, the side walls 48, 50, 52, 54 can be welded, for example fillet welded or welded along a joint between two parts at an angle to each other, to the first and second outer walls 18, 28 to form a fluid-tight furnace panel 12. With the disclosed first and second openings 22, 32 and projections 38, 42, the first and second outer walls 18, 28 and the baffles 34 can be fitted together without needing to internally weld either of the first and second outer walls 18, 28 to the baffles 34 before also fitting the other of the first and second outer walls 18, 28 to the baffles 34, which can save time and cost in construction. This can also reduce the chance for any errors in positioning first and second outer walls 18, 28 and the baffles 34 together. Welds can be made from outside the furnace panel 12 such that liquid-

E-8 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825) tight joints result. Additionally, the first and second outer walls 18, 28 and the baffles 34 can be more easily cut, including being laser-cut, to the correct geometries.

FIG. 3C illustrates a cross-section view of the furnace panel 12 along line 3C in FIG. 3B showing the side walls 48, 52 and the first and second outer walls 18, 28 forming the interior space 56. The side walls 48, 52 and the first and second outer walls 18, 28 can be coupled, for example, using a fillet weld 70. The coolant outlet 26 is also shown.

FIG. 3C also illustrates one or more protrusions 72, for example studs having enlarged heads, extending from the second outer wall 28 that are configured to at least partially carry a cast sacrificial layer 74 disposed on the second outer wall 28. In this way, the one or more protrusions 72 can be configured to embed into the cast sacrificial layer 74 to assist the second outer wall 28 in carrying the cast sacrificial layer 74. It will be appreciated that the one or more protrusions 72 may include a variety of configurations, for example screws, tabs, posts, rivets, slugs, bolts, welds, welded pieces, or other members that can be formed of any suitable material known in the art, including steel, various metals, refractory material, or the like.

The cast sacrificial layer 74 shown in FIG, 3C can include a mixture of at least cullet and a binder. The cullet can be a material similar to material being molten by the melting furnace 10. Some examples of cullet can include glass cullet, which may be finely milled in a crushed or a powdered form, or cullet formed from other material, for example a metal. When the cullet includes glass cullet, the cullet particulates may include, for example, a mean particulate size of between 5-100 micrometers, including all ranges, sub-ranges, endpoints, and values in that range. One example of a binder may include sodium silicate (e.g., sodium metasilicate).

For example, the cast sacrificial layer 74 may comprise 65%-85% glass cullet by weight and 15%-35% binder solution by weight, including all ranges, sub-ranges, endpoints, and values in those ranges. The binder solution can include 5%-25% binder by weight mixed with 75%-95% water by weight. It is contemplated that a cullet-to-binder ratio may include other suitable ratios where the binder holds the cullet together and forms the cast sacrificial layer 74. As shown in FIG. 3C, the cast sacrificial layer 74 may be disposed on the second outer wall 28, for example between about 0.5 inch and 2 inches thick including all ranges, sub-ranges, endpoints, and values in that range, although the cast sacrificial layer 74 may include other suitable thicknesses. Additionally, in one instance, the cast sacrificial layer 74 may be cast on the second outer wall 28 at an area density of about 22 lbs. /310 in ² (10 kg/2000cm ² ). In one

E-9 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825) instance, the cast sacrificial layer 74 may be cast on the second outer wall 28 at a bulk density between 50 - 80 lb./ft ³ , including all ranges, subranges, endpoints, and values therein.

The molten material 16 in the melting furnace 10 can typically exist in a liquid or semiliquid state. In some instances, however, a portion of the molten material 16 that flows closer to at least one furnace panel 12 of the melting furnace 10 may become a solid (or at least a very viscous state) because of its lower temperature, due to a cooling effect from the at least one furnace panel 12 of the melting furnace 10, than a first portion of the molten material 16. The solidified material (e.g., glass) can comprise a solid or frozen material layer 76 that can be coupled to the floors, walls and roof (e.g., at least one furnace panel 12). The frozen material layer 76 can protect the cast sacrificial layer 74 and the furnace panel 12 from the corrosive molten material 16.

Additionally, to assist in holding the cast sacrificial layer 74 on the second outer wall 28, the second outer wall 28 can include a first outer edge 78 disposed and extending about the second perimeter 30 of the second outer wall 28 so that the first outer edge 78 extends about the cast sacrificial layer 74, as illustrated in FIG. 3C. The first outer edge 78 may include, for example, a metal wall configured to at least partially contain the cast sacrificial layer 74. By using the one or more protrusions 72 and/or the first outer edge 78, the cast sacrificial layer 74 can be protected and better secured to the second outer wall 28. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that, in some instances, the cast sacrificial layer 74, the one or more protrusions 72, and the first outer edge 78 may also be included in the first outer wall 18. It will be appreciated that the furnace panel 12 may also be formed without the protrusions 72 and/or the first outer edge 78.

In FIG. 3C, on the opposite side of the furnace panel 12 from the cast sacrificial layer 74, the first outer wall 18 is depicted as having a second outer edge 80 extending about the first perimeter 20. The second outer edge 80 may include a flange with a plurality of internal apertures 82, which may be equidistantly spaced. The internal apertures 82 can be formed in order to accommodate bolts, screws, fasteners, or the like, that would secure the first outer wall 18 and/or the second outer edge 80 of the furnace panel 12 to adjacent furnace panels and/or other parts of the melting furnace 10. As discussed above, the features of one of the first and second outer walls 18, 28 may be switched or additionally added to the other of the first and

E-10 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825) second outer walls 18, 28. For example, the second outer edge 80 with the internal apertures 82 could be added to or part of the second outer wall 28 and/or first outer edge 78.

FIG. 3D illustrates a cross-section view along line 3D in FIG. 3B showing an embodiment of a plurality of baffles 34 coupled to the first outer wall 18 and the second outer wall 28. Additionally, FIG. 3D shows at least one plug weld 84 between the first and second outer walls 18, 28 and the baffles 34 from the outside of the furnace panel 12. The cast sacrificial layer 74 and the one or more protrusions 72 have been omitted from the furnace panel 12 shown in FIG. 3D in order to more clearly illustrate the at least one plug weld 84.

In some implementations, the melting furnace 10 and/or one or more furnace panels 12 may include various temperature sensors. For example, one or more temperature sensors can detect the temperature within the portions of the molten material 16, the frozen material layer 76, a surface of a furnace panel 12, and/or temperature of the coolant. In other implementations, the furnace panel 12 does not include any temperature sensors for directly measuring the temperature within the portions of the molten material 16 nor does it include any temperature sensors for directly measuring the temperature of the coolant. In this implementation, various pipes, conduits, or the like (not shown) that can be adjacent to the furnace panel 12 and that route the coolant may include one or more temperature sensors for detecting and/or measuring the coolant temperature. The temperature measurements within the various pipes, conduits, or the like can provide an indirect temperature measurement of the temperature of the coolant when it is in the furnace panel 12. Of course, it will be appreciated that the furnace panel 12 can also be constructed to include various temperature sensors (e.g., a thermocouple) that directly detect and measure, for example, the temperature of the molten material 16, a surface of the molten material 16, the frozen material layer 76, the furnace panel 12, and/or the temperature of the coolant.

FIG. 4A is a graphical depiction illustrating heat flux through a furnace panel in the melting furnace 10 upon initial heat-up. In this example, the furnace panel does not include a cast sacrificial layer 74. As shown by this graphical depiction, heat flux rises to about 140 kW/m ² upon initial start-up before reaching a steady state.

FIG. 4B is a graphical depiction illustrating heat flux through the furnace panel 12 in the melting furnace 10 upon initial heat-up, but where the furnace panel 12 includes a cast sacrificial layer 74. As shown by this graphical depiction, heat flux through the furnace panel

E-l l CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825)

12 can be decreased to about 75 kW/m ² upon initial start-up before reaching a steady state. When a cast sacrificial layer 74 is used on the furnace panel 12 upon initial start-up, the cast sacrificial layer 74 acts as an insulator and less heat flux through the furnace panel 12 occurs resulting in reduced heat required for start-up and greater energy efficiency.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a method 100 for producing a furnace panel 12. For purposes of illustration and clarity, method 100 will be described in the context of the melting furnace 10 and furnace panel 12 described above and generally illustrated in FIGS. 1 A through 4B. It will be appreciated, however, that the application of the present methodology is not meant to be limited solely to such an arrangement, but rather method 100 may find application with any number of arrangements.

Method 100 includes a step 102 of providing at least one outer wall (e.g., second outer wall 28) having an outer surface. Providing the at least one outer wall can include providing at least part of a preassembled furnace panel 12 that is configured to receive and carry the cast sacrificial layer 74. In one instance and as shown in FIG. 6, the furnace panel 12 can be provided, where the second outer wall 28 includes a plurality of protrusions 72 and a first outer edge 78 disposed around the second perimeter 30. In some instances, providing the at least one outer wall may include providing only the outer wall and then providing other components of the furnace panel 12 subsequent to forming the cast sacrificial layer 74.

Method 100 includes a step 104 of mixing cullet particulates with a binder to produce a cullet and binder mixture. In an example, a powdered glass cullet can be mixed with a solution of sodium silicate (e.g., a 10% mixture with water with a pH about 12) to form a slightly wet mortar, which may be able to be molded with force and have the consistency of cement mortar, for example, but not so wet as to flow with gravity. The cullet and binder solution may be mixed in about a 4: 1 ratio, for example where the cullet comprises about 65-85% and the binder solution comprises about 15-35% of the mixture, including all ranges, subranges, endpoints, and values in those ranges. The binder solution can include 5%-25% binder by weight mixed with 75%-95% water by weight, including all ranges, subranges, endpoints, and values therein. It will be appreciated that when other binders are used, the cullet-to-binder ratio may be adjusted to provide a suitable cullet and binder mixture.

Step 104 of mixing the cullet particulates with the binder may include determining the amount of cullet and binder needed for the mixture and/or the area of the second outer wall 28

E-12 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825) to be covered. For example, about 10 kg of powdered cullet can be used for every 2000 cm ² (22 lbs. powdered cullet/310 in ² ) of surface area on the second outer wall 28 to achieve a cullet- to-binder ratio of about 4: 1, which may result in a cast sacrificial layer 74 between about one and two inches thick. In this example, 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs.) of sodium silicate solution is needed to achieve the cullet-to-binder ratio of about 4: 1. The sodium silicate solid may be -18mesh or smaller for ease of dissolution in water to form a 10% solution. For example, if 3 kg (6.6 lbs.) of 10% sodium silicate solution is needed, then 0.3 kg (0.6 lbs.) of solid sodium silicate can be added to 2.7 kg (6.0 lbs.) of water. The solid sodium silicate can be mixed with the water for about 3-5 minutes or until the sodium silicate is dissolved and the solution is clear and free of solids. Continuing with the above example, 0.25 kg (0.55 lbs.) of solid sodium silicate can be mixed with 2.25 kg (4.96 lbs.) of water for 5 minutes to provide a 10% solution with a pH of about 12.

The measured powdered cullet and sodium silicate solution can then be mixed to incorporate the solution into the cullet. A desired consistency of the mixture should be of a slightly wet mortar so that it can be molded with force but not so wet that it will run out of a hand. To achieve this consistency, only part of the sodium silicate solution may be added to the powdered cullet initially. For example, if there is 10 kg of powdered cullet, 1.25 kg (2.8 lbs.) (or only about half) of the sodium silicate solution may be initially added and mixed with the measured powdered cullet so the solution is well dispersed into the powder. The powdered cullet will begin to granulate and turn into small, wet balls. FIG. 7 illustrates an example of initial granulation of the mixture 86 after the first half of the sodium silicate solution is added.

After the initial sodium silicate solution is mixed with the powdered cullet, the remaining portion of solution may be added and mixed with the cullet. Continuing with the above example, the remaining 1.25 kg (2.8 lbs.) of sodium silicate solution can be added to and further mixed the mixture 86. In some instances, additional powdered cullet and/or sodium silicate solution may need to be added, in small amounts, to the mixture 86 and further mixed to achieve the desired consistency. FIG. 8 illustrates further granulation of the mixture 86 as additional sodium silicate solution is added. Shown in FIG. 9, a sheen will begin to appear on the resulting granules as the mixture 86 reaches the correct amount of solution. FIG. 10 illustrates where the mixture 86 agglomerates into a large ball with even a further sheen on the mixture 86 after sufficient sodium silicate solution has been added and adequate mixing has

E-13 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825) occurred. FIG. 11 illustrates a further example of a sufficiently mixed mixture 86 with a sheen of liquid on a surface of the mixture 86, and where the mixture 86 can be formed into a smooth ball. FIG. 12 illustrates an inside portion of the sufficiently mixed mixture 86 shown in FIG. 11, which is not very wet but has the consistency of a clay or a cement mortar and will not flow.

Method 100 may include a step 106 of casting the cullet and binder mixture on the outer surface of the at least one outer wall to produce the cast sacrificial layer 74 carried by the outer surface of the at least one outer wall (e.g., second outer wall 28). Casting the cullet and binder mixture can include placing the cullet and binder mixture 86 prepared in step 104 on at least a portion of the outer surface of the at least one outer wall. For example, the cullet and binder mixture mixed in step 104 can be placed on the outer surface between, for example, 0.5 and 2 inches thick, including all ranges, subranges, endpoints, and values in that range. It will be appreciated that the cullet and binder mixture may be applied to form other suitable thicknesses. One example of casting the cullet and binder mixture is illustrated in FIG. 13, where the mixture 86 is shown being applied to and partially covering the second outer wall 28 and protrusions 72. FIG. 14 illustrates where the mixture 86 has been applied to and is completely covering the second outer wall 28 and the plurality of protrusions 72 within the first outer edge 78.

Additionally, after the cullet and binder mixture has been placed, casting the cullet and binder mixture may include removing bubbles from the mixture by further packing/compressing the mixture. Casting the cullet and binder mixture may also include smoothing a surface of the mixture by applying additional sodium silicate solution to the surface. FIG. 15 illustrates an example where the mixture 86, after being applied to the second outer wall 28, has been packed and/or compressed to remove bubbles from the mixture 86, and a small amount of sodium silicate has been applied to further even and smooth the surface of the mixture 86. Some color variation may be visible in the cast sacrificial layer 74, which can be acceptable, because of variation in the powdered cullet.

Subsequent to casting the cullet and binder mixture, the mixture can be allowed to set for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 24-48 hours) to form the cast sacrificial layer 74, as illustrated in FIG. 16. A material 88, for example a plastic film, can be placed over the cast sacrificial layer 74 during setting and may be removed prior to installation of the furnace panel

E-14 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825)

12. In some instances, the first outer edge 78 may be removed after the cast sacrificial layer 74 has set.

In some instances, method 100 may include a step 108 of coupling a plurality of the baffles 34 between the first outer wall 18 and the second outer wall 28 in the interior space 56. Coupling the baffles 34 can include fitting a plurality of the projections 38, 42 on the plurality of baffles 34 into a corresponding plurality of openings 22, 32 in the first outer wall 18 and the second outer wall 28 and connecting (e.g., welding) the projections 38, 42 to the first outer wall 18 and the second outer wall 28 from outside the furnace panel 12 so that the first outer wall 18, the second outer wall 28, and the baffles 34 are fixed together.

Method 100 may also include a step 110 of fixing the sides walls 48, 50, 52, 54 to the first outer wall 18 and the second outer wall 28 so that the furnace panel 12 is fluid-tight. For example, fixing the side walls 48, 50, 52, 54 may include welding the side walls 48, 50, 52, 54 to the first outer wall 18 and/or the second outer wall 28 using, for example, a fillet weld.

In some instances, method 100 may include a step 112 of providing one or more protrusions 72 extending from the at least one outer wall (e.g., second outer wall 28) so that the one or more protrusions 72 embed into the cast sacrificial layer 74 during and after step 106 of casting the cullet and binder mixture. As previously discussed, the one or more protrusions 72 can assist the outer wall(s) in carrying the cast sacrificial layer 74 and/or in protecting the cast sacrificial layer 74 from cracking, chipping, breaking, or otherwise becoming damaged during use of the melting furnace 10. When protrusions 72 are utilized, the cullet and binder mixture can be cast onto the outer surface to a thickness that is greater than a length of the protrusions 72, and the mixture can be formed so that a surface area of the protrusions 72 is substantially contacted by the mixture.

In some instances, method 100 may include a step 114 of providing the first outer edge 78 extending about the perimeter (e.g., second perimeter 30) of the at least one outer wall so that the first outer edge 78 extends about the cast sacrificial layer 74 during and after step 106 of casting the cullet and binder mixture. The first outer edge 78 may be coupled to the at least one outer wall and/or to at least one of the side walls 48, 50, 52, 54 using a permanent method, for example welding, and/or a semi-permanent method, for example using fasteners (e.g., bolts, nuts, and the like). The first outer edge 78 can be used to provide a barrier when casting the cullet and binder mixture and can be configured so that the mixture is formed to a

E-15 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825) predetermined thickness on the outer surface and within the boundary established by the first outer edge 78. The first outer edge 78 may be removed subsequent to casting the cullet and binder mixture and/or forming the cast sacrificial layer 74. In this way, the first outer edge 78 may not be a permanent part of the furnace panel 12, but rather part of an intermediate structure of the furnace panel 12 to assist in its construction. The first outer edge 78 can also be attached as part of the construction, having any or all of the features discussed herein.

It will be appreciated that the furnace panel 12 can be included in any part of the melting furnace 10, and there can be as many furnace panels 12 as desired. In one aspect, the melting furnace 10 can include ten furnace panels 12 that are identical, for example. Having multiple identical furnace panels 12 allows the advantage of simpler manufacturing of at least a portion of the furnace panels 12 within the melting furnace 10. It will be appreciated that all furnace panels 12 in the melting furnace 10 could be identical to each other. Additionally, the melting furnace 10 can also include more furnace panels 12 that are similar, but not identical, to each other. In one aspect, the melting furnace 10 includes fourteen furnace panels 12 in addition to the ten identical furnace panels 12 that are in accordance with various aspects of this disclosure; however, each of the fourteen furnace panels 12 may be unique to any other furnace panels 12 within the melting furnace 10 in some way. It will be appreciated that all furnace panels 12 in the melting furnace 10 could be similar, but not identical, to each other.

The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The drawings are not necessarily shown to scale. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

E-16 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825)

The claims of as-filed US 16/993825 include the following:

1.

A melting furnace panel, comprising: at least one outer wall having an outer surface; and a cast sacrificial layer carried by the outer surface of the at least one outer wall and composed of a mixture of cullet and a binder solution.

2.

The panel of claim 1, wherein the binder solution comprises 15-35% of the mixture.

3.

The panel of claim 1, wherein the cullet comprises 65-85% of the mixture.

4.

The panel of claim 1, wherein the cullet and the binder solution are mixed according to a ratio of about four to one by weight.

5.

The panel of claim 1 , wherein the binder solution includes 5%-25% binder by weight mixed with 75%-95% water by weight.

6.

The panel of claim 1, wherein the cullet is from cullet particulates of 5-100 microns in mean particle size.

7.

The panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one outer wall includes first and second outer walls and a plurality of side walls coupled to the first and second outer walls, defining an interior space.

8.

The panel of claim 1, further comprising one or more protrusions extending from the at least one outer wall so that the one or more protrusions are embedded into the cast sacrificial layer.

E-17 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825)

9.

The panel of claim 1, wherein the cast sacrificial layer comprises a thermal barrier between the molten glass and the metal plate of the fluid-cooled panel for reducing the thermal gradient in the metal plate.

10.

A melting furnace, comprising: the melting furnace having at least one melting furnace panel, the panel including at least one outer wall having an outer surface; and a cast sacrificial layer carried by the outer surface of the at least one outer wall and composed of a mixture of cullet and a binder solution.

11.

A method of producing a glass melting furnace panel, comprising: providing at least one outer wall having an outer surface; mixing cullet particulates with a binder solution to produce a cullet and binder mixture; and casting the cullet and binder mixture on the outer surface of the at least one outer wall to produce a cast sacrificial layer carried by the outer surface of the at least one outer wall.

12.

The method of claim 11, wherein the binder solution comprises 15-35% of the mixture.

13.

The method of claim 11, wherein the cullet constitutes 65-85% of the mixture.

14.

The method of claim 11, wherein the cullet and the binder solution are mixed according to a ratio of about four to one by weight.

15.

The method of claim 11, wherein the binder solution includes 5%-25% binder by weight mixed with 75%-95% water by weight.

E-18 CHAPTER E - 19611 (US 16/993825)

16.

The method of claim 11, wherein the cullet particulates are 5-100 microns in mean particle size.

17.

The method of claim 11, wherein the providing step includes providing the at least one outer wall to include first and second outer walls and a plurality of side walls coupled to the first and second outer walls, defining an interior space.

18.

The method of claim 17, wherein the providing step further includes: coupling a plurality of baffles between the first and second outer walls in the interior space, including fitting a plurality of projections of the plurality of baffles into a corresponding plurality of openings in the first and second outer walls, and connecting the projections to the first and second outer walls from outside of the panel so that the outer walls and the baffles are fixed together; and fixing the side walls to the outer walls so that the panel is fluid-tight.

19.

The method of claim 11, wherein the providing step further includes providing one or more protrusions extending from the at least one outer wall, so that the one or more protrusions embed into the cast sacrificial layer during and after the casting step.

20.

The method of claim 19, wherein the providing step further includes providing an outer edge extending about a perimeter of the at least one outer wall, so that the outer edge extends about the cast sacrificial layer during and after the casting step.

E-19 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646)

CHAPTER F: SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTING EXHAUST SYSTEMS Technical Field

This patent application discloses innovations to submerged combustion melting (SCM) systems and, more particularly, to exhaust systems and equipment for SCM furnaces.

Background

A submerged combustion melting (SCM) system includes an SCM furnace and an exhaust system to convey exhaust gases away from the furnace. The furnace includes a tank to hold glass, burners in a floor of the tank, a batch inlet at an upstream end of the tank, a molten glass outlet at a downstream end of the tank below a free surface of the molten glass, and an exhaust outlet in the upper portion of the tank above the free surface of the molten glass. The exhaust outlet is in communication with an exhaust conduit of the exhaust system. In an SCM, melting of glass batch materials into molten glass is violent and turbulent, and involves splashing of molten glass up into a condensation zone of the exhaust conduit. The molten glass splashes onto condensed materials on interior surfaces of the exhaust conduit and, eventually, solidifies and accumulates to such an extent that the exhaust conduit can become unacceptably clogged.

Brief Summary of the Disclosure

A submerged combustion melting system includes a submerged combustion melting furnace and an exhaust system. The furnace includes a tank including a floor, a roof, a perimeter wall extending between the floor and the roof, and an interior. The furnace also includes submerged combustion melting burners extending through the tank to melt glass feedstock into molten glass in the interior of the tank, a batch inlet at an upstream end of the tank, a molten glass outlet at a downstream end of the tank, and an exhaust outlet through the roof. The exhaust system is in fluid communication with the interior of the tank, and includes a fluid-cooled flue in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet, extending upwardly from the roof, and including fluid-cooled perimeter walls, and a refractory-lined hood in fluid communication with, and extending to a hood outlet from, the fluid-cooled flue, and including refractory-lined perimeter walls and a dilution air duct inlet. The exhaust system also includes a dilution air input duct having an outlet in fluid communication with the dilution air duct inlet of the refractory -lined hood, and non-cooled, non-refractory outlet conduit extending away from the refractory-lined hood. In a particular embodiment, the

F-l CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646) hood includes a downstream horizontal portion extending away from an upstream vertical portion to establish a downstream horizontal exhaust path having the exhaust outlet, and including a lower wall with a protrusion that protrudes into the downstream horizontal exhaust path and has an excurvate upper surface to streamline flow of exhaust gas through the hood to prevent gas recirculation and formation of condensate piles in the hood.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of a submerged combustion melting system in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear end view of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an upper perspective view of an exhaust flue of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a lower perspective view of the exhaust flue of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a lower perspective view of an exhaust hood of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an upper perspective view of the exhaust hood of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 A is an upper perspective view of another exhaust hood of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8B is an upper perspective view of yet another exhaust hood of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of a portion of the system of FIG. 1, taken from circle 9 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the exhaust hood of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10A is a vertical sectional view of another exhaust hood of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10B is a fragmentary side view of yet another exhaust hood of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10C is a fragmentary side view of still another exhaust hood of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a horizontal sectional view of the exhaust hood of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an exhaust system for a submerged combustion melting system in accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of an exhaust system for a submerged combustion melting system in accordance with yet another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;

F-2 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646)

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary view of the exhaust system of FIG. 13; and

FIG. 15 is another fragmentary view of the exhaust system of FIG. 13.

Detailed Description

In general, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to configuring an exhaust system for a submerged combustion melting furnace to reduce solidification and accumulation of glass on interior surfaces of the exhaust system and thereby reducing clogging of the exhaust system. Below two example embodiments will be described.

With specific reference to the drawing figures, FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of a submerged combustion melting (SCM) system 10 that includes an SCM furnace 12, and an exhaust system 14 for the furnace 12. The SCM system 10 may be used to melt glass, metal, waste, or any other material suitable for melting. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the SCM system 10 may be supplied with utilities including air and other gases, electricity, water and other fluids, and the like, in any suitable manner.

The furnace 12 includes a tank 16 including a floor 18, a roof 20, and a perimeter wall 22 extending between the floor 18 and the roof 20. The perimeter wall 22 may include a front end wall 22a, a rear end wall 22b, side walls 22c, d, and angled walls 22e between the side walls 22c, d and the end walls 22a, b. In other embodiments, any configuration of the perimeter wall 22 may be used including walls constituting a purely rectangular shape, or a single cylindrical wall, or any other suitable configuration.

In any case, and with reference to FIG. 2, the tank 16 also includes an interior I to receive feedstock, melt the feedstock into molten material, and contain the molten material produced from the feedstock. The furnace 12 also includes a batch inlet 24 at an upstream end of the tank 16, a molten glass outlet 26 at a downstream end of the tank 16, submerged combustion melting burners 28 extending through the tank 16 to melt the feedstock into the molten glass in the interior I of the tank 16, and an exhaust outlet 30 through the roof 20. The burners 28 may extend through the floor 20 of the tank 16. Also, with reference to FIG. 3, the furnace 12 may include various conduits including fuel, oxidant, and burner coolant lines 32 coupled to the burners 28, and a coolant manifold 34, and the like.

With reference again to FIG. 2, the exhaust system 14 is in fluid communication with the interior I of the tank 16, and generally includes a fluid-cooled flue 36 coupled to and in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet 30 of the SCM furnace 12, and a refractory -lined

F-3 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646) hood 38 coupled to and in fluid communication with the fluid-cooled flue 36 at a downstream end of the flue 36. The exhaust system 14 also includes a dilution air input duct 40 coupled to and in fluid communication with the refractory-lined hood 38.

With reference to FIG. 4, the exhaust system 14 also includes a non-cooled, nonrefractory outlet conduit 42 coupled to and in fluid communication with the refractory-lined hood 38, and a dust cleanout duct 44 coupled to and in fluid communication with the refractory-lined hood 38. The fluid-cooled flue 36 extends upwardly from the roof 20 of the furnace tank 16 at the exhaust outlet 30.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a lower portion or vertical segment 46 of the flue 36 has a flue inlet 47 configured to be in direct fluid communication with the exhaust outlet 30 of the roof 20 of the tank 16 (FIG. 2) and extends upwardly along a lower central vertical axis VL. An upper portion or vertical segment 48 of the flue 36 extends upwardly along an upper central vertical axis Vu to a flue outlet 49. An intermediate portion or oblique segment 50 of the flue 36 extends upwardly along an intermediate central oblique axis O extending from the lower central vertical axis VL and to the upper central vertical axis Vu. An offset distance between the lower and upper central longitudinal axes is greater than or equal to a width or transit section dimension of the fluid-cooled flue. As used herein the term “vertical” means vertical within plus or minus five angular degrees. Likewise, as used herein the term “horizontal” means horizontal within plus or minus five angular degrees.

With continued reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the fluid-cooled flue 36 includes fluid-cooled perimeter panels that may be configured to both provide structure to the exhaust system 14 and provide cooling to the exhaust system 14. The various components of the panels can be formed of materials suitable for withstanding a high temperature environment of the melting furnace, for example, steel. In the illustrated embodiment, the flue 36 includes an upstream or front panel 52, an oppositely disposed downstream or rear panel 54, and side panels 56, 58 coupled to and between the front and rear panels 52, 54. The terms “front” and “rear” are used with reference to the exhaust flow direction through the flue 36, and not with reference to the front and the rear of the melter tank. The front panel 52 includes a shorter vertical lower segment 52a, and a longer oblique intermediate segment 52b. Conversely, the rear panel 54 includes a shorter vertical lower segment 54a, a longer oblique intermediate segment 54b, and a longer vertical upper segment 54c.

F-4 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646)

The panels 52, 54, 56, 58 include perimetral mounting flanges 52d,e, 54d,e, 56d,e, 58d,e to facilitate coupling of the side panels 56, 58 to the front and rear panels 52, 54. The mounting flanges 52d,e, 54d,e, 56d,e, 58d,e carry fasteners 60 for fastening the flanges 52d,e, 54d,e, 56d,e, 58d,e together. Also, the panels 52, 54, 56, 58 include lower radially outwardly extending flanges 52f, 54f, 56f, 58f that constitute a lower mounting flange 62 to facilitate mounting of the flue 36 on the furnace tank 16 (FIG. 2). The lower mounting flange 62 may carry fasteners (not shown) for fastening to the furnace tank 16 (FIG. 2). Likewise, the panels 52, 54, 56, 58 include upper radially outwardly extending flanges 52g, 54g, 56g, 58g that constitute an upper mounting flange 64 to facilitate mounting of the exhaust hood 38 (FIG. 2) on the flue 36. The upper mounting flange 64 may include open-ended notches 65 to accept fasteners (not shown) for fastening to the exhaust hood 38 (FIG. 2).

The flue panels 52, 54, 56, 58 are also configured to receive, convey, and transmit fluid into, through, and out of the panels 52, 54, 56, 58. For example, the panels 52, 54, 56, 58 include inlets 66 at lower portions thereof, outlets 68 at upper portions thereof, and serpentine channels 68 extending therebetween. The inlets and outlets 66, 68 can be configured in any suitable manner to be coupled to inlet and outlet fluid supply and return lines (not shown). In addition, the side panels 56, 58 may include upstream and downstream pressure sensor ports 70a, b, as well as upstream, downstream, and intermediate clean-out ports 72a, b,c, and a temperature sensor or thermocouple port 74. The flue panels 52, 54, 56, 58 can be configured to work with coolant including water, various heat transfer fluids, solvents, solutions, CO2, ionic fluid, molten salts, or the like.

The serpentine channels 68 may be established by baffles 76 extending between interior and exterior walls 75, 77 of the panels 52, 54, 56, 58. The baffles 76 may include projections 76a extending into or through corresponding openings 75a, 77a in the interior walls 75 and/or exterior walls 77. The projections 76a may include, for example, tabs, posts, studs, screws, rivets, slugs, bolts, welds, welded pieces, or the like. The projections 76a may be interference fit, fastened, welded, and/or coupled in any other suitable manner to the walls 75, 77. The projections 76a and the corresponding openings are depicted as having a rectangular cross-section but they may be configured with a variety of cross-sections and/or shapes, including circular, oval, square, triangular, other types of polygons, or the like. The walls may be produced in the manner disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No.

F-5 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646)

16/590,065, (Attorney Docket 19506 - “Cooling Panel for a Melter”), filed on October 1, 2019, and/or in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 16/993,825 (Attorney Docket 19611 - “Cast Cullet-Based Layer on Wall Panel for a Melter”), both of which are assigned to the assignee hereof and are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The refractory-lined hood 38, with reference now to FIGS. 7 and 8, is in fluid communication with, and extends from, the fluid-cooled flue 36 (FIG. 2), and includes a hood inlet 37a and a hood outlet 39a. More specifically, the refractory-lined hood 38 includes an upstream vertical portion 37 extending upwardly along a vertical axis V from the fluid-cooled flue 36 (FIG. 2) and establishing the hood inlet 37a, and a downstream horizontal portion 39 extending along a horizontal axis H away from the upstream vertical portion 37 and establishing the hood outlet 39a. The dilution air input duct 40 includes an inlet 40a, side branches 40b, c extending away from the inlet 40a, and outlets 40d,e terminating the side branches 40b, c and in fluid communication with dilution air duct inlets 39b, c of the refractory-lined hood 38. The non-cooled, non-refractory outlet conduit 42 extends away from the refractory-lined hood 38 at the hood outlet 39a. The inlet and outlet conduits 40, 42 may include metal ductwork of any kind suitable for use with an SCM furnace. The dust cleanout duct 44 includes two gate valves, an upstream gate valve 44a, and a downstream gate valve 44b, thereby allowing removal of dust from the hood without shutting down the melter.

With continued reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the hood 38 includes a front wall 38a, a rear wall 38b oppositely disposed from the front wall 38a, side walls 38c, d extending between the front and rear walls 38a,b, and an upper wall 38e and a lower wall 38f extending between the side walls 38c, d. The vertical segment 37 of the hood 38 also has an inlet extension wall 38g and carries an expansion joint 78 for coupling to the outlet of the exhaust flue 36 (FIG. 1). With reference to FIG. 9, the expansion joint 78 locates against the outlet 49 of the exhaust flue 36 and, more specifically, includes a radially inwardly extending flange 78a that locates against the outlet flange 64 of the exhaust flue 36. With reference again to FIGS. 7 and 8, the hood outlet 39a is in the upper wall 39e of the downstream horizontal portion 39 and vertically opposite a downstream condensate cleanout port 80 in the lower wall 38f of the downstream horizontal portion 39. The dilution air duct inlets 39b, c extend through the corresponding side walls 38c, d of the downstream horizontal portion 39. In one or more

F-6 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646) locations upstream and/or downstream of the dilution air duct inlets 39b, c, the sidewalls 38c,d and/or the bottom wall 38f may include clean-out ports 82. Likewise, the front wall 38a and/or the rear wall 38b may include clean-out ports 82.

With reference to FIG. 8A, a hood 38-1 includes the hood outlet 39a provided in the rear wall 38b, and an additional upper dilution air duct inlet 39d extends through the upper wall 38e.

With reference to FIG. 8B, a hood 38-2 includes one or both of the side dilution air duct inlets of FIGS. 8 and 8a omitted, and the upper dilution air duct inlet 39d extending through the upper wall 38e.

With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, the hood 38 includes a refractory lining 84 applied to and carried by interior surfaces of the various walls of the hood 38. To facilitate support of the refractory lining 84, anchors 86 are fixed to the interior surfaces of the walls and extend into the refractory lining 84. The refractory lining 84 may be about eight inches thick.

With reference again to FIGS. 7 and 8, the hood 38 also includes an exoskeletal support structure 88 to facilitate mounting of the hood 38 to a factory building, to support the walls of the hood 38, and/or to reinforce the walls of the hood 38. The support structure 88 includes a plurality of upper beams 90a and a plurality of lower beams 90b extending transversely with respect to the horizonal axis H, and a plurality of side beams 90c extending between the upper and lower beams 90a, b. The support structure also includes a plurality of reinforcement ribs 92 extending along some of the walls. The support structure may include a horizontal seam 94 and corresponding mounting flanges to facilitate assembly of the structure. The beams 90a, b,c, reinforcement ribs 92, and/or the seam 94 may be welded, fastened, or otherwise coupled to the corresponding walls in any suitable manner.

With reference to FIG. 10A, a hood 38-3 may be modified to include a protrusion 85 that protrudes into the downstream horizontal exhaust path and has an excurvate upper surface 85a to streamline flow of exhaust gas through the hood to prevent gas recirculation and formation of condensate piles in the hood. Also, an outer junction 38x between the upstream vertical portion 37 of the hood 38 and the downstream horizontal portion 39 of the hood 38 is curved and defines an incurvate inner surface 38y. Further, the upper wall 38e of the downstream horizontal portion 39 includes the exhaust hood outlet 39a wherein the exhaust

F-7 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646) hood outlet 39a has a sloped circumferential surface 39a’ that converges in a downstream direction.

The protrusion 85 may be a block of material carried by the refractory lining 84 of the lower wall 38f. The material may be metal, refractory, or any other material suitable for use in an SCM exhaust system. The excurvate upper surface 85a may be hemispherical, and an upstream-most edge 85b and a downstream-most edge 85c, wherein the upstream-most edge 85b is closer to the upstream vertical portion of the hood 38 than the downstream-most edge 85c is to the exhaust hood outlet 39a as measured along a central longitudinal axis of the exhaust path. The highest point of the protrusion 85 may be in the middle of the protrusion 85. A ratio of a maximum height of the protrusion 85 to a vertical height of the passage of the downstream horizontal portion of the duct 38 is between 10 and 30 percent including all ranges, subranges, values, and endpoints of that range. The aforementioned ratio may be about 20 percent, e.g. 15-25 percent. A ratio of a maximum diameter or width of the protrusion 85 to the vertical height of the passage of the downstream horizontal portion of the duct 38 is between 80 and 120 percent including all ranges, subranges, values, and endpoints of that range. The aforementioned ratio may be about 100 percent, e.g. 90 to 110 percent.

With reference to FIG. 10B, a hood 38-4 may be modified to include, in addition to the dilution air duct inlets 39b, c of FIGS. 7 and 8, dilution air ports 39x in at least one of the side walls or a bottom wall of the downstream horizontal portion of the hood 38-4, in addition to the dilution air duct inlets 39b, c. The air inlet ports 39x may be located upstream of central axes C of the dilution air duct inlets 39b, c, and the ports 39x are smaller than the dilution air duct inlets. The ports may be of circular, square, polygonal, or any other suitable shape. Preferably, each side wall has one to four ports, and the bottom wall has one to four ports. The air inlet ports 39x may be supplied with dilution air via piping, fittings, valving, controls, and any other equipment suitable for use with an SCM exhaust system.

With reference to FIG. 10C, a hood 38-5 may be modified to include at least one fluid jet 87 extending through the rear end wall 38b of the upstream vertical portion of the exhaust hood 38-5 and configured to deliver bursts of gas to break up or prevent condensation in the exhaust hood 38-5. The at least one fluid jet 87 may include two, three, four, or more jets 87 that may be aligned in a linear array or configured in any other suitable manner. The fluid jet(s) 87 may include high speed jets, i.e., 15 meters/second jet velocity or higher. The jet(s)

F-8 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646)

87 may be provided via jet lances, that may be cooled or uncooled, and may be operated according to a pulsation frequency. The jet flow direction is substantially the same as the exhaust flow direction and the jets can be adjusted to direct jet flow at an angle with respect to horizontal between -30 degrees and +30 degrees, including all ranges, subranges, values, and endpoints of that range. The jet(s) 87 should be spaced above a bottom inside surface of the bottom wall of the duct. The fluid jet(s) 87 may be supplied with any fluid suitable for use with an SCM exhaust system, e.g., air or water, and using piping, fittings, valving, controls, and any other equipment suitable for use with fluid jets for an SCM exhaust system.

FIG. 12 shows another illustrative embodiment of a submerged combustion melting system 110. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-11 and like numerals among the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawing figures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments are incorporated into one another, and description of subject matter common to the embodiments generally may not be repeated here.

The system 110 includes an exhaust system 114 including a fluid-cooled flue 136, a refractory -lined hood 138, a dilution air input duct 140, and non-cooled, non-refractory outlet conduit 142.

The fluid-cooled flue 136 is in fluid communication with a furnace exhaust outlet 130, extends upwardly from a furnace roof 120 along a central longitudinal axis A, and includes fluid-cooled perimeter walls 122, a lower baffle 152 extending upwardly at an oblique angle and intersecting the central longitudinal axis A, and an upper baffle 154 extending upwardly at another oblique angle and intersecting the central longitudinal axis A such that the baffles 152, 154 overlap one another in a lateral direction perpendicular to the axis A. One or both of the baffles 152, 154 may be non-cooled in an example embodiment. In another example embodiment, one or both of the baffles 152, 154 may be fluid cooled, for example, liquid cooled or gas cooled, for instance, water cooled or air cooled.

The refractory-lined hood 138 is in fluid communication with the fluid-cooled flue 136, extends upwardly from the fluid-cooled flue 136 along the central longitudinal axis A to a hood outlet 139a, and includes refractory-lined perimeter walls 138a, refractory-lined obliquely angled walls 138b extending upwardly and inwardly from the perimeter walls

F-9 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646)

138a, and a cylindrical conduit 138c extending upwardly from the obliquely angled walls 138b and including a dilution air duct inlet 139b extending transversely therethrough.

The dilution air input duct 140 has one or more outlets 140d in fluid communication with the dilution air duct inlet 139b of the cylindrical conduit 138c of the refractory-lined hood 138. The dilution air input duct 140 may include an annular portion 140f encircling the cylindrical conduit 138c.

The non-cooled, non-refractory outlet conduit 142 extends away from the refractory-lined hood 138 and includes an inverted bight 142a having a bight inlet 142b in fluid communication with the hood outlet 139a of the refractory-lined hood 138 and a bight outlet 142c. The conduit 142 also include a J-shaped section 142d extending downwardly from the bight outlet 142c and having an inlet 142e at an upper end and an outlet 142f at a lower end. The conduit 142 further includes a substantially horizontal section 142g in fluid communication with the outlet 142f of the J-shaped section 142d and extending away therefrom along a longitudinal axis J below a level of the dilution air duct inlet 139b of the hood 138 and above the fluid-cooled flue 136.

FIGS. 13-15 show another illustrative embodiment of a fluid-cooled flue 236. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-12 and like numerals among the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawing figures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments are incorporated into one another, and description of subject matter common to the embodiments generally may not be repeated here.

With reference to FIGS. 13-15, the fluid-cooled flue 236 includes fluid-cooled perimeter walls 222, a lower baffle 252 extending downwardly at an oblique angle and intersecting a central longitudinal axis A, and an upper baffle 254 extending horizontally and intersecting the central longitudinal axis A such that the baffles 252, 254 overlap one another in a lateral direction perpendicular to the axis A. The baffles 252, 254 are fluid cooled, liquid cooled or gas cooled, for instance, water cooled or air cooled, in an example embodiment. In another example embodiment, one or both of the baffles 252, 254 may not be fluid cooled.

With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, the baffles 252, 254 are water tight and include internal baffles (not shown) establishing serpentine flow paths including inlets 252a, 254a and outlets 252b, 254b in fluid communication with supply piping 296a, 298a and return

F-10 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646) piping 296b, 298b extending through perimeter walls 222 of the flue 236. Of course, the inlets 252a, 254a may be swapped with the outlets 252b, 254b. The baffles 252, 254 may be supported by angle brackets 299 that may be coupled to shoulders of the baffles 252, 254 and to internal panels of the perimeter walls 222 of the flue 236 via fasteners, welds, or any other suitable means (not shown).

With each of the embodiments described above, an exhaust flue includes obliquely and/or horizontally angled portions, walls, and/or baffles, that eliminate a direct path for molten glass splash to reach up into an exhaust system condensation zone, e.g., an exhaust hood, thereby reducing condensation accumulation in a dilution air portion of the system.

The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

The claims of as-filed US 63/085646 include the following:

1.

A submerged combustion melting system, comprising: a submerged combustion melting furnace, including: a tank including a floor, a roof, a perimeter wall extending between the floor and the roof, and an interior, submerged combustion melting burners extending through the tank to melt glass feedstock into molten glass in the interior of the tank, a batch inlet at an upstream end of the tank, a molten glass outlet at a downstream end of the tank, and an exhaust outlet through the roof; and an exhaust system in fluid communication with the interior of the tank, and including:

F-l l CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646) a fluid-cooled flue in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet, extending upwardly from the roof, and including fluid-cooled perimeter walls, a refractory-lined hood in fluid communication with, and extending to a hood outlet from, the fluid-cooled flue, and including refractory-lined perimeter walls and a dilution air duct inlet, a dilution air input duct having an outlet in fluid communication with the dilution air duct inlet of the refractory-lined hood, and non-cooled, non-refractory outlet conduit extending away from the refractory-lined hood.

2.

The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid-cooled flue extends upwardly from the roof of the tank along a first central vertical axis, a central oblique axis extending from the first central vertical axis, and a second central vertical axis extending from the central oblique axis.

3.

The system of claim 1, wherein the refractory -lined hood also includes an upstream vertical portion extending upwardly from the fluid-cooled flue, and a downstream horizontal portion extending away from the upstream vertical portion to a hood outlet.

4.

The system of claim 3, wherein the dilution air duct inlet extends through at least one of the perimeter walls of the downstream horizontal portion.

5.

The system of claim 1, wherein the hood outlet is in an upper wall of the downstream horizontal portion and vertically opposite a condensate cleanout port in a lower wall of the downstream horizontal portion.

F-12 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646)

6.

The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid-cooled perimeter walls include a lower vertical segment in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet of the roof of the tank and with a lower central longitudinal axis, an upper vertical segment with an upper central longitudinal axis and a flue outlet, and an intermediate oblique segment extending between the lower and upper vertical segments and having an intermediate central longitudinal axis, wherein an offset distance between the lower and upper central longitudinal axes is greater than or equal to a transit section dimension of the fluid- cooled flue.

7.

The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid-cooled flue extends upwardly from the roof of the tank along a central longitudinal axis and the refractory-lined hood extends upwardly from the fluid-cooled flue along the central longitudinal axis.

8.

The system of claim 1, wherein the refractory -lined hood also includes refractory-lined obliquely angled walls extending upwardly and inwardly from the perimeter walls, and a conduit extending upwardly from the obliquely angled walls.

9.

The system of claim 8, wherein the dilution air duct inlet extends transversely through the conduit.

10.

The system of claim 1, wherein the non-cooled, non-refractory outlet conduit includes an inverted bight having a bight inlet in fluid communication with the hood outlet of the refractory -lined hood and also having a bight outlet, a J-shaped section extending downwardly from the bight outlet and having an inlet at an upper end and also having an outlet at a lower end, and a substantially horizontal section in fluid communication with the outlet of the J-shaped section and extending away therefrom along a longitudinal axis

F-13 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646) below a level of the dilution air duct inlet of the hood and above the fluid- cooled flue.

11.

The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid-cooled perimeter walls have a lower noncooled baffle extending upwardly at an oblique angle and intersecting the central longitudinal axis, and an upper non-cooled baffle extending upwardly at another oblique angle and intersecting the central longitudinal axis.

12.

A submerged combustion melting system, comprising: a submerged combustion melting furnace, including: a tank including a floor, a roof, a perimeter wall extending between the floor and the roof, and an interior, submerged combustion melting burners extending through the tank to melt glass feedstock into molten glass in the interior of the tank, a batch inlet at an upstream end of the tank, a molten glass outlet at a downstream end of the tank, and an exhaust outlet through the roof; and an exhaust system in fluid communication with the interior of the tank, and including: a fluid-cooled flue in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet, extending upwardly from the roof, and having fluid-cooled perimeter walls including: a lower vertical segment in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet of the roof of the tank of the submerged combustion melting furnace and having a lower central longitudinal axis, an upper vertical segment having an upper central longitudinal axis and a flue outlet, and an intermediate oblique segment extending between the lower and upper vertical segments and having an intermediate central longitudinal axis, wherein an offset distance between the lower

F-14 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646) and upper central longitudinal axes is greater than or equal to a transit section dimension of the fluid-cooled flue.

13.

The system of claim 12, wherein the exhaust system further comprises: a refractory-lined hood in fluid communication with the fluid-cooled flue, and including an upstream vertical portion extending upwardly from the fluid-cooled flue along the upper central longitudinal axis and a downstream horizontal portion extending away from the upstream vertical portion to a hood outlet, and including refractory -lined perimeter walls and a dilution air duct inlet extending through at least one of the perimeter walls of the downstream horizontal portion, and a dilution air input duct having an outlet in fluid communication with the dilution air duct inlet of the refractory-lined hood.

14.

The system of claim 13, wherein the downstream horizontal portion includes a lower wall with a protrusion that protrudes into a downstream horizontal exhaust path and has an excurvate upper surface to streamline flow of exhaust gas through the hood to prevent gas recirculation and formation of condensate piles in the hood.

15.

The system of claim 12, wherein the exhaust system further comprises: non-cooled, non-refractory outlet conduit extending away from the refractory-lined hood at the hood outlet, which is in an upper wall of the downstream horizontal portion and vertically opposite a condensate cleanout port in a lower wall of the downstream horizontal portion.

16.

A submerged combustion melting system, comprising: a submerged combustion melting furnace, including: a tank including a floor, a roof, and a perimeter wall extending between the floor and the roof, submerged combustion melting burners extending through the tank to melt glass feedstock into molten glass,

F-15 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646) a batch inlet at an upstream end of the tank, a molten glass outlet at a downstream end of the tank, and an exhaust outlet through the roof; an exhaust system in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet of the tank, and including: a fluid-cooled flue in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet, extending upwardly from the roof along a central longitudinal axis, and including: fluid-cooled perimeter walls, a lower baffle extending at an oblique angle and intersecting the central longitudinal axis, and an upper baffle extending at another angle different from the oblique angle of the lower baffle and intersecting the central longitudinal axis.

17.

The system of claim 16, wherein the exhaust system further comprises: a refractory-lined hood in fluid communication with the fluid-cooled flue, extending upwardly from the fluid-cooled flue along the central longitudinal axis to a hood outlet, and including refractory-lined perimeter walls, refractory-lined obliquely angled walls extending upwardly and inwardly from the perimeter walls, and a cylindrical conduit extending upwardly from the obliquely angled walls and including a dilution air duct inlet extending transversely therethrough; and a dilution air input duct having an outlet in fluid communication with the dilution air duct inlet of the cylindrical conduit of the refractory-lined hood.

18.

The system of claim 16, wherein the exhaust system further comprises: non-cooled, non-refractory outlet conduit extending away from the refractory-lined hood and including an inverted bight having a bight inlet in fluid communication with the hood outlet of the refractory-lined hood and a bight outlet, a J-shaped section extending downwardly from the bight outlet and having an inlet at an upper end and an outlet at a lower end, and a

F-16 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646) substantially horizontal section in fluid communication with the outlet of the J-shaped section and extending away therefrom along a longitudinal axis below a level of the dilution air duct inlet of the hood and above the fluid- cooled flue.

19.

The system of claim 16, wherein the lower baffle extends at an upward oblique angle or a downward oblique angle, and the upper baffle extends horizontally or at an upward oblique angle.

20.

The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the baffles is fluid cooled.

21.

The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the baffles is not fluid cooled.

22.

The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the baffles is supplied with coolant via inlet and outlet piping extending through at least one of the fluid-cooled perimeter walls, and is coupled to an inside panel of at least one of fluid-cooled perimeter walls.

23.

A submerged combustion melting system, comprising: a submerged combustion melting furnace, including: a tank including a floor, a roof, a perimeter wall extending between the floor and the roof, and an interior, submerged combustion melting burners extending through the tank to melt glass feedstock into molten glass in the interior of the tank, a batch inlet at an upstream end of the tank, a molten glass outlet at a downstream end of the tank, and an exhaust outlet through the roof; and an exhaust system in fluid communication with the interior of the tank, and including: a flue in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet, extending upwardly from the roof, and a hood in fluid communication with the flue and including: an upstream vertical portion extending upwardly from the flue, and

F-17 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646) a downstream horizontal portion extending away from the upstream vertical portion to establish a downstream horizontal exhaust path having an exhaust hood outlet, and including a lower wall with a protrusion that protrudes into the downstream horizontal exhaust path and has an excurvate upper surface to streamline flow of exhaust gas through the hood to prevent gas recirculation and formation of condensate piles in the hood.

24.

The system of claim 23, wherein the protrusion is a block of material carried by the lower wall.

25.

The system of claim 23, wherein the excurvate upper surface is hemispherical.

26.

The system of claim 23, wherein the excurvate shaped surface has an upstream-most edge and a downstream-most edge, wherein the upstream-most edge is closer to the upstream vertical portion of the hood than the downstream-most edge is to the exhaust hood outlet as measured along a central longitudinal axis of the exhaust path.

27.

The system of claim 23, wherein an outer junction between the upstream vertical portion of the hood and the downstream horizontal portion of the hood is curved and defines an incurvate inner surface.

28.

The system of claim 23, wherein an upper wall of the downstream horizontal portion includes the exhaust hood outlet wherein the exhaust hood outlet has a sloped circumferential surface that converges in a downstream direction.

29.

The system of claim 23, wherein the downstream horizontal portion of the hood includes a dilution air duct inlet extending through a side wall of the downstream horizontal portion.

F-18 CHAPTER F - 19627 (US 63/085646)

30.

The system of claim 29, wherein the exhaust system further includes a dilution air input conduit having an outlet in fluid communication with the dilution air inlet of the hood. 31.

The system of claim 30, wherein the downstream horizontal portion of the hood includes a plurality of dilution air inlet ports in at least one of the side wall or a bottom wall of the downstream horizontal portion of the hood.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the plurality of dilution air inlet ports are located upstream of a central axis of the dilution air duct inlet.

33.

The system of claim 23, further comprising at least one fluid jet extending through a rear end wall of the upstream vertical portion of the exhaust hood and configured to deliver bursts of gas to break up or prevent condensation in the exhaust hood.

F-19 CHAPTER G- 19513 (US 16/788609)

CHAPTER G: PRODUCING FLINT GLASS USING SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTING

The present disclosure is directed to the production of flint glass using submerged combustion technology and, more specifically, to the regulation of certain operating conditions of a submerged combustion melter to facilitate the production of flint glass.

Background

Glass is a rigid amorphous solid that has numerous applications. Soda-lime-silica glass, for example, is used extensively to manufacture flat glass articles, such as windows, hollow glass articles including containers such as bottles and jars, as well as tableware and other specialty articles. Soda-lime-silica glass comprises a disordered and spatially crosslinked ternary oxide network of Na2O-CaO-SiC>2. The silica component (SiCh) is the largest oxide by weight and constitutes the primary network forming material of soda-lime-silica glass. The Na2O component functions as a fluxing agent that reduces the melting, softening, and glass transition temperatures of the glass, as compared to pure silica glass, and the CaO component functions as a stabilizer that improves certain physical and chemical properties of the glass including its hardness and chemical resistance. The inclusion of Na2O and CaO in the chemistry of soda-lime-silica glass renders the commercial manufacture of glass articles more practical and less energy intensive while still yielding acceptable glass properties. Soda-lime-silica glass, in general and based on the total weight of the glass, has a glass chemical composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiO2, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO.

In addition to SiO2, Na2O, and CaO, the glass chemical composition of soda-lime-silica glass may include other oxide and non-oxide materials that act as network formers, network modifiers, colorants, decolorants, redox agents, or other agents that affect the properties of the final glass. Some examples of these additional materials include aluminum oxide (AI2O3), magnesium oxide (MgO), potassium oxide (K2O), carbon, sulfates, nitrates, fluorines, chlorines, and/or elemental or oxide forms of one or more of iron, arsenic, antimony, selenium, chromium, barium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, sulfur, vanadium, titanium, lead, copper, niobium, molybdenum, lithium, silver, strontium, cadmium, indium, tin, gold, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, europium, gadolinium, erbium, and uranium. Aluminum oxide is one of the more commonly included materials — typically present in an amount up to 2 wt% based on the total

G-l CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) weight of the glass — because of its ability to improve the chemical durability of the glass and to reduce the likelihood of devitrification. Regardless of what other oxide and/or non-oxide materials are present in the soda-lime-silica glass besides SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, the sum total of those additional materials is preferably 10 wt% or less, or more narrowly 5 wt% or less, based on the total weight of the soda-lime-silica glass.

Soda-lime-silica glass has long been produced in a continuous melting furnace. When operating such a furnace, a vitrifiable feed material — one that is formulated to yield glass with a specific chemical composition and related properties — is fed on top of a large molten glass bath of a generally constant level contained in a melting chamber of the furnace. The molten glass bath is maintained at a temperature of about 1450°C or greater so that the added feed material can melt, react, and progress through several intermediate melt phases before becoming chemically integrated into the molten glass bath as the bath moves slowly through the melting chamber of the furnace towards a refining chamber located downstream of the melting chamber. In the refining chamber, bubbles and other gaseous inclusions are removed from the molten glass bath to yield chemically homogenized and refined molten glass as needed for further processing. The heat needed to maintain the molten glass bath within the melting chamber has conventionally been supplied by non-submerged burners that combust a mixture of fuel and air/oxygen within an open combustion zone atmosphere located above the molten glass bath. The burners are located in burner ports on opposite sidewalls of the refractory superstructure that partially defines the combustion zone (cross fired furnace) or in a back wall of the refractory superstructure (end port fired furnace). It typically takes 24 hours or longer for feed material to melt and react through a conventional glass melting and fining operation before exiting the melter as a homogeneous molten glass.

The finished glass article — such as a container, flat glass product, or tableware — is sometimes required to be colorless or nearly colorless. Colorless or nearly colorless glass is typically referred to in the industry as “flint” glass. When operating a conventional continuous melting furnace, molten glass that can produce flint glass articles has traditionally been achieved by controlling the compositional recipe of the feed material being supplied to the furnace. This is because certain components of the vitrifiable feed material (e.g., sand, limestone, dolomite, recycled glass, etc.) may contain iron impurities. The iron may be present in two forms within the molten glass: (1) the ferrous or reduced state (Fe ²⁺ as FeO) or (2) the ferric or oxidized state (Fe ³⁺

G-2 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) as Fe2C>3). Iron in the Fe ²⁺ state imparts a blue-green color to the molten glass and iron in the Fe ³⁺ states imparts a yellow color. The ratio of Fe ²⁺ to total iron (Fe ²⁺ +Fe ³⁺ ) in the molten glass determines the redox ratio of the glass and gives a general indication of whether the blue-green color or the yellow color will dominate visually. To that end, the standard approach to deriving flint glass from a conventional continuous melting furnace involves neutralizing the color effects of iron impurities through compositional adjustments to the feed material.

The compositional adjustments to the vitrifiable feed material may include adding redox agents and/or decolorants to the molten glass. Redox agents are compounds that have an oxidizing or reducing effect on the glass and can therefore shift the Fe ²⁺ /Fe ³⁺ equilibrium towards the Fe ³⁺ state or the Fe ²⁺ state, respectively, thus altering the redox ratio of the molten glass bath and consequently driving the glass more towards a yellow color or a blue-green color when solidified. A common oxidizing redox agent that can shift the redox ratio downwards is sulfates (SO3), which can be delivered to the molten glass from any of a variety of additive materials that are included in the vitrifiable feed material including, for example, salt cake. Ideally, a redox value of 0.4 or less is sought for flint glass. Decolorants are compounds that absorb visible light in the blue/green wavelengths and transmit visible light in the yellow/red wavelengths to thereby accentuate a colorless appearance of the glass. Several known examples of decolorants include selenium and manganese oxide (as retained in the glass).

Still further, the inclusion of a substantial amount of recycled flint glass in the vitrifiable feed material can dilute the iron impurities contained in the feed material and reduce or altogether eliminate the need to rely on certain redox agents to achieve a low redox ratio. Recycled flint glass can have this effect since it already possesses an inherently colorless or nearly colorless glass chemistry that becomes integrated into the molten glass bath upon melting. Oftentimes, when operating a conventional continuous melting furnace to produce flint glass, the vitrifiable feed material will include some combination of flint recycled glass, redox agents, and decolorants that supports a low redox ratio and masks unwanted color characteristics of the glass. The various operating conditions of a continuous melting furnace have for the most part been selected and controlled for reasons unrelated to the color of the produced glass.

Submerged combustion (SC) melting is a melting technology that is also capable of producing glass, including soda-lime-silica glass, and has recently become a potentially viable alternative to the melting process employed in a conventional continuous melting furnace.

G-3 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609)

Contrary to conventional melting practices, SC melting involves injecting a combustible gas mixture that contains fuel and an oxidant directly into and under the surface of a glass melt contained in a melter, typically though submerged burners mounted in the floor or sidewalls of the melter. The oxidant may be oxygen, air, or any other gas that contains a percentage of oxygen. The combustible gas mixture autoignites and the resultant combustion products cause vigorous stirring and turbulence as they are discharged through the glass melt. The intense shearing forces experienced between the combustion products and the glass melt cause rapid heat transfer and particle dissolution throughout the molten glass compared to the slower kinetics of a conventional melting furnace in which the molten glass bath is heated primarily with radiant heat from overhead non-submerged burners. And while SC technology can melt and integrate the vitrifiable feed material into the glass melt relatively quickly, the glass melt tends to be foamy and have a relatively low-density despite being chemically homogenized when discharged from the melter. Indeed, the glass melt in an SC melter may include anywhere from 30 vol% to 60 vol% of entrained gas bubbles.

The relatively high heat-transfer and mixing efficiency of the SC melter allows for a fundamentally different melter design than that of a conventional continuous melting furnace. Apart from the differences in burner design and location, an SC melter can be smaller than a conventional continuous melting furnace on the order of 50% to 90% in terms of tons of molten glass holding capacity at steady-state. The smaller size of an SC melter makes external cooling both technically and economically feasible. The smaller size of an SC melter and the fact that it can be externally cooled enables the melter to be shut down and emptied, and then restarted, quickly and efficiently when necessitated by production schedules or other considerations. This type of operational flexibility is not practical for a conventional continuous melting furnace. Additionally, the SC melter may include non-submerged burners located above the glass melt to heat and optionally to impinge on the turbulent glass melt surface during SC melter operation to suppress foaming, whereas a conventional continuous melting furnace only uses non-submerged burners for radiant heat transfer.

In the past, SC melting has not been used to manufacture container and float glass articles on a commercial scale. In that regard, there has been little to no interest in adapting SC melting operations to produce flint glass, especially soda-lime-silica flint glass that consistently meets strict color specifications. And the adaption of an SC melter to support the production of soda-lime-

G-4 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) silica flint glass articles is not necessarily a straightforward task since legacy vitrifiable feed material formulations tailored to produce flint glass do not translate well to SC melting. The reason for this discrepancy is believed to be related to the fundamentally different way in which the vitrifiable feed material is melted within the turbulent glass melt contained in an SC melter. In SC melting, as explained above, combustion products are discharged from submerged burners directly into the turbulent glass melt, whereas in conventional legacy processes combustion products are discharged into an open atmosphere above a much calmer molten glass bath. A glass production strategy tailored to produce flint glass using SC melting is therefore needed so that the glassmaking operation in an SC melter can be improved and flint glass articles can be reliably manufactured.

Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure describes a method of producing flint glass in a submerged combustion melter. The disclosed method involves controlling four specific process parameters of the SC melter that have been determined to have at least some influence on promoting flint glass production. The identified SC melter process parameters include (1) the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the submerged burners, (2) the temperature of the glass melt maintained in the SC melter, (3) the specific throughput rate of molten glass from the SC melter, and (4) the residence time of the glass melt. When each of these SC melter process parameters is maintained within a predetermined range, the glass melt and the molten glass extracted therefrom through an outlet of the SC melter exhibit a colorless or nearly colorless visual appearance. In fact, the molten glass obtained from the SC melter can consistently meet exacting flint glass specifications that are often mandated by the commercial container and flat glass articles industries. The disclosed method is particularly capable of producing soda-lime-silica flint glass for eventual forming into glass containers such as, for example, food and beverage bottles and jars.

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other to provide a method for producing flint glass. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of producing flint glass using a submerged combustion melter is defined. The method includes introducing a vitrifiable feed material into a glass melt contained within a submerged combustion melter that comprises one or more submerged burners. Combustion products are discharged from the one or more submerged burners directly into the glass melt. Moreover, the one or more submerged burners combust a combustible gas mixture that comprises fuel and oxygen, and an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas

G-5 CHAPTER G- 19513 (US 16/788609) mixture ranges from stoichiometry to 30% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry. The method also includes maintaining a temperature of the glass melt between 1200°C and 1500°C and maintaining a residence time of the glass melt between 1 hour and 10 hours. Still further, the method includes discharging flint molten glass from the submerged combustion melter at a specific throughput rate that ranges from 2 tons per day per meter squared of cross-sectional area of the submerged combustion melter [tons/day/m ² ] to 25 tons/day/m ² .

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of forming at least one glass container from a glass melt produced in a submerged combustion melter is defined. The method includes introducing a vitrifiable feed material into a glass melt contained within a submerged combustion melter. The submerged combustion melter comprises one or more submerged burners and the vitrifiable feed material is formulated to provide the glass melt with a soda-lime-silica flint glass chemical composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiCh, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO, and 0 wt% to 2 wt% AI2O3. The method also includes discharging combustion products from the one or more submerged combustion burners directly into the glass melt, with the one or more submerged burners combusting a combustible gas mixture that comprises fuel and oxygen. An oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture ranges from stoichiometry to 30% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry. The method further calls for maintaining a temperature of the glass melt between 1200°C and 1500°C and a residence time of the glass melt between 1 hour and 10 hours. Still further, the method includes discharging flint foamy molten glass from the submerged combustion melter at a specific throughput rate that ranges from 2 tons per day per meter squared of cross-sectional area of the submerged combustion melter [tons/day/m ² ] to 25 tons/day/m ² .

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages, and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevated cross-sectional representation of a submerged combustion melter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the submerged combustion melter illustrated in FIG. 1 taken along section line 2-2; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram of a process for producing flint glass in a submerged

G-6 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) combustion melter and then forming glass containers from the flint glass according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

A representative submerged combustion (SC) melter 10 is shown in FIGS. 1-2 to demonstrate the practice of the method for producing molten glass from which flint glass articles can be formed. The SC melter 10 includes a housing 12 that has a roof 14, a floor 16, and a surrounding upstanding wall 18 that connects the roof 14 and the floor 16. The surrounding upstanding wall 18 further includes a front end wall 18a, a rear end wall 18b that opposes and is spaced apart from the front end wall 18a, and two opposed lateral sidewalls 18c, 18d that connect the front end wall 18a and the rear end wall 18b. Together, the roof 14, the floor 16, and the surrounding upstanding wall 18 define an interior reaction chamber 20 of the melter 10 that contains a glass melt 22 when the melter 10 is operational. Each of the roof 14, the floor 16, and the surrounding upstanding wall 18 may be constructed to withstand the high temperature and corrosive nature of the glass melt 22. For example, each of those structures 14, 16, 18 may be constructed from a refractory material or one or more fluid cooled panels that support an interiorly-disposed refractory material having an in-situ formed frozen glass layer (not shown) in contact with the glass melt 22.

The housing 12 of the SC melter 10 defines a feed material inlet 24, a molten glass outlet 26, and an exhaust vent 28. Preferably, as shown best in FIG. 1, the feed material inlet 24 is defined in the roof 14 of the housing 12 proximate the front end wall 18a, and the molten glass outlet 26 is defined in the rear end wall 18b of the housing 12 above the floor 16, although other locations for the feed material inlet 24 and the molten glass outlet 26 are certainly possible. The feed material inlet 24 provides an entrance to the interior reaction chamber 20 for the delivery of a vitrifiable feed material 30. A batch feeder 32 that is configured to introduce a metered amount of the feed material 30 into the interior reaction chamber 20 may be coupled to the housing 12. And while many designs are possible, the batch feeder 32 may, for example, include a rotating screw (not shown) that rotates within a feed tube 34 of a slightly larger diameter that communicates with the feed material inlet 24 to deliver the feed material 30 from a feed hopper into the interior reaction chamber 20 at a controlled rate.

The molten glass outlet 26 provides an exit from the interior reaction chamber 20 for the discharge of foamy molten glass 36 out of the SC melter 10. The discharged foamy molten glass

G-7 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609)

36 may, as shown, be introduced directly into a stilling vessel 38, if desired. The stilling vessel 38 includes a housing 40 that defines a holding compartment 42. The holding compartment 42 receives the foamy molten glass 36 that is discharged from the interior reaction chamber 20 of the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 26 and maintains an intermediate pool 44 of the molten glass having a constant steady state volume (i.e., ± 5 vol%). One or more impingement or non-impingem ent burners 46 may be mounted in the housing 40 of the stilling vessel 38 to heat the intermediate pool 44 of molten glass and/or suppress or destroy any foam that may accumulate on top of the pool 44 of molten glass. A constant or intermittent flow 48 of molten glass may be dispensed from the intermediate pool 44 of molten glass maintained in the holding compartment 42 and out of the stilling vessel 38 by a spout 50 appended to the housing 40. The spout 50 may have a reciprocal plunger 52 that is operable to controllably dispense the flow 48 of molten glass through an orifice plate 54 so that any downstream equipment, such as a glass finer, can receive a controlled input of molten glass. A more complete description of a stilling vessel that may receive the discharged foamy molten glass 36 is disclosed in a U.S. Application No. 16/590,068, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Of course, in other embodiments, the stilling vessel 38 may be omitted and the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the interior reaction chamber 20 of the SC melter 10 may be introduced directly into a glass finer or elsewhere.

The exhaust vent 28 is preferably defined in the roof 14 of the housing 12 between the front end wall 18a and the rear end wall 18b at a location downstream from the feed material inlet 24. An exhaust duct 56 communicates with the exhaust vent 28 and is configured to remove gaseous compounds from the interior reaction chamber 20. The gaseous compounds removed through the exhaust duct 56 may be treated, recycled, or otherwise managed away from the SC melter 10 as needed. To help prevent or at least minimize the loss of some of the feed material 30 through the exhaust vent 28 as unintentional feed material castoff, a partition wall 58 that depends from the roof 14 of the housing 12 may be positioned between the feed material inlet 24 and the exhaust vent 28. The partition wall 58 may include a lower free end 60 that is submerged within the glass melt 22, as illustrated, or it may be positioned close to, but above, the glass melt 22. The partition wall 58 may be constructed similarly to the roof 14, the floor 16, and the surrounding upstanding wall 18, but it does not necessarily have to be so constructed.

The SC melter 10 includes one or more submerged burners 62. Each of the one or more

G-8 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) submerged burners 62 is mounted in a port 64 defined in the floor 14 (as shown) and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 18 at a location immersed by the glass melt 22. Each of the submerged bumer(s) 62 forcibly inj ects a combustible gas mixture G into the glass melt 22 through an output nozzle 66. The combustible gas mixture G comprises fuel and oxygen. The fuel supplied to the submerged bumer(s) 62 is preferably methane or propane, and the oxygen may be supplied as pure oxygen, in which case the burner(s) 62 are oxy-fuel burners, or it may be supplied as a component of air or an oxy gen-enriched gas that includes at least 20 vol% and, preferably, at least 50 vol% O2. Upon being injected into the glass melt 22, the combustible gas mixture G immediately autoignites to produce combustion products 68 — namely, CO2, CO, H2O, and any uncombusted fuel, oxygen, and/or other gas compounds such as nitrogen — that are discharged into and through the glass melt 22. Anywhere from five to thirty submerged burners 62 are typically installed in the SC melter 10 although more or less burners 62 may certainly be employed depending on the size and melt capacity of the melter 10.

The combustible gas mixture G is supplied to and injected from each of the submerged bumer(s) 62 at a mass flow rate MFMIX. The mass flow rate MFMIX of the combustible gas mixture G at each burner 62 comprises a mass flow rate of oxygen MFox and a mass flow rate of fuel MFFuei, which may be a mass flow rate of methane MFMeth or a mass flow rate of propane MFp _rop , plus mass flow rates of other gases such as nitrogen or another inert gas if the oxygen is supplied via air or an oxy gen-enriched gas. In terms of supplying the submerged burner(s) 62 with the combustible gas mixture G at the appropriate overall mass flow rate MFMIX as well as the appropriate mixture of oxygen and fuel flow rates MFox, MFFuei, each of the burner(s) 62 may be fluidly coupled to an oxidant (oxygen, oxygen-enriched gas, or air) supply manifold and a fuel supply manifold by a flow conduit that is equipped with sensors and valves to allow for precise control of the mass flow rates MFMIX, MFOX, MFFUCI to the bumer(s) 62 and injected through the burner nozzle(s) 66.

The SC melter 10 is operated in accordance with the present disclosure to ensure that the glass melt 22 contained within the interior reaction chamber 20 of the SC melter 10 and the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the interior reaction chamber 20 through the molten glass outlet 26 are colorless or nearly colorless so that flint glass articles that meet applicable color specifications can be formed therefrom. Flint soda-lime-silica glass, for instance, is visually transparent when solidified to a room temperature (i.e., 25°C) viscosity. The visual transparency

G-9 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) of flint glass is demonstrated by a dominant wavelength that lies between 572 nm and 578 nm, a brightness above 50%, and a purity below 16%. These three color specifications are measurable by a UV-Vis spectrometer using the standard illuminant C, with a 2 degree observer and sample thickness of 38 mm, according to the method of ASTM E308 (the American Society of Testing Materials). Flint soda-lime-silica molten glass that can meet these color specifications when solidified can be refined, conditioned, and formed into glass containers downstream of the SC melter 10, as will be further described below in connection with FIG. 3.

During operation of the SC melter 10, each of the one or more submerged burners 62 individually discharges combustion products 68 directly into and through the glass melt 22. The glass melt 22 is a volume of molten glass that often weighs between 1 US ton (1 US ton = 2,000 lbs) and 100 US tons and is generally maintained at a constant volume during steady-state operation of the SC melter 10. As the combustion products 68 are thrust into and through the glass melt 22, which creates complex flow patterns and severe turbulence, the glass melt 22 is vigorously agitated and experiences rapid heat transfer and intense shearing forces. The combustion products 68 eventually escape the glass melt 22 and are removed from the interior reaction chamber 20 through the exhaust vent 28 along with any other gaseous compounds that may volatize out of the glass melt 22. Additionally, in some circumstances, one or more non-submerged burners (not shown) may be mounted in the roof 14 and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 18 at a location above the glass melt 22 to provide heat to the glass melt 22, either directly by flame impingement or indirectly through radiant heat transfer, and to also facilitate foam suppression and/or destruction.

While the one or more submerged burners 62 are being fired into the glass melt 22, the vitrifiable feed material 30 is controllably introduced into the interior reaction chamber 20 through the feed material inlet 24. The vitrifiable feed material 30 introduced into the interior reaction chamber 20 is formulated to assimilate into the glass melt 22 and provide the melt 22 with a glass chemical composition upon melting. For example, if soda-lime-silica flint glass is being made, the feed material 30 may be a physical mixture of virgin raw materials and optionally cullet (i.e., recycled glass) that provides a source of SiCh, Na2O, and CaO in the correct proportions along with any of the other materials listed below in Table 1 such as AI2O3, SO3, selenium, and MnCh, to name but a few. The exact constituent materials that constitute the vitrifiable feed material 30 is subject to much variation while still being able to achieve the soda-lime-silica glass chemical

G-10 CHAPTER G- 19513 (US 16/788609) composition of the flint variety as is generally well known in the glass manufacturing industry.

Table 1: Glass Chemical Composition of Soda-Lime-Silica Flint Glass

For example, to achieve a soda-lime-silica flint glass chemical composition in the glass melt 22, the feed material 30 may include primary virgin raw materials such as quartz sand (crystalline SiCh), soda ash (Na2COs), and limestone (CaCCh) in the quantities needed to provide the requisite proportions of SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, respectively. Other virgin raw materials may also be included in the verifiable feed material 30 to contribute one or more of SiO2, Na2O, CaO and possibly other oxide and/or non-oxide materials in the glass melt 22 depending on the chemistry of the soda-lime-silica flint glass chemical composition being produced. These other virgin raw materials may include feldspar, dolomite, and calumite slag. Additionally, the feed material 30 may include secondary or minor virgin raw materials that provide the soda-lime-silica flint glass chemical composition with decolorants and/or redox agents that may be needed, and may further provide a source of chemical fining agents to assist with downstream bubble removal. The verifiable feed material 30 may even include up to 80 wt% cullet with the remainder typically being entirely or mostly virgin raw materials depending on a variety of factors.

The vitrifiable feed material 30 does not form a batch blanket that rests on top of the glass melt 22 as is customary in a conventional continuous melting furnace, but, rather, is rapidly disbanded and consumed by the turbulent glass melt 22. The dispersed feed material 30 is

G-l l CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) subjected to intense heat transfer and rapid particle dissolution throughout the glass melt 22 due to the vigorous melt agitation and shearing forces caused by the submerged bumer(s) 62. This causes the feed material 30 to quickly mix, react, and become chemically integrated into the glass melt 22. However, the agitation and stirring of the glass melt 22 by the discharge of the combustion products 68 from the submerged bumer(s) 62 also promotes bubble formation within the glass melt 22. Consequently, the glass melt 22 is foamy in nature and includes a homogeneous distribution of entrained gas bubbles. The entrained gas bubbles may account for 30 vol% to 60 vol% of the glass melt 22, which renders the density of the glass melt 22 relatively low, typically ranging from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ or, more narrowly, from 0.99 gm/cm ³ to 1.3 gm/cm ³ , for soda-lime-silica glass. The gaseous inclusions entrained within the glass melt 22 vary in size and may contain any of several gases including CO2, H2O (vapor), N2, SO2, CH4, CO, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 26 is drawn from the glass melt 22 and is chemically homogenized to the desired glass chemical composition, e.g., a soda-lime-silica flint glass chemical composition, but with the same relatively low density and entrained volume of gas bubbles as the glass melt 22. The foamy molten glass 36 is eventually directed to additional downstream equipment — with or without first being collected in the holding compartment 42 of the stilling vessel 38 — such as an individual section forming machine as applicable to glass containers for additional processing into glass articles. The glass melt 22 and the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10 can be formed into glass articles that meet flint glass color specifications under steady-state operation of the SC melter 10 by controlling four operating conditions of the SC melter 10. The identified SC melter operating conditions include: (1) the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to each of the one or more submerged burners 62; (2) the temperature of the glass melt 22 maintained in the interior reaction chamber 20 of the SC melter 10; (3) the specific throughput rate of the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10; and (4) the residence time of the glass melt 22.

For each of the one or more submerged burners 62, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G refers to the ratio of the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox (whether that be a flow rate of pure oxygen or a flow rate of oxygen within a gas, such as air, that contains oxygen) to the mass flow rate of fuel MFFUCI within the mass flow rate MFMIX of the combustible

^E q- ¹ G-12 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) gas mixture G relative to stoichiometry, as represented below in equation (1).

MF Ox Oxygen-to-Fuel Ratio = — — -

MF _Fuel

Stoichiometry is defined as the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox and the mass flow rate of the fuel MFFuei that are theoretically needed to fully consume each of the oxygen and fuel flows in the combustion reaction without yielding an excess of either constituent. For example, if methane is used as the fuel, stoichiometry would dictate that the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox and the mass flow rate of methane MFMeth as combined in the combustible gas mixture G satisfy the relationship MFox = 4.0(MFMeth). In another example, if propane is used as the fuel, stoichiometry would dictate that the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox and the mass flow rate of propane MFp _rop as combined in the combustible gas mixture G satisfy the relationship MFox = 3.63(MFp _rO p). The combustible gas mixture G injected from each of the submerged burners 62 may be at stoichiometry, may contain excess oxygen (lean) relative to stoichiometry, or may contain excess fuel (rich) relative to stoichiometry.

When supplying the submerged bumer(s) 62 with excess oxygen or excess fuel, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio may be expressed as a percentage in excess of (or above) stoichiometry. For example, and returning to the examples above, operating the submerged burners 62 at 10% excess oxygen would mean that the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox at each of the burners 62 would be MF ox = 4.4(MF _M eth) when the fuel is methane and MFox = 3.99(MFp _rO p) when the fuel is propane. The oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to each of the submerged burners 62 can be controlled by adjusting the flow rates of the oxygen and/or the fuel being supplied to the burners 62. Such adjustments can be performed through known automated control systems or by manual action. Here, in the presently disclosed method, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to each submerged burner 62 may range from stoichiometry (i.e., 0% excess oxygen and 0% excess fuel) to 30% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry or, more narrowly, from 15% excess oxygen to 25% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry.

The oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G at each of the submerged bumer(s) 62 can influence the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 by altering the chemistry of the melt 22. If the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G being injected by the submerged bumer(s) 62 is at stoichiometry, the combustion products 68 discharged into and through the glass

G-13 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) melt 22 contain only CO2 and H2O (and possibly unreacted inert gases such as N2 if the bumer(s) 62 are fed with air) along with no more than a negligible amount of other byproduct compounds. If the oxygen-to-fuel ratio is increased to above stoichiometry, excess oxygen will be contained within the combustion products 68 and discharged through the glass melt 22. Because the combustion products 68 discharged from each submerged burner 62 transfer heat and momentum to the glass melt 22 through intimate shearing contact, a change in the composition of the combustion products 68 initiated through change in the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G fed to the submerged burner(s) 62 can shift the redox ratio of the melt 22.

The oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G and the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 are inversely related. Increasing the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G injected by the submerged bumer(s) 62 to include excess oxygen above stoichiometry has an oxidizing effect on the glass melt 22 and, consequently, decreases the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 by decreasing the amount of Fe ²⁺ relative to Fe ³⁺ . This is because the excess uncombusted oxygen included in the combustion products 68 is free to react with and neutralize reducing agents in the glass melt 22. The excess oxygen may react with FeO (Fe ²⁺ ) to form Fe2C>3 (Fe ³⁺ ), sulfides to form sulfites or sulfates, carbon to form CO and/or CO2, as well as other reducing agents that may be present in the glass melt 22. All of these reactions shift the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 downwards either directly or indirectly.

The temperature of the glass melt 22 refers to the bulk average temperature of the melt 22. This temperature can be determined in one of several ways. For instance, the temperature of the glass melt 22 may be determined by taking a plurality of temperature measurements throughout the glass melt 22 and then averaging those measurements to obtain an arithmetic mean temperature. Anywhere from two to ten temperature measurements may be taken from various distributed locations within the melt 22 and used to compile the bulk average temperature of the glass melt 22 in this way. Alternatively, the temperature of the glass melt 22 can be determined by taking a single temperature measurement at a location within the melt 22 that is known or has been deemed to reflect the bulk average temperature of the melt 22. And, still further, the bulk average temperature of the glass melt 22 may be determined indirectly through modeling or calculations based on other measured properties related to the glass melt 22. The temperature of the glass melt 22 is dependent on the total flow of the combustion products 68 into and through the glass melt 22 as well as the weight of the glass melt 22 and, accordingly, can be adjusted as

G-14 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) needed by increasing or decreasing these parameters. In the presently disclosed method, the temperature of the glass melt 22 is controlled to range from 1200°C to 1500°C or, more narrowly, from 1330°C to 1380°C. Excessive glass temperatures in the glass melt 22 can increase the volatization rate of certain species in the glass including, for example, selenium. Because selenium masks the impact of iron impurities on the color of the glass, a loss of selenium may cause the color of the glass to shift towards the blue/green color brought on by iron, which may take the glass out of its flint color specification range alone or in combination with other glass properties.

The specific throughput rate of the molten glass 36 from the SC melter 10 refers to the quantity of foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10 in mass per unit of time per unit of cross-sectional area of the interior reaction chamber 20 at the height of the molten glass outlet 26. In other words, the specific throughput rate is the mass flow rate or mass throughput rate of the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 26 (MFoischarged Glass), which may be reported in US tons per day (tons/day), divided by the cross-sectional area of the interior reaction chamber 20 at the height of the molten glass outlet 26 (CAMeiter), which may be reported in meters- squared (m ² ), as represented below in Equation (2). c - f- n. < . „ . F Discharged Glass

Specific Throughput Rate = - — — -

Eq 2 CA _Meiter

/ Tons \ ₉

Typically reported in j J ^or (tons/day/m ² )

The units of the specific throughput rate of the foamy molten glass 36 are typically reported in tons/day/m ² as indicated above and can easily be calculated from any other units of weight, time, and area by simple mathematical conversions. The specific throughput rate of the molten glass 36 can be adjusted upwardly or downwardly by increasing or decreasing, respectively, the mass flow rate of the molten glass 36 being discharged from the SC melter 10 given a set cross-sectional area of the interior reaction chamber 20. To that end, when designing the SC melter 10, care should be taken to ensure that the cross-sectional area of the interior reaction chamber 20 is not too large or too small that the desired specific throughput rate of the molten glass 36 cannot be obtained using the intended range of mass flow rates for the discharged molten glass 36. In the presently disclosed method, the specific throughput rate of the foamy molten glass 36 being discharged from the SC melter 10 is controlled to range from 2 tons/day/m ² to 25 tons/day/m ² or, more narrowly, from 6 tons/day/m ² to 12 tons/day/m ² .

The residence time of the glass melt 22 refers to the theoretical average amount of time a

G-15 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) unit of weight of the glass melt 22 spends in the interior reaction chamber 20 before being discharged from the SC melter 10 as foamy molten glass 36. The residence time provides a rough indication of how long it takes for a unit of weight of the vitrifiable feed material 30 to become chemically integrated into and cycle through the glass melt 22 starting from the time the unit of feed material is introduced into the interior reaction chamber 20 to the time the unit of feed material is discharged from the chamber 20 as an equivalent unit of foamy molten glass 36. To calculate the residence time of the glass melt 22, the weight of the glass melt 22 (W Glass Melt) contained within the interior reaction chamber 20 is divided by the mass flow rate of the foamy molten glass 36 being discharged from the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 26 (MFoischarged Glass) as represented below in Equation (3).

Wpiass Melt

Residence Time =

MF Discharge Glass

The residence time of the glass melt 22 can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the mass flow rate of the foamy molten glass 36 being discharged from the SC melter 10 and/or by increasing or decreasing the weight the glass melt 22 contained in the interior reaction chamber 20. In the presently disclosed method, the residence time of the glass melt 22 is controlled to range from 1 hour to 10 hours or, more narrowly, from 2 hours to 4 hours.

The residence time of the glass melt 22 can influence the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 by affecting the volatilization of volatile compounds in the melt 22. Molten glass in general contains a number of volatile compounds including, most notably, sulfates, which volatize into gases over time. The volatization typically occurs at melt/gas interfaces. To that end, in a conventional continuous melting furnace, most of the volatization of volatile compounds occurs at the surface of the molten glass bath or in the immediate vicinity of bubbles contained in the glass bath as a result of trapped air or reactions involving the feed material. The volatilization mechanism is much different and much more rapid in submerged combustion melting. Not only are the combustion products 68 discharged from the submerged bumer(s) 62 fired directly into and through the glass melt 22, but the amount of bubbles entrained within the glass melt 22 is much greater compared to a molten glass bath in a conventional continuous melting furnace. As a result, the volatilization of volatile compounds occurs more rapidly in the glass melt 22 of the SC melter 10 than in a conventional continuous melting furnace and is much more sensitive to changes in

G-16 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) residence time.

The residence time of the glass melt 22 is directly proportional to the extent of volatilization of any volatile compounds, particularly sulfates, that are contained in the glass melt 22. When the residence time is increased, the extent of volatilization of the volatile compounds increases, and less of the volatile compounds are retained in the glass melt 22 and the glass produced therefrom. In the case of sulfates, for instance, an increase in the residence time of the glass melt 22 causes increased volatilization of the sulfates and, consequently, a decrease in the amount of retained sulfates, expressed as SO3, in the glass melt 22. And since SO3 acts as an oxidizing agent, a decrease in the amount of retained sulfates in the glass melt 22 renders the melt 22 more reduced and thus increases the redox ratio of the melt 22. Conversely, when the residence time is decreased, the extent of volatilization of the volatile compounds decreases, and more of the volatile compounds are retained in the glass melt and the glass produced therefrom. Referring again to the case of sulfates, a decrease in the residence time of the glass melt causes reduced volatilization of the sulfates and, consequently, an increase in the amount of retained sulfates in the glass melt. This renders the glass melt 22 more oxidized and thus decreases the redox ratio of the melt 22.

By regulating each of the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to each of the one or more submerged burners 62, the temperature of the glass melt 22 maintained in the interior reaction chamber 20 of the SC melter 10, the specific throughput rate of the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10, and the residence time of the glass melt 22 as indicated above, the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 and the glass chemical composition of the glass melt 22 are coordinated to ensure that glass articles that satisfy flint glass color specifications can be reliably produced from the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10. The operating conditions of the SC melter 10 are believed to have an oxidizing effect on the glass melt 22 and the foamy molten glass 36. In that regard, the need to include oxidizing agents, such as sulfates, in the vitrifiable feed material 30 may be reduced or even eliminated entirely since the operating condition(s) are able to perform essentially the same function, which in turn can reduce batch costs, preserve raw materials, and reduce SO _X emissions from the SC melter 10.

As mentioned above, the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10, which can produce glass articles that meet the specifications for flint glass, may be further processed downstream of the SC melter 10. For instance, and referring now to FIG. 3, the foamy molten glass 36 may have a soda-lime-silica flint glass chemical composition and be formed into glass

G-17 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) containers. In FIG. 3, the step of producing molten glass having such a chemical composition, step 80, involves the use and operation of the SC melter 10, as described above, to provide the discharged foamy molten glass 36 for further processing, regardless of whether or not the discharged foamy molten glass 36 is temporarily held in the stilling vessel 38 after exiting the SC melter 10. Next, in step 82, the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10 is formed into at least one, and preferably many, glass containers. The forming step 82 includes a refining step 84, a thermal conditioning step 86, and a forming step 88. These various sub-steps 84, 86, 88 of the forming step 82 can be carried out by any suitable practice including the use of conventional equipment and techniques.

The refining step 84 involves removing bubbles, seeds, and other gaseous inclusions from the foamy molten glass 36 so that the glass containers formed therefrom do not contain more than a commercially-acceptable amount of visual glass imperfections. To carry out such refining, the foamy molten glass 36 may be introduced into a molten glass bath contained within a fining chamber of a finer tank. The molten glass bath flows from an inlet end of the finer tank to an outlet end and is heated along that path by any of a wide variety of burners — most notably, flat flame overhead burners, sidewall pencil burners, overhead impingement burners, etc. — to increase the viscosity of the molten glass bath which, in turn, promotes the ascension and bursting of entrained bubbles. In many cases, the molten glass bath in the fining chamber is heated to a temperature between 1400°C to 1500°C. Additionally, chemical fining agents, if included in the vitrifiable feed material 30, may further facilitate bubble removal within the molten glass bath. Commonly used fining agents include sulfates that decompose to form O2. The O2 then readily ascends through the molten glass bath collecting smaller entrained bubbles along the way. As a result of the refining process that occurs in the finer tank, the molten glass bath typically has a density that ranges from 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ for soda-lime-silica glass at the outlet end of the finer tank, thus refining the discharged foamy molten glass 36 into a refined molten glass.

The refined molten glass attained in the fining chamber is then thermally conditioned in the thermal conditioning step 86. This involves cooling the refined molten glass at a controlled rate to a temperature and viscosity suitable for glass forming operations while also achieving a more uniform temperature profile within the refined molten glass. The refined molten glass is preferably cooled to a temperature between 1050°C to 1200°C to provide conditioned molten glass. The thermal conditioning of the refined molten glass may be performed in a separate

G-18 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) forehearth that receives the refined molten glass from the outlet end of the finer tank. A forehearth is an elongated structure that defines an extended channel along which overhead and/or sidewall mounted burners can consistently and smoothly reduce the temperature of the flowing refined molten glass. In another embodiment, however, the fining and thermal conditioning steps 84, 86 may be performed in a single structure that can accommodate both fining of the foamy molten glass 36 and thermal conditioning of the refined molten glass.

Glass containers are then formed or molded from the conditioned molten glass in the forming step 88. In a standard container-forming process, the conditioned molten glass is discharged from a glass feeder at the end of the finer/forehearth as molten glass streams or runners. The molten glass runners are sheared into individual gobs of a predetermined weight. Each gob falls into a gob delivery system and is directed into a blank mold of a glass container forming machine. Once in the blank mold, and with its temperature still between 1050°C and about 1200°C, the molten glass gob is pressed or blown into a parison or preform that includes a tubular wall. The parison is then transferred from the blank mold into a blow mold of the forming machine for final shaping into a container. Once the parison is received in the blow mold, the blow mold is closed and the parison is blown rapidly into the final container shape that matches the contour of the mold cavity using a compressed gas such as compressed air. Other approaches may of course be implemented to form the glass containers besides the press-and-blow and blow-and- blow forming techniques including, for instance, compression or other molding techniques.

The container formed within the blow mold has an axially closed base and a circumferential wall. The circumferential wall extends from the axially closed base to a mouth that defines an opening to a containment space defined by the axially closed base and the circumferential wall. The formed glass container is allowed to cool while in contact with the mold walls and is then removed from the blow mold and placed on a conveyor or other transport device. The glass container is then reheated and cooled at a controlled rate in an annealing lehr to relax thermally-induced strain and remove internal stress points. The annealing of the glass container involves heating the glass container to a temperature above the annealing point of the soda-lime- silica glass chemical composition, which usually lies within the range of 510°C to 550°C, followed by slowly cooling the container at a rate of l°C/min to 10°C/min to a temperature below the strain point of the soda-lime-silica glass, which typically falls within the range of 470°C to 500°C. The glass container may be cooled rapidly after it has been cooled to a temperature below the strain

G-19 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) point. Moreover, any of a variety of coatings may be applied to the surface of the glass container either before (hot-end coatings) or after (cold-end coatings) annealing for a variety of reasons.

There thus has been disclosed a method of producing flint molten glass using submerged combustion melting technology that satisfies one or more of the objects and aims previously set forth. The flint molten glass may be further processed into glass articles including, for example, glass containers. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

The claims of as-filed US 16/788609 include the following:

1.

A method of producing flint glass using submerged combustion melting, the method comprising: introducing a vitrifiable feed material (30) into a glass melt (22) contained within a submerged combustion melter (10), the submerged combustion melter comprising one or more submerged burners (62); discharging combustion products (68) from the one or more submerged burners directly into the glass melt, the one or more submerged burners combusting a combustible gas mixture (G) that comprises fuel and oxygen, and wherein an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture ranges from stoichiometry to 30% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry; maintaining a temperature of the glass melt between 1200°C and 1500°C; maintaining a residence time of the glass melt between 1 hour and 10 hours; and discharging flint molten glass (36) from the submerged combustion melter at a specific throughput rate that ranges from 2 tons per day per meter squared of cross-sectional area of the submerged combustion melter [tons/day/m ² ] to 25 tons/day/m ² .

2.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the oxygen-to-fuel ratio ranges from 15% excess

G-20 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) oxygen relative to stoichiometry to 25% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry.

3.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the temperature of the glass melt ranges from 1330°C to 1380°C.

4.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the residence time of the glass melt ranges from 2 hours to 4 hours.

5.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the specific throughput rate of the flint molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter ranges from 6 tons/day/m ² to 12 tons/day/m ² .

6.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the oxygen-to-fuel ratio ranges from 15% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry to 25% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry, the temperature of the glass melt ranges from 1330°C to 1380°C, the residence time of the glass melt ranges from 2 hours to 4 hours, and the specific throughput rate of the flint molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter ranges from 6 tons/day/m ² to 12 tons/day/m ² .

7.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the flint molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter has a density of 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ .

8.

The method set forth in claim 1, further comprising forming a glass article from the flint molten glass, and wherein the glass article meets flint glass specifications of a dominant wavelength that lies between 572 nm and 578 nm, a brightness above 50%, and a purity below 16%.

9.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the flint molten glass has a chemical composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiCh, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO.

10.

The method set forth in claim 9, further comprising: forming at least one glass container from the flint molten glass that is discharged from the

G-21 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) submerged combustion melter.

11.

The method set forth in claim 10, wherein forming at least one glass container comprises: refining the flint molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter at a temperature between 1400°C and 1500°C to obtain refined molten glass, the refined molten glass having a density that ranges from 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ ; thermally conditioning the refined molten glass to obtain a conditioned molten glass having a temperature between 1050°C and 1200°C; and delivering a molten glass gob of the conditioned molten glass into a glass container forming machine and forming a glass container from the molten glass gob.

12.

A method of forming at least one glass container from a glass melt produced in a submerged combustion melter, the method comprising: introducing a vitrifiable feed material (30) into a glass melt (22) contained within a submerged combustion melter (10), the submerged combustion melter comprising one or more submerged burners (62) and the vitrifiable feed material being formulated to provide the glass melt with a soda-lime-silica flint glass chemical composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiCh, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO, and 0 wt% to 2 wt% AI2O3; discharging combustion products (68) from the one or more submerged combustion burners directly into the glass melt, the one or more submerged burners combusting a combustible gas mixture (G) that comprises fuel and oxygen, wherein an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture ranges from stoichiometry to 30% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry; maintaining a temperature of the glass melt between 1200°C and 1500°C and a residence time of the glass melt between 1 hour and 10 hours; and discharging flint foamy molten glass (36) from the submerged combustion melter at a specific throughput rate that ranges from 2 tons per day per meter squared of cross-sectional area of the submerged combustion melter [tons/day/m ² ] to 25 tons/day/m ² .

13.

The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the oxygen-to-fuel ratio ranges from 15% excess

G-22 CHAPTER G - 19513 (US 16/788609) oxygen relative to stoichiometry to 25% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry.

14.

The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the temperature of the glass melt ranges from 1330°C to 1380°C.

15.

The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the residence time of the glass melt ranges from 2 hours to 4 hours.

16.

The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the specific throughput rate of the foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter ranges from 6 tons/day/m ² to 12 tons/day/m ² .

17.

The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the oxygen-to-fuel ratio ranges from 15% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry to 25% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry, the temperature of the glass melt ranges from 1330°C to 1380°C, the residence time of the glass melt ranges from 2 hours to 4 hours, and the specific throughput rate of the foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter ranges from 6 tons/day/m ² to 12 tons/day/m ² .

18.

The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the flint foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter has a density of 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ .

19.

The method set forth in claim 12, further comprising forming a glass article from the flint foamy molten glass, and wherein the glass article meets flint glass specifications of a dominant wavelength that lies between 572 nm and 578 nm, a brightness above 50%, and a purity below 16%.

20.

The method set forth in claim 12, further comprising: forming at least one glass container from the flint foamy molten glass that is discharged from the submerged combustion melter.

G-23 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631)

CHAPTER H: FEED MATERIAL FOR PRODUCING FLINT GLASS USING SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTING

The present disclosure is directed to the production of flint glass using submerged combustion technology.

Background

Glass is a rigid amorphous solid that has numerous applications. Soda-lime-silica glass, for example, is used extensively to manufacture flat glass articles, such as windows, hollow glass articles including containers such as bottles and jars, as well as tableware and other specialty articles. Soda-lime-silica glass comprises a disordered and spatially crosslinked ternary oxide network of SiC>2-Na2O-CaO. The silica component (SiCh) is the largest oxide by weight and constitutes the primary network forming material of soda-lime-silica glass. The Na2O component functions as a fluxing agent that reduces the melting, softening, and glass transition temperatures of the glass, as compared to pure silica glass, and the CaO component functions as a stabilizer that improves certain physical and chemical properties of the glass including its hardness and chemical resistance. The inclusion of Na2O and CaO in the chemistry of soda-lime-silica glass renders the commercial manufacture of glass articles more practical and less energy intensive while still yielding acceptable glass properties. Soda-lime-silica glass, in general and based on the total weight of the glass, has a glass chemical composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiO2, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO.

In addition to SiO2, Na2O, and CaO, the glass chemical composition of soda-lime-silica glass may include other oxide and non-oxide materials that act as network formers, network modifiers, colorants, decolorants, redox agents, or other agents that affect the properties of the final glass. Some examples of these additional materials include aluminum oxide (AI2O3), magnesium oxide (MgO), potassium oxide (K2O), carbon, sulfates, nitrates, fluorines, chlorines, and/or elemental or oxide forms of one or more of iron, arsenic, antimony, selenium, chromium, barium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, sulfur, vanadium, titanium, lead, copper, niobium, molybdenum, lithium, silver, strontium, cadmium, indium, tin, gold, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, europium, gadolinium, erbium, and uranium. Aluminum oxide is one of the more commonly included materials — typically present in an amount up to 2 wt% based on the total weight of the glass — because of its ability to improve the chemical durability of the glass and to

H-l CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) reduce the likelihood of devitrification. Regardless of what other oxide and/or non-oxide materials are present in the soda-lime-silica glass besides SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, the sum total of those additional materials is preferably 10 wt% or less, or more narrowly 5 wt% or less, based on the total weight of the soda-lime-silica glass.

Soda-lime-silica glass has long been produced in a continuous melting furnace. When operating such a furnace, a vitrifiable feed material is fed as a batch blanket on top of a large molten glass bath of a generally constant level contained in a melting chamber of the furnace. The molten glass bath is maintained at a temperature of about 1450°C or greater so that the added blanket of feed material can melt, react, and progress through several intermediate melt phases before becoming chemically integrated into the molten glass bath as the bath moves slowly through the melting chamber of the furnace towards a refining chamber located downstream of the melting chamber. In the refining chamber, entrained gas bubbles and dissolved gases are removed from the molten glass bath to yield refined molten glass that is further homogenized or conditioned in a forehearth in preparation for glass forming operations. The molten glass bath has conventionally been heated within the melting chamber by non-submerged burners that combust a mixture of fuel and oxidant within an open combustion zone atmosphere located above the molten glass bath. The burners are located in burner ports on opposite sidewalls of the refractory superstructure that partially defines the combustion zone (cross fired furnace) or in a back wall of the refractory superstructure (end port fired furnace). It typically takes 24 hours or longer for a unit of vitrifiable feed material to melt and react through a conventional glass melting and fining operation before exiting the melter as an equivalent unit of refined molten glass.

The finished glass article — such as a container, flat glass product, or tableware — is sometimes required to be colorless or nearly colorless. Colorless or nearly colorless glass is typically referred to in the industry as “flint” glass. To produce flint molten glass in a conventional continuous melting furnace, the vitrifiable feed material fed to the furnace is carefully formulated to minimize iron impurities and/or to mask the color tint caused by iron impurities. In general, certain components of the feed material may contain iron impurities-notably, sand, limestone, dolomite, and recycled glass. The iron may be present in two forms within the molten glass: (1) the ferrous or reduced state (Fe ²⁺ as FeO) or (2) the ferric or oxidized state (Fe ³⁺ as Fe2C>3). Iron in the Fe ²⁺ state imparts a blue-green color to the molten glass and iron in the Fe ³⁺ states imparts a yellow-green color. The ratio of Fe ²⁺ to total iron (Fe ²⁺ +Fe ³⁺ ) in the molten glass determines the

H-2 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) redox ratio of the glass and gives a general indication of whether the blue-green color or the yellow-green color will dominate visually. In that regard, when seeking to attain flint glass, a lower redox ratio is usually desired since the yellow-green color is less visually apparent and easier to mask with decolorants. A low redox ratio can be achieved by adding oxidizing agents into the feed material to shift the Fe ²⁺ /Fe ³⁺ equilibrium in the molten glass towards the Fe ³⁺ state and/or by including a substantial amount of recycled flint glass in the vitrifiable feed material to dilute the iron impurities contained in the virgin raw material components of the feed material.

Submerged combustion (SC) melting is a melting technology that is also capable of producing glass, including soda-lime-silica glass, and has recently gained interest as a potentially viable alternative to the melting process employed in a conventional continuous melting furnace. Contrary to conventional melting practices, SC melting involves injecting a combustible gas mixture that contains fuel and an oxidant directly into a glass melt contained in a melter, typically though submerged burners mounted in the floor or sidewalls of the melter and immersed by the glass melt. The oxidant may be oxygen, air, or any other gas that contains a percentage of oxygen. The combustible gas mixture autoignites and the resultant combustion products cause vigorous stirring and turbulence as they are discharged through the glass melt. The intense shearing forces experienced between the combustion products and the glass melt cause rapid heat transfer and particle dissolution throughout the molten glass compared to the slower kinetics of a conventional melting furnace in which the molten glass bath is heated primarily with radiant heat from overhead non-submerged burners. And while SC technology can melt and integrate the vitrifiable feed material into the glass melt relatively quickly, the glass melt tends to be foamy and have a relatively low-density despite being chemically homogenized when discharged from the melter. Indeed, the glass melt in an SC melter may include anywhere from 30 vol% to 60 vol% of entrained gas bubbles.

SC melting has not been incorporated into past commercial glass manufacturing operations that mass-produce container and float glass articles for a number of reasons. Apart from the challenges associated with fining a low-density foamy molten glass output and the durability of the burners, legacy vitrifiable feed material formulations specifically tailored to produce flint glass are not as reliable in actually producing flint glass when extended to SC melting. The reason for this discrepancy is believed to be related to the fundamentally different way in which the vitrifiable feed material is melted within a turbulent glass melt contained in an SC melter. In SC melting, as

H-3 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) explained above, combustion products are discharged from submerged burners directly into a turbulent glass melt, whereas in conventional legacy processes combustion products are discharged into an open atmosphere above a much calmer molten glass bath. The discharge of substantial quantities of combustion product gases through the glass melt and its resultant impact on the chemistry of the melt is believed to be the underlying reason why legacy feed material formulations do not necessarily translate to SC melting. Due to the absence of proven feed material and glass compositions tailored for flint glass, SC melting operations to produce flint glass, especially soda-lime-silica flint glass, that consistently meets strict color specifications have yet to be devised.

Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to a vitrifiable feed material composition and a resultant glass chemical composition of a glass melt derived therefrom that may be employed in conjunction with submerged combustion melting to produce flint glass. The vitrifiable feed material includes a base glass portion, an oxidizing agent, and a decolorant. The base glass portion contributes the primary glass-forming oxides of the glass chemical composition. With regards to soda-lime-silica glass, for example, the base glass portion contributes the necessary amounts of SiCh, Na2O, CaO, as well as AI2O3 if desired. The oxidizing agent is a compound that has an oxidizing effect on the glass and, therefore, shifts the Fe ²⁺ /Fe ³⁺ equilibrium towards the Fe ³⁺ state, thus reducing the redox ratio and driving the glass more towards a yellow-green color as opposed to a blue-green color. A preferred oxidizing agent that may be included in the vitrifiable feed material is a sulfate compound. Lastly, the decolorant is a compound that masks the color tint attributable to iron by absorbing visible light in the blue/green wavelengths (450 nm to 565 nm) and transmitting visible light in the yellow/red wavelengths (565 nm to 740 nm). Shifting the perceptible glass color towards the yellow hue has the effect of decolorizing the glass since a yellow hue is significantly less visually apparent than a blue or green hue. The decolorant may be selenium and/or manganese oxide (MnO).

The vitrifiable feed material is formulated specifically to produce flint glass by way of submerged combustion melting. Indeed, as will be explained in more detail below, the amounts of the oxidizing agent and the decolorant included in the vitrifiable feed material along with the base glass portion cannot be borrowed from legacy glassmaking operations in which the feed material is spread as a batch blanket on top of a slow-moving molten glass bath that is heated

H-4 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) radiantly from above by non-submerged burners; rather, the composition of the vitrifiable feed mixture is selected in view of the peculiar nature of submerged combustion melting and to accommodate various kinetic and chemical mechanisms that simply do not occur in a legacy continuous melting furnace. By adapting the composition of the vitrifiable feed material to better align with the peculiarities of submerged combustion melting, the molten glass obtained from the SC melter can consistently meet exacting flint glass specifications that are often mandated by the commercial container and flat glass articles industries. The disclosed method is particularly capable of producing soda-lime-silica flint glass for eventual forming into glass containers such as, for example, food and beverage bottles and jars.

In the present disclosure, the vitrifiable feed material is introduced into, and immediately intermixed with, a glass melt contained within a submerged combustion melter. The glass melt is agitated by the forceful discharge of combustion products directly into the melt from one or more submerged burners that are combusting a combustible gas mixture comprising a fuel and oxygen. To ensure that flint glass is produced, the glass melt includes 0.06 wt% total iron or less as expressed as Fe2C>3 and has a redox ratio of between 0.1 and 0.4. The prescribed redox ratio is preferably supported by a sulfate content as retained, that is to say dissolved, in the glass melt of between 0.08 wt% and 0.1 wt% as expressed as SO3. Additionally, to mask any color tint attributable to the iron, the glass melt includes between 0.0001 wt% and 0.0003 wt% selenium or between 0.1 wt% and 0.2 wt% manganese oxide. To compensate for conditions that exacerbate volatilization and naturally counteract oxidizing agents, and to ultimately provide the sulfate content and the selenium or manganese oxide content in the glass chemical composition in their respective amounts, the vitrifiable feed material contains 0.20 wt% to 0.50 wt% of the sulfate compound, expressed as SO3, and between 0.008 wt% and 0.016 wt% selenium or between 0.1 wt% and 0.2 wt% manganese oxide.

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other to provide a method for producing flint glass. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of producing flint glass using submerged combustion melting includes several steps. One step involves preparing a vitrifiable feed material that includes a base glass portion that provides primary glass-forming oxides, an oxidizing agent comprising a sulfate compound, and a decolorant comprising either selenium or manganese oxide. The vitrifiable feed material comprises between 0.20 wt% and 0.50 wt% of the sulfate compound,

H-5 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) expressed as SO3, and further comprises between 0.008 wt% and 0.016 wt% of selenium or between 0.1 wt% and 0.2 wt% of manganese oxide. Another step of the method involves introducing the vitrifiable feed material into a glass melt contained within a submerged combustion melter. The glass melt comprises a total iron content expressed as Fe2C>3 in an amount ranging from 0.04 wt% to 0.06 wt% and has a redox ratio that ranges from 0.1 to 0.4. The submerged combustion melter includes one or more submerged burners. Yet another step of the method involves discharging combustion products from the one or more submerged burners directly into and through the glass melt to thereby agitate the glass melt while intermixing and melting the vitrifiable feed material into the glass melt.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of producing soda-lime- silica flint glass using submerged combustion melting includes several steps. One step involves introducing a vitrifiable feed material into a glass melt contained within a submerged combustion melter. The vitrifiable feed material includes a base glass portion, which contributes SiO2, Na2O, and CaO to the glass melt, and either 0.008 wt% to 0.016 wt% of selenium or 0.1 wt% to 0.2 wt% of manganese oxide. Additionally, the glass melt comprises a total iron content expressed as Fe2C>3 in an amount ranging from 0.04 wt% to 0.06 wt% and has a redox ratio that ranges from 0.1 to 0.4. Another step of the method involves discharging combustion products from one or more submerged burners directly into and through the glass melt to thereby agitate the glass melt while intermixing and melting the vitrifiable feed material into the glass melt. Still another step of the method involves discharging molten glass from the submerged combustion melter. The molten glass has a density that ranges from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ . Yet another step of the method involves forming at least one glass article from the molten glass. The glass article meets flint glass specifications of a dominant wavelength that lies between 572 nm and 578 nm, a brightness above 50%, and a purity below 16%.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a vitrifiable feed material for producing flint glass by way of a process that uses submerged combustion melting includes a base glass portion, a sulfate compound, and either selenium or manganese oxide. The base glass portion includes an SiCF contributor, a Na2O contributor, and a CaO contributor to provide SiO2, Na2O, and CaO, respectively, to an agitated glass melt when melted therein. The sulfate compound is present in an amount ranging from 0.20 wt% to 0.50 wt% expressed as SO3, and the selenium is present in an amount ranging from 0.008 wt% to 0.016 wt% or the manganese oxide is present in

H-6 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) an amount ranging from 0.1 wt% to 0.2 wt%, based on the total weight of the vitrifiable feed material.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages, and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevated cross-sectional representation of a submerged combustion melter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the submerged combustion melter illustrated in FIG. 1 taken along section line 2-2; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram of a process for producing flint glass using a submerged combustion melter and then forming glass containers from the flint glass according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

A representative submerged combustion (SC) melter 10 is shown in FIGS. 1-2 to demonstrate the practice described herein for producing flint glass articles. The SC melter 10 includes a housing 12 that has a roof 14, a floor 16, and a surrounding upstanding wall 18 that connects the roof 14 and the floor 16. The surrounding upstanding wall 18 further includes a front end wall 18a, a rear end wall 18b that opposes and is spaced apart from the front end wall 18a, and two opposed lateral sidewalls 18c, 18d that connect the front end wall 18a and the rear end wall 18b. Together, the roof 14, the floor 16, and the surrounding upstanding wall 18 define an interior reaction chamber 20 of the melter 10 that contains a glass melt 22 when the melter 10 is operational. Each of the roof 14, the floor 16, and the surrounding upstanding wall 18 may be constructed to withstand the high temperature and corrosive nature of the glass melt 22. For example, each of those structures 14, 16, 18 may be constructed from a refractory material or one or more fluid cooled panels that support an interiorly-disposed refractory material having an in- situ formed frozen glass layer (not shown) in contact with the glass melt 22.

The housing 12 of the SC melter 10 defines a feed material inlet 24, a molten glass outlet 26, and an exhaust vent 28. Preferably, as shown best in FIG. 1, the feed material inlet 24 is defined in the roof 14 of the housing 12 proximate the front end wall 18a, and the molten glass

H-7 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) outlet 26 is defined in the rear end wall 18b of the housing 12 above the floor 16, although other locations for the feed material inlet 24 and the molten glass outlet 26 are certainly possible. The feed material inlet 24 provides an entrance to the interior reaction chamber 20 for the delivery of a vitrifiable feed material 30. A batch feeder 32 that is configured to introduce a metered amount of the feed material 30 into the interior reaction chamber 20 may be coupled to the housing 12. And while many designs are possible, the batch feeder 32 may, for example, include a rotating screw (not shown) that rotates within a feed tube 34 of a slightly larger diameter that communicates with the feed material inlet 24 to deliver the feed material 30 from a feed hopper into the interior reaction chamber 20 at a controlled rate.

The molten glass outlet 26 provides an exit from the interior reaction chamber 20 for the discharge of foamy molten glass 36 out of the SC melter 10. The discharged foamy molten glass 36 may, as shown, be introduced directly into a stilling vessel 38. The stilling vessel 38 includes a housing 40 that defines a holding compartment 42. The holding compartment 42 receives the foamy molten glass 36 that is discharged from the interior reaction chamber 20 of the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 26 and maintains an intermediate pool 44 of the molten glass having a constant steady state volume (i.e., ± 5 vol%). One or more impingement or nonimpingement burners 46 may be mounted in the housing 40 of the stilling vessel 38 to heat the intermediate pool 44 of molten glass and/or suppress or destroy any foam that may accumulate on top of the pool 44 of molten glass. A constant or intermittent flow 48 of molten glass may be dispensed from the intermediate pool 44 of molten glass maintained in the holding compartment 42 and out of the stilling vessel 38 by a spout 50 appended to the housing 40. The spout 50 may have a reciprocal plunger 52 that is operable to controllably dispense the flow 48 of molten glass through an orifice plate 54 so that any downstream equipment, such as a glass finer, can receive a controlled input of molten glass. A more complete description of a stilling vessel that may receive the discharged foamy molten glass 36 is disclosed in a U.S. Application No. 16/590,068, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Of course, in other embodiments, the stilling vessel 38 may be omitted and the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the interior reaction chamber 20 of the SC melter 10 may be introduced directly into a glass finer or elsewhere.

The exhaust vent 28 is preferably defined in the roof 14 of the housing 12 between the front end wall 18a and the rear end wall 18b at a location downstream from the feed material inlet 24.

H-8 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631)

An exhaust duct 56 communicates with the exhaust vent 28 and is configured to remove gaseous compounds from the interior reaction chamber 20. The gaseous compounds removed through the exhaust duct 56 may be treated, recycled, or otherwise managed away from the SC melter 10 as needed. To help prevent or at least minimize the loss of some of the vitrifiable feed material 30 through the exhaust vent 28 as unintentional feed material castoff, a partition wall 58 that depends from the roof 14 of the housing 12 may be positioned between the feed material inlet 24 and the exhaust vent 28. The partition wall 58 may include a lower free end 60 that is submerged within the glass melt 22, as illustrated, or it may be positioned close to, but above, the glass melt 22. The partition wall 58 may be constructed similarly to the roof 14, the floor 16, and the surrounding upstanding wall 18, but it does not necessarily have to be so constructed.

The SC melter 10 includes one or more submerged burners 62. Each of the one or more submerged burners 62 is mounted in a port 64 defined in the floor 14 (as shown) and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 18 at a location immersed by the glass melt 22. Each of the submerged bumer(s) 62 forcibly injects a combustible gas mixture G into the glass melt 22 through an output nozzle 66. The combustible gas mixture G comprises fuel and oxygen. The fuel supplied to the submerged bumer(s) 62 is preferably methane or propane, and the oxygen may be supplied as pure oxygen, in which case the burner(s) 62 are oxy-fuel burners, or it may be supplied as a component of air or an oxygen-enriched gas that includes at least 20 vol% and, preferably, at least 50 vol% O2. Upon being injected into the glass melt 22, the combustible gas mixture G immediately autoignites to produce combustion products 68 — namely, CO2, CO, H2O, and any uncombusted fuel, oxygen, and/or other gas compounds such as nitrogen — that are discharged into and through the glass melt 22. Anywhere from five to thirty submerged burners 62 are typically installed in the SC melter 10 although more or less burners 62 may certainly be employed depending on the size and melt capacity of the melter 10.

The combustible gas mixture G is supplied to and injected from each of the submerged bumer(s) 62 at a mass flow rate MFMix. The mass flow rate MFMIX of the combustible gas mixture G at each burner 62 comprises a mass flow rate of oxygen MFox and a mass flow rate of fuel MFFUCI, which may be a mass flow rate of methane MFMeth or a mass flow rate of propane MFp _rop , plus mass flow rates of other gases such as nitrogen or another inert gas if the oxygen is supplied via air or an oxy gen-enriched gas. In terms of supplying the submerged burner(s) 62 with the combustible gas mixture G at the appropriate overall mass flow rate MFM _L as well as the

H-9 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) appropriate mixture of oxygen and fuel flow rates MFox, MFpuei, each of the burner(s) 62 may be fluidly coupled to an oxidant (oxygen, oxygen-enriched gas, or air) supply manifold and a fuel supply manifold by a flow conduit that is equipped with sensors and valves to allow for precise control of the mass flow rates MFMIX, MFOX, MFFUCI related to the combustible gas mixture G supplied to the bumer(s) 62 and injected through the burner nozzle(s) 66.

During operation of the SC melter 10, and referring now specifically to FIG. 1, each of the one or more submerged burners 62 individually discharges combustion products 68 directly into and through the glass melt 22. The glass melt 22 is a volume of molten glass that often weighs between 1 US ton (1 US ton = 2,000 lbs) and 100 US tons and is generally maintained at a constant volume during steady-state operation of the SC melter 10. As the combustion products 68 are thrust into and through the glass melt 22, which creates complex flow patterns and severe turbulence, the glass melt 22 is vigorously agitated and experiences rapid heat transfer and intense shearing forces. The combustion products 68 eventually escape the glass melt 22 and are removed from the interior reaction chamber 20 through the exhaust vent 28 along with any other gaseous compounds that may volatize out of the glass melt 22. Additionally, in some circumstances, one or more non-submerged burners (not shown) may be mounted in the roof 14 and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 18 at a location above the glass melt 22 to provide heat to the glass melt 22, either directly by flame impingement or indirectly through radiant heat transfer, and to also facilitate foam suppression and/or destruction.

While the one or more submerged burners 62 are being fired into the glass melt 22, the vitrifiable feed material 30 is controllably introduced into the interior reaction chamber 20 through the feed material inlet 24. The vitrifiable feed material 30 does not form a batch blanket that rests on top of the glass melt 22 as is customary in a conventional continuous melting furnace, but, rather, is rapidly disbanded and consumed by the turbulent glass melt 22. The dispersed vitrifiable feed material 30 is subjected to intense heat transfer and rapid particle dissolution throughout the glass melt 22 due to the vigorous melt agitation and shearing forces caused by the submerged bumer(s) 62. This causes the feed material 30 to quickly mix, react, and become chemically integrated into the glass melt 22. However, the agitation and stirring of the glass melt 22 by the discharge of the combustion products 68 from the submerged bumer(s) 62 also promotes bubble formation within the glass melt 22. Consequently, the glass melt 22 is foamy in nature and includes a homogeneous distribution of entrained gas bubbles. The entrained gas bubbles may account for

H-10 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631)

30 vol% to 60 vol% of the glass melt 22, which renders the density of the glass melt 22 relatively low, typically ranging from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ or, more narrowly, from 0.99 gm/cm ³ to 1.3 gm/cm ³ , for soda-lime-silica glass. The gaseous inclusions entrained within the glass melt 22 vary in size and may contain any of several gases including CO2, H2O (vapor), N2, SO2, CH4, CO, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The vitrifiable feed material 30 is formulated in accordance with the present disclosure to be melt-reacted into the glass melt 22 contained within the interior reaction chamber 20 of the SC melter 10 and to ensure that the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the interior reaction chamber 20 through the molten glass outlet 26 can produce flint glass articles that meet flint glass color specifications. Flint soda-lime-silica glass, for instance, is visually transparent when solidified to a room temperature (i.e., 25°C) viscosity. The visual transparency of flint glass is demonstrated by a dominant wavelength that lies between 572 nm and 578 nm, a brightness above 50%, and a purity below 16%. These three color specifications are measurable by a UV-Vis spectrometer using the standard illuminant C, with a 2 degree observer and sample thickness of 38 mm, according to the method of ASTM E308 (the American Society of Testing Materials). Molten soda-lime-silica glass produced in the SC melter 10 that meets these color specifications when solidified can be refined, conditioned, and formed into glass containers downstream of the SC melter 10, as will be further described below in connection with FIG. 3, in addition to other finished glass articles.

The vitrifiable feed material 30 includes three main components: (1) a base glass portion; (2) an oxidizing agent; and (3) a decolorant. The base glass portion is a physical mixture of virgin raw materials and optionally flint cullet (i.e., recycled glass) that contributes the primary glass-forming oxides of the glass chemical composition of the melt 22 in the correct proportions. With regards to soda-lime-silica glass, the base glass portion contributes the necessary amounts of SiC>2, Na2O, CaO, as set forth below in Table 1 in which weight percents are listed as a percentage of the total weight of the glass, along with any of the following optional oxides: AI2O3; MgO; and/or K2O. For example, to achieve a soda-lime-silica flint glass chemical composition in the glass melt 22, the vitrifiable feed material 30 may include an SiCh contributor such as quartz sand (crystalline SiCh), an Na2O contributor such as soda ash (IsfeCCh), a CaO contributor such as limestone (CaCOs), and an AI2O3 contributor such as feldspar or nepheline syenite in the quantities needed to provide the requisite proportions of SiO2, Na2O, CaO, and AI2O3 respectively, in the

H-l l CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) glass melt 22. The base glass portion may also include up to 80 wt% flint cullet, which meets the flint color specifications listed above, as a source of SiCh, Na2O, CaO, and AI2O3, if desired, with the remainder being entirely or mostly virgin raw materials.

Table 1: Glass Chemical Composition of Soda-Lime-Silica Flint Glass

The base glass portion of the vitrifiable feed material 30 oftentimes contains iron impurities. These iron impurities, as mentioned above, can impart a color tint or hue to the glass when solidified that ranges from blue-green to yellow-green depending on the redox ratio of the glass. To help ensure the production of flint glass, the vitrifiable feed material 30 should contain low iron impurities so that the total iron content in the glass melt 22 expressed as Fe2C>3 is 0.06 wt% or less, and preferably between 0.01 wt% and 0.06 wt%, depending on the strictness of the flint glass color standard being applied. A primary way in which low iron impurities can be achieved in the base glass portion, and thus the vitrifiable feed material 30, is by including low- iron quartz sand in the feed material 30, which can be readily acquired, and/or by including an increased proportion of flint cullet in the feed material 30 since the flint cullet already contains a low iron content as a result of its production history.

In addition to providing the glass melt 22 with a low iron content, the vitrifiable feed material 30 also helps to provide the glass melt 22 with a redox ratio of between 0.1 and 0.4. The redox ratio of the glass melt 22 is the ratio of Fe ²⁺ to total iron (Fe ²⁺ +Fe ³⁺ ) as expressed by the equation [(Fe ²⁺ )/(Fe ²⁺ +Fe ³⁺ )]. A redox ratio of between 0.1 and 0.4 shifts the color tint or hue attributable to any iron contained in the glass melt 22 away from blue-green and towards yellow-green, which is noteworthy since the yellow-green hue is easier to mask with the decolorant. The oxidizing agent included in the vitrifiable feed material 30 helps support the prescribed redox ratio of the glass melt 22. In particular, the oxidizing agent included in the

H-12 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) vitrifiable feed material 30 is preferably a sulfate compound — such as sodium sulfate (TSfeSC or salt cake) or calcium sulfate (CaSC>4 or gypsum) — that decomposes within the glass melt to release SO2 and O2, which, in turn, oxidizes the glass melt 22. To support the prescribed redox ratio and make it easier to decolorize the melt 22, that glass melt 22 preferably has a sulfate content as retained in the glass of between 0.08 wt% and 0.1 wt% as expressed as SO3.

The composition of the vitrifiable feed material 30 needed to reach a retained sulfate content in the glass melt 22 of between 0.08 wt% and 0.1 wt% as expressed as SO3 generally cannot be ascertained from feed material compositions devised for flint glass production in legacy continuous melting furnaces. This is most likely due to the completely different kinetic and chemical mechanisms occurring in the glass melt 22 of the SC melter 10, which is severely agitated by combustion products 68 that are discharged directly into and through the melt 22, compared to a molten glass bath of a legacy furnace that is heated radiantly from above and that flows slowly as a result of convective heat currents. In addition to discharging combustion products 68 directly into and through the glass melt 22 to generate a large volume percentage of bubbles in the glass melt 22 — which bubbles primarily contain combustion product gases as opposed to batch reaction gases — the intimate shearing contact experienced between the combustion products 68 and the glass melt 22 are believed to input carbon species, such as CO2 and CO, into the glass melt 22, possibly beyond saturation limits. It is also theorized that the intimate shearing contact between the combustion products 68 and the glass melt 22 may scavenge O2 from oxygen-containing species within the melt 22 to assist with the combustion of the combustible gas mixture G injected by the submerged burner(s) 62. These gas-melt interactions are unique to submerged combustion melting and tend to frustrate sulfate solubility in the glass melt 22.

When operating the SC melter 10, it has been determined that the large quantity of bubbles generated within the glass melt 22 and the resultant high surface area of the melt/gas interface, the shearing forces experienced between the combustion products 68 and the melt 22, the infusion of carbon species into the melt 22, and the scavenging of O2 out of the melt 22 all exacerbate the volatilization of sulfates from the melt 22. The increased volatilization of sulfates based on the inherent nature of submerged combustion melting — in particular the discharge of combustion products 68 directly into the glass melt 22 — leads to the retention of less dissolved sulfates in the glass melt 22 while more SO2 and O2 is evolved. This means that the vitrifiable feed material 30 fed to the SC melter 10 needs to be overdosed with the sulfate compound to compensate for sulfate

H-13 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) volatilization as compared to legacy feed material formulations tailored for the mechanics of a slow-moving and radiantly heated molten glass bath. To that end, the vitrifiable feed material 30 may be formulated to contain 0.20 wt% to 0.50 wt% of the sulfate compound, expressed as SO3, based on the total weight of the vitrifiable feed material 30, which is about double of what is typically required in legacy feed material compositions to obtain the same retained sulfate content (i.e., 0.08 wt% and 0.1 wt% as expressed as SO3) in the glass.

The decolorant included in the vitrifiable feed material 30 decolorizes the glass melt 22 (and consequently the glass of a formed glass article derived therefrom) by masking the yellow-green color tint in the glass melt 22 that may be imparted by the iron content. The decolorant may be selenium or manganese oxide. In one embodiment, the decolorant may be selenium, and in that case the selenium content in the glass melt 22 is preferably between 0.0001 wt% and 0.0003 wt%. And, like before with the sulfate oxidizing agent, the composition of the vitrifiable feed material 30 needed to reach that retained selenium content in the glass melt 22 generally cannot be ascertained from feed material compositions devised for flint glass production in legacy continuous melting furnaces. Similar to sulfates, selenium is susceptible to volatilization from the glass melt 22, mostly as a result of the large quantity of bubbles generated in the glass melt 22 and the accompanying high melt/gas interface, plus the shearing action between the combustion products 68 and the melt 22. In fact, selenium volatilization appears to be more aggressive than sulfate volatilization. To compensate for the higher volatilization of selenium as compared to legacy feed material formulations tailored for the mechanics of a slow-moving and radiantly heated molten glass bath, the vitrifiable feed material 30 may be formulated to contain 0.008 wt% to 0.016 wt% selenium based on the total weight of the vitrifiable feed material 30, which is approximately six to seven times more selenium than is typically required in legacy feed material compositions to obtain the same retained selenium content (i.e., 0.0001 wt% to 0.0003 wt%) in the glass.

In an alternative embodiment, the decolorant may be manganese oxide, and in that case the manganese oxide content in the glass melt 22 is preferably between 0.1 wt% and 0.2 wt%. Manganese oxide not only decolorizes the glass but also has an oxidizing effect. The use of manganese oxide as the decolorant can thus allow for an offsetting decrease in the amount of the oxidizing agent that needs to be included in the vitrifiable feed material 30 and retained in the glass melt 22 in order to maintain a redox ratio in the melt 22 of between 0.1 and 0.4, or it can shift the

H-14 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) redox ratio downwardly towards the lower end of the 0.1 to 0.4 range in conjunction with the oxidizing agent if an offsetting decrease in the oxidizing agent is not implemented. Additionally, and in contrast to sulfates and selenium, manganese oxide is far less susceptible to volatilization in the glass melt 22. The amount of manganese oxide included in the vitrifiable feed material 30 is the same amount that will typically be retained in the glass melt 22. In that regard, the vitrifiable feed material 30 may be formulated to contain between 0.1 wt% and 0.2 wt% manganese oxide based on the total weight of the vitrifiable feed material 30 to achieve the same manganese content in the glass melt 22.

The amount of the selected decolorant included in the vitrifiable feed material 30 can vary within its specified range based on the amount of total iron (expressed as Fe2C>3) present in the glass melt 22. As the iron content decreases, the respective quantities of selenium and manganese oxide that need to be retained in the glass melt 22 also decreases, and vice versa. When forming soda-lime-silica glass articles, for example, the glass chemical composition of the glass melt 22 includes SiCh, Na2O, CaO, and optionally AI2O3, plus retained sulfates, as explained above, and also includes either selenium or manganese oxide with the exact minimal amount of the selenium or manganese oxide needed to mask the color tint attributable to iron being variable based on the iron content of the glass melt 22. In the two tables below, an exemplary glass chemical composition for soda-lime-silica glass is disclosed at various total iron contents along with retained sulfate (SO3 in glass) content and either retained selenium content (Se in glass; Table 2) or retained manganese oxide (MnO; Table 3) content. In addition, the two tables also recite the amount of sulfate compound (SO3 input) and the amount of selenium (Se input; Table 2) or manganese oxide (MnO; Table 3) included in the vitrifiable feed material that have been shown to arrive at the retained sulfate and selenium/manganese oxide contents of the glass.

Table 2: Exemplary Glass Chemical Composition with Se as Decolorant

H-15 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631)

Table 3: Exemplary Glass Chemical Composition with MnO as Decolorant

The vi trifiable feed material 30 and the glass chemical composition of the glass melt 22 can thus be adapted for the production of flint glass articles in a way that is more conducive to the peculiar manner in which the feed material 30 is melted and intermixed within the SC melter 10 while being exposed to high shearing combustion products 68 discharged directly into the melt 22. Indeed, the composition of the vitrifiable feed material 30 can render the glass melt 22 colorless or nearly colorless within tight color specifications while affording the same quality to the foamy molten glass 36 drawn from the glass melt 22 and any glass articles ultimately formed from the foamy molten glass 36. And while there is no specific manner in which the SC melter 10 must necessarily be operated, it has been found that controlling four operating conditions of the SC melter 10 to within certain parameters can help optimize the SC melter for reliable flint glass production. The four SC melter 10 operating conditions relevant here are (1) the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to each of the one or more submerged burners 62, (2) the temperature of the glass melt 22 maintained in the interior reaction chamber 20 of the SC

H-16 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) melter 10, (3) the specific throughput rate of the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10, and (4) the residence time of the glass melt 22.

For each of the one or more submerged burners 62, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G refers to the ratio of the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox (whether that be a flow rate of pure oxygen or a flow rate of oxygen within a gas, such as air, that contains oxygen) to the mass flow rate of fuel MFFUCI within the mass flow rate MFMIX of the combustible gas mixture G relative to stoichiometry, as represented in the equation below.

MF Ox Oxygen-to-Fuel Ratio = — — -

MF Fuel

Stoichiometry is defii^i q.s the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox and the mass flow rate of the fuel MFFUCI that are theoretically needed to fully consume each of the oxygen and fuel flows in the combustion reaction without yielding an excess of either constituent. For example, if methane is used as the fuel, stoichiometry would dictate that the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox and the mass flow rate of methane MFMeth as combined in the combustible gas mixture G satisfy the relationship MFox = 4.0(MFMeth). In another example, if propane is used as the fuel, stoichiometry would dictate that the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox and the mass flow rate of propane MFp _rop as combined in the combustible gas mixture G satisfy the relationship MFox = 3.63(MFp _rop ). The combustible gas mixture G injected from each of the submerged burners 62 may be at stoichiometry, may contain excess oxygen (lean) relative to stoichiometry, or may contain excess fuel (rich) relative to stoichiometry.

When supplying the submerged bumer(s) 62 with excess oxygen or excess fuel, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio may be expressed as a percentage in excess of (or above) stoichiometry. For example, and returning to the examples above, operating the submerged burners 62 at 10% excess oxygen would mean that the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox at each of the burners 62 would be MF ox = 4.4(MF _M eth) when the fuel is methane and MFox = 3.99(MFp _rop ) when the fuel is propane. The oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to each of the submerged burners 62 can be controlled by adjusting the flow rates of the oxygen and/or the fuel being supplied to the burners 62. Such adjustments can be performed through known automated control systems or by manual action. Here, in the presently disclosed method, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to each submerged burner 62 may range from stoichiometry (i.e., 0% excess oxygen and 0% excess fuel) to 30% excess oxygen relative to

H-17 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) stoichiometry or, more narrowly, from 15% excess oxygen to 25% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry.

The temperature of the glass melt 22 refers to the bulk average temperature of the melt 22. This temperature can be determined in one of several ways. For instance, the temperature of the glass melt 22 may be determined by taking a plurality of temperature measurements throughout the glass melt 22 and then averaging those measurements to obtain an arithmetic mean temperature. Anywhere from two to ten temperature measurements may be taken from various distributed locations within the melt 22 and used to compile the bulk average temperature of the glass melt 22 in this way. Alternatively, the temperature of the glass melt 22 can be determined by taking a single temperature measurement at a location within the melt 22 that is known or has been deemed to reflect the bulk average temperature of the melt 22. And, still further, the bulk average temperature of the glass melt 22 may be determined indirectly through modeling or calculations based on other measured properties related to the glass melt 22. The temperature of the glass melt 22 is dependent on the total flow of the combustion products 68 into and through the glass melt 22 as well as the weight of the glass melt 22 and, accordingly, can be adjusted as needed by increasing or decreasing these parameters. In the presently disclosed method, the temperature of the glass melt 22 is controlled to range from 1200°C to 1500°C or, more narrowly, from 1330°C to 1380°C. Excessive glass temperatures in the glass melt 22 can increase the volatization rate of certain species including, for example, selenium and sulfates, which may take the glass out of its flint color specification range alone or in combination with other glass properties.

The specific throughput rate of the molten glass 36 from the SC melter 10 refers to the quantity of foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10 in mass per unit of time per unit of cross-sectional area of the interior reaction chamber 20 at the height of the molten glass outlet 26. In other words, the specific throughput rate is the mass flow rate or mass throughput rate of the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 26 (MFoischarged Glass), which may be reported in US tons per day (tons/day), divided by the cross-sectional area of the interior reaction chamber 20 at the height of the molten glass outlet 26 (CAMeiter), which may be reported in meters- squared (m ² ), as represented in the equation below. c MF Discharged Glass

Specific Throughput Rate = — — -

C% _c | _lcr

Eq. 2

H-18 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631)

/ Tons \ ₇

Typically reported in j J ^or (tons/day/m )

The units of the specific throughput rate of the foamy molten glass 36 are typically reported in tons/day/m ² as indicated above and can easily be calculated from any other units of weight, time, and area by simple mathematical conversions. The specific throughput rate of the molten glass 36 can be adjusted upwardly or downwardly by increasing or decreasing, respectively, the mass flow rate of the foamy molten glass 36 being discharged from the SC melter 10 given a set cross-sectional area of the interior reaction chamber 20. To that end, when designing the SC melter 10, care should be taken to ensure that the cross-sectional area of the interior reaction chamber 20 is not too large or too small that the desired specific throughput rate of the molten glass 36 cannot be obtained using the intended range of mass flow rates for the discharged molten glass 36. In the presently disclosed method, the specific throughput rate of the foamy molten glass 36 being discharged from the SC melter 10 is controlled to range from 2 tons/day/m ² to 25 tons/day/m ² or, more narrowly, from 6 tons/day/m ² to 12 tons/day/m ² .

The residence time of the glass melt 22 refers to the theoretical average amount of time a unit of weight of the glass melt 22 spends in the interior reaction chamber 20 before being discharged from the SC melter 10 as foamy molten glass 36. The residence time provides a rough indication of how long it takes for a unit of weight of the vitrifiable feed material 30 to become chemically integrated into and cycle through the glass melt 22 starting from the time the unit of feed material is introduced into the interior reaction chamber 20 to the time the unit of feed material is discharged from the chamber 20 as an equivalent unit of foamy molten glass 36. To calculate the residence time of the glass melt 22, the weight of the glass melt 22 (W Glass Melt) contained within the interior reaction chamber 20 is divided by the mass flow rate of the foamy molten glass 36 being discharged from the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 26 (MFoischarged Glass) as represented below in equation (3). • rr-

Eq. 3 Residence Time

The residence time of the glass melt 22 can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the mass flow rate of the foamy molten glass 36 being discharged from the SC melter 10 and/or by increasing or decreasing the weight the glass melt 22 contained in the interior reaction chamber 20. In the presently disclosed method, the residence time of the glass melt 22 is controlled to range from 1 hour to 10 hours or, more narrowly, from 2 hours to 4 hours.

H-19 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631)

Referring still to FIG. 1, the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 26 is drawn from the glass melt 22 and is chemically homogenized to the desired glass chemical composition, e.g., a soda-lime-silica flint glass chemical composition, but with the same relatively low density and entrained volume of gas bubbles as the glass melt 22. The foamy molten glass 36 is eventually directed to additional downstream equipment — with or without first being collected in the holding compartment 42 of the stilling vessel 38 — for additional processing into glass articles. The foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10 can be formed into glass articles that meet flint glass color specifications by subsequently fining and conditioning the foamy molten glass followed by forming the conditioned molten glass into a finished article. A preferred process for forming flint glass containers from the foamy molten glass 36 drawn from the glass melt 22 of the SC melter 10 is set forth in FIG. 3. Other processes may of course be employed to ultimately convert the discharged foamy molten glass 36 into finished flint glass articles.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10, which can produce glass articles that meet the specifications for flint glass, may be further processed downstream of the SC melter 10. Specifically, the foamy molten glass 36 may have a soda-lime-silica flint glass chemical composition and be formed into glass containers. In FIG. 3, the step of producing molten glass having such a glass chemical composition, step 80, involves the use and operation of the SC melter 10, as described above, to provide the discharged foamy molten glass 36 for further processing, regardless of whether or not the discharged foamy molten glass 36 is temporarily held in the stilling vessel 38 after exiting the SC melter 10. Next, in step 82, the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10 is formed into at least one, and preferably a plurality of, glass containers. The forming step 82 includes a refining step 84, a thermal conditioning step 86, and a forming step 88. These various sub-steps 84, 86, 88 of the forming step 82 can be carried out by any suitable practice including the use of conventional equipment and techniques.

The refining step 84 involves removing gas bubbles, including seeds, and other gaseous inclusions from the foamy molten glass 36 so that the glass containers formed therefrom do not contain more than a commercially-acceptable amount of visual glass imperfections. To carry out such refining, the foamy molten glass 36 may be introduced into a molten glass bath contained within a fining chamber of a finer tank. The molten glass bath flows from an inlet end of the finer

H-20 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) tank to an outlet end and is heated along that path by any of a wide variety of burners — most notably, flat flame overhead burners, sidewall pencil burners, overhead impingement burners, etc. — to increase the viscosity of the molten glass bath which, in turn, promotes the ascension and bursting of entrained gas bubbles. In many cases, the molten glass bath in the fining chamber is heated to a temperature between 1400°C to 1500°C. Additionally, chemical fining agents, if included in the vitrifiable feed material 30, may further facilitate bubble removal within the molten glass bath. The sulfate compound added to the vitrifiable feed material 30 to support the prescribed redox ratio of the glass melt 22 may additionally function as a fining agent because it decomposes to form SO2 and O2. These gases readily ascend through the molten glass bath while collecting smaller entrained bubbles along the way. As a result of the refining process that occurs in the finer tank, the molten glass bath typically has a density that ranges from 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ for soda-lime-silica glass at the outlet end of the finer tank, thus refining the discharged foamy molten glass 36 into a refined molten glass.

The refined molten glass attained in the fining chamber is then thermally conditioned in the thermal conditioning step 86. This involves cooling the refined molten glass at a controlled rate to a temperature and viscosity suitable for glass forming operations while also achieving a more uniform temperature profile within the refined molten glass. The refined molten glass is preferably cooled to a temperature between 1050°C and 1200°C to provide conditioned molten glass. The thermal conditioning of the refined molten glass may be performed in a separate forehearth that receives the refined molten glass from the outlet end of the finer tank. A forehearth is an elongated structure that defines an extended channel along which overhead and/or sidewall mounted burners can consistently and smoothly reduce the temperature of the flowing refined molten glass. In another embodiment, however, the fining and thermal conditioning steps 84, 86 may be performed in a single structure that can accommodate both fining of the foamy molten glass 36 and thermal conditioning of the refined molten glass.

Glass containers are then formed from the conditioned molten glass in the forming step 88. In a standard container-forming process, the conditioned molten glass is discharged from a glass feeder at the end of the finer/forehearth as molten glass streams or runners. The molten glass runners are sheared into individual gobs of a predetermined weight. Each gob falls into a gob delivery system and is directed into a blank mold of a glass container forming machine. Once in the blank mold, and with its temperature still between 1050°C to about 1200°C, the molten glass

H-21 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) gob is pressed or blown into a parison or preform that includes a tubular wall. The parison is then transferred from the blank mold into a blow mold of the forming machine for final shaping into a container. Once the parison is received in the blow mold, the blow mold is closed and the parison is blown rapidly into the final container shape that matches the contour of the mold cavity using a compressed gas such as compressed air. Other approaches may of course be implemented to form the glass containers besides the press-and-blow and blow-and-blow forming techniques including, for instance, molding techniques.

The container formed within the blow mold has an axially closed base and a circumferential wall. The circumferential wall extends from the axially closed base to a mouth that defines an opening to a containment space defined by the axially closed base and the circumferential wall. The formed glass container is allowed to cool while in contact with the mold walls and is then removed from the blow mold and placed on a conveyor or other transport device. The glass container is then reheated and cooled at a controlled rate in an annealing lehr to relax thermally-induced strain and remove internal stress points. The annealing of the glass container involves heating the glass container to a temperature above the annealing point of the soda-lime- silica flint glass chemical composition, which usually lies within the range of 510°C to 550°C, followed by slowly cooling the container at a rate of l°C/min to 10°C/min to a temperature below the strain point of the soda-lime-silica glass flint glass chemical composition, which typically falls within the range of 470°C to 500°C. The glass container may be cooled rapidly after it has been cooled to a temperature below the strain point. Moreover, any of a variety of coatings may be applied to the surface of the glass container either before (hot-end coatings) or after (cold-end coatings) annealing for a variety of reasons.

EXAMPLES

A number of flint glass production runs were carried out in accordance with the present disclosure to demonstrate that strict color glass specifications for flint glass could reliably be met. As shown below in examples 1-5, a vitrifiable feed material was prepared that included a soda- lime-silica base glass portion along with a sulfate compound to act as an oxidizing agent and either selenium or manganese oxide to act as a decolorant. The materials included in the vitrifiable feed material for each example and their respective amounts in kilograms are listed in the “Batch Recipe” table. Additionally, the composition of the glass melt (averaged across multiple samples) produced from the batch recipe including the weight percent of the melt components and the redox

H-22 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) ratio of the melt is recited in the “Average Glass Composition” table. Finally, the color values of the glass (averaged across multiple samples) obtained from the glass melt are listed in the “Average Measured Color Value” table. As can be seen, in each of examples 1-5, flint glass was produced that satisfied the minimal specifications for flint glass set forth above; that is, a dominant wavelength that lies between 572 nm and 578 nm, a brightness above 50%, and a purity below 16%.

Example 1

Batch Recipe

Average Glass Composition

Average Measured Color Values

H-23 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631)

Example 2

Batch Recipe

Average Glass Composition

Average Measured Color Values

Dominant Wavelength 572 nm

Purity 12%

H-24 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631)

Brightness 58%

Example 3

Batch Recipe

Average Glass Composition

Average Measured Color Values

H-25 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631)

Example 4

Batch Recipe

Average Glass Composition

Average Measured Color Values

Dominant W 572 nm

Purity 10%

Brightness 53%

Example 5

Batch Recipe

H-26 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631)

Average Glass Composition

Average Measured Color Values

There thus has been disclosed a method of producing flint molten glass using submerged combustion melting technology that satisfies one or more of the objects and aims previously set forth. The flint molten glass may be further processed into glass articles including, for example, glass containers. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative

H-27 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

The claims of as-filed US 16/788631 include the following:

1.

A method of producing flint glass using submerged combustion melting, the method comprising: preparing a vitrifiable feed material (30) that includes a base glass portion that provides primary glass-forming oxides, an oxidizing agent comprising a sulfate compound, and a decolorant comprising either selenium or manganese oxide, wherein the vitrifiable feed material comprises between 0.20 wt% and 0.50 wt% of the sulfate compound, expressed as SO3, and further comprises between 0.008 wt% and 0.016 wt% of selenium or between 0.1 wt% and 0.2 wt% of manganese oxide; introducing the vitrifiable feed material into a glass melt (22) contained within a submerged combustion melter (10), the glass melt comprising a total iron content expressed as Fe2C>3 in an amount ranging from 0.04 wt% to 0.06 wt% and having a redox ratio that ranges from 0.1 to 0.4, the submerged combustion melter including one or more submerged burners (62); and discharging combustion products (68) from the one or more submerged burners directly into and through the glass melt to thereby agitate the glass melt while intermixing and melting the vitrifiable feed material into the glass melt.

2.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the sulfate compound is sodium sulfate, and wherein the glass melt has a retained sulfate content of between 0.08 wt% and 0.1 wt% as expressed as SO3.

3.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the vitrifiable feed material is formulated to provide the glass melt with a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition comprising 60 wt% to

H-28 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631)

80 wt% SiC>2, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO.

4.

The method set forth in claim 1, further comprising: discharging molten glass (36) from the submerged combustion melter, the molten glass having a density that ranges from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ .

5.

The method set forth in claim 4, further comprising: forming at least one flint glass article from the molten glass, and wherein the flint glass article meets flint glass specifications of a dominant wavelength that lies between 572 nm and 578 nm, a brightness above 50%, and a purity below 16%.

6.

The method set forth in claim 5, wherein forming at least one glass article comprises: refining the molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter at a temperature between 1400°C and 1500°C to obtain refined molten glass, the refined molten glass having a density that ranges from 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ ; thermally conditioning the refined molten glass to obtain a conditioned molten glass having a temperature between 1050°C and 1200°C; and delivering a molten glass gob of the conditioned molten glass into a glass container forming machine and forming a glass container from the molten glass gob.

7.

The method set forth in claim 4, comprising: discharging the molten glass from the submerged combustion melter at a specific throughput rate that ranges from 2 tons per day per meter squared of cross-sectional area of the submerged combustion melter [tons/day/m ² ] to 25 tons/day/m ² ; combusting a combustible gas mixture at each of the one or more submerged burners, the combustible gas mixture comprising fuel and oxygen and having an oxygen-to-fuel ratio ranging from stoichiometry to 30% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry; and maintaining a temperature of the glass melt between f200°C and f 500°C and a residence time of the glass melt between f hour and f0 hours.

8.

The method set forth in claim 7, wherein the oxygen-to-fuel ratio ranges from 15% excess

H-29 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) oxygen relative to stoichiometry to 25% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry, the temperature of the glass melt ranges from 1330°C to 1380°C, the residence time of the glass melt ranges from 2 hours to 4 hours, and the specific throughput rate of the molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter ranges from 6 tons/day/m ² to 12 tons/day/m ² .

9.

A method of producing soda-lime-silica flint glass using submerged combustion melting, the method comprising: introducing a vitrifiable feed material (30) into a glass melt (22) contained within a submerged combustion melter (10), the vitrifiable feed material including a base glass portion, which contributes SiCh, Na2O, and CaO to the glass melt, and either 0.008 wt% to 0.016 wt% of selenium or 0.1 wt% to 0.2 wt% of manganese oxide, the glass melt comprising a total iron content expressed as Fe2C>3 in an amount ranging from 0.04 wt% to 0.06 wt% and having a redox ratio that ranges from 0.1 to 0.4; discharging combustion products (68) from one or more submerged burners (62) directly into and through the glass melt to thereby agitate the glass melt while intermixing and melting the vitrifiable feed material into the glass melt; discharging foamy molten glass (36) from the submerged combustion melter, the foamy molten glass having a density that ranges from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ ; and forming at least one flint glass article from the foamy molten glass, wherein the flint glass article meets flint glass specifications of a dominant wavelength that lies between 572 nm and 578 nm, a brightness above 50%, and a purity below 16%.

10.

The method set forth in claim 9, wherein the vitrifiable feed material further includes between 0.20 wt% and 0.50 wt% of a sulfate compound, expressed as SO3, and wherein the glass melt has a retained sulfate content of between 0.08 wt% and 0.1 wt% as expressed as SO3.

11.

The method set forth in claim 9, wherein forming at least one glass article comprises: refining the foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter at a temperature between 1400°C and 1500°C to obtain refined molten glass, the refined molten glass having a density that ranges from 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ ; thermally conditioning the refined molten glass to obtain a conditioned molten glass having

H-30 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) a temperature between 1050°C and 1200°C; and delivering a molten glass gob of the conditioned molten glass into a glass container forming machine and forming a glass container from the molten glass gob.

12.

The method set forth in claim 9, comprising: discharging the foamy molten glass from the submerged combustion melter at a specific throughput rate that ranges from 2 tons per day per meter squared of cross-sectional area of the submerged combustion melter [tons/day/m ² ] to 25 tons/day/m ² ; combusting a combustible gas mixture at each of the one or more submerged burners, the combustible gas mixture comprising fuel and oxygen and having an oxygen-to-fuel ratio ranging from stoichiometry to 30% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry; and maintaining a temperature of the glass melt between 1200°C and 1500°C and a residence time of the glass melt between 1 hour and 10 hours.

13.

The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the oxygen-to-fuel ratio ranges from 15% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry to 25% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry, the temperature of the glass melt ranges from 1330°C to 1380°C, the residence time of the glass melt ranges from 2 hours to 4 hours, and the specific throughput rate of the foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter ranges from 6 tons/day/m ² to 12 tons/day/m ² .

14.

The method set forth in claim 9, wherein the glass melt has a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition comprising 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiCh, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO, and 2 wt% or less of AI2O3.

15.

A vitrifiable feed material (30) for producing flint glass by way of a process that uses submerged combustion melting, the vitrifiable feed material comprising: a base glass portion that includes an SiCh contributor, an Na2O contributor, and a CaO contributor to provide SiO2, Na2O, and CaO, respectively, to an agitated glass melt when melted therein; a sulfate compound in an amount ranging from 0.20 wt% to 0.50 wt% as expressed as SO3

H-31 CHAPTER H - 19514 (US 16/788631) based on the total weight of the vitrifiable feed material; and selenium in an amount ranging from 0.008 wt% to 0.016 wt% or manganese oxide in an amount ranging from 0.1 wt% to 0.2 wt% based on the total weight of the vitrifiable feed material.

16. The vitrifiable feed material set forth in claim 15, wherein the base glass portion further includes an AI2O3 contributor.

H-32 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635)

CHAPTER I: GLASS REDOX CONTROL IN SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTING

The present disclosure is directed to the production of glass using submerged combustion technology and, more specifically, to methodologies for adjusting the redox ratio of the glass melt contained within a submerged combustion melter.

Background

Glass is a rigid amorphous solid that has numerous applications. Soda-lime-silica glass, for example, is used extensively to manufacture flat glass articles such as windows, hollow glass articles including containers such as bottles and jars, as well as tableware and other specialty articles. Soda-lime-silica glass comprises a disordered and spatially crosslinked ternary oxide network of Na2O-CaO-SiC>2. The silica component (SiCh) is the largest oxide by weight and constitutes the primary network forming material of soda-lime-silica glass. The Na2O component functions as a fluxing agent that reduces the melting, softening, and glass transition temperatures of the glass, as compared to pure silica glass, and the CaO component functions as a stabilizer that improves certain physical and chemical properties of the glass including its hardness and chemical resistance. The inclusion of Na2O and CaO in the chemistry of soda-lime-silica glass renders the commercial manufacture of glass articles more practical and less energy intensive while still yielding acceptable glass properties. Soda-lime-silica glass, in general and based on the total weight of the glass, has a glass chemical composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiO2, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO.

In addition to SiO2, Na2O, and CaO, the glass chemical composition of soda-lime-silica glass may include other oxide and non-oxide materials that act as network formers, network modifiers, colorants, decolorants, redox agents, or other agents that affect the properties of the final glass. Some examples of these additional materials include aluminum oxide (AI2O3), magnesium oxide (MgO), potassium oxide (K2O), carbon, sulfates, nitrates, fluorines, chlorines, and/or elemental or oxide forms of one or more of iron, arsenic, antimony, selenium, chromium, barium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, sulfur, vanadium, titanium, lead, copper, niobium, molybdenum, lithium, silver, strontium, cadmium, indium, tin, gold, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, europium, gadolinium, erbium, and uranium. Aluminum oxide is one of the more commonly included materials — typically present in an amount up to 2 wt% based on the total weight of the glass — because of its ability to improve the chemical durability of the glass and to

1-1 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) reduce the likelihood of devitrification. Regardless of what other oxide and/or non-oxide materials are present in the soda-lime-silica glass besides SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, the sum total of those additional materials is preferably 10 wt% or less, or more narrowly 5 wt% or less, based on the total weight of the soda-lime-silica glass.

Soda-lime-silica glass has long been produced in a continuous melting furnace. When operating such a furnace, a vitrifiable feed material — one that is formulated to yield glass with a specific chemical composition and related properties — is fed on top of a large molten glass bath of a generally constant level contained in a melting chamber of the furnace. The molten glass bath is maintained at a temperature of about 1450°C or greater so that the added feed material can melt, react, and progress through several intermediate melt phases before becoming chemically integrated into the molten glass bath as the bath moves slowly through the melting chamber of the furnace towards a refining chamber located downstream of the melting chamber. In the refining chamber, bubbles and other gaseous inclusions are removed from the molten glass bath to yield chemically homogenized and refined molten glass as needed for further processing. The heat needed to maintain the molten glass bath within the melting chamber has conventionally been supplied by non-submerged burners that combust a mixture of fuel and air/ oxygen within an open combustion zone atmosphere located above the molten glass bath. The burners are located in burner ports on opposite sidewalls of the refractory superstructure that partially defines the combustion zone (cross fired furnace) or in a back wall of the refractory superstructure (end port fired furnace). It typically takes 24 hours or longer for feed material to melt and react through a conventional glass melting and fining operation before exiting the melter as a homogeneous molten glass.

The color of the finished glass article — such as a container, flat glass product, or tableware — is dependent on a number of variables. For instance, certain components of the vitrifiable feed material (e.g., sand, limestone, dolomite, recycled glass, etc.) may contain iron impurities. The iron may be present in two forms within the molten glass: (1) the ferrous or reduced state (Fe ²⁺ as FeO) or (2) the ferric or oxidized state (Fe ³⁺ as Fe2C>3). Iron in the Fe ²⁺ state imparts a blue-green color to the molten glass and iron in the Fe ³⁺ states imparts a yellow color. The ratio of Fe ²⁺ to total iron (Fe ²⁺ +Fe ³⁺ ) in the molten glass determines the redox ratio of the glass and gives a general indication of whether the blue-green color or the yellow color will dominate visually. To that end, the redox ratio of the molten glass often needs to be managed in order to

1-2 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) achieve the desired glass coloration. For example, flint glass may be obtained from an oxidized molten glass having a redox ratio of 0.4 or less, green glass may be obtained from a more reduced molten glass having a redox ratio of 0.4 to 0.6, and amber glass may be obtained from an even more reduced molten glass having a redox ratio between 0.6 and 0.8.

In a conventional continuous melting furnace, the redox ratio of the molten glass bath has traditionally been set and adjusted by regulating the compositional recipe of the vitrifiable feed material being supplied to the furnace. The composition of the feed material can dictate the amount of redox agents in the molten glass bath and/or limit the overall iron content in the molten glass bath through the use of low-iron raw materials. Redox agents are compounds that have an oxidizing or reducing effect on the molten glass and can therefore shift the Fe ²⁺ /Fe ³⁺ equilibrium towards the Fe ³⁺ state or the Fe ²⁺ state, respectively, thus alterning the redox ratio of the molten glass bath and consequently driving the glass more towards a yellow color or a blue-green color when solidified. A common oxidizing redox agent that can shift the redox ratio downwards is sulfates (SO3), which can be delivered to the molten glass bath from any of a variety of additive materials that are included in the vitrifiable feed material including, for example, salt cake, while a common reducing agent that can increase the redox ratio is carbon. Additionally, the inclusion of a substantial amount of flint cullet (i.e., recycled flint glass) to the feed material may dilute the iron impurities contained in the feed material and reduce or altogether eliminate the need to rely on certain redox agents when manufacturing glass of a certain color.

Various colorants, decolorants, or a combination of both may also be added to the molten glass bath to achieve glass color variations for a given redox ratio. Colorants and decolorants are compounds that absorb and transmit visible light at certain wavelengths to mask and/or accentuate certain colors in the glass. Several known examples of colorants and decolorants include selenium, cobalt oxide, chromium oxide, and manganese. Accordingly, the molten glass obtained from a conventional continuous melting furnace may have a redox ratio that supports forming glass articles of a desired color based on feed material specifications that may prescribe a certain proportion of flint cullet content and/or a certain quantity of secondary additive materials including redox agents, colorants, and/or decolorants. The various operating conditions of a continuous melting furnace have for the most part been selected and controlled for reasons unrelated to the color of the produced glass.

1-3 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635)

Submerged combustion (SC) melting is a melting technology that is also capable of producing glass, including soda-lime-silica glass, and has recently become a potentially viable alternative to the melting process employed in a conventional continuous melting furnace. Contrary to conventional melting practices, SC melting involves injecting a combustible gas mixture that contains fuel and an oxidant directly into and under the surface of a glass melt contained in a melter, typically though submerged burners mounted in the floor or sidewalls of the melter. The oxidant may be oxygen, air, or any other gas that contains a percentage of oxygen. The combustible gas mixture autoignites and the resultant combustion products cause vigorous stirring and turbulence as they are discharged through the glass melt. The intense shearing forces experienced between the combustion products and the glass melt cause rapid heat transfer and particle dissolution throughout the molten glass compared to the slower kinetics of a conventional melting furnace in which the molten glass bath is heated primarily with radiant heat from overhead non-submerged burners. And while SC technology can melt and integrate the vitrifiable feed material into the glass melt relatively quickly, the glass melt tends to be foamy and have a relatively low density despite being chemically homogenized when discharged from the melter. Indeed, the glass melt in an SC melter may include anywhere from 30 vol% to 60 vol% of entrained gas bubbles.

The relatively high heat transfer and mixing efficiency of the SC melter allows for a fundamentally different melter design than that of a conventional continuous melting furnace. Apart from the differences in burner design and location, an SC melter can be smaller than a conventional continuous melting furnace on the order of 50% to 90% in terms of tons of molten glass holding capacity at steady-state. The smaller size of an SC melter makes external cooling both technically and economically feasible. The smaller size of an SC melter and the fact that it can be externally cooled enables the melter to be shut down and emptied, and then restarted, quickly and efficiently when necessitated by production schedules or other considerations. This type of operational flexibility is not practical for a conventional continuous melting furnace. Additionally, the SC melter may include non-submerged burners located above the glass melt to heat and optionally impinge on the turbulent glass melt surface during SC melter operation to suppress foaming, whereas a conventional continuous melting furnace only uses non-submerged burners for radiant heat transfer.

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In the past, SC melting has not been used to manufacture container and float glass articles on a commercial scale. In that regard, there has been little to no interest in adapting SC melting operations to produce glass, especially soda-lime-silica glass, that is able to consistently meet strict color specifications. And the adaption of an SC melter to support the production of soda-lime- silica glass articles is not necessarily a straightforward task since legacy vitrifiable feed material formulations tailored to produce a particular glass color do not translate well to SC melting. The reason for this discrepancy is believed to be related to the fundamentally different way in which the vitrifiable feed material is melted within a turbulent glass melt contained in an SC melter. In SC melting, as explained above, combustion products are discharged from submerged burners directly into a turbulent glass melt, whereas in conventional legacy processes combustion products are discharged into an open atmosphere above a much calmer molten glass bath. A glass production strategy that enables the redox ratio of the glass melt contained in an SC melter to be adjusted without necessarily requiring modifications to the composition of the vitrifiable feed material would help improve the glassmaking operation in an SC melter and ensure that glass articles of a certain color can be reliably manufactured.

Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure describes a method for adjusting the redox ratio of a glass melt produced in a submerged combustion melter. The disclosed method involves controlling at least one of three operating conditions of the SC melter that have been determined to have an influence on the redox ratio of the glass melt. The particular SC melter operating conditions include (1) the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture injected by each of the submerged burners, (2) the residence time of the glass melt, and (3) the gas flux through the glass melt. The redox ratio of the glass melt is considered to be “adjusted” when the redox ratio is shifted relative to what is otherwise inherently attributable to the composition of the vitrifiable feed material in the absence of controlling the operating condition(s). The ability to adjust the redox ratio of the glass melt through control of the operating condition(s) can help achieve certain glass colorations with less reliance on the composition of the vitrifiable feed material, can allow for rapid changes in redox ratio, and can permit modifications to the composition of the vitrifiable feed material that otherwise might not be possible.

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The redox ratio of the glass melt can be adjusted in several ways depending on the desired outcome by controlling one, any combination of two, or all three of the above-identified operating conditions. The redox ratio may be shifted up (more reduced glass) or down (more oxidized glass) depending on the color of the glass being produced to help minimize the need to include certain redox agents in the vitrifiable feed material. The redox ratio may also be increased to shift the glass melt to a more reduced state, or it can be decreased to shift the glass melt to a more oxidized state, to help transition between glass colorations without necessarily having to alter the quantity of redox agents included in the vitrifiable feed material being fed to the submerged combustion melter. Still further, the redox ratio may be maintained at a target value within acceptable tolerances despite modifications to the composition of the vitrifiable feed material that might otherwise cause the redox ratio to fluctuate beyond what is acceptable for a particular glass coloration. The ability to counteract or neutralize these unwanted redox ratio variances can enable the use of a wider range of vitrifiable feed material compositions for a given glass color that might otherwise not be possible if the redox ratio of the glass melt is dictated solely by the composition of the feed material.

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other to provide a method for producing glass. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of producing glass using submerged combustion melting includes introducing a vitrifiable feed material into a glass melt contained within a submerged combustion melter. The submerged combustion melter comprises one or more submerged burners supplied with a combustible gas mixture that comprises fuel and oxygen, and the glass melt contained therein has a redox ratio defined as a ratio of Fe ²⁺ to total iron in the glass melt. The method further includes combusting the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners to produce combustion products, and discharging the combustion products from the one or more submerged burners directly into the glass melt to transfer heat to, and agitate, the glass melt. Still further, the method calls for adjusting the redox ratio of the glass melt by controlling one or more operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter selected from (1) an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners, (2) a residence time of the glass melt, and (3) a gas flux through the glass melt.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of producing glass using submerged combustion melting includes introducing a vitrifiable feed material into a glass melt

1-6 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) contained within a submerged combustion melter. The submerged combustion melter comprises one or more submerged burners supplied with a combustible gas mixture that comprises fuel and oxygen, and the glass melt contained therein has a redox ratio defined as a ratio of Fe ²⁺ to total iron in the glass melt. The method further includes combusting the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners to produce combustion products, and discharging the combustion products from the one or more submerged burners directly into the glass melt to transfer heat to, and agitate, the glass melt. In yet another step, the method calls for increasing the redox ratio of the glass melt by controlling one or more operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter selected from (1) an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners, (2) a residence time of the glass melt, and (3) a gas flux through the glass melt. In particular, the step of controlling the one or more operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter comprises at least one of (1) increasing the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners, (2) decreasing the residence time of the glass melt, or (3) decreasing the gas flux through the glass melt.

According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of producing glass using submerged combustion melting includes introducing a vitrifiable feed material into a glass melt contained within a submerged combustion melter. The submerged combustion melter comprises one or more submerged burners supplied with a combustible gas mixture that comprises fuel and oxygen, and the glass melt contained therein has a redox ratio defined as a ratio of Fe ²⁺ to total iron in the glass melt. The method further includes combusting the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners to produce combustion products, and discharging the combustion products from the one or more submerged burners directly into the glass melt to transfer heat to, and agitate, the glass melt. In yet another step, the method calls for decreasing the redox ratio of the glass melt by controlling one or more operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter selected from (1) an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners, (2) a residence time of the glass melt, and (3) a gas flux through the glass melt. In particular, the step of controlling the one or more operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter comprises at least one of (1) decreasing the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners,

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(2) increasing the residence time of the glass melt, or (3) increasing the gas flux through the glass melt.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages, and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational cross-sectional representation of a submerged combustion melter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the submerged combustion melter illustrated in FIG. 1 taken along section line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram of a process for producing molten glass in a submerged combustion melter and then forming glass containers from the molten glass according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a plot of redox ratios of various samples of a glass melt (produced from a verifiable feed material formulated for flint glass) showing how the redox ratio of the glass melt was affected by changing the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners;

FIG. 5 is a plot of redox ratios of various samples of a glass melt (produced from a verifiable feed material formulated for amber glass) showing how the redox ratio of the glass melt was affected by changing the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners;

FIG. 6 is a plot of redox ratios of various samples of a glass melt (produced from a verifiable feed material formulated for flint glass) showing how the redox ratio of the glass melt was affected when transitioning the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners from a higher ratio to a lower ratio;

FIG. 7 is a plot of redox ratios for a portion of samples plotted in FIG. 6 as well as the bubble count of the glass melt over the same timeframe during which the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners was transitioned from a higher ratio to a lower ratio;

FIG. 8 is a plot of redox ratios for various samples of a glass melt (produced from a verifiable feed material formulated for flint glass) as well as the residence time of the glass melt

1-8 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) during the timeframe in which the samples were taken, wherein the residence time was varied by altering the mass flow rate of molten glass exiting the submerged combustion melter;

FIG. 9 is a plot of retained sulfate content (expressed as SO3) for the same samples evaluated in FIG. 8 as well as the residence time of the glass melt during the timeframe in which the samples were taken; and

FIG. 10 is a plot of redox ratios for various samples of a glass melt (produced from a vitrifiable feed material formulated for flint glass) as well as the residence time of the glass melt during the timeframe in which the samples were taken, wherein the residence time was varied by altering the weight of the glass melt in the submerged combustion melter.

Detailed Description

A representative submerged combustion (SC) melter 10 is shown in FIGS. 1-2 to demonstrate the practice of the disclosed method for making glass and controlling the redox ratio of a glass melt 22 produced in the SC melter 10. The SC melter 10 includes a housing 12 that has a roof 14, a floor 16, and a surrounding upstanding wall 18 that connects the roof 14 and the floor 16. The surrounding upstanding wall 18 further includes a front end wall 18a, a rear end wall 18b that opposes and is spaced apart from the front end wall 18a, and two opposed lateral sidewalls 18c, 18d that connect the front end wall 18a and the rear end wall 18b. Together, the roof 14, the floor 16, and the surrounding upstanding wall 18 define an interior reaction chamber 20 of the melter 10 that contains the glass melt 22 when the melter 10 is operational. Each of the roof 14, the floor 16, and the surrounding upstanding wall 18 may be constructed to withstand the high temperature and corrosive nature of the glass melt 22. For example, each of those structures 14, 16, 18 may be constructed from a refractory material or one or more fluid cooled panels that support an interiorly-disposed refractory material having an in-situ formed frozen glass layer (not shown) in contact with the glass melt 22.

The housing 12 of the SC melter 10 defines a feed material inlet 24, a molten glass outlet 26, and an exhaust vent 28. Preferably, as shown best in FIG. 1, the feed material inlet 24 is defined in the roof 14 of the housing 12 proximate the front end wall 18a, and the molten glass outlet 26 is defined in the rear end wall 18b of the housing 12 above the floor 16, although other locations for the feed material inlet 24 and the molten glass outlet 26 are certainly possible. The feed material inlet 24 provides an entrance to the interior reaction chamber 20 for the delivery of a vitrifiable feed material 30. A batch feeder 32 that is configured to introduce a metered amount

1-9 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) of the feed material 30 into the interior reaction chamber 20 may be coupled to the housing 12. And while many designs are possible, the batch feeder 32 may, for example, include a rotating screw (not shown) that rotates within a feed tube 34 of a slightly larger diameter that communicates with the feed material inlet 24 to deliver the feed material 30 from a feed hopper into the interior reaction chamber 20 at a controlled rate.

The molten glass outlet 26 provides an exit from the interior reaction chamber 20 for the discharge of foamy molten glass 36 out of the SC melter 10. The discharged foamy molten glass 36 may, as shown, be introduced directly into a stilling vessel 38, if desired. The stilling vessel 38 includes a housing 40 that defines a holding compartment 42. The holding compartment 42 receives the foamy molten glass 36 that is discharged from the interior reaction chamber 20 of the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 26 and maintains an intermediate pool 44 of the molten glass having a constant steady volume (i.e., ± 5 vol%). One or more impingement or non-impingement burners 46 may be mounted in the housing 40 of the stilling vessel 38 to heat the intermediate pool 44 of molten glass and/or suppress or destroy any foam that may accumulate on top of the pool 44 of molten glass. A constant or intermittent flow 48 of molten glass may be dispensed from the intermediate pool 44 of molten glass maintained in the holding compartment 42 and out of the stilling vessel 38 by a spout 50 appended to the housing 40. The spout 50 may have a reciprocal plunger 52 that is operable to controllably dispense the flow 48 of molten glass through an orifice plate 54 so that any downstream equipment, such as a glass finer, can receive a controlled input of molten glass. A more complete description of a stilling vessel that may receive the discharged foamy molten glass 36 is disclosed in a U.S. Application No. 16/590,068, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Of course, in other embodiments, the stilling vessel 38 may be omitted and the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the interior reaction chamber 20 of the SC melter 10 may be introduced directly into a glass finer or elsewhere.

The exhaust vent 28 is preferably defined in the roof 14 of the housing 12 between the front end wall 18a and the rear end wall 18b at a location downstream from the feed material inlet 24. An exhaust duct 56 communicates with the exhaust vent 28 and is configured to remove gaseous compounds from the interior reaction chamber 20. The gaseous compounds removed through the exhaust duct 56 may be treated, recycled, or otherwise managed away from the SC melter 10 as needed. To help prevent or at least minimize the loss of some of the feed material 30 through the

1-10 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) exhaust vent 28 as unintentional feed material castoff, a partition wall 58 that depends from the roof 14 of the housing 12 may be positioned between the feed material inlet 24 and the exhaust vent 28. The partition wall 58 may include a lower free end 60 that is submerged within the glass melt 22, as illustrated, or it may be positioned close to, but above, the glass melt 22. The partition wall 58 may be constructed similarly to the roof 14, the floor 16, and the surrounding upstanding wall 18, but it does not necessarily have to be so constructed.

The SC melter 10 includes one or more submerged burners 62. Each of the one or more submerged burners 62 is mounted in a port 64 defined in the floor 14 (as shown) and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 18 at a location immersed by the glass melt 22. Each of the submerged bumer(s) 62 forcibly inj ects a combustible gas mixture G into the glass melt 22 through an output nozzle 66. The combustible gas mixture G comprises fuel and oxygen. The fuel supplied to the submerged bumer(s) 62 is preferably methane or propane, and the oxygen may be supplied as pure oxygen, in which case the burner(s) 62 are oxy-fuel burners, or it may be supplied as a component of air or an oxygen-enriched gas that includes at least 20 vol% and, preferably, at least 50 vol% O2. Upon being injected into the glass melt 22, the combustible gas mixture G immediately autoignites to produce combustion products 68 — namely, CO2, CO, H2O, and any uncombusted fuel, oxygen, and/or other gas compounds such as nitrogen — that are discharged into and through the glass melt 22. Anywhere from five to thirty submerged burners 62 are typically installed in the SC melter 10 although more or less burners 62 may certainly be employed depending on the size and melt capacity of the melter 10.

The combustible gas mixture G is supplied to and injected from each of the submerged bumer(s) 62 at a mass flow rate MFMIX. The mass flow rate MFMIX of the combustible gas mixture G at each burner 62 comprises a mass flow rate of oxygen MFox and a mass flow rate of fuel MFFuei, which may be a mass flow rate of methane MFMeth or a mass flow rate of propane MFp _rop , plus mass flow rates of other gases such as nitrogen or another inert gas if the oxygen is supplied via air or an oxy gen-enriched gas. In terms of supplying the submerged burner(s) 62 with the combustible gas mixture G at the appropriate overall mass flow rate MFM _L as well as the appropriate mixture of oxygen and fuel flow rates MFox, MFFuei, each of the burner(s) 62 may be fluidly coupled to an oxidant (oxygen, oxygen-enriched gas, or air) supply manifold and a fuel supply manifold by a flow conduit that is equipped with sensors and valves to allow for precise control of the mass flow rates MFMIX, MFOX, MFFUCI to the bumer(s) 62 and injected through the

1-11 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) burner nozzle(s) 66. While the these mass flow rates MFMIX, MFQX, MFFUCI may vary depending on numerous factors — including the number of submerged burners 62, the weight of the glass melt 22, and the flow rate of the foamy molten glass 36 through he molten glass outlet 26 — in many instances the mass flow rate MFMIX of the combustible gas mixture G at each burner 62 ranges from 22 kg/hr to 280 kg/hr (approximately 20 normal cubic feet per hour (NCFH) to 175 NCFH) with the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox ranging from 20 kg/hr to 180 kg/hr (approximately 16 NCFH to 125 NCFH) and the mass flow rate of fuel MFFUCI ranging from 2 kg/hr to 40 kg/hr for methane or 5 kg/hr to 100 kg/hr for propane (approximately 4 NCFH to 50 NCFH) as part of the mass flow rate MFMIX of the combustible gas mixture G.

During operation of the SC melter 10, each of the one or more submerged burners 62 individually discharges combustion products 68 directly into and through the glass melt 22. The glass melt 22 is a volume of molten glass that often weighs between 1 US ton (1 US ton = 2,000 lbs) and 100 US tons and is generally maintained at a constant volume during steady-state operation of the SC melter 10. As the combustion products 68 are thrust into and through the glass melt 22, which creates complex flow patterns and severe turbulence, the glass melt 22 is vigorously agitated and experiences rapid heat transfer and intense shearing forces. The combustion products 68 eventually escape the glass melt 22 and are removed from the interior reaction chamber 20 through the exhaust vent 28 along with any other gaseous compounds that may volatize out of the glass melt 22. Additionally, in some circumstances, one or more non-submerged burners (not shown) may be mounted in the roof 14 and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 18 at a location above the glass melt 22 to provide heat to the glass melt 22, either directly by flame impingement or indirectly through radiant heat transfer, and to also facilitate foam suppression and/or destruction.

While the one or more submerged burners 62 are being fired into the glass melt 22, the vitrifiable feed material 30 is controllably introduced into the interior reaction chamber 20 through the feed material inlet 24. The vitrifiable feed material 30 introduced into the interior reaction chamber 20 has a composition that is formulated to assimilate into the glass melt 22 and provide the melt 22 with a predetermined glass chemical composition upon melting. For example, the glass chemical composition of the glass melt 22 may be a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, in which case the vitrifiable feed material 30 may be a physical mixture of virgin raw materials and optionally cullet (i.e., recycled glass) that provides a source of SiCh, Na2O, and CaO

1-12 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) in the correct proportions along with any of the other materials listed below in Table 1 including, most commonly, AI2O3. The exact constituent materials that constitute the vitrifiable feed material 30 is subject to much variation while still being able to achieve the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition as is generally well known in the glass manufacturing industry.

Table 1: Glass Chemical Composition of Soda-Lime-Silica Glass

For example, to achieve a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition in the glass melt 22, the feed material 30 may include primary virgin raw materials such as quartz sand (crystalline SiCh), soda ash (ISfeCCh), and limestone (CaCCh) in the quantities needed to provide the requisite proportions of SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, respectively. Other virgin raw materials may also be included in the vitrifiable feed material 30 to contribute one or more of SiO2, Na2O, CaO and possibly other oxide and/or non-oxide materials in the glass melt 22 depending on the desired chemistry of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition and the color of the glass articles being formed therefrom. These other virgin raw materials may include feldspar, dolomite, and calumite slag. Additionally, the vitrifiable feed material 30 may include secondary or minor virgin raw materials that provide the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition with colorants, decolorants, and/or redox agents that may be needed, and may further provide a source of chemical fining agents to assist with downstream bubble removal. The vitrifiable feed material 30 may even include up to 80 wt% cullet depending on a variety of factors.

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The vitrifiable feed material 30 does not form a batch blanket that rests on top of the glass melt 22 as is customary in a conventional continuous melting furnace, but, rather, is rapidly disbanded and consumed by the turbulent glass melt 22. The dispersed vitrifiable feed material 30 is subjected to intense heat transfer and rapid particle dissolution throughout the glass melt 22 due to the vigorous melt agitation and shearing forces caused by the submerged bumer(s) 62. This causes the feed material 30 to quickly mix, react, and become chemically integrated into the glass melt 22. However, the agitation and stirring of the glass melt 22 by the discharge of the combustion products 68 from the submerged bumer(s) 62 also promotes bubble formation within the glass melt 22. Consequently, the glass melt 22 is foamy in nature and includes a homogeneous distribution of entrained gas bubbles. The entrained gas bubbles may account for 30 vol% to 60 vol% of the glass melt 22, which renders the density of the glass melt 22 relatively low, typically ranging from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ or, more narrowly, from 0.99 gm/cm ³ to 1.3 gm/cm ³ , for soda-lime-silica glass. The gaseous inclusions entrained within the glass melt 22 vary in size and may contain any of several gases including CO2, H2O (vapor), N2, SO2, CH4, CO, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 26 is drawn from the glass melt 22 and is chemically homogenized to the desired glass chemical composition, e.g., a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, but with the same relatively low density and entrained volume of gas bubbles as the glass melt 22. The foamy molten glass 36 is eventually directed to additional downstream equipment — with or without first being collected in the holding compartment 42 of the stilling vessel 38 — such as an individual section forming machine as applicable to glass containers for additional processing into glass articles. Depending on the desired characteristics of the glass articles to be formed, most notably the color of the glass, the glass melt 22 and the foamy molten glass 36 drawn from the glass melt 22 may be required to have a redox ratio within a certain defined range. When producing flint or colorless glass, for example, the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 may be required to be 0.4 or below. Yet, when producing amber glass, the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 may be required to be between 0.6 and 0.8. Still further, when producing green glass, the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 may be required to be between 0.4 and 0.6. Of course, the chemical composition of the glass melt 22 may include certain colorants or decolorants that work in conjunction with the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 to obtain the desired glass color in the finished glass articles.

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Unlike standard procedures for operating a continuous melting furnace, the SC melter 10 may be operated to adjust the redox ratio of the glass melt 22, and, thus, the redox ratio of the foamy molten glass 36 discharged through the molten glass outlet 26 since that flow of foamy molten glass is pulled directly from the glass melt 22. The redox ratio of the glass melt 22 may be adjusted by controlling at least one of the following operating conditions of the SC melter 10 without necessarily having to modify the composition of the vitrifiable feed material 30: (1) the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G injected by each of the one or more submerged burners 62; (2) the residence time of the glass melt 22; or (3) the gas flux through the glass melt 22. Preferably, and in many instances, any combination of two of the three operating conditions, or all three of the operating conditions, may be controlled to adjust the redox ratio of the glass melt 22. The act of adjusting the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 may be performed in several ways. In particular, the redox ratio may be shifted to support the production of glass of a certain color, may be increased or decreased to help transition between the production of glasses that differ in color, or it may be maintained at a target value within a tolerance range when the redox ratio might otherwise deviate, intentionally or unintentionally, as a result of changes to the composition of the vitrifiable feed material 30.

For each of the one or more submerged burners 62, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G refers to the ratio of the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox (whether that be a flow rate of pure oxygen or a flow rate of oxygen within a gas, such as air, that contains oxygen) to the mass flow rate of fuel MFFUCI within the mass flow rate MFMIX of the combustible gas mixture G relative to stoichiometry, as represented below in equation (1).

MF Ox Oxygen-to-Fuel Ratio = — — -

MF _Fuel

Stoichiometry is defined^ t^ie mass flow rate of oxygen MFox and the mass flow rate of the fuel MFFuei that are theoretically needed to fully consume each of the oxygen and fuel flows in the combustion reaction without yielding an excess of either constituent. For example, if methane is used as the fuel, stoichiometry would dictate that the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox and the mass flow rate of methane MFMeth as combined in the combustible gas mixture G satisfy the relationship MFox = 4.0(MFMeth). In another example, if propane is used as the fuel, stoichiometry would dictate that the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox and the mass flow rate of propane MFp _rop as combined in the combustible gas mixture G satisfy the relationship MFox = 3.63(MFp _rop ). The

1-15 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) combustible gas mixture G injected from each of the submerged burners 62 may be at stoichiometry, may contain excess oxygen (lean) relative to stoichiometry, or may contain excess fuel (rich) relative to stoichiometry.

When supplying the submerged bumer(s) 62 with excess oxygen or excess fuel, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio may be expressed as a percentage in excess of (or above) stoichiometry. For example, and returning to the examples above, operating the submerged burners 62 at 10% excess oxygen would mean that the mass flow rate of oxygen MFox at each of the burners 62 would be MF ox = 4.4(MF _Met h) when the fuel is methane and MFox = 3.99(MFp _rO p) when the fuel is propane, while operating the burners 62 with 10% excess fuel would mean that the mass flow rate of oxygen MF ox at each of the burners 62 would be MFox = 3.63(MFMeth) when the fuel is methane and MFox = 3.30(MFp _rO p) when the fuel is propane. The oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to each of the submerged burners 62 can be controlled by adjusting the flow rates of the oxygen and/or the fuel being supplied to the burners 62. Such adjustments can be performed through known automated control systems or by manual action. In general, and depending on the desired redox ratio of the glass melt 22, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G injected by each submerged burner 62 may range from 30% excess fuel relative to stoichiometry to 30% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry.

The oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G at each of the submerged burner(s) 62 can influence the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 by altering the chemistry of the melt 22. If the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G being injected by the submerged burner(s) 62 is at stoichiometry, the combustion products 68 discharged into and through the glass melt 22 contain only CO2 and H2O (and possibly unreacted inert gases such as N2 if the bumer(s) 62 are fed with air) along with no more than a negligible amount of other byproduct compounds. If the oxygen-to-fuel ratio is increased to above stoichiometry, excess oxygen will be contained within the combustion products 68 and discharged through the glass melt 22. On the other hand, if the oxygen-to-fuel ratio is decreased to below stoichiometry, excess carbon-rich compounds such as CO, soot, additional fuel, and/or remnants of the fuel will be contained within the combustion products 68 and discharged through the glass melt 22. Because the combustion products 68 discharged from each submerged burner 62 transfer heat and momentum to the glass melt 22 through intimate shearing contact, a change in the composition of the combustion products

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68 initiated through a change in the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G fed to the submerged bumer(s) 62 can shift the redox ratio of the melt 22.

The oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G and the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 are inversely related. Increasing the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G injected by the submerged bumer(s) 62 has an oxidizing effect on the glass melt 22 and, consequently, decreases the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 by decreasing the amount of Fe ²⁺ relative to Fe ³⁺ . This is because the excess uncombusted oxygen included in the combustion products 68 is free to react with and neutralize reducing agents in the glass melt 22. The excess oxygen may react with FeO (Fe ²⁺ ) to form Fe2C>3 (Fe ³⁺ ), sulfides to form sulfites or sulfates, carbon to form CO and/or CO2, as well as other reducing agents that may be present in the glass melt 22. All of these reactions shift the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 downwards either directly or indirectly. In contrast, decreasing the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G injected by the submerged burner(s) 62 has a reducing effect on the glass melt 22 and, consequently, increases the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 by decreasing the amount of Fe ³⁺ relative to Fe ²⁺ . This is because excess carbon-rich compounds included in the combustion products 68 are free to react with and neutralize oxidizing agents in the glass melt 22. The excess carbon-rich compounds may react with Fe2C>3 (Fe ³⁺ ) to form FeO (Fe ²⁺ ), sulfates to form sulfites or sulfides, and may even extract oxygen out of other compounds in the glass melt 22 to drive combustion of the carbon-rich compounds. All of these reactions shift the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 upwards either directly or indirectly.

The residence time of the glass melt 22 refers to the theoretical average amount of time a unit of weight of the glass melt 22 spends in the interior reaction chamber 22 before being discharged from the SC melter 10 as foamy molten glass 36. The residence time provides a rough indication of how long it takes for a unit of weight of the vitrifiable feed material 30 to become chemically integrated into and cycle through the glass melt 22 starting from the time the unit of feed material is introduced into the interior reaction chamber 20 to the time the unit of feed material unit is discharged from the chamber 20 as an equivalent unit of foamy molten glass. To calculate the residence time of the glass melt 22, the weight of the glass melt 22 (W Glass Melt) contained within the interior reaction chamber 20 is divided by the mass flow rate of the foamy molten glass 36 being discharged through the molten glass outlet 26 (MFoischarged Glass) as represented below in equation (2).

1-17 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635)

Residence Time

The residence time of the glass melt 22 can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the mass flow rate of the foamy molten glass 36 being discharged from the SC melter 10 and/or by increasing or decreasing the weight the glass melt 22 contained in the interior reaction chamber 20. In general, and depending on the desired redox ratio of the glass melt 22, the residence time of the glass melt 22 may range from 1 hour to 12 hours or, more narrowly, from 1.5 hours to 8 hours or from 2 hours to 6 hours.

The residence time of the glass melt 22 can influence the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 by affecting the volatilization of volatile compounds in the melt 22. Molten glass in general contains a number of volatile compounds including, most notably, sulfates, which volatize into gases over time. The volatization typically occurs at melt/gas interfaces. To that end, in a conventional continuous melting furnace, most of the volatization of volatile compounds occurs at the surface of the molten glass bath or in the immediate vicinity of bubbles contained in the glass bath as a result of trapped air or reactions involving the feed material. The volatilization mechanism is much different and much more rapid in submerged combustion melting. Not only are the combustion products 68 discharged from the submerged bumer(s) 62 fired directly into and through the glass melt 22, but the amount of bubbles entrained within the glass melt 22 is much greater compared to a molten glass bath in a conventional continuous melting furnace. As a result, the volatilization of volatile compounds occurs more rapidly in the glass melt 22 of the SC melter 10 than in a conventional continuous melting furnace and is much more sensitive to changes in residence time.

The residence time of the glass melt 22 is directly proportional to the extent of volatilization of any volatile compounds, particularly sulfates, that are contained in the glass melt 22. When the residence time is increased, the extent of volatilization of the volatile compounds increases, and less of the volatile compounds are retained in the glass melt 22 and the glass produced therefrom. In the case of sulfates, for instance, an increase in the residence time of the glass melt 22 causes increased volatilization of the sulfates and, consequently, a decrease in the amount of retained sulfates, expressed as SO3, in the glass melt 22. And since SO3 acts as an oxidizing agent, a decrease in the amount of retained sulfates in the glass melt 22 renders the melt 22 more reduced and thus increases the redox ratio of the melt 22. Conversely, when the residence time is decreased,

1-18 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) the extent of volatilization of the volatile compounds decreases, and more of the volatile compounds are retained in the glass melt and the glass produced therefrom. Referring again to the case of sulfates, a decrease in the residence time of the glass melt causes reduced volatilization of the sulfates and, consequently, an increase in the amount of retained sulfates in the glass melt. This renders the glass melt 22 more oxidized and thus decreases the redox ratio of the melt 22.

The gas flux through the glass melt 22 refers to the volumetric flow rate of the combustion products 68 discharged through the glass melt 22 taking into account the discharge rate (MFoischarged Glass) of the foamy molten glass 36 from the SC melter 10. To calculate the gas flux through the glass melt 22, the sum of the volumetric flow rates (VFcomb) of the combustion products 68 from the submerged burners 62 is divided by the product of the weight of the glass melt 22 (Woiass Meit) and the residence time (RT Glass Melt) of the glass melt 22 as represented below in equation (3). The sum of the volumetric flow rates (VFcomb) of the combustion products 68 discharged from the submerged burners 62 can be calculated by (i) obtaining the molar flow rate of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to each of the burners 62 (derived from the mass flow rate MFMIX of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to each of the burners 62 or the corresponding volumetric flow rate), (ii) converting the molar flow rate of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to each of the burners 62 to a molar flow rate of the combustion products 68 discharged from each of the burners 62 as determined from the known combustion reaction, (iii) converting the molar flow rate of the combustion products 68 discharged from each of the burners 62 to the volumetric flow rate VFcomb of the combustion products 68 discharged from each of the burners 62 using the Ideal Gas Law, and (iv) summing the volumetric flow rates VFcomb together.

Gas Flux through the Glass Melt = —— - “—77777“ - 7

(W _G1 ass Melt) CRT _G1 ass Melt)

The glass flux through the glass melt 22 can be adjusted, for example, by altering the flow rates of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to the submerged burner(s) 62 while maintaining a constant residence time of the glass melt 22. The residence time of the glass melt 22 may be kept constant when the flow rates of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to the submerged bumer(s) 82 are adjuEtqdLy simultaneously imposing offsetting adjustments to the weight of the glass melt 22 and/or the flow rate of the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the molten glass outlet 26 of the SC melter 10. In general, and depending on the desired redox ratio of the glass melt 22, the

1-19 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) gas flux through glass melt 22 may range from 0.01 normal cubic meters per kilogram-hour- squared (NCM/kg-hr ² ) to 0.08 NCM/kg-hr ² .

The gas flux through the glass melt 22 can influence the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 by affecting the volatilization of volatile compounds in the glass melt 22, albeit in a slightly different way than the residence time of the glass melt 22. Specifically, as the combustion products 68 discharged from the submerged burners 62 flow through the glass melt 22, volatile compounds are volatized and extracted from the glass melt 22, and less of the volatile compounds are retained in the glass melt 22 and the glass produced therefrom. The gas flux through the glass melt 22 is thus directly proportional to the extent of volatilization of any volatile compounds, particularly sulfates, that are contained in the glass melt 22 since a higher volumetric flow of the combustion products 68 per unit mass of the glass melt 22 will tend to volatilize a higher quantity of volatile compounds. In the case of sulfates, for instance, an increase in the gas flux through the glass melt 22 causes increased volatilization of sulfates and, consequently, a decrease in the amount of retained sulfates, expressed as SO3, in the glass melt 22. This renders the melt 22 more reduced and thus increases the redox ratio of the melt 22. Conversely, a decrease in the gas flux through the glass melt 22 causes reduced volatilization of the sulfates and, consequently, an increase in the amount of retained sulfates in the glass melt. This renders the glass melt 22 more oxidized and thus decreases the redox ratio of the melt 22.

In view of their influence on the redox ratio of the glass melt 22, one or more of the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to each of the submerged burners 62, the residence time of the glass melt 22, and the gas flux through the glass melt 22 can be controlled to support the glassmaking operation in numerous ways while minimizing the need to rely on the composition of the vitrifiable feed material 30 to achieve comparable results. Such process flexibility can help render operation of the SC melter 10 more cost and energy efficient, help simplify the operation of the SC melter 10, help expedite the time it takes to convert the color of the glass being produced in the SC melter 10, and help preserve raw materials. Each of the one or more operating conditions of the SC melter 10 can have a tangible impact on the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 specifically because the combustion products 68 discharged from the submerged bumer(s) 62 are fired directly into the glass melt 22. Since a conventional continuous melting furnace does not include any such submerged burners, the same methodology would not translate to that traditional melting technology.

1-20 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635)

In one particular implementation of the presently disclosed method, one, two, or all three of the operating conditions may be controlled to shift the redox ratio to a particular target value based on the color or lack of color in the glass being produced. For example, the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 is preferably less than 0.4 when producing flint glass, and thus it may be appropriate to increase the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to the burners 62, decrease the residence time of the glass melt 22, and/or decrease the gas flux through the glass melt 22 to support a correspondingly low redox ratio. By oxidizing the glass melt 22 in this way, the amount of oxidizing agents, such as sulfates, included in the vitrifiable feed material 30 may be reduced since the operating condition(s) are able to perform the same function, which in turn can reduce batch costs, preserve raw materials, and reduce SO _X emissions from the SC melter 10. As another example, the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 is preferably between 0.6 and 0.8 when producing amber glass, and under those circumstances it may be appropriate to decrease the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to the burners 62, increase the residence time of the glass melt 22, and/or increase the gas flux through the glass melt 22 to support a correspondingly high redox ratio. Reducing the glass melt 22 in this way can reduce the amount of reducing agents, such as carbon, that need to be included in the vitrifiable feed material 30 since the operating condition(s) are able to perform the same function, thus providing another opportunity to reduce batch costs and preserve raw materials.

In another implementation of the presently-disclosed method, one, two, or all three of the operating conditions may be controlled in a way that enables the SC melter 10 to be operated with more flexibility. Instead of having to modify the composition of the vitrifiable feed material 30 to change the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 — which can be relatively slow as the compositional modification of the feed material 30 is not immediately reflected in the glass chemical composition of the melt 22 — the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture G supplied to the burners 62, the residence time of the glass melt 22, and/or the gas flux through the glass melt 22 may be controlled to oxidize or reduce the glass melt and therefore decrease or increase the redox ratio as needed to support a change in glass coloration. And changes to any or all of these operating conditions can alter the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 more rapidly compared to modifying the composition of the vitrifiable feed material 30 by adding or removing redox agents. As such, the transitioning of the glass melt 22 within the SC melter 10 from a chemical composition of one color to a chemical composition of another color can occur relatively fast, which minimizes the

1-21 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) amount of transition glass that must be recycled or discarded. Additionally, since the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 can be adjusted by controlling the one or more operating conditions of the SC melter 10, the modifications to the vitrifiable feed material 30 that accompany changes in color of the produced glass may be more minimal than in the past and, in some instances, the same composition may be suitable for multiple different colors of glass.

Still further, in yet another implementation of the presently-disclosed method, one, two, or all three of the operating conditions may be controlled to neutralize unwanted deviations in the redox ratio of the glass melt 22 that may transpire as a result of modifying the composition of the vitrifiable feed material 30 to assist other aspects of the glassmaking operations such as, for instance, the ability to fine the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10. In that regard, a wider range of compositions may be available for the vitrifiable feed material 30 that might not otherwise be possible if the redox ratio is managed solely through the composition of the feed material 30.

As mentioned above, the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10, whatever its color and chemistry, may be further processed downstream of the SC melter 10. For instance, and referring now to FIG. 3, the foamy molten glass 36 may have a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition and be formed into glass containers. In FIG. 3, the step of producing molten glass having such a chemical composition, step 80, involves the use and operation of the SC melter 10, as described above, to provide the discharged foamy molten glass 36 for further processing, regardless of whether or not the discharged foamy molten glass 36 is temporarily held in the stilling vessel 38 after exiting the SC melter 10. Next, in step 82, the foamy molten glass 36 discharged from the SC melter 10 is formed into at least one, and preferably many, glass containers. The forming step 82 includes a refining step 84, a thermal conditioning step 86, and a forming step 88. These various sub-steps 84, 86, 88 of the forming step 82 can be carried out by any suitable practice including the use of conventional equipment and techniques.

The refining step 84 involves removing bubbles, seeds, and other gaseous inclusions from the foamy molten glass 36 so that the glass containers formed therefrom do not contain more than a commercially-acceptable amount of visual glass imperfections. To carry out such refining, the foamy molten glass 36 may be introduced into a molten glass bath contained within a fining chamber of a finer tank. The molten glass bath flows from an inlet end of the finer tank to an outlet end and is heated along that path by any of a wide variety of burners — most notably, flat

1-22 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) flame overhead burners, sidewall pencil burners, overhead impingement burners, etc. — to increase the viscosity of the molten glass bath which, in turn, promotes the ascension and bursting of entrained bubbles. In many cases, the molten glass bath in the fining chamber is heated to a temperature between 1400°C to 1500°C. Additionally, chemical fining agents, if included in the vitrifiable feed material 30, may further facilitate bubble removal within the molten glass bath. Commonly used fining agents include sulfates that decompose to form O2. The O2 then readily ascends through the molten glass bath collecting smaller entrained bubbles along the way. As a result of the refining process that occurs in the finer tank, the molten glass bath typically has a density that ranges from 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ for soda-lime-silica glass at the outlet end of the finer tank, thus refining the discharged foamy molten glass 36 into a refined molten glass.

The refined molten glass attained in the fining chamber is then thermally conditioned in the thermal conditioning step 86. This involves cooling the refined molten glass at a controlled rate to a temperature and viscosity suitable for glass forming operations while also achieving a more uniform temperature profile within the refined molten glass. The refined molten glass is preferably cooled to a temperature between 1050°C to 1200°C to provide a conditioned molten glass. The thermal conditioning of the refined molten glass may be performed in a separate forehearth that receives the refined molten glass from the outlet end of the finer tank. A forehearth is an elongated structure that defines an extended channel along which overhead and/or sidewall mounted burners can consistently and smoothly reduce the temperature of the flowing refined molten glass. In another embodiment, however, the fining and thermal conditioning steps 84, 86 may be performed in a single structure that can accommodate both fining of the foamy molten glass 36 and thermal conditioning of the refined molten glass.

Glass containers are then formed or molded from the conditioned molten glass in the forming step 88. In a standard container-forming process, the conditioned molten glass is discharged from a glass feeder at the end of the finer/forehearth as molten glass streams or runners. The molten glass runners are sheared into individual gobs of a predetermined weight. Each gob falls into a gob delivery system and is directed into a blank mold of a glass container forming machine. Once in the blank mold, and with its temperature still between 1050°C and about 1200°C, the molten glass gob is pressed or blown into a parison or preform that includes a tubular wall. The parison is then transferred from the blank mold into a blow mold of the forming machine for final shaping into a container. Once the parison is received in the blow mold, the blow mold

1-23 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) is closed and the parison is blown rapidly into the final container shape that matches the contour of the mold cavity using a compressed gas such as compressed air. Other approaches may of course be implemented to form the glass containers besides the press-and-blow and blow-and- blow forming techniques including, for instance, compression or other molding techniques.

The container formed within the blow mold has an axially closed base and a circumferential wall. The circumferential wall extends from the axially closed base to a mouth that defines an opening to a containment space defined by the axially closed base and the circumferential wall. The formed glass container is allowed to cool while in contact with the mold walls and is then removed from the blow mold and placed on a conveyor or other transport device. The glass container is then reheated and cooled at a controlled rate in an annealing lehr to relax thermally- induced strain and remove internal stress points. The annealing of the glass container involves heating the glass container to a temperature above the annealing point of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, which usually lies within the range of 510°C to 550°C, followed by slowly cooling the container at a rate of l°C/min to 10°C/min to a temperature below the strain point of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, which typically falls within the range of 470°C to 500°C. The glass container may be cooled rapidly after it has been cooled to a temperature below the strain point. Moreover, any of a variety of coatings may be applied to the surface of the glass container either before (hot-end coatings) or after (cold-end coatings) annealing for a variety of reasons.

Examples

The following Examples are disclosed to demonstrate the impact that the above-described operating conditions of a submerged combustion melter can have on the redox ratio of a glass melt produced within the melter. These Examples do not represent an exhaustive listing of all of the ways in which the operating conditions may be controlled to adjust the redox ratio. Persons skilled in the art of glass manufacturing will understand that myriad opportunities exist for adjusting the redox ratio of the glass melt using one or more of the three operating conditions described herein and will know how to implement a suitable control strategy based on the teachings of the present disclosure. Each of the Examples set forth below have been conducted in the context of producing glass having a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition suitable for glass container manufacturing. However, the demonstrated results and relationships between the operating

1-24 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) conditions and the redox ratio as presented in the Examples are not necessarily limited only to the recited class of glass chemical compositions.

Examples 1-3: Oxygen-to-Fuel Ratio of the Combustible Gas Mixture

Several experiments were performed to demonstrate the effect that the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to and injected from each of the submerged burners can have on the redox ratio of a glass melt. The experiments, more specifically, were focused on adjusting the redox ratio to favor the production of certain colored glass as well as to impart rapid redox ratio changes to support transitions between different glass color production cycles.

In a first trial (Example 1), a feed material formulated to produce flint glass with 50 wt% flint cullet was introduced into a submerged combustion melter. A glass melt was produced from the feed material and a combustible gas mixture that contained propane as the fuel and pure oxygen was supplied to the submerged burners. The weight of the glass melt, the mass flow rate of foamy molten glass exiting the melter, and the mass flow rates of the combustible gas mixture being injected by the submerged burners were each held constant. Additionally, the foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter was directed through a forehearth to refine and thermally condition the molten glass. The molten glass exiting the forehearth was collected at various times to determine the redox ratio of the glass, which for all practical purposes should be the same as the redox ratio of the glass melt.

The redox ratio of each evaluated sample of molten glass is plotted in FIG. 4. During period A, the combustible gas mixture supplied to the submerged burners contained 20% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry (i.e., an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of 4.36 for propane). The redox ratio of the glass melt had an average value of 0.19 over period A. To illustrate the effect that the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture can have on the redox ratio, the oxygen-to- fuel ratio of the combustible base mixture supplied to the combustion burners was decreased to 10% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry (i.e., an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of 3.99 for propane) during period B following period A. The downward adjustment in the oxygen-to-fuel ratio shifted the glass to a more reducing state and, as shown, caused an increase in the average value of the redox ratio of the glass melt to 0.3 over period B. Should it be desired to decrease the redox ratio back to the average value observed in period A while maintaining the oxygen-to-fuel ratio employed in period B, additional oxidizing agents (e.g., sulfates) would have to be added to the feed material.

1-25 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635)

In a second trial (Example 2), a feed material formulated to produce amber glass with 50 wt% amber cullet was introduced into a submerged combustion melter. A glass melt was produced from the feed material and a combustible gas mixture that contained propane as the fuel and pure oxygen was supplied to the submerged burners. The weight of the glass melt, the mass flow rate of foamy molten glass exiting the melter, and the mass flow rates of the combustible gas mixture being injected by the submerged burners were each held constant. Additionally, like before, the foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter was directed through a forehearth to refine and thermally condition the molten glass. The molten glass exiting the forehearth was collected at various times to determine the redox ratio of the glass and thus the redox ratio of the glass melt.

The redox ratio of each evaluated sample of molten glass is plotted in FIG. 5. Here, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture was varied from 10% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry (i.e., an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of 3.99 for propane) during period A, to 4% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry (i.e., an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of 3.78 for propane) during period B following period A, and finally to 20% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry (i.e., an oxygen- to-fuel ratio of 4.36 for propane) during period C following period B. As shown, the average value of the redox ratio of the glass melt was greatest during period B (-0.78), while the increased oxygen-to-fuel ratio achieved in periods A and C shifted the glass melt to a more oxidized state and caused a corresponding decrease in the redox ratio. As a result of these variations in the redox ratio, a light amber color was achieved for the molten glass during period B, but when higher oxygen-to-fuel ratios were employed during periods A and C, most of the expected amber color was not present.

In a third trial (Example 3), the ability to induce rapid changes in the redox ratio of the glass melt was investigated. This trial involved melting a feed material formulated to produce flint glass in a submerged combustion melter. A glass melt was produced from the feed material and a combustible gas mixture that contained methane as the fuel and pure oxygen was supplied to the submerged burners. At no point during the entirety of the trial were any changes made to the composition of the feed material. The foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter was again directed through a forehearth to refine and thermally condition the molten glass. The molten glass exiting the forehearth was collected at various times to determine the redox ratio of the glass and thus the redox ratio of the glass melt.

1-26 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635)

As shown in FIG. 6, in which the redox ratios of the evaluated samples are plotted, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners was varied over three consecutive periods. At the beginning of the trial, in period A, the combustible gas mixture supplied to the submerged burners contained 20% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry (i.e., an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of 4.8 for methane). This resulted in a redox ratio between 0.3 and 0.5 near the level typically used for flint glass. Next, during period B, the oxygen- to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture was decreased in steps over an eight-hour period until it reached 10% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry (i.e., an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of 4.4 for methane). The combustible gas mixture supplied to the submerged burners was then held at 10% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry during period C. In response to the downward adjustment in the oxygen-to-fuel ratio, the redox ratio of the glass melt changed significantly from periods A to C, eventually exceeding 0.8 in period C and surpassing the range typically used for amber glass. It is believed that such a change in the redox ratio of the glass melt could have been achieved even quicker had the oxygen-to-fuel ratio been directly adjusted from 20% excess oxygen to 10% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry instead of making that transition over an eight-hour period.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 7, which graphically depicts the bubble count (identified by reference numeral 100) corresponding to the redox ratios for a portion of the samples spanning periods A to C in FIG. 6, the change in redox ratio of the glass melt by adjustment of the oxygen- to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture did not adversely affect the quality of the glass. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the bubble count 100 observed in the molten glass remained essentially unchanged when progressing from period A to period B to period C and well below the common target value of 0.5 bubbles per gram of glass. Without being bound be theory, the reason that the bubble count remained unchanged during the change in redox ratio is believed to be related to the nature of submerged combustion melting. The fact that significant bubbles are formed in the glass melt as a result of discharging combustion products directly into the melt, plus the turbulent mixing that occurs in the melt, likely nullifies any impact a sudden change in the redox ratio of the glass melt might have on glass bubble count. This is much different than in a conventional continuous melting furnace where changes in the redox ratio of the more settled molten glass bath have to be implemented slowly by gradually altering the sulfate or carbon concentrations in the feed material being introduced into the furnace. If changes to the feed material are implemented too quickly, a significant amount of foam will be generated in the furnace due to reactions between sulfates,

1-27 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) carbon, and molten glass as the redox ratio changes, and as a result glass quality may suffer noticeably.

As expressed in the data shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners can be adjusted to induce rapid redox ratio changes in the glass melt and, thus, support glass coloration changeovers while minimizing the amount of transition glass produced. For example, when a submerged combustion melter is scheduled to switch from producing amber glass (a reduced glass) to producing emerald green glass (an oxidized glass), two primary actions are usually taken: (1) the redox ratio of the glass melt is lowered from 0.6-0.8 to 0.4-06 and (2) the composition of the feed material is modified to increase its chromium content. As soon as it has been determined that the feed material as formulated for emerald green glass (due to the chromium addition) is being fed to the melter, the change in the redox ratio can be attained relatively quickly by increasing the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to the submerged burners without having to add sulfates to the composition of the feed material. To that end, the change in chromium content of the glass melt is the rate-limiting step when converting glass colors in this example, as opposed to the operation a conventional continuous melting furnace where a redox ratio change is usually the rate-limiting step since, as explained above, redox ratio changes must be carried out slowly to avoid any deterioration in glass quality.

Examples 4-5: Residence Time of the Glass Melt

Several experiments were performed to demonstrate the effect that the residence time of the glass melt can have on the redox ratio of a glass melt due to changes in sulfate volatilization. In a first trial (Example 4), a feed material formulated to produce flint glass with 50 wt% flint cullet was introduced into a submerged combustion melter. A glass melt was produced from the feed material and a combustible gas mixture that contained propane as the fuel and pure oxygen was supplied to the submerged burners. The mass flow rate of foamy molten glass out of the melter was varied from 1200 pounds per hour (Ibs/hr) initially, to 600 Ib/hr, and was then increased again to vary the residence time of the glass melt. The weight of the glass melt was held constant and no changes were made to the composition of the feed material or to any other process parameter that would affect the redox ratio during the trial. The foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter was directed through a forehearth to refine and thermally condition the molten glass. The molten glass exiting the forehearth was collected at various times

1-28 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) to determine the redox ratio of the glass, and thus the redox ratio of the glass melt, as well as the retained sulfates in the glass as expressed as SO3.

The redox ratio and the retained sulfate content of each evaluated sample is plotted in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, respectively, in conjunction with the residence time of the glass melt (identified by reference numeral 102). In FIG. 8, the circles represent the redox ratios of the glass samples, while in FIG. 9 the triangles represent the retained sulfates in the glass samples. Referring to FIG. 8, it can be seen that decreasing the mass flow rate of the foamy molten glass exiting the melter from 1200 Ibs/hr to 600 Ibs/hr caused the residence time 102 of the glass melt to increase, which in turn caused the redox ratio of the glass melt increase by up to 50% as the melt became more reduced. The reason behind the increase in the redox ratio is apparent from FIG. 9, which shows the retained sulfate content of the glass decreased as the residence time 102 of the glass melt increased over the same period. Retaining less sulfates in the glass (because more sulfates are volatized when the residence time is increased) causes an increase in the redox ratio since sulfates act as oxidizing agents. When the mass flow rate of the foamy molten glass exiting the melter was later increased from 600 Ibs/hr, the residence time 102 of the glass melt decreased and the redox ratio of the melt also decreased due to a greater quantity of retained sulfates in the glass.

In a second trial (Example 5), a feed material formulated to produce flint glass with 50 wt% flint cullet was introduced into a submerged combustion melter. A glass melt was produced from the feed material and a combustible gas mixture that contained propane as the fuel and pure oxygen was supplied to the submerged burners. Here, the weight of the glass melt in the submerged combustion melter was varied from 2800 lbs to 4000 lbs and back to 2800 lbs to vary the residence time of the glass melt. The mass flow rate of foamy molten glass out of the melter was kept constant and no changes were made to the composition of the feed material or to any other process parameter that would affect the redox ratio during the trial. The foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter was again directed through a forehearth to refine and thermally condition the molten glass. The molten glass exiting the forehearth was collected at various times to determine the redox ratio of the glass and thus the redox ratio of the glass melt. As can be seen in FIG. 10, in which the redox ratio of each evaluated sample is plotted in conjunction with the residence time of the glass melt (identified by reference numeral 102), decreasing the residence time of the glass melt caused the redox ratio of the melt to increase, and

1-29 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) vice versa, for the same general reasons pertaining to sulfate retention in the glass as discussed above in connection with FIGS. 8 and 9.

Based on the above data, the residence time of the glass melt can be used much like the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture to help optimize the glassmaking operation. Indeed, adjustments to the residence time of the glass melt can be implemented without having to modify the composition of the feed material by adding or removing redox agents; rather, the mass flow rate of the foamy molten glass being discharged from the melter and/or the weight of the glass melt can be adjusted quite rapidly, usually in as little as a few hours. To that end, the residence time of the glass melt may be tailored to the desired redox ratio based on the color of the glass being produced. For instance, when producing a reduced glass such as amber glass, the residence time of the glass melt may be increased to drive the glass to a more reduced state. This could reduce the need to include carbon and/or other reducing agents in the feed material that might otherwise be needed to reduce the glass melt. Conversely, when producing an oxidized glass such as flint glass, the residence time of the glass melt may be decreased to drive the glass to a more oxidized state. This could reduce the need to include sulfates and/or other oxidizing agents in the feed material that might otherwise be needed to oxidize the glass melt.

A method of producing molten glass using submerged combustion melting technology has thus been disclosed that satisfies one or more of the objects and aims previously set forth in the disclosure. The molten glass may be further processed into glass articles including, for example, glass containers. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

1-30 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635)

The claims of as-filed US 16/788635 include the following:

1.

A method of producing glass using submerged combustion melting, the method comprising: introducing a vitrifiable feed material (30) into a glass melt (22) contained within a submerged combustion melter (10), the submerged combustion melter comprising one or more submerged burners (62) supplied with a combustible gas mixture (G) that comprises fuel and oxygen, the glass melt having a redox ratio defined as a ratio of Fe ²⁺ to total iron in the glass melt; combusting the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners to produce combustion products (68), and discharging the combustion products from the one or more submerged burners directly into the glass melt to transfer heat to, and agitate, the glass melt; and adjusting the redox ratio of the glass melt by controlling one or more operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter selected from (1) an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners, (2) a residence time of the glass melt, and (3) a gas flux through the glass melt.

2.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein adjusting the redox ratio of the glass melt comprises controlling any combination of two of the operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter.

3.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein adjusting the redox ratio of the glass melt comprises controlling all three of the operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter.

4.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein adjusting the redox ratio of the glass melt comprises increasing the redox ratio of the glass melt without modifying a composition of the vitrifiable feed material by adding or removing redox agents.

1-31 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635)

5.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein adjusting the redox ratio of the glass melt comprises decreasing the redox ratio of the glass melt without modifying a composition of the vitrifiable feed material by adding or removing redox agents.

6.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the glass melt has a glass chemical composition that comprises 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiCh, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO.

7.

The method set forth in claim 1, further comprising: transitioning the glass melt from having a glass chemical composition formulated for one color of glass to a glass chemical composition formulated for another color of glass.

8.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the combustible gas mixture includes pure oxygen and either methane or propane as the fuel.

9.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein, if controlled, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners is controlled to between 30% excess fuel relative to stoichiometry and 30% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry, the residence time of the glass melt is controlled to between 1 hour and 12 hours, and/or the gas flux through the glass melt is controlled to between 0.01 NCM/kg-hr ² and 0.08 NCM/kg-hr ² .

10.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein adjusting the redox ratio of the glass melt comprises increasing the redox ratio of the glass melt to render the glass melt more reduced.

1-32 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635)

11.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein adjusting the redox ratio of the glass melt comprises decreasing the redox ratio of the glass melt to render the glass melt more oxidized.

12.

The method set forth in claim 1, further comprising: drawing molten glass (36) out of the submerged combustion melter from the glass melt; refining the molten glass at a temperature between 1400°C and 1500°C to remove bubbles from the molten glass and to produce a refined molten glass having a density that is greater than a density of the molten glass drawn out of the submerged combustion melter; thermally conditioning the refined molten glass at a temperature between 1050°C and 1200°C to produce conditioned molten glass; and forming the conditioned molten glass into at least one glass container.

13.

A method of producing glass using submerged combustion melting, the method comprising: introducing a vitrifiable feed material (30) into a glass melt (22) contained within a submerged combustion melter (10), the submerged combustion melter comprising one or more submerged burners (62) supplied with a combustible gas mixture (G) that comprises fuel and oxygen, the glass melt having a redox ratio defined as a ratio of Fe ²⁺ to total iron in the glass melt; combusting the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners to produce combustion products (68), and discharging the combustion products from the one or more submerged burners directly into the glass melt to transfer heat to, and agitate, the glass melt; and increasing the redox ratio of the glass melt by controlling one or more operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter selected from (1) an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners, (2) a residence time of the glass melt, and (3) a gas flux through the glass melt, wherein controlling the one or more operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter comprises at least one of (1) increasing the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners, (2) decreasing the residence time of the glass melt, or (3) decreasing the gas flux through the glass melt.

1-33 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635)

14.

The method set forth in claim 13, wherein increasing the redox ratio of the glass melt comprises controlling any combination of two of the operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter.

15.

The method set forth in claim 13, wherein increasing the redox ratio of the glass melt comprises controlling all three of the operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter.

16.

The method set forth in claim 13, wherein, if controlled, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners is controlled to between 30% excess fuel relative to stoichiometry and 30% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry, the residence time of the glass melt is controlled to between 1 hour and 12 hours, and/or the gas flux through the glass melt is controlled to between 0.01 NCM/kg-hr ² and 0.08 NCM/kg-hr ² .

17.

A method of producing glass using submerged combustion melting, the method comprising: introducing a vitrifiable feed material (30) into a glass melt (22) contained within a submerged combustion melter (10), the submerged combustion melter comprising one or more submerged burners (62) supplied with a combustible gas mixture (G) that comprises fuel and oxygen, the glass melt having a redox ratio defined as a ratio of Fe ²⁺ to total iron in the glass melt; combusting the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners to produce combustion products (68), and discharging the combustion products from the one or more submerged burners directly into the glass melt to transfer heat to, and agitate, the glass melt; and decreasing the redox ratio of the glass melt by controlling one or more operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter selected from (1) an oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners, (2) a residence time of the glass melt, and (3) a gas flux through the glass melt, wherein controlling the one or more operating conditions of

1-34 CHAPTER I - 19543 (US 16/788635) the submerged combustion melter comprises at least one of (1) decreasing the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners, (2) increasing the residence time of the glass melt, or (3) increasing the gas flux through the glass melt.

18.

The method set forth in claim 17, wherein decreasing the redox ratio of the glass melt comprises controlling any combination of two of the operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter.

19.

The method set forth in claim 17, wherein decreasing the redox ratio of the glass melt comprises controlling all three of the operating conditions of the submerged combustion melter.

20.

The method set forth in claim 17, wherein, if controlled, the oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustible gas mixture supplied to each of the submerged burners is controlled to between 30% excess fuel relative to stoichiometry and 30% excess oxygen relative to stoichiometry, the residence time of the glass melt is controlled to between 1 hour and 12 hours, and/or the gas flux through the glass melt is controlled to between 0.01 NCM/kg-hr ² and 0.08 NCM/kg-hr ² .

1-35 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068)

CHAPTER J: STILLING VESSEL FOR SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTER

The present disclosure is directed to glass production using submerged combustion melting and, more specifically, to a stilling vessel for managing the flow of foamy molten glass produced in a submerged combustion melter.

Background

Glass is a rigid amorphous solid that has numerous applications. Soda-lime-silica glass, for example, is used extensively to manufacture flat glass articles including windows, hollow glass articles including containers such as bottles and jars, and also tableware and other specialty articles. Soda-lime-silica glass comprises a disordered and spatially crosslinked ternary oxide network of SiC>2-Na2O-CaO. The silica component (SiCh) is the largest oxide by weight and constitutes the primary network forming material of soda-lime-silica glass. The Na2O component functions as a fluxing agent that reduces the melting, softening, and glass transition temperatures of the glass, as compared to pure silica glass, and the CaO component functions as a stabilizer that improves certain physical and chemical properties of the glass including its hardness and chemical resistance. The inclusion of Na2O and CaO in the chemistry of soda-lime-silica glass renders the commercial manufacture of glass articles more practical and less energy intensive than pure silica glass while still yielding acceptable glass properties. Soda-lime-silica glass, in general and based on the total weight of the glass, has a glass chemical composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiO2, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO.

In addition to SiO2, Na2O, and CaO, the glass chemical composition of soda-lime-silica glass may include other oxide and non-oxide materials that act as network formers, network modifiers, colorants, decolorants, redox agents, or other agents that affect the properties of the final glass. Some examples of these additional materials include aluminum oxide (AI2O3), magnesium oxide (MgO), potassium oxide (K2O), carbon, sulfates, nitrates, fluorines, chlorines, and/or elemental or oxide forms of one or more of iron, arsenic, antimony, selenium, chromium, barium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, sulfur, vanadium, titanium, lead, copper, niobium, molybdenum, lithium, silver, strontium, cadmium, indium, tin, gold, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, europium, gadolinium, erbium, and uranium. Aluminum oxide is one of the more commonly included materials — typically present in an amount up to 2 wt% based on the total weight of the glass — because of its ability to improve the chemical durability of the glass and to

J-l CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) reduce the likelihood of devitrification. Regardless of what other oxide and/or non-oxide materials are present in the soda-lime-glass besides SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, the sum total of those additional materials is preferably 10 wt% or less, or more narrowly 5 wt% or less, based on the total weight of the soda-lime-silica glass.

Submerged combustion (SC) melting is a melting technology that can produce glass, including soda-lime-silica glass, and has recently gained interest as a potentially viable option for commercial glass manufacturing. Contrary to conventional melting practices, in which a molten glass bath is heated primarily with radiant heat from overhead non-submerged burners, SC melting involves injecting a combustible gas mixture that contains fuel and oxygen directly into a glass melt contained in a SC melter, typically though submerged burners mounted in the floor or in an immersed portion of the sidewalls of the melter. The combustible gas mixture autoignites and the resultant combustion products cause vigorous stirring and turbulence as they are discharged through the glass melt. The intense shearing forces experienced between the combustion products and the glass melt cause rapid heat transfer and particle dissolution throughout the molten glass compared to the slower kinetics of a conventional melting furnace.

While SC technology can melt and integrate a vitrifiable feed material into the glass melt relatively quickly, thus resulting in relatively low glass residence times compared to conventional glass melting practices, the glass melt tends to be foamy and have a relatively low density despite being chemically homogenized when discharged from the SC melter. Moreover, due to the turbulent nature of the glass melt contained in the SC melter, the flow of molten glass discharged from the SC melter tends to fluctuate. A fluctuating flow of discharged molten glass can make it difficult to operate downstream equipment, such as a glass finer, since an unpredictable input flow of molten glass can cause certain operating conditions of the downstream component to have to be frequently adjusted. A fluctuating flow of discharged molten glass is also difficult to regulate over time to match glass production requirements. To help implement the use of SC melting in a commercial glass manufacturing setting, the fluctuations in the flow of molten glass discharged from the SC melter need to be managed in one way or another.

Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to a stilling vessel that is connected to a submerged combustion melter. Fluid communication is established between the submerged combustion melter and the stilling vessel by a throat. The stilling vessel includes a stilling tank and a feeding

J-2 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) spout. The stilling tank defines a stilling chamber that receives unrefined foamy molten glass from the submerged combustion melter through the interconnecting throat. The unrefined foamy molten glass received from the submerged combustion melter is held within the stilling chamber as an intermediate pool of molten glass. The stilling tank may include non-submerged burners to heat the intermediate pool of molten glass so that the temperature of the glass does not decrease and cause an unwanted increase in glass viscosity. Some of the non-submerged burners may even impinge the intermediate pool of molten glass with their combustion products to reduce an amount of foam that ascends to the top surface of the pool of molten glass. The feeding spout is appended to the stilling tank and defines a spout chamber that communicates with the stilling chamber. The feeding spout holds a transfer pool of molten glass and is configured to deliver a molten glass feed from the transfer pool at a controlled rate to a downstream component such as glass finer.

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other to provide a method for producing glass. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of producing glass includes several steps. One step involves discharging combustion products from one or more submerged burners directly into a glass melt contained within an interior reaction chamber of a submerged combustion melter. The combustion products discharged from the one or more submerged burners agitate the glass melt. Another step of the method involves drawing unrefined foamy molten glass from the glass melt and discharging the unrefined foamy molten glass out of the submerged combustion melter through a molten glass outlet. Still another step of the method involves introducing the unrefined foamy molten glass into a stilling chamber of a stilling tank that is in fluid communication with the submerged combustion melter. The unrefined foamy molten glass merges with an intermediate pool of molten glass being held within the stilling chamber of the stilling tank. Yet another step of the method involves heating the intermediate pool of molten glass with combustion products discharged from one or more non-submerged burners mounted in a housing of the stilling tank that defines the stilling chamber. Another step of the method involves flowing molten glass from the intermediate pool of molten glass into a transfer pool of molten glass being held in a spout chamber of a feeding spout. And still another step of the method involves delivering a molten glass feed out of the feeding spout from the transfer pool of molten glass at a controlled rate.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of producing glass includes several steps. One step of the method involves introducing unrefined foamy molten glass

J-3 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) discharged from a submerged combustion melter into a stilling chamber of a stilling tank through a throat that provides a flow path from a molten glass outlet of the submerged combustion melter to an inlet of the stilling tank. The unrefined foamy molten glass has a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition and merges with an intermediate pool of molten glass held within the stilling chamber of the stilling tank. Another step of the method involves heating the intermediate pool of molten glass with combustion products discharged from one or more non-submerged burners mounted in a housing of the stilling tank that defines the stilling chamber. Still another step of the method involves flowing molten glass from the intermediate pool of molten glass to a transfer pool of molten glass held in a spout chamber of a feeding spout appended to the stilling tank. The feeding spout has a spout bowl that partially defines the spout chamber and an orifice plate affixed to the spout bowl through which a molten glass feed is delivered from the feeding spout. And yet another step of the method involves introducing the molten glass feed into a molten glass bath held within glass finer. The molten glass bath flows towards an outlet opening of the glass finer and produces refined molten glass that emerges from the outlet opening of the glass finer. The refined molten glass has a density that is greater than a density of the unrefined foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a system for producing glass includes a submerged combustion melter, a stilling vessel, and a throat. The submerged combustion melter has a housing that defines an interior reaction chamber, a feed material inlet for introducing a vitrifiable feed material into the interior reaction chamber, and a molten glass outlet for discharging unrefined molten glass from the interior reaction chamber. The submerged combustion melter further comprises one or more submerged burners. The stilling vessel includes a stilling tank and a feeding spout. The stilling tank has a housing that defines a stilling chamber, an inlet, and an outlet, and the feeding spout is appended to the stilling tank so as to cover the outlet of the stilling tank. The feeding spout has a spout bowl and an orifice plate defining at least one orifice for delivering a molten glass feed out of the feeding spout. The throat interconnects the submerged combustion melter and the stilling vessel and establishes fluid communication between the interior reaction chamber and the stilling chamber by providing a flow path from the molten glass outlet of the submerged combustion melter to the inlet of the stilling tank.

J-4 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068)

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages, and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevated cross-sectional representation of a system that includes a submerged combustion melter and a stilling vessel attached to the submerged combustion melter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the floor of the submerged combustion melter illustrated in FIG. 1 and taken along section line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional illustration of a liquid cooled panel that may be used to contruct some or all of the housing of the submerged combustion melter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional illustration of a glass finer that receives a molten glass feed from the stilling vessel attached to the submerged combustion melter, as depicted in FIG. 1, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is an elevated cross-sectional illustration of the stilling vessel shown in FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the stilling vessel shown in FIG. 5 taken along section line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the stilling vessel shown in FIG. 5 taken along section line 7-7 in FIG. 5;

FIG 8 is is a cross-sectional view of the stilling vessel shown in FIG. 5 taken along section line 8-8 in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic flow diagram of a process for forming glass containers from molten glass produced in a submerged combustion melter and delivered through a stilling vessel attached to the submerged combustion melter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

A system for producing glass that includes a submerged combustion (SC) melter 10 and a stilling vessel 12 connected to the SC melter 10 is shown in FIGS. 1-2 according to various practices of the present disclosure. The SC melter 10 is fed with a vitrifiable feed material 14 that exhibits a glass-forming formulation. The vitrifiable feed material 14 is melt-reacted inside the

J-5 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068)

SC melter 10 within an agitated glass melt 16 to produce molten glass. Unrefined foamy molten glass 18 is drawn from the glass melt 16 and discharged from the SC melter through a throat 20 that interconnects the SC melter 10 and the stilling vessel 12 and establishes fluid communication between the two structures 10, 12. The stilling vessel 12 receives the unrefined foamy molten glass 18 discharged from the SC melter 10 and controllably delivers a molten glass feed 22 to a downstream component 24. The downstream component 24 may, as shown, be a glass finer that fines and optionally thermally conditions the molten glass feed 22 for subsequent glass forming operations.

The SC melter 10 includes a housing 26 that has a roof 28, a floor 30, and a surrounding upstanding wall 32 that connects the roof 28 and the floor 30. The surrounding upstanding wall 32 further includes a front end wall 32a, a rear end wall 32b that opposes and is spaced apart from the front end wall 32a, and two opposed lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d that connect the front end wall 32a and the rear end wall 32b. Together, the roof 28, the floor 30, and the surrounding upstanding wall 32 define an interior reaction chamber 34 of the SC melter 10 that holds the glass melt 16 when the melter 10 is operational. At least the floor 30 and the upstanding side wall 32 of the housing 26, as well as the roof 28 if desired, may be constructed from one or more fluid cooled panels 36 as shown, for example, in FIG. 3. Each of the fluid cooled panels 36 may include an inner wall 36a and an outer wall 36b that together define an internal cooling space 40 through which a coolant, such as water, may be circulated. One or more baffles (not shown) may extend fully or partially between the confronting interior surfaces of the inner and outer walls 36a, 36b to direct the flow of the coolant along a desired flowpath. As a result of being liquid cooled, a glass-side refractory material layer 42 covering the inner wall 36a of each liquid cooled panel 36 supports, and is covered by, a layer of frozen glass 44 that forms in-situ between an outer skin of the glass melt 16 and a surface of the glass-side refractory material layer 42. This layer of frozen glass 44, once formed, shields and effectively protects the underlying inner wall 36a from the glass melt 16. The glass-side refractory material layer 42 may be composed of AZS (i.e., alumina- zirconia-silica).

The housing 26 of the SC melter 10 defines a feed material inlet 46, a molten glass outlet 48, and an exhaust vent 50. As shown here in FIG. 1, the feed material inlet 46 may be defined in the roof 28 of the housing 26 adjacent to or a distance from the front end wall 32a, and the molten glass outlet 48 may be defined in the rear end wall 32b of the housing 26 adjacent to or a distance

J-6 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) above the floor 30, although other locations for the feed material inlet 46 and the molten glass outlet 48 are certainly possible. The feed material inlet 46 provides an entrance to the interior reaction chamber 34 for the delivery of the vitrifiable feed material 14. A batch feeder 52 that is configured to introduce a metered amount of the vitrifiable feed material 14 into the interior reaction chamber 34 may be coupled to the housing 26. The batch feeder 52 may, for example, include a rotating screw (not shown) that rotates within a feed tube 54 of a slightly larger diameter that communicates with the feed material inlet 46 to deliver the vitrifiable feed material 14 from a feed hopper into the interior reaction chamber 34 at a controlled rate. The molten glass outlet 48 outlet provides an exit from the interior reaction chamber 34 for the discharge of the unrefined foamy molten glass 18 out of the SC melter 10.

The exhaust vent 50 is preferably defined in the roof 28 of the housing 26 between the front end wall 32a and the rear end wall 32b at a location downstream from the feed material inlet 46. An exhaust duct 56 communicates with the exhaust vent 50 and is configured to remove gaseous compounds from the interior reaction chamber 34. The gaseous compounds removed through the exhaust duct 56 may be treated, recycled, or otherwise managed away from the SC melter 10 as needed. To help prevent or at least minimize the potential loss of some of the vitrifiable feed material 14 through the exhaust vent 50 as unintentional feed material castoff, a partition wall 58 that depends from the roof 28 of the housing 26 may be positioned between the feed material inlet 46 and the exhaust vent 50. The partition wall 58 may include a lower free end 60 that is positioned close to, but above, the glass melt 16, as illustrated, or it may be submerged within the glass melt 16. Preferably, the partition wall 58 is constructed from a fluid-cooled panel similar to that depicted in FIG. 3.

The SC melter 10 includes one or more submerged burners 62. Each of the one or more submerged burners 62 is mounted in a port 64 defined in the floor 30 (as shown) and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 32 at a portion of the wall 32 that is immersed by the glass melt 16. Each of the submerged burner(s) 62 forcibly injects a combustible gas mixture G into the glass melt 16 through an output nozzle 66. The combustible gas mixture G comprises fuel and an oxidant. The fuel supplied to the submerged burner(s) 62 is preferably methane or propane, and the oxidant may be pure oxygen or include a high percentage (> 80 vol%) of oxygen, in which case the burner(s) 62 are oxy-fuel burners, or it may be air or any oxygen-enriched gas. Upon being injected into the glass melt 16, the combustible gas mixture G immediately autoignites to

J-7 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) produce combustion products 68 — namely, CO2, CO, H2O, and any uncombusted fuel, oxygen, and/or other gas compounds such as nitrogen — that are discharged into and through the glass melt 16. Anywhere from five to thirty submerged burners 62 are typically installed in the SC melter 10 although more or less burners 62 may certainly be employed depending on the size and melt capacity of the melter 10.

The stilling vessel 12 is connected to the SC melter 10 with both structures 10, 12 preferably being mechanically attached and supported on a common frame so that the two structures 10, 12 rock and vibrate in unison in response to sloshing and generally turbulent nature of the glass melt 16. The stilling vessel 12 receives the unrefined foamy molten glass 18 discharged from the SC melter 10, which has a tendency to have a fluctuating flow rate, and delivers the molten glass feed 22 at a controlled flow rate to the downstream component 24. In this way, the SC melter 10 can be operated to produce molten glass, and the downstream processing of the molten glass — most notably glass fining and thermal conditioning — can be practiced more efficiently and with better overall control since the molten glass input flow to the component(s) performing those operations can be regulated with good precision. The stilling vessel 12 can additionally be operated to partially fine and/or reduce the foam content of the intermediate pool of molten glass that pools within the stilling vessel 12 while also preventing heat loss from the glass before delivering the molten glass feed 22 to the downstream component 24. The stilling vessel 12 depicted here includes a stilling tank 70 and a feeding spout 72 appended to the stilling tank 70.

As shown in FIGS. 5-8, the stilling tank 70 includes a housing 74 that includes a floor 76, a roof 78, and an upstanding wall 80 that connects the floor 76 and the roof 78. Here, the upstanding wall 80 includes a front end wall 80a, a rear end wall 80b that opposes and is spaced apart from the front end wall 80a, and two opposed lateral sidewalls 80c, 80d that connect the front end wall 80a and the rear end wall 80b. In some implementations, and depending on the size of the feeding spout 72, the upstanding wall 80 may not include a rear end wall. Together, the floor 76, the roof 78, and the upstanding wall 80 of the housing 74 of the stilling tank 70 define a stilling chamber 82 that is smaller in volume than the interior reaction chamber 34 of the SC melter 10. The stilling chamber 82 holds an intermediate pool of molten glass 84 that flows in a flow direction F when the SC melter 10 and the stilling vessel 12 are operational. The housing 74 of the stilling tank 70 defines an inlet 86 and an outlet 88 to permit glass flow into and out of the intermediate

J-8 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) pool of molten glass 84, respectively, along the flow direction F. The inlet 86 may be defined in the front end wall 80a of the housing 74 and the outlet 88 may be defined in the rear end wall 80b, although other locations are certainly possible.

The intermediate pool of molten glass 84 is fed by the unrefined foamy molten glass 18 being discharged from the SC melter 10 by way of the throat 20. In that regard, the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 is a pooled collection of the discharged unrefined foamy molten glass 18 that moderates the unpredictable and often fluctuating flow rate of the discharged unrefined foamy molten glass 18. The intermediate pool of molten glass 84 is less turbulent than the agitated melt 16 contained in the SC melter 10. This is because the housing 74 of the stilling tank 70 does not include any submerged burners and, thus, the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 is not agitated by the direct firing of combustion products into and through the pool of molten glass 84 from a submerged burner location. By instilling calmness in the intermediate pool of molten glass 84, compared to the turbulence of the glass melt 16 held in the SC melter 10, the homogeneous distribution of entrained gas bubbles that is contained in the unrefined foamy molten glass 18 can begin to settle and ascend up through the pool of molten glass 84, thus commencing the initial phases of fining the molten glass.

While accumulating and holding the calmer intermediate pool of molten glass 84 in the stilling tank 70, the net heat loss from the pool of molten glass 84 is preferably curtailed as much as possible to prevent an increase in the viscosity of the molten glass. To that end, and unlike the housing 26 of the SC melter 10, the housing 74 of the stilling tank 70 is not liquid cooled. The housing 74 of the stilling tank 70 is constructed from a refractory material. For example, the floor 76 and glass-contacting portions of the upstanding wall 80 may be formed from fused cast AZS, bond AZS, castable AZS, high alumina, alumina-chrome, or alumina-silica type refractories. Insulating fire bricks and ceramic fire boards may be disposed behind these portions of the housing 74. The superstructure (i.e., the non-glass contacting portion of the upstanding wall 80) and the roof 78 of the housing 74 may be formed from an alumina-silica refractory such as Mullite. The superstructure may also be insulated with ceramic fiber board. Additionally, the housing 74 of the stilling tank 70 may support one or more non-submerged burners 90. Each of the burner(s) 90 combusts a mixture of fuel and oxidant and is aimed into the stilling chamber 82 so that the combustion products 92 emitted from the burner 90 transfers heat to the intermediate pool of molten glass 84.

J-9 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068)

The non-submerged bumer(s) 90 may include a plurality of sidewall burners 90a mounted in the upstanding wall 80 and, in particular, the superstructure of the upstanding wall 80. For example, the sidewall burners 90a may include a first series of burners 90al mounted in one of the lateral sidewalls 80c and a second series of burners 90a2 mounted in the other sidewall 80d. The two series of burners 90al, 90a2 direct their combustion products 92al, 92a2 (FIG. 8 only) towards each other, but are not necessarily mounted in diametric alignment, so that heat can be evenly distributed to the intermediate pool of molten glass 84. Each of the burners 90al, 90a2 may be pivotably mounted or fixedly mounted within a burner block so that the combustion products 92a 1 , 92a2 emitted from each burner 90al, 90a2 are aimed into the atmosphere of the stilling chamber 82 above the intermediate pool of molten glass 84, and thus do not directly impinge the pool of molten glass 84, or are aimed to directly impinge the intermediate pool of molten glass 84. Aiming the combustion products 92al, 92a2 into the atmosphere above the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 transfers heat radiantly to the pool of molten glass 84 while direct impingement between the combustion products 92al, 92a2 and the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 transfers heat by various mechanisms including conduction and convection. Direct impingement between the combustion products 92al, 92a2 and the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 can also reduce the volume of foam that may accumulate, whether in a foam layer or not, on the top surface 84' of the intermediate pool of molten glass 84, which can help improve heat transfer efficiency into the pool of molten glass 84 since foam tends to act as an insulating heat barrier. The sidewall burners 90a may be pencil burners or some other suitable burner construction.

In addition to the sidewall burners 90a, at least one roof burner 90b may be mounted in the roof 78 of the housing 74. The roof bumer(s) 90b may be pivotably or fixedly mounted within a burner block and be a high-velocity burner whose combustion products 92b are aimed to directly impinge the intermediate pool of molten glass 84. Such a high-velocity burner has a minimum gas velocity of 3000 feet per second (fps) at an exit of the burner. By impinging the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 with the combustion products 92b of the roof burner 90b, particularly at high velocity, any amount of foam that may be present on the top surface 84' of the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 can be reduced. The roof burner 90b may even be angled away from a centerline C of a pivot location of the burner 90b toward the front end wall 80a in order to urge surface foam towards the front end wall 80a opposite to the flow direction F of glass through the intermediate pool of molten glass 84. To maximize the heating and foam pushback effect of the roof bumer(s)

J-10 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068)

90b, and as shown best in FIG. 7, a plurality of roof burners 90b may be spaced across the roof 78 (and preferably angled as described above) between the opposed side walls 80c, 80d to create a curtain 94 of flames that impinges the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 and extends between the sidewalls 80c, 80d transverse to the flow direction F of glass within the stilling tank 70.

The stilling tank 70 may include a level gauge 96 to measure a depth D of the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 within the stilling chamber 82, as shown in FIG. 5. The level gauge 96 may be any level measuring instrument suitable for use with molten glass including, for example, a radar gauge, a dipping probe, or a camera. The level gauge 96 may be supported by the roof 78, as shown, or it may be supported elsewhere in the housing 74. The ability to accurately measure the depth D or level of the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 can assist with the overall control of the SC melter 10 and the stilling vessel 12. Moreover, the depth D of the intermediate molten glass pool 84 can be used to measure, indirectly, the nominal depth DN of the glass melt 16 contained within the interior reaction chamber 34 of the SC melter 10 since the interior reaction chamber 34 and the stilling chamber 82 are maintained at the same pressure. Accordingly, as a result of equalized static pressure acting on the glass melt 16 and the intermediate pool of molten glass 84, the levels of the two incompressible molten glass bodies tend to be horizontally aligned relative to gravity. And since the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 is relatively calm, its depth D gives a good indication of the nominal depth DN — which is the depth the melt would have if not agitated and allowed to settle — of the glass melt 16 in the SC melter 10.

The feeding spout 72 is appended to the stilling tank 70 and covers the outlet 88 of the housing 74 of the stilling tank 70. The feeding spout 72 includes a spout bowl 98, an orifice plate 100, one or more cover blocks 102, and a reciprocal plunger 104. The spout bowl 98 defines an inlet 106 that fluidly communicates with the outlet 88 of the housing 74 of the stilling tank 70 and has a lower end 108, to which the orifice plate 100 is affixed, and an upper end 110, which supports the one or more cover blocks 102. The spout bowl 98 may be formed from a refractory material including any of the ones mentioned above in connection with the floor 76 and glass-contacting portions of the upstanding wall 80 of the housing 74 of the stilling tank 70. Together, the spout bowl 98, the orifice plate 100, and the cover block(s) 102 define a spout chamber 112 that holds a transfer pool of molten glass 114. One or more non-submerged burners 116, such as one or more pencil burners, may be mounted in the spout bowl 98. Each of the burners 116, as before, combusts a mixture of fuel and oxidant, with each of the burners 116 being aimed into the spout chamber

J-l l CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068)

112 to transfer heat to the transfer pool of molten glass 114 either by radiation or through direct impingement with a top surface 114' of the transfer pool of molten glass 114.

The orifice plate 100 of the feeding spout 72 defines at least one orifice 118 — and typically anywhere from one to four, although more than four are certainly possible — through which the molten glass feed 22 can be delivered from the transfer pool of molten glass 114 at a controlled rate that meets the specific input needs of the downstream component 24. The orifice plate 100 may be constructed from a refractory material as well. To control the flow rate of the molten glass feed 22 from the feeding spout 72, the reciprocal movement of the reciprocal plunger 104, which in some embodiments may be a solid rod with or without a tapered head or hollow cylindrical tube, is controlled along an axial centerline 120 oriented transverse to an exit plane 122 of the orifice 118 to regulate the flow rate (either by mass or volume) through the orifice 118. For instance, maximum flow is permitted through the orifice 118 when the reciprocal plunger 104 is fully retracted away from the orifice 118, no flow is permitted when the reciprocal plunger 104 is fully protracted towards the orifice 118 to block the orifice 118, and varying degrees of flow in between maximum flow and no flow are permitted at various locations of the plunger 104 between its fully retracted position and its fully protracted position. If the orifice plate 100 includes more than one orifice 118, a separate retractable plunger 104 is associated with each of the orifices 118.

The throat 20 that interconnects the SC melter 10 and the stilling vessel 12 and establishes fluid communication between the interior reaction chamber 34 and the stilling chamber 82 is a conduit that defines a flow path 124 from the molten glass outlet 48 of the SC melter 10 to the inlet 86 of the stilling tank 70 of the stilling vessel 12, as shown in FIG. 5. The throat 20 includes a bottom wall 20a, a top wall 20b, and a pair of laterally spaced sidewalls 20c, 20d (FIG. 8) that connect the bottom wall 20a and the top wall 20b to define the flow path 124. In one implementation, as shown here, a first portion 126 of the throat 20 extending from the housing 26 and, more specifically, the rear end wall 32b of the housing 26, of the SC melter 10 may be formed as part of a fluid cooled panel of the housing 26, while a second portion 128 of the throat 20 extending from the housing 74 and, more specifically, the front end wall 80a of the housing 74, of the stilling tank 70 may be formed of a refractory material that is not fluid cooled. Additionally, to help extend the life of the throat 20, the top wall 20b may have an upwardly angled surface 130 to deflect escaping gases that may escape from the unrefined foamy molten glass 18 flowing through the throat 20. Each of the other walls 20a, 20c, 20d may be configured in any of a variety

J-12 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) of ways to shape the flow path 124 of the throat 20 as desired (e.g., converging toward the stilling chamber 82, diverging toward the stilling chamber 82, constant cross-sectional area, etc.).

During operation of the SC melter 10 and its associated stilling vessel 12, and referring now specifically to FIG. 1, each of the one or more submerged burners 62 individually discharges combustion products 68 directly into and through the glass melt 16 contained in the SC melter 10. The glass melt 16 is a volume of molten glass that often weighs between 1 US ton (1 US ton = 2,000 lbs) and 20 US tons, although the weight can be higher, and is generally maintained at a constant volume during steady-state operation of the SC melter 10. As the combustion products 68 are thrust into and through the glass melt 16, which create complex flow patterns and severe turbulence, the glass melt 16 is vigorously agitated and experiences rapid heat transfer and intense shearing forces. The combustion products 68 eventually escape the glass melt 16 and are removed from the interior reaction chamber 34 through the exhaust vent 50 along with any other gaseous compounds that may volatize out of the glass melt 16. Additionally, in some circumstances, one or more non-submerged burners (not shown) may be mounted in the roof 28 and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 32 at a location above the glass melt 16 to provide heat to the glass melt 16, either directly by flame impingement or indirectly through radiant heat transfer, and to also facilitate foam suppression and/or destruction.

While the one or more submerged burners 62 are being fired into the glass melt 16, the vitrifiable feed material 14 is controllably introduced into the interior reaction chamber 34 through the feed material inlet 46. The vitrifiable feed material 14 does not form a batch blanket that rests on top of the glass melt 16 as is customary in a conventional continuous melting furnace, but, rather, is rapidly disbanded and consumed by the agitated glass melt 16. The dispersed vitrifiable feed material 14 is subjected to intense heat transfer and rapid particle dissolution throughout the glass melt 16 due to the vigorous melt agitation and shearing forces caused by the submerged bumer(s) 62. This causes the vitrifiable feed material 14 to quickly mix, react, and become chemically integrated into the glass melt 16. However, the agitation and stirring of the glass melt 16 by the discharge of the combustion products 68 from the submerged bumer(s) 62 also promotes bubble formation within the glass melt 16. Consequently, the glass melt 16 is foamy in nature and includes a homogeneous distribution of entrained gas bubbles. The entrained gas bubbles may account for 30 vol% to 60 vol% of the glass melt 16, which renders the density of the glass melt 16 relatively low, typically ranging from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ , or more narrowly from 0.99

J-13 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) gm/cm ³ to 1.3 gm/cm ³ , for soda-lime-silica glass. The gaseous inclusions entrained within the glass melt 16 vary in size and may contain any of several gases including CO2, H2O (vapor), N2, SO2, CH4, CO, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The vitrifiable feed material 14 introduced into the interior reaction chamber 34 has a composition that is formulated to provide the glass melt 16, particularly at the molten glass outlet 48, with a predetermined glass chemical composition upon melting. For example, the glass chemical composition of the glass melt 16 may be a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, in which case the vitrifiable feed material 14 may be a physical mixture of virgin raw materials and optionally cullet (i.e., recycled glass) and/or glass precursors that provides a source of SiCh, Na2O, and CaO in the correct proportions along with any of the other materials listed below in Table 1 including, most commonly, AI2O3. The exact constituent materials that constitute the vitrifiable feed material 14 are subject to much variation while still being able to achieve the soda- lime-silica glass chemical composition as is generally well known in the glass manufacturing industry.

Table 1: Glass Chemical Composition of Soda-Lime-Silica Glass

For example, to achieve a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition in the glass melt 16, the feed material 14 may include primary virgin raw materials such as quartz sand (crystalline SiCh), soda ash (IsfeCCh), and limestone (CaCCh) in the quantities needed to provide the requisite CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) proportions of SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, respectively. Other virgin raw materials may also be included in the vitrifiable feed material 14 to contribute one or more of SiO2, Na2O, CaO and possibly other oxide and/or non-oxide materials in the glass melt 16 depending on the desired chemistry of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition and the color of the glass articles being formed therefrom. These other virgin raw materials may include feldspar, dolomite, and calumite slag. The vitrifiable feed material 14 may even include up to 80 wt% cullet depending on a variety of factors. Additionally, the vitrifiable feed material 14 may include secondary or minor virgin raw materials that provide the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition with colorants, decolorants, and/or redox agents that may be needed, and may further provide a source of chemical fining agents to assist with downstream bubble removal.

Referring still to FIG. 1, the unrefined foamy molten glass 18 discharged from the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 48 is drawn from the glass melt 16 and is chemically homogenized to the desired glass chemical composition, e.g., a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, but with the same relatively low density and entrained volume of gas bubbles as the glass melt 16. The unrefined foamy molten glass 18 flows directly through the flow path 124 of the throat 20 and into the stilling chamber 82 of the stilling tank 70 where it merges with the intermediate pool of molten glass 84. Molten glass from the intermediate pool of molten glass 84, in turn, flows along the flow direction F and into the spout chamber 112 of the feeding spout 72 to supply the transfer pool of molten glass 114. Due to the settling of the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 and, optionally, the impingement of the pool with combustion products, including those of the high-velocity roof burner 90b, the transfer pool of molten glass 114 may have a higher density than the glass melt 16 contained in the SC melter 10, which can help reduce downstream glass fining efforts. The molten glass feed 22 delivered from the feeding spout 72 is drawn from the transfer pool of molten glass 114 and delivered through the orifice plate 100 at a controlled rate as governed by the controlled reciprocating movement of the reciprocal plunger 104.

The molten glass feed 22 may be further processed into a glass article including, for example, a flat glass or container glass article, among other options. To that end, the molten glass feed 22 delivered from the feeding spout 72 may have a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition as dictated by the formulation of the vitrifiable feed material 14. The downstream component 24 to which the molten glass feed 22 is supplied may be a glass finer 132 that includes a housing 134 defining a fining chamber 136. A molten glass bath 138 is held within the fining

J-15 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) chamber 136 and flows from an inlet opening 140 defined in one end of the housing 134 to an outlet opening 142 defined in an opposite end of the housing 134. A plurality of non-submerged burners 144 are mounted in the housing 134 of the glass finer 132 above the molten glass bath 138 and combust a mixture of fuel and oxidant. The combustion products emitted from the burners 144 transfer heat to the molten glass bath 138 to help promote the ascension and bursting of entrained gas bubbles and dissolved gases. In operation, the molten glass feed 22 is received into the fining chamber 136 through the inlet opening 140 and combines with the molten glass bath 138 contained in the fining chamber 136. The molten glass bath 138 in turn supplies refined molten glass 146 from the outlet opening 142 of the housing 134.

A preferred process for forming glass containers from the molten glass feed 22 drawn from the stilling vessel 12 is set forth in FIG. 9. In that process, the molten glass feed 22 is delivered from the stilling vessel 12 in step 150 as explained above. That is, the vitrifiable feed material 14 is introduced into the interior reaction chamber 34 of the SC melter 10 and consumed by the agitated glass melt 16. The vitrifiable feed material 14 melts and assimilates into the glass melt 16 as each of the submerged burner(s) 62 discharges combustion products 68 into and through the glass melt 16. The unrefined foamy molten glass 18 is discharged from the SC melter 10 and flows through the throat 20 and into the stilling chamber 82 of the stilling tank 70. There, the unrefined foamy molten glass 18 combines with the intermediate pool of molten glass 84 which, in turn, feeds the transfer pool of molten glass 114. The molten glass feed 22 is drawn from the transfer pool of molten glass 114 through the feeding spout 72. Next, in step 152, the molten glass feed 22 is formed into at least one, and preferably a plurality of, glass containers. The forming step 152 includes a refining step 152a, a thermal conditioning step 152b, and a forming step 152c. These various sub-steps 152a, 152b, 152c of the forming step 152 can be carried out by any suitable practice including the use of conventional equipment and techniques.

The refining step 152a involves removing entrained gas bubbles from the molten glass feed 22 so that the glass containers formed therefrom do not contain more than a commercially-acceptable amount of visual glass imperfections. To carry out such refining, the molten glass feed 22 is poured through the inlet opening 140 of the finer tank 132 and into the molten glass bath 138 contained within the fining chamber 136 of a finer tank 132. The molten glass 138 bath flows away from the inlet opening 140 of the glass finer 132 and towards the outlet opening 142 and is heated along that path by the non-submerged burners 144 — the burners being

J-16 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) flat flame overhead burners, sidewall pencil burners, overhead impingement burners, some combination thereof, etc. — to decrease or maintain the viscosity of the molten glass bath 138 by increasing or at least maintaining the temperature of the molten glass bath 138 which, in turn, promotes the ascension and bursting of entrained gas bubbles. In many cases, the molten glass bath 138 in the fining chamber 136 is heated to a temperature between 1200°C to 1500°C. Additionally, any chemical fining agents included in the vitrifiable feed material 14 may further facilitate bubble removal from the molten glass bath 138 by decomposing into gases, such as SO2 and O2, that readily ascend through the molten glass bath 138 while collecting smaller entrained gas bubbles along the way. As a result of the refining process, the molten glass bath 138 is denser and has fewer entrained gas bubbles at the end of the housing 134 where the outlet opening 142 is defined compared to the end of the housing 134 where the inlet opening 140 is defined. In particular, the refined molten glass 146 that emerges from the outlet opening 142 of the glass finer 132 typically has a density that ranges from 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ for soda-lime-silica glass.

The refined molten glass 146 attained in the glass finer 132 is thermally conditioned in the thermal conditioning step 156b. This involves cooling the refined molten glass 146 at a controlled rate to achieve a glass viscosity suitable for glass forming operations while also achieving a more uniform temperature profile within the refined molten glass 146. The refined molten glass 146 is preferably cooled to a temperature between approximately 1000°C and 1200°C to provide conditioned molten glass. The thermal conditioning of the refined molten glass 146 may be performed in a separate forehearth that receives the refined molten glass 146 from the outlet opening 142 of the glass finer 132. A forehearth is an elongated structure that defines an extended channel along which overhead and/or sidewall mounted burners can consistently and smoothly reduce the temperature of the flowing refined molten glass. In another embodiment, however, the fining and thermal conditioning steps 156a, 156b may be performed in a single structure, such as a combined glass finer and forehearth structure, that can accommodate both fining of the molten glass feed 22 and thermal conditioning of the refined molten glass 146.

Glass containers are then formed from the conditioned molten glass in the forming step 156c. In some standard container-forming processes, the conditioned molten glass is discharged from a glass feeder at the end of the finer/forehearth as molten glass streams or runners. The molten glass runners are then sheared into individual gobs of a predetermined weight. Each gob is delivered via a gob delivery system into a blank mold of a glass container forming machine. In

J-17 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) other glass container forming processes, however, molten glass is streamed directly into the blank mold to fill the mold with glass. Once in the blank mold, and with its temperature still between approximately 1000°C and 1200°C, the molten glass gob is pressed or blown into a parison or preform that includes a tubular wall. The parison is then transferred by from the blank mold into a blow mold of the glass container forming machine for final shaping into a container. Once the parison is received in the blow mold, the blow mold is closed and the parison is rapidly outwardly blown into the final container shape that matches the contour of the mold cavity using a compressed gas such as compressed air. Other approaches may of course be implemented to form the glass containers besides the press-and-blow and blow-and-blow forming techniques including, for instance, compression or other molding techniques.

The glass container formed within the blow mold has an axially closed base and a circumferential wall. The circumferential wall extends from the axially closed base to a mouth that defines an opening to a containment spaced defined by the axially closed base and the circumferential wall. The glass container is allowed to cool while in contact with the mold walls of the blow mold and is then removed from the blow mold and placed on a conveyor or other transport device. The glass container is then reheated and cooled at a controlled rate in an annealing lehr to relax thermally-induced strain and remove internal stress points. The annealing of the glass container involves heating the glass container to a temperature above the annealing point of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, which usually lies within the range of 510°C to 550°C, followed by slowly cooling the container at a rate of l°C/min to 10°C/min to a temperature below the strain point of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, which typically lies within the range of 470°C to 500°C. The glass container may be cooled rapidly after it has been cooled to a temperature below the strain point. Any of a variety of coatings may be applied to the surface of the glass container either before (hot-end coatings) or after (cold-end coatings) annealing for a variety of reasons.

There thus has been disclosed a method of producing glass using submerged combustion melting technology that satisfies one or more of the objects and aims previously set forth. The molten glass may be further processed into glass articles including, for example, glass containers. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing

J-18 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

The claims of as-filed US 16/590068 include the following:

1.

A method of producing glass, the method comprising: discharging combustion products from one or more submerged burners directly into a glass melt contained within an interior reaction chamber of a submerged combustion melter, the combustion products discharged from the one or more submerged burners agitating the glass melt; drawing unrefined foamy molten glass from the glass melt and discharging the unrefined foamy molten glass out of the submerged combustion melter through a molten glass outlet; introducing the unrefined foamy molten glass into a stilling chamber of a stilling tank that is in fluid communication with the submerged combustion melter, the unrefined foamy molten glass merging with an intermediate pool of molten glass being held within the stilling chamber of the stilling tank; heating the intermediate pool of molten glass with combustion products discharged from one or more non-submerged burners mounted in a housing of the stilling tank that defines the stilling chamber; flowing molten glass from the intermediate pool of molten glass into a transfer pool of molten glass being held in a spout chamber of a feeding spout; and delivering a molten glass feed out of the feeding spout from the transfer pool of molten glass at a controlled rate.

2.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein heating the intermediate pool of molten glass comprises directly impinging the intermediate pool of molten glass with combustion products discharged from the one or more non-submerged burners.

3.

The method set forth in claim 2, wherein the one or more non-submerged burners includes a plurality of burners mounted in an upstanding wall of the housing of the stilling tank, and wherein

J-19 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) combustion products emitted from the plurality of burners are aimed to directly impinge the intermediate pool of molten glass.

4.

The method set forth in claim 2, wherein the one or more non-submerged burners includes at least one roof burner mounted in a roof of the housing of the stilling tank, and wherein combustion products emitted from the at least one roof burner are aimed to directly impinge the intermediate pool of molten glass.

5.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein a volume of the intermediate pool of molten glass held in the stilling chamber is less than a volume of the glass melt held in the interior reaction chamber.

6.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein delivering the molten glass feed out of the feeding spout comprises controlling a flow rate of molten glass from the transfer pool of molten glass through an orifice of an orifice plate affixed to a spout bowl of the feeding spout by controlling reciprocating movement of a reciprocating plunger aligned with the orifice of the orifice plate.

7.

The method set forth in claim 1, further comprising: introducing the molten glass feed into a molten glass bath held within a glass finer at a temperature between 1200°C and 1500°C, the molten glass bath flowing towards an outlet opening of the glass finer and producing refined molten glass, the refined molten glass having a density that is greater than a density of the unrefined foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter; thermally conditioning the refined molten glass to obtain a conditioned molten glass having a temperature between 1000°C and 1200°C; and delivering a gob of the conditioned molten glass into an I.S. forming machine and forming a glass container from the conditioned molten glass.

8.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the unrefined foamy molten glass contains between 30 vol% and 60 vol% of entrained gas bubbles and has a density that ranges from 0.75

J-20 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068) gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ , and wherein the refined molten glass produced in the glass finer has a density that ranges from 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ .

9.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the glass melt has a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition comprising 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiCh, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO at the molten glass outlet of the submerged combustion melter.

10.

A method of producing glass, the method comprising: introducing unrefined foamy molten glass discharged from a submerged combustion melter into a stilling chamber of a stilling tank through a throat that provides a flow path from a molten glass outlet of the submerged combustion melter to an inlet of the stilling tank, the unrefined foamy molten glass having a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition and merging with an intermediate pool of molten glass held within the stilling chamber of the stilling tank; heating the intermediate pool of molten glass with combustion products discharged from one or more non-submerged burners mounted in a housing of the stilling tank that defines the stilling chamber; flowing molten glass from the intermediate pool of molten glass to a transfer pool of molten glass held in a spout chamber of a feeding spout appended to the stilling tank, the feeding spout having a spout bowl that partially defines the spout chamber and an orifice plate affixed to the spout bowl through which a molten glass feed is delivered from the feeding spout; and introducing the molten glass feed into a molten glass bath held within glass finer, the molten glass bath flowing towards an outlet opening of the glass finer and producing refined molten glass that emerges from the outlet opening of the glass finer, the refined molten glass having a density that is greater than a density of the unrefined foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter.

11.

The method set forth in claim 10, wherein the unrefined foamy molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter contains between 30 vol% and 60 vol% of entrained gas bubbles and has a density that ranges from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ , and wherein the refined molten glass that emerges from the outlet opening of the glass finer has a density that ranges from 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ .

J-21 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068)

12.

The method set forth in claim 10, wherein heating the intermediate pool of molten glass comprises directly impinging the intermediate pool of molten glass with combustion products discharged from the one or more non-submerged burners.

13.

The method set forth in claim 10, further comprising: controlling reciprocating movement of a reciprocating plunger aligned with an orifice of the orifice plate to control a flow rate of molten glass from the transfer pool of molten glass through the orifice defined in the orifice plate to thereby deliver the molten glass feed from the feeding spout at a controlled rate.

14.

A system for producing glass, the system comprising: a submerged combustion melter having a housing that defines an interior reaction chamber, a feed material inlet for introducing a vitrifiable feed material into the interior reaction chamber, and a molten glass outlet for discharging unrefined molten glass from the interior reaction chamber, the submerged combustion melter further comprising one or more submerged burners; a stilling vessel that includes a stilling tank and a feeding spout, the stilling tank having a housing that defines a stilling chamber, an inlet, and an outlet, and the feeding spout being appended to the stilling tank so as to cover the outlet of the stilling tank, the feeding spout having a spout bowl and an orifice plate defining at least one orifice for delivering a molten glass feed out of the feeding spout; and a throat that interconnects the submerged combustion melter and the stilling vessel and establishes fluid communication between the interior reaction chamber and the stilling chamber by providing a flow path from the molten glass outlet of the submerged combustion melter to the inlet of the stilling tank.

15.

The system set forth in claim 14, wherein the stilling tank includes one or more non-submerged burners aimed to discharged combustion products into the stilling chamber.

J-22 CHAPTER J - 19522 (US 16/590068)

16.

The system set forth in claim 15, wherein the one or more non-submerged burners includes a plurality of non-submerged burners mounted in an upstanding wall of the housing of the stilling tank.

17.

The system set forth in claim 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of non-submerged burners mounted in the upstanding wall is pivotably mounted.

18.

The system set forth in claim 15, wherein the one or more non-submerged burners includes a plurality of roof burners mounted in a roof of the housing of the stilling tank.

19.

The system set forth in claim 18, wherein the plurality of roof burners are mounted in the roof of the housing and are spaced apart across the roof from one side wall of the housing to an opposed side wall of the housing.

20.

The system set forth in claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of non-submerged burners mounted in the roof is pivotably mounted.

21.

The system set forth in claim 14, wherein the one or more submerged burners are mounted in a floor of the housing of the submerged combustion melter.

22.

The system set forth in claim 14, wherein the housing of the stilling tank is formed of a refractory material that is not fluidly cooled.

J-23 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734)

CHAPTER K: FLUID-COOLED MECHANISM FOR MOLTEN MATERIAL FLOW CONTROL

Technical Field

This patent application discloses devices and methods for use in molten material manufacturing, and more particularly, devices for controlling molten material flow from a feeding spout.

Background

Glass manufacturing often occurs at high temperatures, and molten glass can be corrosive, which requires equipment used in the glass manufacturing process to withstand harsh conditions. In particular, a furnace may use submerged combustion melting (“SCM”), which is a specific type of glass manufacturing, where an air-fuel or oxygen -fuel mixture can be injected directly into a pool of molten glass. As combustion gases forcefully bubble through the molten glass, they create a high-heat transfer rate and turbulent mixing of the molten glass until it achieves a uniform composition. The molten glass can then flow from the furnace to a stilling tank, which can include a feeding spout for feeding the molten glass to downstream molten glass refining and conditioning equipment. Also, or instead, a downstream molten glass forehearth may include a feeding spout for feeding molten glass to downstream forming equipment. In any case, the feeding spout typically includes a flow control needle and corresponding orifice to control an output flow of molten glass.

Brief Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.

A molten material flow control needle in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure includes a longitudinal axis; an outer conduit including an outer base end having an outlet, an outer body extending axially away from the outer base end, and an outer free end axially spaced apart from the outer base end; and an inner conduit including an inner base end having an inner conduit inlet, an inner body extending axially away from the inner base end and being radially spaced from the outer body of the outer conduit, an inner free end, and a central inlet passage extending between the inlet and the inner free end.

K-l CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734)

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a molten material furnace system including a melter; and a stilling tank appended to the melter, the stilling tank including an outlet orifice having a longitudinal axis; and a molten material flow control mechanism configured to be axially positioned within at least a portion of the outlet orifice along the longitudinal axis.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a method for using a molten material flow control needle including the steps of flowing a heat exchange fluid through a molten material flow control needle; and axially adjusting the control needle to control molten material flow from a stilling tank of a melter.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a molten material furnace system including a feeding spout with a fluid-cooled molten material flow control needle, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a needle control assembly of the molten material furnace system that adjusts position of the fluid-cooled molten material flow control needle shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the fluid-cooled molten material flow control needle in the molten material furnace system shown in FIG. 1, and controllable by the needle control assembly shown in FIG. 2, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the fluid-cooled molten material flow control needle shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an inner conduit of the fluid-cooled molten material flow control needle shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the inner conduit shown along line 6-6 in FIG. 5, illustrated with a plurality of standoffs, in accordance with an illustrative aspect of the present disclosure; and

K-2 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734)

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing various steps of an illustrative embodiment of a method for using the fluid-cooled molten material flow control needle as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4.

Detailed Description

In accordance with at least one aspect of the disclosure, a fluid-cooled molten material flow control needle for a molten material furnace system and method for using the flow control needle is provided that uses a heat exchange fluid for preventing or reducing temperature gradients within the control needle, thereby minimizing damage to the flow control needle.

Harsh environments, including corrosiveness and high temperatures, within a melting furnace for glass manufacturing can lead to wear, cracking, erosion, and/or failure of furnace components. For example, temperatures in the melting furnace can often be between approximately 1300 - 1500 degrees Celsius (°C) or higher. Additionally, the molten material, for example molten glass, can be generally corrosive to melting furnace components.

Melting furnaces may include a needle or plunger formed of refractory that can be used for controlling gob volume exiting the furnace. A needle or plunger formed of refractory requires frequent replacement to avoid fracturing of the refractory or other damage, often due to a temperature gradient from end to end of the needle or plunger caused by the molten material. A temperature gradient may be caused during a furnace shutdown when heat is reduced, or because of temperature differences between molten material, furnace components, and/or factory ambient temperatures. A refractory needle or plunger requires constant rotation during operation to even its temperature profile and reduce a chance of fracture and local erosion. Frequent replacement and constant rotation of the refractory needle or plunger can be inconvenient and costly.

Accordingly, a fluid-cooled molten material flow control needle, a molten material furnace system, and method are disclosed. The flow control needle can be fluid-cooled to reduce or prevent a thermal gradient and fracturing and damage. Additionally, the flow control needle may be formed of a metal and does not require constant rotation. The flow control needle can also be used to control flow rate of molten material from a furnace, which is not conventionally performed in the glass industry. Liquid cooling the flow control needle allows it to withstand being subject to molten material for long periods of time.

Referring to FIG. 1, a molten material furnace system 100 can include a melter 102 and a stilling tank 104 appended to the melter 102. The melter 102 can provide a molten material to the stilling tank 104, which can in turn dispense the molten material to a downstream location (e.g., a

K-3 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734) forming mold). While glass may be generally used for examples herein, the molten material can also include other suitable materials, for example metal, waste products, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, the melter 102 can be configured for melting, containing, and/or refining the molten material. For example, the melter 102 may include a glass melter (e.g., a submerged combustion melter “SCM”) or a furnace for melting metal, waste, or other suitable material for melting. In particular, a submerged combustion melter can inject an air-fuel or oxygen-fuel mixture directly into a pool of molten glass. As combustion gases forcefully bubble through the molten glass, they create a high-heat transfer rate and turbulent mixing of the molten glass until it achieves a uniform composition. A typical submerged combustion melter can have a floor and a vertical burner passage extending through the floor, and a burner positioned within the burner passage can be submerged in the molten glass. A batch charger can feed piles of glass batch onto an exposed surface of molten glass in the melter, and the piles can slowly drift away from the charger and submerge into the molten glass.

FIG. 1 depicts the stilling tank 104 appended and/or connected to the melter 102 with both the stilling tank 104 and the melter 102 mechanically attached and supported on a common frame 106 to rock and vibrate in unison in response to sloshing and a generally turbulent nature of the molten material (e.g., glass melt 108). The stilling tank 104 can receive the molten material discharged through a throat 110 from the melter 102, which may have a tendency to have a fluctuating flow rate, and can deliver the molten material at a controlled flow rate to the downstream component. In this way, the melter 102 and stilling tank 104 can be operated to produce molten glass or other molten material. The stilling tank 104 may additionally be operated to partially fine and/or reduce the foam content of the intermediate pool of molten glass or material that pools within the stilling tank 104 while also preventing heat loss from the molten material.

The stilling tank 104 depicted in FIG. 1 includes a feeding spout 112 appended to the stilling tank 104. The feeding spout 112 can include an outlet orifice 114 through which the molten material may be dispensed from the stilling tank 104. The outlet orifice 114 may include a heated orifice, for example, and may include a variety of sizes, shapes, and/or configurations. In an example, the outlet orifice 114 may include a circular and/or cylindrical opening configured to extrude molten glass.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the stilling tank 104 may include a needle control assembly 116 coupled to the stilling tank 104 for adjusting and/or controlling a flow control needle 118. The

K-4 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734) needle control assembly 116 can be configured to position the flow control needle 118 relative to the outlet orifice 114 to control flow of the molten material through the outlet orifice 114. For example, the needle control assembly 116 can position the flow control needle 118 proximate the outlet orifice 114 to reduce flow of the molten material and can retract the flow control needle 118 from proximate the outlet orifice 114 to increase flow of the molten material. Additionally, although the subject matter disclosed herein is described with specific illustrative reference to an SCM system, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the presently disclosed subject matter is also suitable for use with more conventional melting systems and may be used in conjunction with a forehearth feeding spout.

FIG. 2 further illustrates the needle control assembly 116 comprising a main frame 120, which further comprises a first rail guide 122 and a second rail guide 124 coupled together by a first cross bar 126 and a second cross bar 128. It will be appreciated that the main frame 120 may include additional rail guides and/or cross bars or rail guides and cross bars in different configurations. The first rail guide 122 and the second rail guide 124 can be couplable to and/or supported by the stilling tank 104.

Shown in FIG. 2, the needle control assembly 116 can also include a cross frame 130 coupled to and movable along the first rail guide 122 and the second rail guide 124. The cross frame 130 can be configured to carry and move the flow control needle 118 along a longitudinal axis A as the cross frame 130 moves along the first rail guide 122 and the second rail guide 124. In some instances, the needle control assembly 116 may be configured to carry and move the flow control needle 118 in a direction other than along longitudinal axis A (e.g., perpendicular to longitudinal axis A).

The needle control assembly 116 is shown in FIG. 2 including a servo motor 132 coupled to the first cross bar 126 and a shaft 134 coupled to the servo motor 132 and the cross frame 130. The shaft 134 may be configured to move the cross frame 130 relative to the first cross bar 126. One example of the shaft 134 can include a screw drive, for example. The servo motor 132 can rotate the shaft 134, which can be configured to move the cross frame 130 up and/or down and, in turn, axially move the flow control needle 118 along longitudinal axis A. It will be appreciated that the needle control assembly 116 can include other suitable devices for moving the cross frame 130 and flow control needle 118, for example a hydraulic and/or pneumatic actuator coupled to the shaft 134 and/or the first cross bar 126. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that

K-5 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734) the cross frame 130 may be guided along the rail guides 122, 124 via bearing assemblies, pillow blocks, guide rods, and/or any other suitable guide devices. In any case, the needle control assembly 116 can be easily removed and replaced from the stilling tank for maintenance and/or relocation of the equipment.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the molten material flow control needle 118. In this embodiment, the flow control needle 118 can include an outer conduit 136 and an inner conduit 138. A heat exchange fluid can flow between the outer conduit 136 and the inner conduit 138 for cooling the flow control needle 118 and preventing/reducing a thermal gradient throughout the flow control needle 118. The heat exchange fluid can include suitable fluids for carrying heat from the flow control needle 118, for example water, a coolant or high-boiling point fluid, a glycol family liquid, an aqueous glycol liquid, or any other fluid suitable for use in cooling a molten glass flow control needle.

As shown in FIG. 3, the outer conduit 136 can include an outer base end 140 having a conduit outlet 142 and an outer body 144 that extends axially away from the outer base end 140. The outer conduit 136 and the outer body 144 can be of any shape suitable to interface with the shape of the corresponding outlet orifice and, as such, may take on a number of shapes and dimensions, cylindrical, or otherwise. Additionally, the outer conduit 136 can include an outer free end 146 axially spaced apart from the outer base end 140, where the outer free end 146 may terminate in the form of a rounded apex 148 and a conical wall 150 extending between the rounded apex 148 and the outer body 144. In an embodiment, the outer body 144 may be tapered, for example the outer base end 140 may have a larger diameter than the outer free end 146. In other embodiments, the outer free end 146 may take on other shapes and configurations, for example a sphere and/or a ball end. Different shapes and/or configurations may serve to control flow of molten material from the stilling tank 104. For example, the outer free end 146 may include a substantially spherical rounded apex 148. In another example, the conical wall 150 can be only slightly tapered at a small angle from the longitudinal axis A (e.g., 10°) resulting in a sharply pointed free end 146, which would require more stroke length of the flow control needle 118 and allow for more precise flow control. In yet another example, the conical wall 150 can be greatly tapered at a larger angle from the longitudinal axis A (e.g., 45°) resulting in a less pointed free end 146, which would allow less precise flow control but require a shorter stroke length of the flow control needle 118. The outer free end 146 may also be configured to match a profile of the outlet

K-6 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734) orifice 114. The outer conduit 136 can serve as the outer portion of the flow control needle 118 and can be configured to contact the molten material in the stilling tank 104. Heat exchange fluid can flow from the flow control needle 118, which can extend through the outer body 144, and through a needle outlet 152 coupled to the conduit outlet 142. The outer conduit 136 may comprise a material resistant to thermal stress and corrosion by the molten material, for example a metal (e.g., stainless steel or the like).

In the embodiment in FIG. 3, the flow control needle 118 includes an inner conduit 138. The inner conduit 138 can comprise an inner base end 154 having an inner conduit inlet 156 and an inner body 158 that extends axially away from the inner base end 154. The inner body 158 can be radially spaced inward from the outer body 144 of the outer conduit 136, for example by having a semi-open profile on the inner terminus and/or apex 164 and/or by having a semi-open profile on the outer terminus and/or rounded apex 148, by using space-out dowels on the inner terminus and/or apex 164, and/or by using precision machining and measurement to ensure correct spacing. An outer passage 160 for carrying the heat exchange fluid can be defined by the outer body 144 and the inner body 158. The inner conduit 138 additionally can include an inner free end 162 having an inner terminus or apex 164 inwardly spaced from the rounded apex 148 of the outer free end 146 of the outer conduit 136 and can include a conical outer surface 166 extending between the inner apex 164 and an outer surface 168 of the inner body 158. In other embodiments, the inner free end 162 may take on other shapes and configurations. A central inlet passage 170 can extend between the inner conduit inlet 156 and the inner apex 164, through which the heat exchange fluid can enter the flow control needle 118. In an example, a ratio of cross-sectional area of the outer passage 160 to a cross-sectional area of the central inlet passage 170 may be from about 1 : 1 to about 4: 1, including all ranges, subranges, end points, and values therein. The ratio can be configured so that flow velocity of the heat exchange fluid is lower in the outer passage 160 than in the central inlet passage 170 to absorb more heat from the outer conduit 136. The inner conduit 138 may comprise a material resistant to thermal stress and corrosion by the molten material, for example, a metal (e.g., stainless steel or the like).

In some instances, and as shown in FIG. 3, the flow control needle 118 may include an end cap fitting 172. The end cap fitting 172 can be coupled to the outer base end 140 and the inner base end 154 and can have a central fluid passage 174, which can be in fluid communication with the central inlet passage 170 of the inner conduit 138. Additionally, the end cap fitting 172 can

K-7 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734) include a needle inlet 176 in fluid communication with the central fluid passage 174. Heat exchange fluid can flow through the needle inlet 176 into the central fluid passage 174 and the central inlet passage 170. The end cap fitting 172 and/or the needle inlet 176 can comprise a material that is resistant to thermal stress and corrosion, for example a metal (e.g., stainless steel and the like). In some instances, the end cap fitting 172 may be integrally formed with the outer base end 140, the inner base end 154, the needle inlet 176, and/or the needle outlet 152. Additionally, a support 178, for example, a metal plate, may be coupled to the needle inlet 176 and the needle outlet 152.

FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of the flow control needle 118 comprising the outer conduit 136 including the outer body 144, the outer free end 146 with the rounded apex 148 and the conical wall 150, and the end cap fitting 172 coupled to the outer base end 140. FIG. 4 also shows an arrangement of the needle outlet 152, the needle inlet 176, and the support 178 coupling the needle inlet 176 and the needle outlet 152.

In some instances, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the flow control needle 118 can include at least one standoff 180. The at least one standoff 180 can be disposed and circumferentially spaced on an outside surface of the inner body 158, and, in some instances, may be integrally formed with the inner body 158. The inner conduit 138 can be configured to be disposed within the outer conduit 136, and the at least one standoff 180 can be disposed at a location distal to the inner base end 154 and proximate the inner free end 162 to space the inner conduit 138 from the outer conduit 136 and provide a concentrically axially-extending outer passage 160 between the outer conduit 136 and the inner conduit 138 through which the heat exchange fluid can flow. Heat exchange fluid flowing within the outer passage 160 can flow concurrent to the heat exchange fluid flowing within the central inlet passage 170.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross sectional view along line 6-6 shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 6, three standoffs 180 can be disposed on the outer surface 168 of the inner body 158 of the inner conduit 138, and the central inlet passage 170 can be disposed within the inner body 158. The three standoffs 180 can function to provide suitable spacing for heat exchange fluid flow between the inner conduit 138 and the outer conduit 136. It will be appreciated that more or less than three standoffs 180 may be disposed on the inner body 158.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a method 200 for using the molten material flow control needle 118. For purposes of illustration and clarity, method 200 will be described in the context

K-8 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734) of the molten material furnace system 100 described above and generally illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6. It will be appreciated, however, that the application of the present methodology is not meant to be limited solely to such an arrangement, but rather method 200 may find application with any number of arrangements.

Method 200 includes a step 202 of flowing heat exchange fluid through the molten material flow control needle 118. In operation, the heat exchange fluid, for example, water, can flow into the molten material flow control needle 118 through the needle inlet 176, the central fluid passage 174, and into the central inlet passage 170 to the outer free end 146. The heat exchange fluid can continue to flow from the outer free end 146 through the inner apex 164 into the outer passage 160 between the inner body 158 and the outer body 144. The heat exchange fluid in the outer passage 160 can flow concurrent to the flow in the central inlet passage 170 and can absorb heat from the molten material through the outer body 144. By absorbing the heat, the flowing heat exchange fluid can minimize thermal gradients and prevent thermal damage to the flow control needle 118. The heat exchange fluid in the outer passage 160 can then flow through the conduit outlet 142, into the needle outlet 152, and out of the flow control needle 118. The heat exchange fluid can be pumped using a fluid pump (not shown) coupled to the flow control needle 118.

Method 200 includes a step 204 of axially adjusting the flow control needle 118 to control molten material flow from the stilling tank 104. The flow control needle 118 can be axially adjusted along longitudinal axis A toward and/or away from the outlet orifice 114 using the needle control assembly 116. For example, when a reduced molten material flow is desired, the needle control assembly 116 can move the flow control needle 118 toward and proximate to the outlet orifice 114 and function as at least a partial flow obstruction. Proximity of the flow control needle 118 with respect to the outlet orifice 114 functioning as a partial obstruction reduces flow area through the outlet orifice 114, thereby also reducing molten material flow. When an increased molten material flow is desired, the needle control assembly 116 can move the flow control needle 118 away from the outlet orifice 114, reduce obstruction by the flow control needle 118, and increase the flow area through the outlet orifice 114, thereby increasing molten material flow. Additionally, the flow control needle 118 does not need to be constantly rotated like traditional needles or plungers.

The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and

K-9 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734) variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The drawings are not necessarily shown to scale. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

The claims of as-filed US 17/039734 include the following:

1.

A molten material flow control needle, comprising: a longitudinal axis; an outer conduit including an outer base end having an outlet, an outer body extending axially away from the outer base end, and an outer free end axially spaced apart from the outer base end; and an inner conduit including an inner base end having an inner conduit inlet, an inner body extending axially away from the inner base end and being radially spaced from the outer body of the outer conduit, an inner free end, and a central inlet passage extending between the inlet and the inner free end.

2.

The molten material flow control needle of claim 1, wherein the control needle comprises metal including stainless steel.

3.

The molten material flow control needle of claim 1, wherein the outer free end includes a rounded apex and a conical wall extending between the rounded apex and the outer body.

4.

The molten material flow control needle of claim 1, wherein, in operation, flow of heat exchange fluid through the needle is increased or decreased depending on an axial position of the

K-10 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734) needle.

5.

The molten material flow control needle of claim 4, wherein the heat exchange fluid is water.

6.

The molten material flow control needle of claim 1, wherein the inner free end includes an inner apex axially spaced from a rounded apex of the outer free end, and a conical outer surface extending between the inner apex and an outer surface of the inner body.

7.

The molten material flow control needle of claim 1, wherein the inner conduit includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced standoffs at a location distal to the inner base end and proximate to the inner free end.

8.

The molten material flow control needle of claim 1, further comprising an end cap fitting coupled to the base ends of the inner and outer conduits and having a central fluid passage in fluid communication with the central inlet passage of the inner conduit and having a needle inlet.

9.

The molten material flow control needle of claim 1, wherein a wall thickness of the inner conduit is over twice as thick as a wall thickness of the outer conduit.

10.

The molten material flow control needle of claim 1, wherein the inner free end of the inner conduit extends into the outer free end of the outer conduit.

11.

The molten material flow control needle of claim 1, wherein the control needle is configured to control a flow of molten material from an outlet orifice based on position of the

K-l l CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734) control needle within the outlet orifice.

12.

The molten material flow control needle of claim 11, wherein the molten material is glass.

13.

A molten material furnace system, comprising: a melter; and a stilling tank appended to the melter, the stilling tank including an outlet orifice having a longitudinal axis; and a molten material flow control mechanism that is configured to be axially positioned within at least a portion of the outlet orifice along the longitudinal axis, and that is liquid cooled.

14.

The molten material furnace system of claim 13, wherein the control mechanism is a control needle.

15.

The molten material furnace system of claim 14, wherein the control needle comprises a metal.

16.

The molten material furnace system of claim 14, wherein the control needle is configured to carry a heat exchange fluid, and includes an outer conduit including an outer base end having an outlet, an outer body extending axially away from the outer base end, and an outer free end axially spaced apart from the outer base end; and an inner conduit including an inner base end having an inner conduit inlet, an inner body extending axially away from the inner base end and

K-12 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734) being radially spaced from the outer body of the outer conduit, an inner free end, and a central inlet passage extending between the inlet and the inner free end; where the control needle controls flow of molten material from the stilling tank based on axial proximity to the outlet orifice.

17.

The molten material furnace system of claim 6, wherein the outer free end includes a rounded apex and a conical wall extending between the rounded apex and the outer body.

18.

The molten material furnace system of claim 16, wherein the inner free end includes an inner apex axially spaced from a rounded apex of the outer free end, and a conical outer surface extending between the inner apex and an outer surface of the inner body.

19.

The molten material furnace system of claim 16, wherein, in operation, flow of heat exchange fluid through the needle is increased or decreased depending on an axial position of the needle.

20.

The molten material furnace system of claim 16, further comprising: an end cap fitting coupled to the base ends of the inner and outer conduits and having a central fluid passage in fluid communication with the central inlet passage of the inner conduit and having a needle inlet.

21.

The molten material furnace system of claim 16, further comprising: a needle control assembly for controlling position of the control needle, the assembly

K-13 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734) coupled between the control needle and the stilling tank.

22.

A method for using a molten material flow control needle, comprising: flowing a heat exchange fluid through the molten material flow control needle of claim 1; and axially adjusting the control needle to control molten material flow from a stilling tank of a melter.

23.

A needle control assembly, comprising: a main frame including a first rail guide and a second rail guide coupled together by a first cross bar and a second cross bar; a cross frame coupled to and movable along the first rail guide and the second rail guide; and a flow control needle carried by the cross frame, which is configured to move the flow control needle along a longitudinal axis as the cross frame moves along the first rail guide and the second rail guide.

24.

The assembly of claim 23, further comprising: an actuator coupled to the first cross bar and the cross frame to move the cross frame relative to the first cross bar.

25.

The assembly of claim 24, wherein the actuator is a servo motor coupled to the first cross bar and having a screw drive coupled to the cross frame such that the servo motor rotates the screw drive to move the cross frame up and down relative to the main frame.

26.

A molten material furnace system, comprising: a stilling tank including an outlet orifice having a longitudinal axis; and a molten material flow control needle configured to be axially positioned within at

K-14 CHAPTER K- 19613 (US 17/039734) least a portion of the outlet orifice along the longitudinal axis, and configured to carry a heat exchange fluid; and the needle control assembly of claim 23, wherein the first rail guide and the second rail guide are coupled to and supported by the stilling tank, and wherein the needle control assembly positions the flow control needle relative to the outlet orifice to control flow of molten material through the outlet orifice.

K-15 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976)

CHAPTER L: FINING SUBMERGED COMBUSTION GLASS

The present disclosure is directed to the chemical fining of molten glass produced by a submerged combustion melter and, more specifically, to the use of additive particles to introduce a precise quantity of one or more fining agents into a fining tank located downstream of the submerged combustion melter.

Background

Many types of glass, and in particular soda-lime-silica glass have long been produced in a Siemens-style continuous melting furnace that is fed with glass feed material formulated to yield a specific glass chemistry and related properties. The glass feed material is fed on top of a large glass melt of a generally constant level contained in a melting chamber of a continuous melting furnace. The glass melt is maintained at a temperature of about 1450°C or greater so that the added glass feed material can melt, react, and progress through several intermediate melt phases before becoming chemically integrated into the glass melt as the melt moves through the melting chamber of the furnace towards a fining chamber located on the opposite side of a submerged throat. In the fining chamber, bubbles and other gaseous inclusions are removed from the glass to yield chemically homogenized molten glass having the correct chemistry and a commercially acceptable number and size of entrained bubbles (sometimes referred to as “bubble free” glass) as needed for further processing. The heat needed to maintain the glass melt within the melting chamber has conventionally been supplied by overhead burners that combust a mixture of fuel and oxidant within an open combustion zone located above the glass melt. The burners are located in burner ports on opposite sidewalls of the refractory superstructure that partially defines the combustion zone (cross fired furnace) and/or in a back wall of the refractory superstructure (end port fired furnace).

Submerged combustion (SC) melting is a melting technology that has recently become a potentially viable alternative to the glass melting process employed in a conventional Siemens-style continuous melting furnace. Contrary to conventional melting practices, SC melting involves firing a combustible mixture of a fuel and an oxidant directly into a glass melt contained in a melter, typically though submerged burners mounted in the floor or sidewall of the melter. The combustible gas mixture autoignites and the resultant combustion products cause vigorous stirring and turbulence as they are forced through the glass melt. The intense shearing forces cause

L-l CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) rapid heat transfer and particle dissolution throughout the molten glass compared to the slower kinetics of a conventional melting furnace in which the molten glass bath is heated primarily with radiant heat. And while SC technology can melt the glass feed material to produce chemically homogenized molten glass relatively quickly, the glass melt contained in the SC is generally a volume of low-density and foamy molten glass that can include anywhere from 30 vol% to 60 vol% of entrained gas bubbles.

The fining of the molten glass discharged from an SC melter is much different than conventional techniques for removing bubbles from a glass melt contained within a Siemens-style conventional melting furnace. For one, the bubbles contained in the glass melt of an SC melter are homogeneously distributed throughout the melt and constitute a significantly higher volumetric proportion of the melt than what is found in either the melting or fining chamber of a Siemens-style furnace. Moreover, when the molten glass discharged from an SC melter is delivered into a downstream fining tank, the large quantity of bubbles entrained in the molten glass may form an insulating foam layer on top of the molten glass bath housed in the fining tank as the larger bubbles quickly ascend to the surface of the glass bath and accumulate. The insulating foam layer can block the transfer of radiant heat into the underlying molten glass bath, which can slow the overall fining process by causing a drop in temperature within the deeper portions of the molten glass bath at the bottom of the fining tank. The incorporation of chemical fining agents into the glass feed material introduced into the SC melter is also a difficult endeavor since the direct firing of combustion gasses through the glass melt may result in excessive volatilization of the fining agents and/or unwanted chemical reactions. Accordingly, fining techniques that are better tailored to SC melting are needed.

Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure describes a method of fining molten glass that is discharged from a submerged combustion melter along with additive particles that can be used to support the bubble removal process. The disclosed method involves introducing additive particles that include a defined concentration of one or more fining agents into a molten glass bath contained in a fining tank that receives unfined molten glass discharged from an upstream submerged combustion melter. The additive particles comprise a physical mixture of a glass reactant material and the one or more fining agents. This ensures that the delivery of the additive particles to the molten glass bath can supply a precise amount of the fining agent(s) to the glass bath, without disrupting the

L-2 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) glass chemistry of the bath, especially since standard material feeding equipment would be generally unable to accurately meter the only the requisite small quantity of the fining agent(s) needed to achieve effective glass fining. The additive particles thus serve as a carrier for the fining agent(s). To that end, the amount of the fining agent(s) added to the molten glass bath of the fining tank can be accurately controlled by controlling the amount of the additive particles introduced into the fining tank.

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other to fine foamy molten glass received from a submerged combustion melter. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of fining low-density submerged combustion glass involves several steps. One step of the method includes providing a fining tank downstream from a submerged combustion melter. The fining tank has a housing that defines a fining chamber and contains a molten glass bath in the fining chamber. The housing further defines each of a glass inlet, a glass outlet, and an auxiliary access passage. Within the fining chamber, the molten glass bath flows in a flow direction from the glass inlet to the glass outlet. Another step of the method includes introducing unfined molten glass produced in the submerged combustion melter into the fining chamber of the fining tank through the glass inlet. The unfined molten glass has a volume percentage of gas bubbles and a density and, upon being introduced into the fining chamber, combines with the molten glass bath. Yet another step of the method includes introducing additive particles into the fining chamber of the fining tank through the auxiliary access passage. The additive particles comprise a glass reactant material and one or more fining agents. The one or more fining agents are released into the molten glass bath upon consumption of the additive particles in the molten glass bath to thereby accelerate the removal of gas bubbles from the molten glass bath. And, still further, another step of the method includes discharging fined molten glass from the glass outlet of the fining tank. The fined molten glass has a volume percentage of gas bubbles that is less than the volume percentage of gas bubbles in the unfined molten glass and further has a density that is greater than the density of the unfined molten glass.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of fining low-density submerged combustion glass also includes several steps. One step of the method includes producing unfined soda-lime-silica glass in a submerged combustion melter. The soda-lime-silica glass has a glass composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiO2, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and

L-3 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976)

5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO. Another step of the method includes introducing the unfined soda-lime- silica glass into a fining tank located downstream of the submerged combustion melter. The fining tank has a housing that contains a molten glass bath comprised of soda-lime-silica glass into which the unfined soda-lime-silica glass introduced into the fining tank is combined. The molten glass bath flows in a flow direction within the fining chamber towards a glass outlet of the fining tank. Yet another step of the method includes introducing additive particles into the fining chamber of the fining tank separately from the unfined molten glass. The additive particles comprise a glass reactant material and one or more fining agents. The one or more fining agents are released into the molten glass bath contained in the fining chamber upon consumption of the additive particles in the molten glass bath to thereby accelerate the removal of entrained gas bubbles from the molten glass bath. Still another step of the method includes discharging fined molten glass from the glass outlet of the fining tank. The fined molten glass has a volume percentage of gas bubbles that is less than a volume percentage of gas bubbles in the unfined molten glass and further has a density that is greater than a density of the unfined molten glass.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an additive particle for introduction into a molten glass bath contained in fining chamber of a fining tank located downstream of a submerged combustion melter is defined. The additive particle comprises a physically compacted homogeneous mixture comprising a glass reactant material and one or more fining agents. The one or more fining agents have a concentration within the additive particle that ranges from 1 wt% to 30 wt% based on the total weight of the additive particle. Additionally, the additive particle has a particle size defined by its largest dimension that ranges from 2 mm to 30 mm.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages, and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevated cross-sectional depiction of a submerged combustion melter and a portion of a fining tank located downstream of the submerged combustion melter, and wherein the fining tank is configured to receive molten glass discharged from the submerged combustion melter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

L-4 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976)

FIG. 2 is an elevated cross-sectional depiction of the fining tank illustrated in FIG. 1 showing the introduction of additive particles into the molten glass bath contained within a fining chamber of the fining tank; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of the fining tank illustrated in FIG. 2 taken along section line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the roof of the fining tank illustrated in FIG. 2 depicting the auxiliary access passage through which the additive particles that contain one or more fining agents are delivered into the fining tank;

FIG. 5 is representative illustration of an additive particle that includes one or more fining agents dispersed within a glass reactant material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic flow diagram of a process for forming glass containers from the fined molten glass discharged from the fining tank according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

A portion of an overall glass manufacturing operation is shown in FIG. 1 that includes a representative submerged combustion (SC) melter 10 and a fining tank 12 located downstream from the SC melter 10 for purposes various aspects of the present disclosure. A glass feed material 14 formulated to melt and react to produce a particular glass chemistry is introduced into the SC melter 10. The glass feed material 14 melts and reacts within the SC melter 10 and becomes chemically integrated into a glass melt 16 contained within the SC melter 10. A portion of the glass melt 16 is discharged from the SC melter 10 as unfined molten glass 18. The unfined molten glass 18 is then delivered to the fining tank 12 either directly or through an intervening stilling vessel 20. The unfined molten glass 18 flows through the fining tank 12 as part of a molten glass bath 22 and bubbles are removed therefrom to produce fined molten glass 24 that meets specifications for bubble free glass and is suitable for downstream processing into a finished glass article. To aid in the overall fining of the unfined molten glass 18, one or more chemical fining agents are added into the fining tank 12 by way of additive particles 26 (FIGS. 2 and 5). The additive particles 26 allow a precise and accurate amount of the fining agent(s) to be metered into the fining tank 12 so as to avoid uncontrolled and unpredictable variations in the amount of the

L-5 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) fining agent(s) added to the fining tank 12 and the potential consequences of adding too much or too little of the fining agent(s).

The SC melter 10 includes a housing 28 that has a roof 30, a floor 32, and an upstanding wall 34 that connects the roof 30 and the floor 32. The upstanding wall 34 further includes a front end wall 34a, a rear end wall 34b that opposes and is spaced apart from the front end wall 34a, and two opposed lateral sidewalls 34c, 34d that connect the front end wall 34a and the rear end wall 34b. Together, the roof 30, the floor 32, and the upstanding wall 34 define an interior reaction chamber 36 of the melter 10 that contains the glass melt 16 when the melter 10 is operational. Each of the roof 30, the floor 32, and the upstanding wall 34 may be constructed to withstand the high temperature and corrosive nature of the glass melt 16 or the possible effects of being exposed to the internal environment of the interior reaction chamber 36. For example, each of those structures 30, 32, 34 may be a constructed from a refractory material or one or more fluid cooled panels that support an interiorly-disposed refractory material having an in-situ formed frozen glass layer in contact with the glass melt 16.

The housing 28 of the SC melter 10 defines a feed material inlet 38, a molten glass outlet 40, and an exhaust vent 42. Preferably, as shown best in FIG. 1, the feed material inlet 38 is defined in the roof 30 of the housing 28 proximate the front end wall 34a, and the molten glass outlet 40 is defined in the rear end wall 34b of the housing 28 above the floor 32, although other locations for the feed material inlet 38 and the molten glass outlet 40 are certainly possible. The feed material inlet 38 provides an entrance into the interior reaction chamber 36 for the delivery of the glass feed material 14. Indeed, a batch feeder 44 that is configured to introduce a metered amount of the glass feed material 14 into the interior reaction chamber 36 may be coupled the housing 28. And while many designs are possible, the batch feeder 44 may, for example, include a rotating screw (not shown) that rotates within a feed tube 46 of a slightly larger diameter that communicates with the feed material inlet 38 to deliver the glass feed material 14 from a feed hopper into the interior reaction chamber 36 at a controlled flow rate.

The molten glass outlet 40 provides an exit from the interior reaction chamber 36 for the discharge of the unfined molten glass 18 out of the SC melter 10. The unfined molten glass 18 may, as shown, be introduced directly into the stilling vessel 20, if desired. The stilling vessel 20 includes a housing 46 that defines a holding compartment 48. The holding compartment 48 receives the unfined molten glass 18 that is discharged from the interior reaction chamber 36 of

L-6 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 40 and maintains a volume 50 of the unfined molten glass 18. One or more impingement or non-impingement burners 52 may be mounted in the housing 46 of the stilling vessel 20 to heat the volume 50 of unfined molten glass and/or suppress or destroy any foam that may accumulate on top of the volume 50 of unfined molten glass. A constant or intermittent flow 54 of the unfined molten glass may be delivered from the volume 50 of unfined molten glass maintained in the holding compartment 48 and out of the stilling vessel 20 by a spout 56 appended to the housing 46. The spout 56 may have a reciprocal plunger 58 that is operable to controllably dispense the flow 54 of unfined molten glass through an orifice plate 60 so that the downstream fining tank 12 receives a controlled input of the unfined molten glass. Of course, in other embodiments, the stilling vessel 20 may be omitted and the unfined molten glass 18 discharged from the interior reaction chamber 36 of the SC melter 10 may be poured or otherwise introduced directly into the fining tank 12.

The exhaust vent 42 is preferably defined in the roof 30 of the housing 28 between the front end wall 34a and the rear end wall 34b at a location downstream from the feed material inlet 38. An exhaust duct 62 communicates with the exhaust vent 42 and is configured to remove gaseous compounds from the interior reaction chamber 36. The gaseous compounds removed through the exhaust duct 62 may be treated, recycled, or otherwise managed away from the SC melter 10 as needed. To help prevent or at least minimize the loss of some of the glass feed material 14 through the exhaust vent 42 as unintentional material castoff, a partition wall 64 that depends from the roof 30 of the housing 28 may be positioned between the feed material inlet 38 and the exhaust vent 42. The partition wall 64 may include a lower free end 66 that is submerged within the glass melt 16, as illustrated, or it may be positioned close to, but above, the glass melt 16. The partition wall 64 may be constructed similarly to the roof 30, the floor 32, and the surrounding upstanding wall 34, but it does not necessarily have to be so constructed.

The SC melter 10 includes one or more submerged burners 68. Each of the one or more submerged burners 68 is mounted in a port 70 defined in the floor 32 (as shown) and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 34 at a location immersed by the glass melt 16. The submerged bumer(s) 68 forcibly inject a combustible mixture G of a fuel and an oxidant into the glass melt 16 through an output nozzle 72. The fuel may be methane or propane, and the oxidant may be pure oxygen (> 99 vol% O2), air, or any oxygen rich gas (> 80 vol% O2). Upon being injected into the glass melt 16, the combustible gas mixture G immediately autoignites to produce combustion

L-7 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) products 74 — namely, CO2, CO, H2O, and any uncombusted fuel, oxygen, and/or other gas compounds such as nitrogen — that are discharged into and through the glass melt 16. Anywhere from five to thirty submerged burners 68 are typically installed in the SC melter 10 although more or less burners 68 may certainly be employed depending on the size and melt capacity of the melter 10. In terms of supplying the submerged bumer(s) 68 with the combustible gas mixture G, each of the bumer(s) 68 may be fluidly coupled to a fuel manifold and an oxidant manifold by a flow conduit that is equipped with sensors and valves to allow for precise control of the flow rates of the fuel and oxidant to the burner(s) 68 in the correct ratio.

During operation of the SC melter 10, each of the one or more submerged burners 68 individually discharges combustion products 74 directly into and through the glass melt 16. The glass melt 16 is a volume of molten glass that often weighs between 1 US tons (1 US ton = 2,000 Ibm) and 100 US tons and is generally maintained at a constant volume during steady-state operation of the SC melter 10. As the combustion gasses 74 are thrust into and through the glass melt 16, which create complex flow patterns and severe turbulence, the glass melt 16 is vigorously agitated and experiences rapid heat transfer and intense shearing forces. The combustion products 74 eventually escape the glass melt 16 and are removed from the interior reaction chamber 36 through the exhaust vent 42 along with any other gaseous compounds that may volatize out of the glass melt 16. Additionally, in some circumstances, one or more non-submerged burners (not shown) may be mounted in the roof 30 and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 34 at a location above the glass melt 16 to provide heat to the glass melt 16, either directly by flame impingement or indirectly through radiant heat transfer, and to also facilitate foam suppression and/or destruction.

While the one or more submerged burners 68 are being fired into the glass melt 16, the glass feed material 14 is controllably introduced into the interior reaction chamber 36 through the feed material inlet 38. Unlike the operation of a conventional Siemens-style continuous melting furnace, the glass feed material 14 does not form a batch blanket that rests on top of the glass melt 16; rather, the glass feed material 14 is rapidly disbanded and consumed by the turbulent glass melt 16. The vigorous agitation and shearing forces caused by the submerged burner(s) 68 subjects the glass feed material 14 to intense heat transfer and rapid particle dissolution throughout the glass melt 16. This causes the glass feed material 14 to mix, react, and become chemically integrated into the glass melt 16 relatively quickly. However, the agitation and stirring of the glass

L-8 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) melt 16 by the direct discharge of the combustion products 74 also promotes bubble formation within the glass melt 16. Consequently, the glass melt 16 is foamy in nature and includes a homogeneous distribution of about 30 vol% to 60 vol% of entrained gas bubbles. The entrained gas bubbles render the density of the glass melt 16 relatively low, typically ranging from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ , or more narrowly from 0.99 gm/cm ³ to 1.3 gm/cm ³ , for soda-lime-silica glass, compared to a Siemens-style continuous melting furnace. The gas bubbles entrained within the glass melt 16 vary in size and contain any of several gasses including CO2, H2O (vapor), SO2, N2, CH4, H2S, CO, O2, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The glass feed material 14 introduced into the interior reaction chamber 36 is formulated to produce molten glass within the glass melt 16 having the desired final glass chemistry. Soda- lime-silica glass, for example, is used extensively to manufacture flat glass articles, such as windows, hollow glass articles including containers such as bottles and jars, as well as tableware and other specialty glass articles. Soda-lime-silica glass comprises a disordered and spatially crosslinked ternary oxide network of Na2O-CaO-SiC>2. The silica component (SiCh) is the largest oxide by weight and constitutes the primary network forming material of soda-lime-glass. The Na2O component functions as a fluxing agent that reduces the melting, softening, and glass transition temperatures of the glass, as compared to pure silica glass, and the CaO component functions as a stabilizer that improves certain physical and chemical properties of the glass including its hardness and chemical resistance. The inclusion of Na2O and CaO in the chemistry of soda-lime-silica glass renders the commercial manufacture of glass articles more practical and less energy intensive than pure silica glass while still yielding acceptable glass properties. Soda-lime-silica glass, in general and based on the total weight of the glass, has a glass chemical composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiO2, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO.

In addition to SiO2, Na2O, and CaO, soda-lime-silica glass may, if desired, include other oxide and non-oxide materials that act as network formers, network modifiers, colorants, decolorants, redox agents, or other agents that affect the properties the final glass. Some examples of these additional materials include aluminum oxide (AI2O3), magnesium oxide (MgO), potassium oxide (K2O), carbon, sulfates, nitrates, fluorines, chlorines, and/or elemental or oxide forms of one or more of iron, arsenic, antimony, selenium, chromium, barium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, sulfur, vanadium, titanium, lead, copper, niobium, molybdenum, lithium, silver, strontium,

L-9 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) cadmium, indium, tin, gold, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, europium, gadolinium, erbium, and uranium. Aluminum oxide is one of the more commonly included materials — typically present in an amount up to 2 wt% based on the total weight of the glass — because of its ability to improve the chemical durability of the glass and to reduce the likelihood of devitrification. Regardless of what other oxide and/or non-oxide materials are present in the soda-lime-glass besides SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, the sum total of those additional materials is preferably 10 wt% or less, or more narrowly 5 wt% or less, based on the total weight of the soda-lime-silica glass.

When producing soda-lime-silica glass using the SC melter 10, the glass feed material 14 may be a physical mixture of virgin raw materials and optionally cullet (i.e., recycled glass) and/or other glass precursors that provides a source of SiCh, Na2O, and CaO in the correct proportions along with any of the other materials listed above and summarized below in Table 1. The virgin raw materials may include corresponding quantities of quartz sand (crystalline SiO2), soda ash (Na2COs), and limestone (CaCOs) as the source of SiO2, Na2O, and CaO in the glass melt 16, respectively. Other virgin raw materials may also be included in the glass feed material 14 to provide a source of one or more of SiO2, Na2O, CaO and possibly other oxide and/or non-oxide materials depending on the chemistry of the soda-lime-silica glass being produced. These other virgin raw materials may include feldspar, dolomite, and calumite slag. The glass feed material 14 may even include up to 80 wt% cullet. Additionally, the glass feed material may include secondary or minor raw materials that provide the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition with colorants, decolorants, redox agents, and can also provide fining agents if such agents are desired to be introduced into the glass melt 16 to complement the fining agents introduced into the molten glass bath 22 as part of the additive particles 26.

Table 1: Composition of Soda-Lime-Silica Glass

Component Weight % Material Sources

SiO ₂ 60-80 Quartz sand

Na ₂ O 8-18 Soda ash

CaO 5-15 Limestone

AI2O3 0-2 line Syenite, Feldspar

MgO 0-6 Magnesite

Li ₂ O 0-2 Lithium oxide

L-10 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976)

*Refers to the total amount of Fe2C>3 and FeO expressed as

Fe2C>3

The unfined molten glass 18 discharged from the SC melter 10 through the molten glass outlet 40 is drawn from the glass melt 16 and is chemically homogenized at the desired final glass chemistry. The unfined molten glass 16 is directed into the fining tank 12 — with or without first being collected in the holding compartment 48 of the stilling vessel 20 — and eventually to additional downstream equipment for further processing into a glass article. With reference now to FIGS. 1-4, the fining tank 12 includes a housing 76 that defines a fining chamber 78. The housing 76 includes a roof 80, a floor 82, and an upstanding wall 84 that connects the roof 80 and the floor 82. The upstanding wall 84, more specifically, includes an inlet end wall 84a, an outlet end wall 84b spaced apart from the inlet end wall 84a in a flow direction F of the flowing molten glass bath 22, and two opposed lateral sidewalls 84c, 84d that connect the inlet end wall 84a and the outlet end wall 84b. A floating layer of foam 86 may develop in the molten glass bath 22. The terms “fining” and “fine” as used in connection with the fining tank 12 and its operation are intended to be read broadly to encompass all types of bubble removal mechanisms including by thermal management of the molten glass bath 22 and by reactions of chemical fining agent(s) within the glass bath 22.

The housing 76 of the fining tank 12 defines a glass inlet 88, a glass outlet 90, and an auxiliary access passage 92 through which the additive particles 26 are introduced into the fining chamber 78 for consumption by the molten glass bath 22. The glass inlet 88 may be defined in the roof 80 of the housing 76 proximate the inlet end wall 84a, as shown for example in FIGS. 1-2

L-l l CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) and 4, or it can be defined in the inlet end wall 84a either above or below a surface of the molten glass bath 22. The glass inlet 88 provides an entrance to the fining chamber 78 for the introduction of the unfined molten glass 18, 54 discharged from the SC melter 10 either directly or via the stilling vessel 20. The unfined molten glass 18 may be piped or poured into the fining chamber 78 through the glass inlet 88. In that regard, the molten glass outlet 40 of the SC melter 10 and the glass inlet 88 of the fining tank 12 may be mechanically connected by a continuous flow conduit, or, as shown here, the molten glass outlet 40 and the glass inlet 88 may be mechanically unconnected yet in flow communication with each other since a fully-enclosed conduit having a contained flow path does not extend entirely from the spout 56 of the stilling vessel 20 to the housing 76 of the fining tank 12.

The glass outlet 90 may defined in the outlet end wall 84b of the housing 76 adjacent to the floor 82, as shown for example in FIG. 2, or it can be defined in the floor 82 proximate the outlet end wall 84b. The glass outlet 90 provides an exit from the fining chamber 78 for the discharge of the fined molten glass 24 (FIG. 2) out of the fining tank 12 for further processing. For example, as part of the overall production of glass containers, the fined molten glass 24 discharged from the fining tank 12 may be transferred into a spout 94 appended to the fining tank 12. The spout 94 collects the fined molten glass 24 in a spout bowl 96 and includes at least one reciprocal plunger 98 that reciprocates to control the flow of the fined molten glass 24 through an orifice plate 100 to fashion streams or runners (not shown) of the fined molten glass. The streams or runners of the fined molten glass may be sheared into molten glass gobs of a predetermined weight that can be subsequently formed into glass containers as will be described in more detail below.

Positioned between the glass inlet 88 and the glass outlet 90 within the fining chamber 78 may be one or more partition walls 102 that extend downwardly from the roof 80 towards the floor 82 to define, together with corresponding portions of the floor 82 and the sidewalls 84c, 84d of the upstanding wall 84, a submerged passageway 104. If more than one partition wall 102 is present, the walls 102 are serially positioned and spaced apart in the flow direction F of the molten glass bath 22. Here, three partition walls are depicted between the inlet end wall 84a and the outlet end wall 84b relative to the flow direction F of the molten glass bath 22: (1) a first partition wall 102a providing a first submerged passageway 104a; (2) a second partition wall 102b providing a second submerged passageway 104b; and (3) a third partition wall 102c providing a third submerged

L-12 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) passageway 104c; however, it is understood that the number of partition walls 102 could vary, such that more than or less than three partition walls 102 could be utilized. The partition wall(s) 102 are preferably constructed from a heat and corrosion resistant materials, many of which are commercially available, including a refractory material such as bonded AZS (with 20 wt% ZrO).

Each of the partition walls 102 includes a front face 106, a back face 108, and a free edge 110 defining a thickness of the wall 102 between the front and back faces 106, 108. These features of the three partition walls 102a, 102b, 102c shown in FIGS. 2-4 are identified with their respective “a,” “b,” and “c” designations. The free edge 110 of each partition wall 102 is submerged into the molten glass bath 22 and is separated from the floor 82 of the housing 76 by a distance that ranges from 2 inches to 10 inches a centerplane 112 of the wall 102. The magnitude of the distance separating the free edge 110 of the wall 102 and the floor 82 affects the cross-sectional area of the submerged passageway 104 and, thus, can influence the flow path and flow speed of the molten glass bath 22 through the passageway 104 and within the fining chamber 78. Additionally, it has been determined that a smaller distance between the free edge 110 of the partition wall 102 and the floor 82 results in better distribution of the fining agents carried by the additive particles 26 throughout a depth of the molten glass bath 22 downstream of the partition wall 102.

As shown in this embodiment, the three partition walls 102a, 102b, 102c divide the fining chamber 78 into four sequential zones. Situated between the inlet end wall 84a and the first partition wall 102a is a glass receiving zone 78a. Situated between the first partition wall 102a and the second partition wall 102b is an upstream fining zone 78b and situated between the second partition wall 102b and the third partition wall 102c is a downstream fining zone 78c. Finally, situated between the third partition wall 102c and the outlet end wall 84b is a glass delivery zone 78d. And while the sizes of the several zones 78a, 78b, 78c, 78d may vary, the first partition wall 102a is preferably positioned a distance dl (FIG. 3) from the inlet end wall 84a — the distance dl being measured from an inner surface 114 of the inlet end wall 84a to the centerplane 112a of the first partition wall 102a — that ranges from 20% to 45% of a length L of the fining chamber 78. Likewise, the second partition wall 102b and the third partition wall 102c are preferably positioned a distance d2, d3 from the inlet end wall 84a (measured the same as the first partition wall 102a) that ranges from 35% to 60% and from 70% to 90%, respectively, of the length L of the fining chamber 78. The length L of the fining chamber 78 as used here is defined as the distance from the inner surface 114 of the inlet end wall 84a (beginning at the intersection between the inlet end

L-13 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) wall 84a and the floor 82) and extending at the same elevation to an end 116 of the floor 82 at the outlet end wall 84b.

The fining tank 12 may include one or more optional stirrers 118 disposed within the glass receiving zone 78a of the fining chamber 78 for agitating the molten glass bath 22 and mixing the additive particles 26 into the molten glass bath 22. Anywhere from one to five and, more preferably, one to three stirrers 118 may be disposed in this zone 78a. The stirrer(s) 118 may be of any suitable construction. For example, as shown here in FIG. 2, each of the stirrers 118 may be an auger blade agitator that includes a rotatable shaft 120 and a coil blade 122 helically wound about an exterior of the rotatable shaft 120. The rotatable shaft 120 extends downward from the roof 80 of the housing 76 so that the coil blade 122 is fully or partially immersed in the molten glass bath 22. The rotatable shaft 120 can be driven by any conventional motor (not shown) and, when rotated, turns the coil blade 122 to induce an axial flow pattern in the molten glass bath 22 in the surrounding vicinity of the blade 122. Of course, other stirrers may also be employed besides the auger blade agitator including, for example, stirrers that include a rotatable blade similar to the one utilized in the auger blade agitator but with a propeller, impeller, or turbine blade as opposed to a coil blade. The upstream fining zone 78b, the downstream fining zone 78c, and the glass delivery zone 78d are preferably free from mechanical stirrers. Indeed, and regardless if there are more than or less than three partition walls 120, the fining tank 12 may be devoid of stirrers downstream of the glass receiving zone 78a.

The fining tank 12 may also include one or more heat emitting devices 124 mounted in the housing 76 above the molten glass bath 22 in each of the zones 78a, 78b, 78c, 78d of the fining chamber 78. The heat emitting device(s) 124 may be burners and/or submerged electrode boosters. Preferably, as shown here in FIG. 2, each of the glass receiving zone 78a, the upstream fining zone 78b, the downstream fining zone 78c, and the glass delivery zone 78d includes one or more burners mounted in the roof 80 or the opposed lateral sidewalls 84c, 84d (depicted here) at a location above the surface of the molten glass bath 22. These burners may be impingement burners whose combustion products are directed towards and make contact with the molten glass bath 22, or they may be non-impingement burners whose flames do not make direct contact with the molten glass bath but nonetheless still radiantly transfer heat to the glass bath 22 as is the case with conventional roof-mounted flat flame burners and wall mounted pencil burners. The heat emitting devices 124 are operated to control a temperature range Ta, Tb, Tc, Td of the molten glass bath 22 within their

L-14 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) respective zones 78a, 78b, 78c, 78d as needed to complete the overall fining process. These various temperature ranges may overlap but, in general, satisfy the relationships Ta<Tb, Tb>Tc>Td, and Ta>Td. For example, when the molten glass bath 22 is comprised of soda-lime- silica glass, the preferred temperatures ranges Ta, Tb, Tc, Td of the molten glass bath 22 within each zone 78a, 78b, 78c, 78d of the fining chamber 78 as needed to achieve the requisite glass viscosity in that zone 78a, 78b, 78c, 78d is listed below in Table 2.

Table 2: Molten Glass Bath Temperature Ranges

The auxiliary access passage 92 is defined in the housing 76 within the glass receiving zone 78a of the fining chamber 78. The auxiliary access passage 92 serves as an entrance into the fining chamber 78, which is separate from the glass inlet 88, for a feed of the additive particles 26. In one implementation, the auxiliary access passage 92 may be an elongated slot 126 that is defined in the roof 80 of the housing 76. The elongated slot 126 may be extend vertically through the roof 80 or at an angle through the roof 80, and it may further be oriented transverse to the flow direction F of the molten glass bath 22, as shown best in FIG. 4, so that a curtain of the additive particles 26 can be distributed evenly across and into the glass bath 22. Alternatively, the auxiliary access passage 92 could also be a plurality of openings grouped together and extending across the roof 80 transverse to the flow direction F of the molten glass bath 22 to achieve a similar functionality as the elongated slot 126. A particulate feeder 128 may be used to meter a feed of the additive particles 26 into the fining chamber 78 and, more particularly, the glass receiving zone 78a of the fining chamber 78 through the auxiliary access passage 92. For instance, as shown in FIG. 2, the particulate feeder 128 may include a guide chute 130 having an exit 132 in feeding communication with the auxiliary access passage 92 as well as an extruder 134 that delivers a controlled quantity of the additive particles 26 to the guide chute 134 by rotating a screw 136 within a feed tube 138 of a slightly larger diameter to move additive particles 26 axially through the feed tube 138 and eventually into the guide chute 130 at a selected mass flow rate.

L-15 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976)

The additive particles 26 introduced through the auxiliary access passage 92 are shown generically in FIG. 5 and comprise a physical mixture of a glass reactant material 140 and one or more fining agents 142. The glass reactant material 140 serves as a carrier for the fining agent(s) 142 and is composed of one or more materials that are chemically integratable within the molten glass bath 22. The glass reactant material 140 is chemically integratable in that at least 95 wt%, and preferably 100 wt%, of the glass reactant material 140 is composed of one or more materials that, upon introduction into the molten glass bath 22, produce one or more of the glass chemical components that are already present in the glass bath 22. For example, if the molten glass bath 22 is comprised of soda-lime-silica molten glass, at least 95 wt% of the glass reactant material 140 of the additive particles 26 is composed of one or more materials that melt and react within the molten glass bath 22 to produce any of the chemical components set forth in Table 1 above including SiCh, Na2O, CaO, and/or AI2O3. In that regard, the glass reactant material 140 may be the same composition as the glass feed material 14 introduced into the SC melter 10. Alternatively, the glass reactant material 140 may include sodium silicate, or it may include 5 wt% to 90 wt% sodium silicate and 10 wt% to 95 wt% of the glass feed material.

The one or more chemical fining agent(s) 142 are compounds that can facilitate bubble removal in the molten glass bath 22 by decomposing into fining gasses such as oxygen and sulfur oxides, vaporizing, reacting with gasses and/or other compounds in the glass melt 22, or by some other mechanism. Several types of suitable fining agents include sulfates such as sodium sulfate (i.e., salt cake) and barium sulfate, carbon, nitrates, carbonates, metal oxides such as MnCh, AS2O5, Sb ₂ O ₅ , SnCh, BaO, PbO, CnCh, WO3, Li2O, reactive metals such as aluminum, copper, and tin, nitrides, carbides, and water vapor. The concentration of the one or more fining agents 142 in the additive particles 26 may range from 1 wt% to 30 wt% or, more narrowly, from 5 wt% to 10 wt% based on a total weight of the additive particles 26, with the glass reactant material 140 preferably constituting the remainder. The fining agent(s) 142 and the glass reactant material 140 are preferably homogeneously physically mixed together within the additive particles 26 although a heterogeneous physical mixture is certainly acceptable.

Due to the dynamics of submerged combustion melting and the composition of the gasses entrained within the unfined molten glass 18 as bubbles of various sizes, the fining agent(s) 142 preferably include an oxygen scavenging reactive metal. Specifically, in one particular implementation, the one or more fining agent(s) 142 may include or consist entirely of aluminum.

L-16 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976)

Aluminum is a functional and practical oxygen-scavenging fining agent because it reacts with H2O vapor and CO2 — both of which are prevalent in the undissolved gasses of the unfined molten glass 18 and thus the molten glass bath 22 — in the environment of the molten glass bath 22 as shown in chemical reactions (1) and (2) below:

2A1 + 3H2O(J ) — AI2O3 + 3H2 (1)

4A1 + 3CO ₂ 2AI2O3 + 3C (2)

As can be seen, aluminum reacts with H2O vapor to produce AI2O3 and H2 (reaction 1), and reacts with CO2 to produce and AI2O3 and carbon (reaction 2). These reactions promote bubble removal in the molten glass bath 22 because H2 diffuses more easily through and out of the molten glass bath 22 than H2O vapor, and the carbon can be absorbed into the glass matrix, form secondary products such as SiC, or be slowly oxidized into CO.

The reactions of aluminum with H2O vapor and CO2 within the molten glass bath 22 also produce AI2O3. The in-situ synthesis of AI2O3 is not necessarily a concern since AI2O3 is oftentimes purposefully included in the glass composition, especially for soda-lime-silica glass chemistries, to improve the durability of glass network. The ingredients and formulation of the glass feed material 14 may be adjusted, if necessary, to compensate for the aluminum initiated production of AI2O3 in the molten glass bath 22 of the fining tank 12. In addition to AI2O3 (reactions 1 and 2) and carbon (reaction 2), aluminum may react within the environment of the molten glass bath 22 to produce other compounds as well. Notably, aluminum may react with Fe2C>3 and SO3 as shown in chemical reactions (3) and (4) below to produce FeO and SO2: 2A1 + 3Fe ₂ O ₃ AI2O3 + 6FeO (3)

2 Al + 3SO ₃ AI2O3 + 3SO ₂ (4)

Again, and depending on the desired chemistry and properties (e.g., color) of the glass, the ingredients and formulation of the glass feed material 14 may be adjusted as needed to account for any changes in the color, glass redox value (Fe ²⁺ /(Fe ²⁺ +Fe ³⁺ )), or other properties of the molten glass bath 22 as a result of adding aluminum into the glass bath 22.

The additive particles 26 can be prepared by a conventional compaction technique. This technique involves, first, weighing the glass reactant material 140 and the one or more fining agents 142 and mixing the materials 140, 142 together in a ball mill or other device to provide a powder mixture. The resultant powder mixture is preferably comprised of powder particles having an average particle size between 30 pm and 60 pm. Water is then added to the powder mixture to

L-17 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) form a slurry. The slurry is then transferred to a pressing die and compacted at a pressure of, for example, 5,000 lbs to 80,000 lbs, for several seconds to wring out any non-chemically bound water and to produce a compacted green preform of the desired shape. Next, the compacted green preform is heated in an annealing oven or other heating device, preferably at a temperature of 35°C to 315°C, until the preform is dry. The preform is then broken apart and sieved to capture additive particles 26 of a select size such as, for example, particles with a largest particle dimension that ranges from 5 mm to 30 mm. The additive particles 26 with their known and consistent concentration of the one or more fining agents 142 may then be packaged or stored until needed for charging into the feeder 128 at the fining tank 12.

The operation of the fining tank 12 aims to remove bubbles (e.g., blisters and seeds) from the molten glass bath 22 so that the fined molten glass 24 discharged from the fining tank 12 is serviceable to form glass articles that do not contain more than a commercially-acceptable amount of visual glass imperfections. During operation of the fining tank 12, the unfined molten glass 18, 54 is introduced into the glass receiving zone 78a of the fining chamber 78 through the glass inlet 88. The unfined molten glass 18, 54 blends with the molten glass bath 22 in the glass receiving zone 78a. The molten glass bath 22 is a flowing volume of molten glass and, accordingly, over time, molten glass flows from the glass receiving zone 78a to the upstream fining zone 78b via the first submerged passageway 104a, then from the upstream fining zone 78b to the downstream fining zone 78c via the second submerged passageway 104b, and finally from the downstream fining zone 78c to the glass delivery zone 78d via the third submerged passageway 104c. Each of the zones 78a, 78b, 78c, 78d of the fining chamber 78 contributes to fining and/or thermal conditioning of the molten glass bath 22 to attain the fined molten glass 24 that is pulled from the molten glass bath 22 in the glass delivery zone 78d of the fining chamber 78 and discharged from the fining tank 12.

The molten glass bath 22 is chemically fined using the fining agent(s) 142 carried by the additive particles 26. As discussed above, the additive particles 26 are introduced into the glass receiving zone 78a upstream of the first partition wall 102a through the auxiliary access passage 92. The additive particles 26 are engulfed and consumed by the molten glass bath 22 thereby releasing the fining agent(s) 142 into the glass bath 22 as the glass reactant material 140 is assimilated into the glass matrix. The fining agent(s) 142 disperse within the molten glass bath 22 — a process that is assisted by the axial flow patterns induced by the stirrer(s) 118 if the stirrer(s)

L-18 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976)

118 are employed — and accelerate the removal of entrained gas bubbles when present within the glass bath 22 at a predetermined concentration. The predetermined average concentration of the fining agent(s) 142 in the molten glass bath 22 can be achieved by calculating and adding the quantity of the additive particles 26 into the glass bath 22 that is needed to achieve the predetermined average concentration given the known concentration of the fining agent(s) 142 in the additive particles and the weight of the glass bath 22. In many instances, and depending on a variety of factors, the predetermined average concentration of the fining agent(s) 142 in the molten glass bath 22 is chosen to range from 5 wt% to 10 wt% based on the total weight of the glass bath 22.

In addition to the chemical fining activity, which occurs primarily in the glass receiving zone 78a and the upstream fining zone 78b as the quantity of the fining agent(s) 142 tends to drop in each of the first three zones 78a, 78b, 78c of the fining chamber 78 while being depleted in the final zone 78d, the molten glass bath 22 is also thermally fined within the fining chamber 78 to speed the ascension of entrained gas bubbles. Such thermal fining involves heating the molten glass bath 22 in the glass receiving zone 78a and the upstream fining zone 78b to decrease the viscosity of the glass melt 22 in those zones 78a, 78b, which in turn increases the rate of bubble ascension out of the glass bath 22 according to Stokes Law. As explained above, the glass receiving zone 78a and the upstream fining zone 78b of the fining chamber 78 may be maintained at temperatures of 1100°C to 1400°C and 1200°C to 1450°C, respectively, for soda-lime-silica glass. The temperature of the molten glass bath 22 may then be reduced in the downstream fining zone 78c and the glass delivery zone 78d to thermally homogenize the molten glass and arrive at a glass viscosity that is more suitable for downstream forming operations. The downstream fining zone 78c and the glass receiving zone 78d may, as explained above, be maintained at temperatures of 1200°C to 1400°C and 1000°C to 1250°C, respectively, for soda-lime-silica glass.

As a result of the fining process that occurs in the fining tank 12, the fined molten glass 24 discharged from the fining tank 12 has fewer bubbles as a percentage of volume than the unfined molten glass 18, 54 feed to the fining tank 12 and, as a result, the density of the fined molten glass 24 is greater than the density of the unfined molten glass 18, 54. In particular, and as applicable to soda-lime-silica glass, the unfined molten glass 18, 54 usually includes a volume percentage of gas bubbles ranging from 30 vol% to 60 vol% and a density ranging from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ , or more narrowly from 0.99 gm/cm ³ to 1.3 gm/cm ³ , whereas the fined molten glass 24

L-19 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) discharged from the fining tank 12 usually has a volume percentage of gas bubbles below 0.1 vol%, or more narrowly below 0.05 vol%, and a density ranging from 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ . The fined molten glass 24 exiting the fining tank 12 may then be further processed downstream of the tank 12. For instance, and as will be further explained below, the fined molten glass 24 may have a soda-lime-silica chemistry and be formed into glass containers such as, for example, food and beverage bottles and jars, or it may be formed into flat glass products such as windows, or still further it may be formed into tableware or other glass articles.

Glass containers may be formed from the fined molten glass 24 exiting the fining chamber 78 in a forming process 150 as summarized in FIG. 6. In the described process 150, the fined molten glass 24 is passed through the spout 94 and fashioned into a stream or runner (not shown) of the fined molten glass in step 152. The streams or runners of the fined molten glass are sheared at the exit of the spout 94 into molten glass gobs of a predetermined weight in step 154. Each molten glass gob is delivered via a gob delivery system into a blank mold of an individual section container forming machine in step 156. In other alternative processes, however, the fined molten glass 24 may be streamed directly from the glass outlet 90 of the fining tank 14 into the blank mold to fill the mold with glass. Once in the blank mold, and with its temperature still between 1000°C and 1250°C, the molten glass gob is pressed or blown in step 158 into a parison or preform that includes a tubular wall. The parison is then transferred from the blank mold into a blow mold of the individual section forming machine in step 160 for final shaping into a container. Then, in step 162, and once the parison is received in the blow mold, the blow mold is closed and the parison is rapidly outwardly blown into the final container shape that matches the contour of the mold cavity using a compressed gas such as compressed air. Other approaches may of course be implemented to form the glass containers besides the press-and-blow and blow-and-blow forming techniques including, for instance, compression or other molding techniques.

The glass container formed within the blow mold has an axially closed base and a circumferential wall. The circumferential wall extends from the axially closed base to a mouth that defines an opening to a containment space defined by the axially closed base and the circumferential wall. The glass container is allowed to cool while in contact with the mold walls of the blow mold and is then removed from the blow mold and placed on a conveyor or other transport device. At that point, and in an annealing process 170 that follows the forming process 150, the glass container is annealed. This may involve first reheating the glass container and then

L-20 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) cooling the container at a controlled rate in an annealing lehr to relax thermally-induced constraints and remove internal stress points within the containers. For example, during annealing, the glass container may be heated to a temperature above the annealing point of the soda-lime-silica glass, which usually lies within the range of 500°C to 700°C, followed by slowly cooling the container at a rate of 2°C/min to 5°C/min to a temperature below the strain point of the soda-lime-silica glass, which typically lies within the range of 400°C to 600°C. The glass container may be cooled rapidly after it has been cooled to a temperature below the strain point. Moreover, any of a variety of coatings may be applied to the surface of the glass container either before (hot-end coatings) or after (cold-end coatings) annealing for a variety of reasons.

There thus has been disclosed a method of fining low-density, foamy, unfined molten glass discharged from a submerged combustion melter that satisfies one or more of the objects and aims previously set forth. The resultant fined molten glass may be further processed into glass articles including, for example, glass containers such as bottles and jars. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

The claims of as-filed US 16/590076 include the following:

1.

A method of fining low-density submerged combustion glass, the method comprising: providing a fining tank downstream from a submerged combustion melter, the fining tank having a housing that defines a fining chamber and contains a molten glass bath in the fining chamber, the housing further defining each of a glass inlet, a glass outlet, and an auxiliary access passage, and wherein the molten glass bath flows in a flow direction from the glass inlet to the glass outlet; introducing unfined molten glass produced in the submerged combustion melter into the fining chamber of a fining tank through the glass inlet, the unfined molten glass having a volume percentage of gas bubbles and a density and, upon being introduced into the fining chamber, combining with the molten glass bath;

L-21 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976) introducing additive particles into the fining chamber of the fining tank through the auxiliary access passage, the additive particles comprising a glass reactant material and one or more fining agents, the one or more fining agents being released into the molten glass bath upon consumption of the additive particles in the molten glass bath to thereby accelerate the removal of bubbles from the molten glass bath; and discharging fined molten glass from the glass outlet of the fining tank, the fined molten glass having a volume percentage of gas bubbles that is less than the volume percentage of gas bubbles in the unfined molten glass and further having a density that is greater than the density of the unfined molten glass.

2.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the additive particles include a concentration of the one or more fining agents that ranges from 1 wt% to 30 wt%.

3.

The method set forth in claim 2, wherein the one or more fining agents contained in the additive particles includes at least one of sulfates, carbon, nitrates, carbonates, metal oxides, reactive metals, nitrides, carbides, or water vapor.

4.

The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the one or more fining agents contained in the additive particles includes at least one of sodium sulfate, barium sulfate, carbon, MnO ₂ , AS2O5, Sb ₂ O ₅ , SnO ₂ , BaO, PbO, Cr ₂ O ₂ , WO3, Li ₂ O, aluminum, copper, tin, or water vapor.

5.

The method set forth in claim 4, wherein the one or more fining agents contained in the additive particles includes or consists entirely of aluminum.

6.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the fining tank further includes a partition wall that extends downwardly from a roof of the housing towards a floor of the housing to define, together with corresponding portions of the floor and opposed sidewalls, a submerged passageway, the partition wall and an inlet end wall of the housing located proximate the glass inlet defining a glass receiving zone of the fining chamber, and wherein each of the glass inlet and the auxiliary access passage are defined in the housing within the glass receiving zone of the fining chamber.

L-22 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976)

7.

The method set forth in claim 6, wherein the fining tank further includes one or more heat emitting devices that heat the molten glass bath within the glass receiving zone of the fining chamber.

8.

The method set forth in claim 6, wherein the partition wall that defines the glass receiving zone with the inlet end wall of the housing is a first partition wall, and wherein the fining tank further includes a second partition wall and a third partition wall, the second partition wall being positioned downstream of the first partition wall in the flow direction of the molten glass bath to define an upstream fining zone of the fining chamber in conjunction with the first partition wall, and the third partition wall being positioned downstream of the second partition wall in the flow direction of the molten glass bath to define a downstream fining zone of the fining chamber in conjunction with the second partition wall and a glass delivery zone of the fining chamber with an outlet end wall of the housing located proximate the glass outlet.

9.

The method set forth in claim 8, wherein the second partition wall extends downwardly from the roof of the housing towards the floor of the housing to define, together with corresponding portions of the floor and opposed sidewalls, a second submerged passageway, and wherein the third partition wall extends downwardly from the roof of the housing towards the floor of the housing to define, together with corresponding portions of the floor and opposed sidewalls, a third submerged passageway.

10.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the fining tank includes one or more stirrers that extend into the molten glass bath within the glass delivery zone of the fining chamber for agitating the molten glass bath therein.

11.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the unfined molten glass produced by the submerged combustion melter and introduced into the fining tank is comprised of soda-lime-silica glass having a glass chemical composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiCh, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO.

L-23 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976)

12.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein introducing the additive particles into the fining chamber of the fining tank comprises metering the additive particles into the fining chamber so that an average concentration of the one or more fining agents in the molten glass bath ranges from 5 wt% to 10 wt% based on the total weight of the molten glass bath.

13.

A method of fining low-density submerged combustion glass, the method comprising: producing unfined soda-lime-silica glass in a submerged combustion melter, the soda-lime- silica glass having a glass chemical composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiCh, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO; introducing the unfined soda-lime-silica glass into a fining tank located downstream of the submerged combustion melter, the fining tank having a housing that contains a molten glass bath comprised of soda-lime-silica glass into which the unfined soda-lime-silica glass introduced into the fining tank is combined, the molten glass bath flowing in a flow direction within the fining chamber towards a glass outlet of the fining tank; introducing additive particles into the fining chamber of the fining tank separately from the unfined molten glass, the additive particles comprising a glass reactant material and one or more fining agents, the one or more fining agents being released into the molten glass bath contained in the fining chamber upon consumption of the additive particles in the molten glass bath to thereby accelerate the removal of entrained gas bubbles from the molten glass bath; and discharging fined molten glass from the glass outlet of the fining tank, the fined molten glass having a volume percentage of gas bubbles that is less than a volume percentage of gas bubbles in the unfined molten glass and further having a density that is greater than a density of the unfined molten glass.

14.

The method set forth in claim 13, wherein the glass chemical composition of the soda-lime- silica glass further includes up to 2 wt% AI2O3.

15.

The method set forth in claim 13, wherein the one or more fining agents contained in the additive particles includes at least one of sodium sulfate, barium sulfate, carbon, MnCh, AS2O5, Sb ₂ O ₅ , SnCh, BaO, PbO, CnCh, WO3, Li2O, aluminum, copper, tin, or water vapor.

L-24 CHAPTER L - 19503 (US 16/590976)

16.

The method set forth in claim 13, wherein the one or more fining agents contained in the additive particles includes or consists entirely of aluminum.

17.

The method set forth in claim 13, wherein the housing of the fining tank includes and inlet end wall and an outlet end wall spaced apart from the inlet end wall in the flow direction of the molten glass bath, the housing of the fining tank further including a partition wall that extends downwardly from a roof of the housing towards a floor of the housing to define, together with corresponding portions of the floor and opposed sidewalls, a submerged passageway, the partition wall and the inlet end wall of the housing defining a glass receiving zone of the fining chamber, and wherein each of the unfined soda-lime-silica glass and the additive particles are introduced into the fining chamber of the fining tank within the glass receiving zone.

18.

The method set forth in claim 17, wherein the fining tank further includes one or more heat emitting devices that heat the molten glass bath within the glass receiving zone of the fining chamber.

19.

The method set forth in claim 13, wherein the unfined molten glass has a volume percentage of bubbles gas ranging from 30 vol% to 60 vol% and a density ranging from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ , and wherein the fined molten glass discharged from the fining tank has a volume percentage of gas bubbles below 0.05 vol% and a density ranging from 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ .

20.

An additive particle for introduction into a molten glass bath contained in fining chamber of a fining tank located downstream of a submerged combustion melter, the additive particle comprising a physically compacted homogeneous mixture comprising a glass reactant material and one or more fining agents, the one or more fining agents having a concentration within the additive particle that ranges from 1 wt% to 30 wt% based on the total weight of the additive particle, and wherein the additive particle has a particle size defined by its largest dimension that ranges from 5 mm to 30 mm.

L-25 CHAPTER M- 19517 (US 16/590062)

CHAPTER M: SELECTIVE CHEMICAL FINING OF SMALL BUBBLES IN GLASS

The present disclosure is directed to glass fining and, more specifically, to techniques for targeting and selectively exposing small bubbles, which might otherwise be too small to quickly ascend to the glass surface, to a fining agent.

Background

Glass is a rigid amorphous solid that has numerous applications. Soda-lime-silica glass, for example, is used extensively to manufacture flat glass articles including windows, hollow glass articles including containers such as bottles and jars, and also tableware and other specialty articles. Soda-lime-silica glass comprises a disordered and spatially crosslinked ternary oxide network of SiC>2-Na2O-CaO. The silica component (SiCh) is the largest oxide by weight and constitutes the primary network forming material of soda-lime-silica glass. The Na2O component functions as a fluxing agent that reduces the melting, softening, and glass transition temperatures of the glass, as compared to pure silica glass, and the CaO component functions as a stabilizer that improves certain physical and chemical properties of the glass including its hardness and chemical resistance. The inclusion of Na2O and CaO in the chemistry of soda-lime-silica glass renders the commercial manufacture of glass articles more practical and less energy intensive than pure silica glass while still yielding acceptable glass properties. Soda-lime-silica glass, in general and based on the total weight of the glass, has a glass chemical composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiO2, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO.

In addition to SiO2, Na2O, and CaO, the glass chemical composition of soda-lime-silica glass may include other oxide and non-oxide materials that act as network formers, network modifiers, colorants, decolorants, redox agents, or other agents that affect the properties of the final glass. Some examples of these additional materials include aluminum oxide (AI2O3), magnesium oxide (MgO), potassium oxide (K2O), carbon, sulfates, nitrates, fluorines, chlorines, and/or elemental or oxide forms of one or more of iron, arsenic, antimony, selenium, chromium, barium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, sulfur, vanadium, titanium, lead, copper, niobium, molybdenum, lithium, silver, strontium, cadmium, indium, tin, gold, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, europium, gadolinium, erbium, and uranium. Aluminum oxide is one of the more commonly included materials — typically present in an amount up to 2 wt% based on the total weight of the glass — because of its ability to improve the chemical durability of the glass and to reduce the likelihood of devitrification. Regardless of what other oxide and/or non-oxide materials

M-l CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) are present in the soda-lime-glass besides SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, the sum total of those additional materials is preferably 10 wt% or less, or more narrowly 5 wt% or less, based on the total weight of the soda-lime-silica glass.

The manufacture of glass involves melting a vitrifiable feed material (sometimes referred to as a glass batch) in a furnace or melter within a larger volume of molten glass. The vitrifiable feed material may include virgin raw materials, recycled glass (i.e., cullet), glass precursor oxides, etc., in proportions that result in glass having a certain glass composition upon melting and reacting of the feed material. When the vitrifiable feed material is melted into glass, gas bubbles of various sizes are typically produced and become entrained within the glass. The production of gas bubbles is especially pronounced if the vitrifiable feed material is melted in a submerged combustion melter that includes submerged burners positioned to fire their combustion products directly into the glass melt. The quantity of gas bubbles entrained within the glass may need to be reduced to satisfy commercial specifications for “bubble free” glass. The removal of gas bubbles — a process known as “fining” — may be warranted for various reasons including the visual appearance of the glass when cooled and formed into a finished commercial article such as a glass container, flat glass product, or tableware. Glass fining has traditionally been accomplished by heating the glass to achieve a glass viscosity more conducive to bubble ascension and/or by adding a fining agent into the glass.

A fining agent is chemical compound that reacts within the glass at elevated temperatures to release fining gases such as O2, SO2, and/or possibly others into the glass. The fining gases help eradicate smaller gas bubbles that result from melting of the vitrifiable feed material other than those attributed to the fining agent (“native bubbles”). The fining gases, more specifically, form new gas bubbles (“fining bubbles”) and/or dissolve into the glass melt. The fining bubbles rapidly ascend to the surface of the glass — where they ultimately exit the glass melt and burst — and during their ascension may sweep up or absorb the smaller native gas bubbles along the way. The fining gases that dissolve into the glass melt may diffuse into the smaller native bubbles to increase the size and the buoyancy rise rate of those bubbles. The fining gases may also change the redox state [(Fe ²⁺ /(Fe ²⁺ +Fe ³⁺ ) in which Fe ²⁺ is expressed as FeO and Fe ³⁺ is expressed as Fe2C>3] of the glass and cause some of the smaller native bubbles to disappear as the gas(es) in those bubbles dissolves into the glass melt. Any one or a combination of these mechanisms may be attributed to the fining agent.

M-2 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062)

A fining agent has traditionally been added to the vitrifiable feed material or metered separately into the glass. Whether the fining agent is included in the vitrifiable feed material or added separately, the resultant fining gases interact indiscriminately with gas bubbles of all sizes within the glass. Such broad exposure of the fining gases to all gas bubbles is somewhat inefficient since the larger native bubbles will quickly ascend through the glass and burst on their own regardless of whether a fining agent is added to the glass. Additionally, if the fining agent is introduced separately from the vitrifiable feed material, mechanical stirring may be used to uniformly mix the fining agent throughout the glass. But stirring the glass breaks larger native bubbles into smaller gas bubbles and counteracts the fining process by drawing bubbles (both large and small) back down into the glass away from the surface of the glass. As such, to clear the glass of bubbles, the amount of the fining agent added to the glass is usually based on the total amount of native gas bubbles that may be contained in the glass even though the smaller native bubbles dictate how much time is required to fine the glass since those bubbles ascend through the glass at the slowest pace or do not ascend at all.

The current practices of unselectively introducing a fining agent into the glass requires the consumption of an excess amount of the fining agent. This can increase the cost of materials as well as the operating costs associated with the fining process. Moreover, the fining process is not as optimized as it could be due to the oversupply of the fining agent and the corresponding fining activity that must be supported, which results in additional fining time beyond what is theoretically required to remove only the smaller native bubbles. The present disclosure addresses these shortcomings of current fining procedures by selectively exposing the smaller native bubbles in the glass to one or more fining agents. The targeted exposure of smaller native bubbles to the fining agent(s) may reduce the need to add excessive amounts of the fining agent to the glass, thus saving material and energy costs, and may also speed the overall fining process since the fining gases introduced into the glass can be minimized while still targeting and removing the smaller native bubbles. The fining agent(s) do not necessarily have to be exposed to the larger native bubbles since doing so is unlikely to have a noticeable impact on the amount of time it takes to fine the glass.

Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for fining glass. The apparatus is a fining vessel that receives an input molten glass. The input molten glass has a first

M-3 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) density and a first concentration of entrained gas bubbles. The fining vessel may be a stand-alone tank that receives the input molten glass from a separate melter, such as a submerged combustion melter, or it may be part of a larger Siemens-style furnace that receives the input molten glass from an upstream melting chamber. The input molten glass is combined with and subsumed by a molten glass bath contained within a fining chamber defined by a housing of the fining vessel. The molten glass bath flows through the fining chamber along a flow direction from an inlet to an outlet of the fining vessel. Output molten glass is discharged from the fining vessel after flowing through the fining chamber. The output molten glass has a second density that is greater than the first density and a second concentration of entrained gas bubbles that is less than the first concentration of entrained gas bubbles. To facilitate fining of the glass, a skimmer is partially submerged in the molten glass bath. The skimmer defines a submerged passageway together with corresponding portions of the housing of the fining vessel. An undercurrent of the molten glass bath flows through the submerged passageway and is exposed to one or more fining agents beneath the skimmer to better target smaller gas bubbles for removal.

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of fining glass includes several steps. One step of the method involves supplying input molten glass into a fining chamber of a fining vessel. The input molten glass combines with a molten glass bath contained within the fining chamber and introduces entrained gas bubbles into the molten glass bath. The input molten glass has a density and a concentration of gas bubbles. Another step of the method involves flowing the molten glass bath through the fining chamber in a flow direction. The molten glass bath has an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer, which is partially submerged in the molten glass bath, and through a submerged passageway defined in part by the skimmer. Still another step of the method involves introducing one or more fining agents into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer from a dissolvable fining material component.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of producing and fining glass includes several steps. One step of the method involves discharging combustion products from one or more submerged burners directly into a glass melt contained within an interior reaction chamber of a submerged combustion melter. The combustion products discharged from the one or more submerged burners agitate the glass melt. Another step of the method involves discharging

M-4 CHAPTER M- 19517 (US 16/590062) foamy molten glass obtained from the glass melt out of the submerged combustion melter. Still another step of the method involves supplying the foamy molten glass into a fining chamber of a fining vessel as input molten glass. The input molten glass combines with a molten glass bath contained within the fining chamber and introduces entrained gas bubbles into the molten glass bath. The input molten glass has a density and comprises up to 60 vol% bubbles. Yet another step of the method involves flowing the molten glass bath through the fining chamber in a flow direction. The molten glass bath has an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer, which is partially submerged in the molten glass bath, and through a submerged passageway defined in part by the skimmer. Another step of the method involves introducing one or more fining agents into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer from a dissolvable fining material component. And another step of the method involves discharging output molten glass from the fining vessel. The output molten glass has a density that is greater than the density of the input molten glass and further comprises less than 1 vol% bubbles.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a fining vessel for fining glass includes a housing that defines a fining chamber. The housing has a roof, a floor, and an upstanding wall that connects the roof and the floor, and further defines an inlet to the fining chamber and an outlet from the fining chamber. The fining vessel also includes a skimmer that extends downwards from the roof of the housing towards the floor of the housing and further extends across the fining chamber between opposed lateral sidewalls of the upstanding wall. The skimmer has a distal free end that together with corresponding portions of the floor and the upstanding wall defines a submerged passageway. Additionally, a dissolvable fining material component is disposed directly beneath the skimmer. The dissolvable fining material component comprises a mixture of a glass compatible base material and one or more fining agents.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages, and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevated cross-sectional representation of a submerged combustion melter and a fining vessel that receives molten glass produced by the submerged combustion melter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

M-5 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062)

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the floor of the submerged combustion melter illustrated in FIG. 1 and taken along section line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is an elevated cross-sectional illustration of the fining vessel depicted in FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of the fining vessel depicted in FIG. 3 and taken along section line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a magnified elevated cross-sectional view of a portion of the fining vessel illustrated in FIG. 3 including a skimmer positioned within the fining vessel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is cross-sectional view of the fining vessel taken along section lines 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the fining vessel taken from the same perspective as that of FIG. 6 showing the skimmer according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the fining vessel taken from the same perspective as that of FIG. 6 showing the skimmer according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG 9 is a magnified elevated cross-sectional view of a skimmer positioned within the fining vessel illustrated in FIG. 3 according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the fining vessel taken along section lines 10-10 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a magnified view of the skimmer illustrated in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of a process for forming glass containers from the output molten glass discharged from the fining vessel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

The disclosed apparatus and fining method are preferably used to fine molten glass produced by melting a vitrifiable feed material via submerged combustion melting. As will be described in further detail below, submerged combustion melting involves injecting a combustible gas mixture that comprises fuel and an oxidant directly into a glass melt contained in a submerged combustion melter though submerged burners. The combustible gas mixture autoignites and the resultant combustion products cause vigorous stirring and turbulence as they are discharged through the glass melt. The intense shearing forces experienced between the combustion products and the glass melt cause rapid heat transfer and particle dissolution throughout the glass melt. While submerged combustion technology can melt and integrate a vitrifiable feed material into the

M-6 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) glass melt relatively quickly, thus resulting in relatively low glass residence times, the glass melt tends to be foamy and have a relatively low density despite being chemically homogenized when discharged from the melter. Fining foamy molten glass discharged from the glass melt in accordance with the present disclosure can render the fining process more efficient. Of course, molten glass produced in other types of melting apparatuses, including a melting chamber of a conventional Siemens-style furnace, may also be fined in the same way.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, a glass fining vessel 10 is depicted according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The glass fining vessel 10 receives an input molten glass 12 that originates from within a submerged combustion melter 14 and discharges output molten glass 16 for additional processing into a finished article. The glass fining vessel 10 has a housing 18 that defines a fining chamber 20 in which a molten glass bath 22 is contained. The housing 18 further defines an inlet 24 through which the input molten glass 12 is received and an outlet 26 through which the output molten glass 16 is discharged. The input molten glass 12 combines with and is subsumed by the molten glass bath 22, and the output molten glass 16 is drawn from the molten glass bath 22 at a location downstream from the inlet 24. As such, the molten glass bath 22 flows through the fining chamber 20 in a flow direction F from the inlet 24 to the outlet 26 of the glass fining vessel 10 while being fined along the way as described in more detail below.

The housing 18 of the glass fining vessel 10 includes a roof 28, a floor 30, and an upstanding wall 32 that connects the roof 28 and the floor 30. The upstanding wall 32 typically includes an inlet or front end wall 32a, an outlet or back end wall 32b, and two opposed lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d that join the inlet end and outlet end walls 32a, 32b. The housing 18 of the fining vessel 10 is constructed from a one or more refractory materials. Refractory materials are a class of inorganic, non-metallic materials that can withstand high-temperatures while remaining generally resistant to thermal stress and corrosion. In one particular embodiment, the floor 30 and the glass-contacting portions of the upstanding wall 32 may be formed from fused cast AZS (alumina-zirconia-silicate), bond AZS, castable AZS, high alumina, alumina-chrome, or alumina-silica type refractories. Insulating bricks and ceramic fire boards may be disposed behind these portions of the housing 18. As for the roof 28 and the superstructure (i.e., the non-glass contacting portion of the upstanding wall 32), those portions of the housing 18 may be formed from an alumina-silica refractory such as mullite.

M-7 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062)

The inlet 24 to the fining vessel 10 may be defined in the roof 28 of the housing 18 proximate the inlet end wall 32a, as shown, although it may also be defined in the inlet end wall 32a either above or below a surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 or in one or both of the lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d either above or below the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22. The inlet 24 provides an entrance to the fining chamber 20 for the introduction of the input molten glass 12 at a feed rate RF. The inlet 24 may be fluidly coupled to the submerged combustion melter 14 or an intermediate holding tank (not shown) located between the submerged combustion melter 14 and the fining vessel 10 by a contained conduit or, in another implementation, such as the one illustrated here, the inlet 24 may be positioned in flow communication with the input molten glass 12 so that the input molten glass 12 can be poured into the fining chamber 20 while being exposed to the ambient environment. An example of an intermediate holding tank that may be fluidly positioned between the submerged combustion melter 14 and the fining vessel 10 is the stilling vessel that is disclosed in a patent application titled STILLING VESSEL FOR SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTER and having Docket No. 19522, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and is incorporated herein by refererence in its entirety.

The outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10 may be defined in the outlet end wall 32b either adjacent to the floor 30 (as shown) or above the floor 30 yet beneath the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22. The outlet 26 may also be defined in the floor 30 or in one or both of the lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d beneath the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 and proximate the outlet end wall 32b. The outlet 26 provides an exit from the fining chamber 20 for the discharge of the output molten glass 16 at a discharge or pull rate RD. In the context of commercial glass container manufacturing, the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10 may fluidly communicate with a spout chamber 36 of a spout 38 appended to the outlet end wall 32b. The spout 38 includes a spout bowl 40, which defines the spout chamber 36 along with an orifice plate 42, and further includes at least one reciprocal plunger 44 that reciprocates to control the flow of accumulated output molten glass 46 held within the spout chamber 36 through an aligned orifice 48 in the orifice plate 42 to fashion streams or runners of glass. These streams or runners of glass may be sheared into glass gobs of a predetermined weight that can be individually formed into glass containers upon delivery to a glass container forming machine.

The fining vessel 10 includes a skimmer 50 positioned between the inlet 24 and the outlet 26. As shown best in FIGS. 5 and 11, the skimmer 50 extends downwardly from the roof 28 of

M-8 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) the housing 18 and is partially submerged in the molten glass bath 22. At least a submerged portion 52 of the skimmer 50 extends across the fining chamber 20 between the lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d of the housing 18 and has an upstream face 54, an opposite downstream face 56, and a distal free end 58 connecting the upstream and downstream faces 54, 56. The distal free end 58 of the skimmer 50 defines a submerged passageway 60 along with corresponding portions of the floor 30 and the sidewalls 32c, 32d. The establishment of the submerged passageway 60 causes an undercurrent 62 of the molten glass bath 22 to flow beneath the skimmer 50 and through the submerged passageway 60 as the glass bath 22 as a whole flows along the flow direction F towards the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10. The skimmer 50 has a centerplane 64 that is parallel to a vertical reference plane 66 (FIG. 11), which is perpendicular to the horizontal or gravity level, or angled at no more than 5° from the vertical reference plane 66 in either direction.

At least one fining agent is introduced into the molten glass bath 22 directly beneath the skimmer 50 in direct exposure to the undercurrent 62 of the molten glass bath 22 from a dissolvable fining material component 68 that includes one or more fining agents. The term “directly beneath the skimmer” as used herein refers to a zone 70 (FIG. 11) of the fining chamber 20 defined by sectioning the skimmer 50 where its thickness ST as measured between the upstream face 54 and the downstream face 56 is greatest, and then extending first and second planes 70a, 70b from the upstream and downstream faces 54, 56 of the skimmer 50 where sectioned, respectively, parallel with the centerplane 64 of the skimmer 50 such that the planes 70a, 70b intersect the floor 30 and the upstanding wall 32 of the housing 18. The volume between the skimmer 50, the floor 30, the sidewalls 32c, 32d, and the extended planes 70a, 70b is the zone 70 that is considered to be directly beneath the skimmer 50. By introducing at least one fining agent into this zone 70, smaller gas bubbles can more easily be targeted for removal.

The dissolvable fining material component 68 comprises a mixture of a glass compatible base material and one or more fining agents. The mixture may be physically compacted or bound together by a binder. The glass compatible base material is any material that contributes only compounds into the glass that are already part of the glass chemical composition. For instance, if the molten glass bath 22 is composed of soda-lime-silica glass, the glass compatible base material is formulated to introduce one or more of Si2O, Na2O, or CaO, and/or any other component of soda-lime-silica glass, into the molten glass bath 22. To that end, the glass compatible base material may be soda-lime-silica glass, the vitrifiable feed material that is being melted in the

M-9 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) upstream submerged combustion melter 14, pulverized soda-lime-silica cullet, a precursor oxide of soda-lime-silica glass such as SiC>2-Na2O, Na2O-CaO, or sodium silicate, or combinations thereof. The one or more fining agents may be any compound or a combination of compounds that release fining gases into the molten glass bath 22. In particular, the fining agent(s) may include a sulfate such as sodium sulfate (salt cake), which decomposes to release O2 and SO2 as the fining gases. Other fining agents that may be employed include CT2O3, WO3, reactive carbon, aluminum, a carbonate, silicon carbide (SiC), or an oxidized metal powder.

The dissolvable fining material component 68 may be disposed directly beneath the skimmer 50 in several different ways. In one implementation, as shown best in FIG. 11, the dissolvable fining material component 68 is a solid plate 72 supported within the skimmer 50. The plate 72 has an exposed portion 74 that protrudes a distance PD beyond the distal free end 58 of the skimmer 50 that is less than a distance TD between the free end 58 of the skimmer 50 and the floor 30 of the housing 18. In this construction, the skimmer 50 has a main body 76 that defines an internal cavity 78. The internal cavity 78 has a width Cw (FIG. 4) that extends along a width Sw of the skimmer 50 — the skimmer width Sw being the size dimension of the skimmer 50 in a direction extending between the lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d — and a thickness CT (FIG. 11) that extends along the thickness ST of the skimmer 50. The width and thickness Cw, CT of the internal cavity 78 are both less than the width and thickness Sw, ST of the skimmer 50. The internal cavity 78 also has a height CH (FIG. 11) that extends along a height SH of the skimmer 50 — the skimmer height SH being the size dimension of the skimmer 50 in a direction extending between the roof 28 and the floor 30 — while traversing the skimmer 50 such that the cavity 78 is open at the distal free end 58 and an opposed upper end 80 of the skimmer 50. The opposed upper end 80 of the skimmer 50 is preferably held outside of the fining chamber 20 by the housing 18 of the fining vessel 10.

The dissolvable fining material plate 72 may be inserted into the internal cavity 78 through the opposed upper end 80 of the skimmer 50 and, additionally, is moveable relative to the main body 76 along the height SH of the skimmer 50. The moveable nature of the dissolvable fining material plate 72 permits the plate 72 to be slid downwardly through the skimmer 50 and past the distal free end 58 of the skimmer 50 towards the floor 30 of the housing 18. The plate 72 may be slid at a constant velocity or intermittently as needed. In that regard, as the exposed portion 74 of the plate 72 disintegrates over time due to constant exposure to the undercurrent 62 of the molten

M-10 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) glass bath 22 passing through the submerged passageway 60, the plate 72 may be advanced to maintain the exposed portion 74 at the desired distance PD beyond the distal free end 58 of the skimmer 50.

To help ensure that the portion of the plate 72 within the main body 74 is preserved, the main body 76 may be constructed from a refractory material, such as the refractories disclosed above for the glass-contacting portions of the upstanding wall 32, and is preferably liquid cooled. The main body 76 may be liquid cooled by a distribution of cooling tubes 82 encased within the main body 76 that fluidly communicate with an inlet cooling tube 84 and an outlet cooling tube 86. A cooling fluid such as water may be circulated into the inlet cooling tube 84, through the distribution of cooling tubes 82, and out of the outlet cooling tube 86 to maintain the main body 76, especially the part within the submerged portion 52 of the skimmer 50, at a temperature below the temperature of the molten glass bath 22. In many instances, a temperature differential between a temperature of the cooling fluid entering the main body 76 of the skimmer 50 at the inlet cooling tube 84 and a temperature of the cooling fluid exiting the main body 76 of the skimmer 50 at the outlet cooling tube is maintained at less than 20°C, or more narrowly between 5°C and 15°C. This condition creates a thin layer of high viscosity glass melt immediately adjacent to the submerged portion 52 of the skimmer 50, which, in turn, protects the skimmer 50 against thermal and corrosive damage and extends the operational lifetime of the skimmer 50.

The skimmer 50 may separate gas bubbles 88 introduced into the molten glass bath 22 by the input molten glass 12 according to the size of the gas bubbles 88. As discussed above, the input molten glass 12 contains bubbles of various sizes as a result of melting the vitrifiable feed material in the submerged combustion melter 14. The input molten glass 12 has a first density and first concentration of entrained gas bubbles. Here, as a result of submerged combustion melting, the input molten glass 12 typically has a density between 0.75 gm/cm ³ and 1.5 gm/cm ³ , or more narrowly between 0.99 gm/cm ³ and 1.3 gm/cm ³ , and concentration of entrained gas bubbles ranging from 30 vol% to 60 vol% for soda-lime-silica glass. The gas bubbles carried within the input molten glass 12 and added to the molten glass bath 22 have a diameter that typically ranges from 0.10 mm to 0.9 mm and, more narrowly, from 0.25 mm to 0.8 mm. Compared to gas bubbles having a diameter of greater than 0.7 mm, gas bubbles having a diameter of 0.7 mm or less are more likely to remain suspended in the deeper regions of the molten glass bath 22 as the molten glass bath 22 flows along the flow direction F. The density and bubble concentration values stated

M-l l CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) above may be different. For example, if the input molten glass 12 is obtained from a Siemens-style melting furnace, the density and bubble concentration values would likely be greater than, and less than, the above-stated ranges, respectively, for soda-lime-silica glass.

The skimmer 50 can be sized and positioned to achieve the desired separation of the gas bubbles 88. Each of the following three design characteristics of the skimmer 50 effects the size of the bubbles that pass beneath the skimmer 50 and through the submerged passageway 60: (1) a distance SD between the centerplane 64 of the skimmer 50 at the axial free end 58 and the inlet end wall 32a along the flow direction F; (2) the distance TD between the free end 58 of the skimmer 50 and the floor 30 of the housing 18; and (3) the discharge rate RD of the output molten glass 16 through the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10. By increasing the distance SD between the skimmer 50 and the inlet end wall 32a (characteristic 1 above), the bubbles 88 have more time to ascend to the surface 34 of the molten glass batch 22 and burst before reaching the upstream face 54 of the skimmer 50. Likewise, decreasing the distance SD between the skimmer 50 and the inlet end wall 32a provides the bubbles 88 with less time to ascend to the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 and burst. Accordingly, the size of the gas bubbles 88 that are drawn under the skimmer 50 within the undercurrent 62 tends to decrease as the distance SD between the skimmer 50 and the inlet end wall 32a increases.

Additionally, the size of the gas bubbles 88 that are drawn under the skimmer 50 within the undercurrent 62 tends to decrease as the distance TD between the free end 58 of the skimmer 50 and the floor 30 of the housing 18 (characteristic 2 above) decreases, and vice versa. Indeed, as the distance TD between the free end 58 of the skimmer 50 and the floor 30 decreases, the skimmer 50 is submerged deeper into the molten glass bath 22 and the size of the gas bubbles 88 that are drawn under the skimmer 50 within the undercurrent 62 also decreases. Conversely, as the distance TD between the free end 58 of the skimmer 50 and the floor 30 increases, the skimmer 50 is submerged shallower into the molten glass bath 22, and the size of the gas bubbles 88 being drawn under the skimmer 50 within the undercurrent 62 increases since molten glass closer to the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 can now flow beneath the skimmer 50. Lastly, a higher discharge rate RD of the output molten glass 16 (characteristic 3 above) reduces the residence time of the molten glass bath 22 and tends to increase the size of the gas bubbles 88 that are drawn under the skimmer 50 within the undercurrent 62, while a lower discharge rate RD of the output molten glass 16 has the opposite effect.

M-12 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062)

By balancing the three design characteristics set forth above, the skimmer 50 may be sized and positioned so that the gas bubbles 88 that pass beneath the skimmer 50 within the undercurrent contain at least 95% of smaller gas bubbles that have diameters of less than 0.7 mm or, more preferably, less than 0.5 mm. The larger gas bubbles having diameters of 0.7 mm or greater ascend too quickly and eventually rise to the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 upstream of the skimmer 50 and burst. In one implementation of the skimmer 50, in which the glass discharge rate (characteristic 3) is 100 tons per day, the first and second design characteristics set forth above may lie within the ranges detailed below in Table 1 to achieve at least 95% of smaller gas bubbles within the undercurrent 62, although other combinations of characteristics 1-3 are certainly possible.

Table 1: Skimmer Parameters (100 tpd glass discharge rate)

Using the skimmer 50 to separate the gas bubbles 88 so that a contingent of smaller gas bubbles primarily passes beneath the skimmer 50 is advantageous in one respect; that is, the separation ensures that the smaller gas bubbles carried by the undercurrent 62 through the submerged passageway 60 are selectively exposed to the dissolvable fining material component 68 and the fining gases produced from the fining agent(s) released from the component 68 into the molten glass bath 22.

The housing 18 of the fining vessel 10 may also support one or more non-submerged burners 90 to heat the molten glass bath 22 and curtail an undesired increase in viscosity. Each of the non-submerged burners 90 combusts a mixture of a fuel and an oxidant. The non-submerged burners 90 may include one or more sidewall burners 90a mounted in one or both of the lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d of the housing 18, one or more roof burners 90b mounted in the roof 28 of the housing 18, or both types of burners 90a, 90b. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of sidewall burners 90a may be mounted in one or both of the sidewalls 32c, 32d in spaced relation along the flow direction F between the inlet 24 and the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10. Each of the plurality of sidewall burners 90a may be fixedly or pivotably mounted within a burner block.

M-13 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062)

The combustion products 92a emitted from the burners 90a may be aimed into an open atmosphere 94 above the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 or, alternatively, may be aimed toward the molten glass bath 22 so that the combustion products 92a directly impinge the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22. The sidewall burners 90a may be pencil burners or some other suitable burner construction.

In addition to or in lieu of the sidewall bumer(s) 90a, a plurality of roof burners 90b may be mounted in the roof 28 in spaced relation along the flow direction between the inlet 24 and the outlet 26 of the housing 18. In some instances, and depending on the burner design, multiple rows of roof burners 90b may be spaced along the flow direction F of the molten glass bath 22, with each row of burners 90b including two or more burners 90b aligned perpendicular to the flow direction F. Each of the roof burners 90b may be a flat flame burner that supplies low-profile combustion products 92b and heat into the open atmosphere 94 above the surface 34 of the molten glass, or, in an alternate implementation, and as shown here, each burner 90b may be a burner that is fixedly or pivotably mounted within a burner block and aimed to direct its combustion products 92b into direct impingement with the top surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22. If a roof burner 90b of the latter impingement variety is employed, the burner is preferably mounted in the roof 28 of the housing 18 upstream of the skimmer 50 to suppress foam build-up.

The non-submerged burner(s) 90 may be configured so that their combustion products 92 impact the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 to aid in the fining of particularly foamy molten glass such as, for example, the glass produced in a submerged combustion melter. Foamy glass with a relatively high amount of bubbles can develop a layer of foam that accumulates on top of the molten glass bath 22. A layer of foam of this nature can block radiant heat flow and, as a result, insulate the underlying glass from any heat added to the open atmosphere 94 by non-submerged burners 90 that emit non-impinging combustion products. One way to overcome the challenges posed by foam is to break up or destroy the foam. Direct impingement between the combustion products 92 and the top surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 can destroy and reduce the volume of any foam layer that may develop on top of the molten glass bath 22, which, in turn, can help improve heat transfer efficiency into the molten glass bath 22.

The operation of the fining vessel 10 will now be described in the context of fining glass produced in the upstream submerged combustion melter 14. In general, and referring now to FIG. 1, the submerged combustion melter (SC melter) 14 is fed with a vitrifiable feed material 96 that

M-14 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) exhibits a glass-forming formulation. The vitrifiable feed material 96 is melt-reacted inside the SC melter 14 within an agitated glass melt 98 to produce molten glass. Foamy molten glass 100 is discharged from the SC melter 14 out of the glass melt 98. The foamy molten glass 100 is supplied to the fining vessel 10 as the input molten glass 12. The input molten glass 12 combines with and is subsumed by the molten glass bath 22 contained in the fining chamber 20 of the fining vessel 10. The molten glass bath 22 flows along the flow direction F from the inlet 24 of the fining vessel 10 to the outlet 26. As a result of this flow, the undercurrent 62 of the molten glass bath 22 that flows beneath the skimmer 50 is directly exposed to the dissolvable fining material component 68 and the fining agent(s) released from the component 68. The introduction of fining agents into the molten glass bath 22 directly beneath the skimmer 50 can selectively target smaller, more-difficult-to-remove gas bubbles, especially if the skimmer 50 is used to separate the gas bubbles 88 introduced into the molten glass bath 22 from the input molten glass 12 based on bubble size.

The SC melter 14 includes a housing 102 that defines an interior reaction chamber 104. The housing has a roof 106, a floor 108, and a surrounding upstanding wall 110 that connects the roof 106 and the floor 108. The surrounding upstanding wall 110 further includes a front end wall 110a, a back end wall 110b that opposes and is spaced apart from the front end wall 110a, and two opposed lateral sidewalls 110c, 1 lOd that connect the front end wall 110a and the back end wall 110b. The interior reaction chamber 104 of the SC melter 14 holds the glass melt 98 when the melter 14 is operational. At least the floor 108 and the surrounding upstanding wall 110 of the housing 102, as well as the roof 106 if desired, may be constructed from one or more fluid-cooled panels through which a coolant, such as water, may be circulated. The fluid-cooled panels include a glass-side refractory material layer 112 that may be covered by a layer of frozen glass 114 that forms in-situ between an outer skin of the glass melt 98 and the refractory material layer 112. The glass-side refractory material layer 112 may be constructed from any of the refractories disclosed above for the glass-contacting portions of the upstanding wall 32 of the housing 18 of the fining vessel 10.

The housing 102 of the SC melter 14 defines a feed material inlet 116, a molten glass outlet 118, and an exhaust vent 120. As shown in FIG. 1, the feed material inlet 116 may be defined in the roof 106 of the housing 102 adjacent to or a distance from the front end wall 110a, and the molten glass outlet 118 may be defined in the back end wall 110b of the housing 102 adjacent to

M-15 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) or a distance above the floor 108, although other locations for the feed material inlet 116 and the molten glass outlet 118 are certainly possible. The feed material inlet 116 provides an entrance to the interior reaction chamber 104 for the delivery of the vitrifiable feed material 96 by way of a batch feeder 122. The batch feeder 122 is configured to introduce a metered amount of the vitrifiable feed material 96 into the interior reaction chamber 104 and may be coupled to the housing 102. The molten glass outlet 118 outlet provides an exit from the interior reaction chamber 104 for the discharge of the foamy molten glass 100 out of the SC melter 14. The exhaust vent 120 is preferably defined in the roof 106 of the housing 102 between the front end wall 110a and the back end wall 110b and is configured to remove gaseous compounds from the interior reaction chamber 104. And, to help prevent the potential loss of some of the vitrifiable feed material 96 through the exhaust vent 120, a partition wall 124 that depends from the roof 106 of the housing 102 and is partially submerged into the glass melt 98 may be positioned between the feed material inlet 116 and the exhaust vent 120.

The SC melter 14 includes one or more submerged burners 126. Each of the one or more submerged burners 126 is mounted in a port 128 defined in the floor 108 (as shown) and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 110 at a portion of the wall 110 that is immersed by the glass melt 98. Each of the submerged bumer(s) 126 forcibly injects a combustible gas mixture G into the glass melt 98 through an output nozzle 130. The combustible gas mixture G comprises fuel and an oxidant. The fuel supplied to the submerged burner(s) 126 is preferably methane or propane, and the oxidant may be pure oxygen or include a high-percentage (> 80 vol%) of oxygen, in which case the burner(s) 126 are oxy-fuel burners, or it may be air or any oxygen-enriched gas. Upon being injected into the glass melt 98, the combustible gas mixture G immediately autoignites to produce combustion products 132 — namely, CO2, CO, H2O, and any uncombusted fuel, oxygen, and/or other gas compounds such as nitrogen — that are discharged into and through the glass melt 98. Anywhere from five to thirty submerged burners 126 are typically installed in the SC melter 14 although more or less burners 126 may be employed depending on the size and melt capacity of the melter 14.

During operation of the SC melter 14, each of the one or more submerged burners 126 individually discharges combustion products 132 directly into and through the glass melt 98. The glass melt 98 is a volume of molten glass that often weighs between 1 US ton (1 US ton = 2,000 lbs) and 20 US tons and is generally maintained at a constant volume during steady-state operation

M-16 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) of the SC melter 14. As the combustion products 132 are thrust into and through the glass melt 98, which create complex flow patterns and severe turbulence, the glass melt 98 is vigorously agitated and experiences rapid heat transfer and intense shearing forces. The combustion products 132 eventually escape the glass melt 98 and are removed from the interior reaction chamber 104 through the exhaust vent 120 along with any other gaseous compounds that may volatize out of the glass melt 98. Additionally, in some circumstances, one or more non-submerged burners (not shown) may be mounted in the roof 106 and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 110 at a location above the glass melt 98 to provide heat to the glass melt 98, either directly by flame impingement or indirectly through radiant heat transfer, and to also facilitate foam suppression and/or destruction.

While the one or more submerged burners 126 are being fired into the glass melt 98, the vitrifiable feed material 96 is controllably introduced into the interior reaction chamber 104 through the feed material inlet 116. Unlike a conventional glass-melting furnace, the vitrifiable feed material 96 does not form a batch blanket that rests on top of the glass melt 98; rather, the vitrifiable feed material 96 is rapidly disbanded and consumed by the agitated glass melt 98. The dispersed vitrifiable feed material 96 is subjected to intense heat transfer and rapid particle dissolution throughout the glass melt 98 due to the vigorous melt agitation and shearing forces induced by the direct injection of the combustion products 132 from the submerged burner(s) 126. This causes the vitrifiable feed material 96 to quickly mix, react, and become chemically integrated into the glass melt 98. However, the agitation and stirring of the glass melt 98 by the direct discharge of the combustion products 132 also promotes bubble formation within the glass melt 98. Consequently, the glass melt 98 is foamy in nature and includes a homogeneous distribution of entrained gas bubbles. The entrained gas bubbles may account for 30 vol% to 60 vol% of the glass melt 98, which renders the density of the glass melt 98 relatively low, typically ranging from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ , or more narrowly from 0.99 gm/cm ³ to 1.3 gm/cm ³ , for soda-lime- silica glass. The gas bubbles entrained within the glass melt 98 vary in size and may contain any of several gases including CO2, H2O (vapor), N2, SO2, CH4, CO, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The vitrifiable feed material 96 introduced into the interior reaction chamber 104 has a composition that is formulated to provide the glass melt 98, particularly at the molten glass outlet 118, with a predetermined glass chemical composition upon melting. For example, the glass

M-17 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) chemical composition of the glass melt 98 may be a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, in which case the vitrifiable feed material 96 may be a physical mixture of virgin raw materials and optionally cullet (i.e., recycled glass) and/or other glass precursors that provides a source of SiC>2, Na2O, and CaO in the correct proportions along with any of the other materials listed below in Table 2 including, most commonly, AI2O3. The exact materials that constitute the vitrifiable feed material 96 are subject to much variation while still being able to achieve the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition as is generally well known in the glass manufacturing industry.

Table 2: Glass Chemical Composition of Soda-Lime-Silica Glass

For example, to achieve a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition in the glass melt 98, the vitrifiable feed material 96 may include primary virgin raw materials such as quartz sand (crystalline SiCh), soda ash (ISfeCCh), and limestone (CaCCh) in the quantities needed to provide the requisite proportions of SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, respectively. Other virgin raw materials may also be included in the vitrifiable feed material 96 to contribute one or more of SiO2, Na2O, CaO and possibly other oxide and/or non-oxide materials in the glass melt 98 depending on the desired chemistry of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition and the color of the glass articles being formed. These other virgin raw materials may include feldspar, dolomite, and calumite slag. The vitrifiable feed material 96 may even include up to 80 wt% cullet depending on a variety of factors. Additionally, the vitrifiable feed material 96 may include secondary or minor virgin raw

M-18 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) materials that provide the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition with colorants, decolorants, and/or redox agents that may be needed, as well as fining agents if such agents are desired to be introduced into the glass melt 98 to complement the fining agents introduced into the molten glass bath 22 by the dissolvable fining material component 68.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and 11, the foamy molten glass 100 discharged from the SC melter 14 through the molten glass outlet 118 is removed from the glass melt 98 and is chemically homogenized to the desired glass chemical composition, e.g., a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, but with the same relatively low density and entrained volume of gas bubbles as the glass melt 98. The foamy molten glass 100 flows into the fining vessel 10 as the input molten glass 12 either directly or through an intermediate stilling or holding tank that may settle and moderate the flow rate of the input molten glass 12. The input molten glass 12 is introduced into the fining chamber 20 through the inlet 24 and combines with and is subsumed by the molten glass bath 22. The blending of the input molten glass 12 with the molten glass bath 22 introduces the gas bubbles 88 into the glass bath 22. These gas bubbles 88 are removed from the molten glass bath 22 as the glass bath 22 flows in the flow direction F from the inlet 24 of the fining vessel 10 to the outlet 26.

As the molten glass bath 22 flows in the flow direction F, the undercurrent 62 of the glass bath 22 flows beneath the skimmer 50 through the submerged passageway 60 to navigate molten glass past the skimmer 50. The undercurrent 62 is selectively and directly exposed to the fining agent(s) that dissolve into the undercurrent 62 from the dissolvable fining material component 68, which, in this particular embodiment, is in the form of a solid plate 72 that is moveable along the height SH of the skimmer 50. The fining agent(s) react with the molten glass to release fining gases into the undercurrent 62 and the portion of the molten glass bath downstream of the skimmer 50. These fining gases remove the gas bubbles 88 that pass through the submerged passageway 60 by accelerating the ascension of the gas bubbles 88 or causing the gas within the bubbles 88 to dissolve into the glass matrix of the molten glass bath 22. In that regard, the skimmer 50 may be used to separate the entrained gas bubbles 88 introduced into the molten glass bath 22 as discussed above to ensure that most of the gas bubbles 88 that pass beneath the skimmer 50 are smaller gas bubbles having a diameter of 0.7 mm or less or, more preferably, 0.5 mm or less. As a result, the density of the molten glass bath 22 increases along the flow direction F of the glass bath 22, and

M-19 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) the amount of the fining agent(s) introduced into the molten glass bath 22 may be limited to what is needed to effectively remove the smaller gas bubbles that pass beneath the skimmer 50.

The output molten glass 16 is removed from the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10 and has a second density and a second concentration of entrained gas bubbles. The second density of the output molten glass 16 is greater than the first density of the input molten glass 12, and the second concentration of entrained gas bubbles of the output molten glass 16 is less than the first concentration of entrained gas bubbles of the input molten glass 12. For instance, the output molten glass 16 may have a density of 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ and a concentration of entrained gas bubbles ranging from 0 vol% to 1 vol% or, more narrowly, from 0 vol% to 0.05 vol%, for soda-lime-silica glass. The output molten glass 16 may then be further processed into a glass article such as a glass container. To that end, the output molten glass 16 delivered from the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10 may have a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition as dictated by the formulation of the vitrifiable feed material 96, and a preferred process 150 for forming glass containers from the output molten glass 16 includes a thermal conditioning step 152 and a glass article forming step 154, as illustrated in FIG. 12.

In the thermal conditioning step 152, the output molten glass 16 delivered from the fining vessel 10 is thermally conditioned. This involves cooling the output molten glass 16 at a controlled rate to achieve a glass viscosity suitable for glass forming operations while also achieving a more uniform temperature profile within the output molten glass 16. The output molten glass 16 is preferably cooled to a temperature between 1000°C to 1200°C to provide conditioned molten glass. The thermal conditioning of the output molten glass 16 may be performed in a separate forehearth that receives the output molten glass 16 from the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10. A forehearth is an elongated structure that defines an extended channel along which overhead and/or sidewall mounted burners can consistently and smoothly reduce the temperature of the flowing molten glass. In another embodiment, however, the thermal conditioning of the output molten glass 16 may be performed within the fining vessel 10 at the same time the molten glass bath 22 is being fined. That is, the fining and thermal conditioning steps may be performed simultaneously such that the output molten glass 16 is already thermally conditioned upon exiting the fining vessel 10.

Glass containers are formed from the conditioned molten glass in the glass article forming step 154. In some standard container-forming processes, the conditioned molten glass is

M-20 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) discharged from the spout 38 at the end of the fining vessel 10 or a similar device at the end of a forehearth as molten glass streams or runners. The molten glass runners are then sheared into individual gobs of a predetermined weight. Each gob is delivered via a gob delivery system into a blank mold of a glass container forming machine. In other glass container forming processes, however, molten glass is streamed directly from the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10 or an outlet of the forehearth into the blank mold to fill the mold with glass. Once in the blank mold, and with its temperature still between 1000°C and 1200°C, the molten glass gob is pressed or blown into a parison or preform that includes a tubular wall. The parison is then transferred from the blank mold into a blow mold of the glass container forming machine for final shaping into a container. Once the parison is received in the blow mold, the blow mold is closed and the parison is rapidly outwardly blown into the final container shape that matches the contour of the mold cavity using a compressed gas such as compressed air. Other approaches may of course be implemented to form the glass containers besides the press-and-blow and blow-and-blow forming techniques including, for instance, compression or other molding techniques.

The final container formed within the blow mold has an axially closed base and a circumferential wall. The circumferential wall extends from the axially closed base to a mouth that defines an opening to a containment space defined by the axially closed base and the circumferential wall. The glass container is allowed to cool while in contact with the mold walls of the blow mold and is then removed from the blow mold and placed on a conveyor or other transport device. The glass container is then reheated and cooled at a controlled rate in an annealing lehr to relax thermally-induced constraints and remove internal stress points. The annealing of the glass container involves heating the glass container to a temperature above the annealing point of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, which usually lies within the range of 510°C to 550°C, followed by slowly cooling the container at a rate of l°C/min to 10°C/min to a temperature below the strain point of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, which typically lies within the range of 470°C to 500°C. The glass container may be cooled rapidly after it has been cooled to a temperature below the strain point. Any of a variety of coatings may be applied to the surface of the glass container either before (hot-end coatings) or after (cold-end coatings) annealing for a variety of reasons.

The glass melting, fining, and glass article forming processes described above are subject to variations without detracting from their purposes or objectives. Several such variations are

M-21 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) depicted in FIGS. 7-9 in which like reference numerals are used to identify corresponding features of the previously-described embodiments. In the discussions below, only the material differences of the relevant embodiment are discussed compared to the previously-described embodiments with the understanding that the descriptions of the various features of the previously-described embodiments are equally applicable unless stated otherwise. Referring now to FIG. 7, in one alternate embodiment, the dissolvable fining material component 268 supported within the skimmer 250 may be a perforated plate 272, as opposed to a solid plate, in that the plate 272 defines a plurality of openings 275 that fully traverse the thickness of the plate 272. In this way, the undercurrent 62 of the molten glass bath 22 may flow both through and around the dissolvable fining material plate 272 to facilitate more intimate exposure between the plate 272 and the undercurrent 62. Because the undercurrent 62 of the molten glass bath 22 flows both through and around the plate 272, the fining agent(s) may be released more uniformly into the undercurrent 62.

In another alternate embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the dissolvable fining material component 368 may be in the form of a rod 372 as opposed to a plate 72, 272. Multiple dissolvable fining material rods 372 may be employed together. To that end, the skimmer 350 includes a main body 376 that defines a plurality of bores 378. Each bore 378 traverses the skimmer 350 along the height SH of the skimmer 350 and is open at the distal free end 358 and the opposed upper end 380 of the skimmer 350. Each of the bores 378 supports a dissolvable fining material rod 372. The rods 372 are movable relative to the main body 376 along the height SH of the skimmer 350 in the same way as the dissolvable fining material plates 72, 272 — that is, to maintain an exposed portion 374 of the rods 372 at the desired distance PD beyond the distal free end 358 of the skimmer 350 as the rods disintegrate over time. And, much like the perforated plate 272 of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the use of multiple dissolvable material rods 372 allows the undercurrent 62 of the molten glass bath 22 to flow through and around the rods 372, thus facilitating the release of the fining agent(s) from the rods 372 more uniformly into the undercurrent 62.

In still another alternate embodiment, the dissolvable fining material component 468 may be supported within the housing 418 of the fining vessel 10, as depicted in FIGS. 9-10. In this scenario, a skimmer 481 formed of a refractory material may extend downwardly from the roof 428 of the housing 418 and between the sidewalls 432c, 432d of the housing 418 to define, as before, the submerged passageway 460 along with corresponding portions of the floor 430 and sidewalls 432c, 432d. A channel 483 that extends across the fining chamber 420 and between the

M-22 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) sidewalls 432c, 432d of the upstanding wall 432, and therefore runs along the width Sw of the skimmer 481, is defined in the floor 430 directly beneath the skimmer 481. A dissolvable fining material rod 472 is received in the channel 483 and rises above the floor 430 a distance WD that is less than the distance TD between a distal free end 485 of the skimmer 481 and the floor 430 of the housing 418. And, similar to the other embodiments, the fining material rod 472 is selectively and directly exposed to the undercurrent 62 of the molten glass bath 22 that passes through the submerged passageway 460 beneath the skimmer 481. Fining agent(s) are released into the undercurrent 62 to target the gas bubbles, which may comprise mostly smaller gas bubbles, in the same way as before, albeit from the floor 430 of the housing 418. The fining material rod 472 described here may also, if desired, be used in conjunction with the skimmers 50, 250, 350 disclosed in the previous embodiments as a way to increase the exposure of the undercurrent 62 to the fining agent(s).

In yet another alternate embodiment, additional skimmers 589, which are shown in FIGS. 3-4, may be included in the fining vessel 10 downstream of the skimmer 50, 250, 350 described above. Each of the additional downstream skimmers 589 may individually have the same structure as any of the skimmers 50, 250, 350 described above that support a dissolvable fining material component 68, 268, 368 or it may have the same structure as the skimmer 481 that does not support a dissolvable fining material component. If additional skimmers 589 are included in the fining vessel 10, in many instances the number of additional skimmers 589 may be somewhere between one and three.

There thus has been disclosed a method of fining glass that satisfies one or more of the objects and aims previously set forth. After being fined, the molten glass may be further processed into glass articles including, for example, glass containers. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

M-23 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062)

The claims of as-filed US 16/590062 include the following:

1.

A method of fining glass, the method comprising: supplying input molten glass into a fining chamber of a fining vessel, the input molten glass combining with a molten glass bath contained within the fining chamber and introducing entrained gas bubbles into the molten glass bath, the input molten glass having a density and a concentration of gas bubbles; flowing the molten glass bath through the fining chamber in a flow direction, the molten glass bath having an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer, which is partially submerged in the molten glass bath, and through a submerged passageway defined in part by the skimmer; and introducing one or more fining agents into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer from a dissolvable fining material component.

2.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein introducing one or more fining agents into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath comprises releasing one or more fining agents from the dissolvable fining material component, the dissolvable fining material component being supported within the skimmer and having an exposed portion that protrudes beyond a distal free end of the skimmer into the submerged passageway.

3.

The method set forth in claim 2, wherein the dissolvable fining material component is in the form of a plate that is moveable within an internal cavity defined in a main body of the skimmer.

4.

The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the plate is perforated to allow the undercurrent of the molten glass bath to flow through openings defined in the exposed portion of the plate.

5.

The method set forth in claim 2, wherein the dissolvable fining material component is in the form of a rod movable within a bore defined in a main body of the skimmer.

6.

The method set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

M-24 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) advancing the dissolvable fining material component relative to a main body of the skimmer along a height of the skimmer to maintain the exposed portion of component as the component disintegrates in the undercurrent of the molten glass bath.

7.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the fining vessel includes a housing that defines the fining chamber, the housing comprising a floor, and wherein introducing one or more fining agents into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath comprises releasing one or more fining agents from the dissolvable fining material component, the dissolvable fining material component being supported in the floor of the housing directly beneath the skimmer and rising above the floor into the submerged passageway.

8.

The method set forth in claim 7, wherein the floor defines a channel extending across the fining chamber beneath the skimmer, and wherein the dissolvable fining material component is in the form of a rod and is received within the channel defined in the floor of the housing.

9.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the one or more fining agents that are introduced into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath include a sulfate that decomposes to release O2 and SO2.

10.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the one or more fining agents that are introduced into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath include sodium sulfate, CnCh, WO3, carbon, aluminum, a carbonate, silicon carbide (SiC), an oxidized metal powder, or a combination thereof.

11.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the input molten glass has a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition.

12.

The method set forth in claim 1, further comprising: discharging output molten glass from the fining vessel, the output molten glass having a density that is greater than the density of the input molten glass and further having a concentration of gas bubbles that is less than the concentration of gas bubbles of the input molten glass.

M-25 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062)

13.

A method of producing and fining glass, the method comprising: discharging combustion products from one or more submerged burners directly into a glass melt contained within an interior reaction chamber of a submerged combustion melter, the combustion products discharged from the one or more submerged burners agitating the glass melt; discharging foamy molten glass obtained from the glass melt out of the submerged combustion melter; supplying the foamy molten glass into a fining chamber of a fining vessel as input molten glass, the input molten glass combining with a molten glass bath contained within the fining chamber and introducing entrained gas bubbles into the molten glass bath, the input molten glass having a density and comprising up to 60 vol% bubbles; flowing the molten glass bath through the fining chamber in a flow direction, the molten glass bath having an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer, which is partially submerged in the molten glass bath, and through a submerged passageway defined in part by the skimmer; introducing one or more fining agents into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer from a dissolvable fining material component; and discharging output molten glass from the fining vessel, the output molten glass having a density that is greater than the density of the input molten glass and further comprising less than 1 vol% bubbles.

14.

The method set forth in claim 13, wherein introducing one or more fining agents into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath comprises releasing one or more fining agents from the dissolvable fining material component, the dissolvable fining material component being supported within the skimmer and having an exposed portion that protrudes beyond a distal free end of the skimmer into the submerged passageway.

15.

The method set forth in claim 14, further comprising: advancing the dissolvable fining material component relative to a main body of the skimmer along a height of the skimmer to maintain the exposed portion of component as the component disintegrates in the undercurrent of the molten glass bath.

M-26 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062)

16.

The method set forth in claim 13, wherein the fining vessel includes a housing that defines the fining chamber, the housing comprising a floor, and wherein introducing one or more fining agents into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath comprises releasing one or more fining agents from the dissolvable fining material component, the dissolvable fining material component being supported in the floor of the housing directly beneath the skimmer and rising above the floor into the submerged passageway.

17.

The method set forth in claim 13, wherein the glass melt in the submerged combustion melter, as well as the molten glass bath in the fining vessel, have a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition.

18.

The method set forth in claim 17, further comprising: forming the output molten glass discharged from the fining vessel into at least one glass container having an axially closed base and a circumferential wall, the circumferential wall extending from the axially closed base to a mouth that defines an opening to a containment space defined by the axially closed base and the circumferential wall.

19.

The method set forth in claim 13, wherein the one or more fining agents that are introduced into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath include sodium sulfate, CnCh, WO3, carbon, aluminum, a carbonate, silicon carbide (SiC), an oxidized metal powder, or a combination thereof.

20.

A fining vessel for fining glass, the fining vessel comprising: a housing that defines a fining chamber, the housing having a roof, a floor, and an upstanding wall that connects the roof and the floor, the housing further defining an inlet to the fining chamber and an outlet from the fining chamber; a skimmer extending downwards from the roof of the housing towards the floor of the housing and further extending across the fining chamber between opposed lateral sidewalls of the upstanding wall, the skimmer having a distal free end that together with corresponding portions of the floor and upstanding wall defines a submerged passageway; and

M-27 CHAPTER M - 19517 (US 16/590062) a dissolvable fining material component disposed directly beneath the skimmer, the dissolvable fining material component comprising a mixture of a glass compatible base material and one or more fining agents.

M-28 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072)

CHAPTER N: SELECTIVE CHEMICAL FINING OF SMALL BUBBLES IN GLASS

The present disclosure is directed to glass fining and, more specifically, to techniques for targeting and selectively exposing small bubbles, which might otherwise be too small to quickly ascend to the glass surface, to a fining agent.

Background

Glass is a rigid amorphous solid that has numerous applications. Soda-lime-silica glass, for example, is used extensively to manufacture flat glass articles including windows, hollow glass articles including containers such as bottles and jars, and also tableware and other specialty articles. Soda-lime-silica glass comprises a disordered and spatially crosslinked ternary oxide network of SiC>2-Na2O-CaO. The silica component (SiCh) is the largest oxide by weight and constitutes the primary network forming material of soda-lime-silica glass. The Na2O component functions as a fluxing agent that reduces the melting, softening, and glass transition temperatures of the glass, as compared to pure silica glass, and the CaO component functions as a stabilizer that improves certain physical and chemical properties of the glass including its hardness and chemical resistance. The inclusion of Na2O and CaO in the chemistry of soda-lime-silica glass renders the commercial manufacture of glass articles more practical and less energy intensive than pure silica glass while still yielding acceptable glass properties. Soda-lime-silica glass, in general and based on the total weight of the glass, has a glass chemical composition that includes 60 wt% to 80 wt% SiO2, 8 wt% to 18 wt% Na2O, and 5 wt% to 15 wt% CaO.

In addition to SiO2, Na2O, and CaO, the glass chemical composition of soda-lime-silica glass may include other oxide and non-oxide materials that act as network formers, network modifiers, colorants, decolorants, redox agents, or other agents that affect the properties of the final glass. Some examples of these additional materials include aluminum oxide (AI2O3), magnesium oxide (MgO), potassium oxide (K2O), carbon, sulfates, nitrates, fluorines, chlorines, and/or elemental or oxide forms of one or more of iron, arsenic, antimony, selenium, chromium, barium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, sulfur, vanadium, titanium, lead, copper, niobium, molybdenum, lithium, silver, strontium, cadmium, indium, tin, gold, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, europium, gadolinium, erbium, and uranium. Aluminum oxide is one of the more commonly included materials — typically present in an amount up to 2 wt% based on the total weight of the glass — because of its ability to improve the chemical durability of the glass and to

N-l CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) reduce the likelihood of devitrification. Regardless of what other oxide and/or non-oxide materials are present in the soda-lime-glass besides SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, the sum total of those additional materials is preferably 10 wt% or less, or more narrowly 5 wt% or less, based on the total weight of the soda-lime-silica glass.

The manufacture of glass involves melting a vitrifiable feed material (sometimes referred to as a glass batch) in a furnace or melter within a larger volume of molten glass. The vitrifiable feed material may include virgin raw materials, recycled glass (i.e., cullet), glass precursor oxides, etc., in proportions that result in glass having a certain glass composition upon melting and reacting of the feed material. When the vitrifiable feed material is melted into glass, gas bubbles of various sizes are typically produced and become entrained within the glass. The production of gas bubbles is especially pronounced if the vitrifiable feed material is melted in a submerged combustion melter that includes submerged burners positioned to fire their combustion products directly into the glass melt. The quantity of gas bubbles entrained within the glass may need to be reduced to satisfy commercial specifications for “bubble free” glass. The removal of gas bubbles — a process known as “fining” — may be warranted for various reasons including the visual appearance of the glass when cooled and formed into a finished commercial article such as a glass container, flat glass product, or tableware. Glass fining has traditionally been accomplished by heating the glass to achieve a glass viscosity more conducive to bubble ascension and/or by adding a fining agent into the glass.

A fining agent is chemical compound that reacts within the glass at elevated temperatures to release fining gases such as O2, SO2, and/or possibly others into the glass. The fining gases help eradicate smaller gas bubbles that result from melting of the vitrifiable feed material other than those attributed to the fining agent (“native bubbles”). The fining gases, more specifically, form new gas bubbles (“fining bubbles”) and/or dissolve into the glass melt. The fining bubbles rapidly ascend to the surface of the glass — where they ultimately exit the glass melt and burst — and during their ascension may sweep up or absorb the smaller native gas bubbles along the way. The fining gases that dissolve into the glass melt may diffuse into the smaller native bubbles to increase the size and the buoyancy rise rate of those bubbles. The fining gases may also change the redox state [(Fe ²⁺ /(Fe ²⁺ +Fe ³⁺ ) in which Fe ²⁺ is expressed as FeO and Fe ³⁺ is expressed as Fe2C>3] of the glass and cause some of the smaller native bubbles to disappear as the gas(es) in those bubbles dissolves

N-2 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) into the glass melt. Any one or a combination of these mechanisms may be attributed to the fining agent.

A fining agent has traditionally been added to the vitrifiable feed material or metered separately into the glass. Whether the fining agent is included in the vitrifiable feed material or added separately, the resultant fining gases interact indiscriminately with gas bubbles of all sizes within the glass. Such broad exposure of the fining gases to all gas bubbles is somewhat inefficient since the larger native bubbles will quickly ascend through the glass and burst on their own regardless of whether a fining agent is added to the glass. Additionally, if the fining agent is introduced separately from the vitrifiable feed material, mechanical stirring may be used to uniformly mix the fining agent throughout the glass. But stirring the glass breaks larger native bubbles into smaller gas bubbles and counteracts the fining process by drawing bubbles (both large and small) back down into the glass away from the surface of the glass. As such, to clear the glass of bubbles, the amount of the fining agent added to the glass is usually based on the total amount of native gas bubbles that may be contained in the glass even though the smaller native bubbles dictate how much time is required to fine the glass since those bubbles ascend through the glass at the slowest pace or do not ascend at all.

The current practices of unselectively introducing a fining agent into the glass requires the consumption of an excess amount of the fining agent. This can increase the cost of materials as well as the operating costs associated with the fining process. Moreover, the fining process is not as optimized as it could be due to the oversupply of the fining agent and the corresponding fining activity that must be supported, which results in additional fining time beyond what is theoretically required to remove only the smaller native bubbles. The present disclosure addresses these shortcomings of current fining procedures by selectively exposing the smaller native bubbles in the glass to one or more fining agents. The targeted exposure of smaller native bubbles to the fining agent(s) may reduce the need to add excessive amounts of the fining agent to the glass, thus saving material and energy costs, and may also speed the overall fining process since the fining gases introduced into the glass can be minimized while still targeting and removing the smaller native bubbles. The fining agent(s) do not necessarily have to be exposed to the larger native bubbles since doing so is unlikely to have a noticeable impact on the amount of time it takes to fine the glass.

N-3 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072)

Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for fining glass. The apparatus is a fining vessel that receives an input molten glass. The input molten glass has a first density and a first concentration of entrained gas bubbles. The fining vessel may be a stand-alone tank that receives the input molten glass from a separate melter, such as a submerged combustion melter, or it may be part of a larger Siemens-style furnace that receives the input molten glass from an upstream melting chamber. The input molten glass is combined with and subsumed by a molten glass bath contained within a fining chamber defined by a housing of the fining vessel. The molten glass bath flows through the fining chamber along a flow direction from an inlet to an outlet of the fining vessel. Output molten glass is discharged from the fining vessel after flowing through the fining chamber. The output molten glass has a second density that is greater than the first density and a second concentration of entrained gas bubbles that is less than the first concentration of entrained gas bubbles. To facilitate fining of the glass, a skimmer is partially submerged in the molten glass bath. The skimmer defines a submerged passageway together with corresponding portions of the housing of the fining vessel. An undercurrent of the molten glass bath flows through the submerged passageway and is exposed to one or more fining agents beneath the skimmer to better target smaller gas bubbles for removal.

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of fining glass includes several steps. One step involves supplying input molten glass into a fining chamber of a fining vessel. The input molten glass combines with a molten glass bath contained within the fining chamber and introduces entrained gas bubbles into the molten glass bath. The input molten glass has a density and a concentration of gas bubbles. Another step of the method involves flowing the molten glass bath through the fining chamber in a flow direction. The molten glass bath has an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer, which is partially submerged in the molten glass bath, and through a submerged passageway defined in part by the skimmer. Still another step of the method involves introducing a carrier gas into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer. The carrier gas comprises suspended particles of one or more fining agents.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of producing and fining glass includes several steps. One step involves discharging combustion products from one or more

N-4 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) submerged burners directly into a glass melt contained within an interior reaction chamber of a submerged combustion melter. The combustion products discharged from the one or more submerged burners agitate the glass melt. Another step of the method involves discharging foamy molten glass obtained from the glass melt out of the submerged combustion melter. Still another step of the method involves supplying the foamy molten glass into a fining chamber of a fining vessel as input molten glass. The input molten glass combines with a molten glass bath contained within the fining chamber and introduces entrained gas bubbles into the molten glass bath. The input molten glass has a density and comprises up to 60 vol% bubbles. Another step of the method involves flowing the molten glass bath through the fining chamber in a flow direction. The molten glass bath has an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer, which is partially submerged in the molten glass bath, and through a submerged passageway defined in part by the skimmer. Yet another step of the method involves introducing a carrier gas into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer. The carrier gas comprises suspended particles of one or more fining agents. And still another step of the method involves discharging output molten glass from the fining vessel. The output molten glass has a density that is greater than the density of the input molten glass and further comprises less than 1 vol% bubbles.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a fining vessel for fining glass includes a housing that defines a fining chamber. The housing has a roof, a floor, and an upstanding wall that connects the roof and the floor. The housing further defines an inlet to the fining chamber and an outlet from the fining chamber. The fining vessel also includes a skimmer that extends downwards from the roof of the housing towards the floor of the housing and further extends across the fining chamber between opposed lateral sidewalls of the upstanding wall. The skimmer has a distal free end that together with corresponding portions of the floor and upstanding wall defines a submerged passageway. Moreover, a plurality of nozzles are supported in the floor of the housing directly beneath the skimmer. Each of the nozzles is configured to dispense a carrier gas into the fining chamber. The carrier gas includes a main gas that contains suspended particles of one or more fining agents.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages, and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

N-5 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072)

FIG. 1 is an elevated cross-sectional representation of a submerged combustion melter and a fining vessel that receives molten glass produced by the submerged combustion melter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the floor of the submerged combustion melter illustrated in FIG. 1 and taken along section line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is an elevated cross-sectional illustration of the fining vessel depicted in FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of the fining vessel depicted in FIG. 3 and taken along section line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a magnified elevated cross-sectional view of a portion of the fining vessel shown in FIG. 3 including a skimmer positioned within the fining vessel;

FIG. 6 is cross-sectional view of the fining vessel taken along section lines 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a magnified view of the skimmer illustrated in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a process for forming glass containers from the output molten glass discharged from the fining vessel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

The disclosed apparatus and fining method are preferably used to fine molten glass produced by melting a vitrifiable feed material via submerged combustion melting. As will be described in further detail below, submerged combustion melting involves injecting a combustible gas mixture that comprises fuel and an oxidant directly into a glass melt contained in a submerged combustion melter though submerged burners. The combustible gas mixture autoignites and the resultant combustion products cause vigorous stirring and turbulence as they are discharged through the glass melt. The intense shearing forces experienced between the combustion products and the glass melt cause rapid heat transfer and particle dissolution throughout the glass melt. While submerged combustion technology can melt and integrate a vitrifiable feed material into the glass melt relatively quickly, thus resulting in relatively low glass residence times, the glass melt tends to be foamy and have a relatively low density despite being chemically homogenized when discharged from the melter. Fining foamy molten glass discharged from the glass melt in accordance with the present disclosure can render the fining process more efficient. Of course, molten glass produced in other types of melting apparatuses, including a melting chamber of a conventional Siemens-style furnace, may also be fined in the same way.

N-6 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072)

Referring now to FIGS. 1-7, a glass fining vessel 10 is depicted according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The glass fining vessel 10 receives an input molten glass 12 that originates from within a submerged combustion melter 14 and discharges output molten glass 16 for additional processing into a finished article. The glass fining vessel 10 has a housing 18 that defines a fining chamber 20 in which a molten glass bath 22 is contained. The housing 18 further defines an inlet 24 through which the input molten glass 12 is received and an outlet 26 through which the output molten glass 16 is discharged. The input molten glass 12 combines with and is subsumed by the molten glass bath 22, and the output molten glass 16 is drawn from the molten glass bath 22 at a location downstream from the inlet 24. As such, the molten glass bath 22 flows through the fining chamber 20 in a flow direction F from the inlet 24 to the outlet 26 of the glass fining vessel 10 while being fined along the way as described in more detail below.

The housing 18 of the glass fining vessel 10 includes a roof 28, a floor 30, and an upstanding wall 32 that connects the roof 28 and the floor 30. The upstanding wall 32 typically includes an inlet or front end wall 32a, an outlet or back end wall 32b, and two opposed lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d that join the inlet end and outlet end walls 32a, 32b. The housing 18 of the fining vessel 10 is constructed from a one or more refractory materials. Refractory materials are a class of inorganic, non-metallic materials that can withstand high-temperatures while remaining generally resistant to thermal stress and corrosion. In one particular embodiment, the floor 30 and the glass-contacting portions of the upstanding wall 32 may be formed from fused cast AZS (alumina-zirconia-silicate), bond AZS, castable AZS, high alumina, alumina-chrome, or alumina-silica type refractories. Insulating bricks and ceramic fire boards may be disposed behind these portions of the housing 18. As for the roof 28 and the superstructure (i.e., the non-glass contacting portion of the upstanding wall 32), those portions of the housing 18 may be formed from an alumina-silica refractory such as mullite.

The inlet 24 to the fining vessel 10 may be defined in the roof 28 of the housing 18 proximate the inlet end wall 32a, as shown, although it may also be defined in the inlet end wall 32a either above or below a surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 or in one or both of the lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d either above or below the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22. The inlet 24 provides an entrance to the fining chamber 20 for the introduction of the input molten glass 12 at a feed rate RF. The inlet 24 may be fluidly coupled to the submerged combustion melter 14 or an intermediate holding tank (not shown) located between the submerged combustion melter 14 and

N-7 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) the fining vessel 10 by a contained conduit or, in another implementation, such as the one illustrated here, the inlet 24 may be positioned in flow communication with the input molten glass 12 so that the input molten glass 12 can be poured into the fining chamber 20 while being exposed to the ambient environment. An example of an intermediate holding tank that may be fluidly positioned between the submerged combustion melter 14 and the fining vessel 10 is the stilling vessel that is disclosed in a patent application titled STILLING VESSEL FOR SUBMERGED COMBUSTION MELTER and having Docket No. 19522, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and is incorporated herein by refererence in its entirety.

The outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10 may be defined in the outlet end wall 32b either adjacent to the floor 30 (as shown) or above the floor 30 yet beneath the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22. The outlet 26 may also be defined in the floor 30 or in one or both of the lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d beneath the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 and proximate the outlet end wall 32b. The outlet 26 provides an exit from the fining chamber 20 for the discharge of the output molten glass 16 at a discharge or pull rate RD. In the context of commercial glass container manufacturing, the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10 may fluidly communicate with a spout chamber 36 of a spout 38 appended to the outlet end wall 32b. The spout 38 includes a spout bowl 40, which defines the spout chamber 36 along with an orifice plate 42, and further includes at least one reciprocal plunger 44 that reciprocates to control the flow of accumulated output molten glass 46 held within the spout chamber 36 through an aligned orifice 48 in the orifice plate 42 to fashion streams or runners of glass. These streams or runners of glass may be sheared into glass gobs of a predetermined weight that can be individually formed into glass containers upon delivery to glass container forming machine.

The fining vessel 10 includes a skimmer 50 positioned between the inlet 24 and the outlet 26. The skimmer 50 is formed of a refractory material such as the refractories disclosed above for the glass-contacting portions of the upstanding wall 32. As shown best in FIGS. 5 and 7, the skimmer 50 extends downwardly from the roof 28 of the housing 18 and is partially submerged in the molten glass bath 22. At least a submerged portion 52 of the skimmer 50 extends across the fining chamber 20 between the lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d of the housing 18 and has an upstream face 54, an opposite downstream face 56, and a distal free end 58 connecting the upstream and downstream faces 54, 56. The distal free end 58 of the skimmer 50 is separated from the floor 30 of the housing 18 by a distance TD and, consequently, defines a submerged passageway 60 along

N-8 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) with corresponding portions of the floor 30 and the sidewalls 32c, 32d. The establishment of the submerged passageway 60 causes an undercurrent 62 of the molten glass bath 22 to flow beneath the skimmer 50 and through the submerged passageway 60 as the glass bath 22 as a whole flows along the flow direction F towards the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10. The skimmer 50 has a centerplane 64 that is parallel to a vertical reference plane 66, which is perpendicular to the horizontal or gravity level, or angled at no more than 5° from the vertical reference plane 66 in either direction.

At least one fining agent is introduced into the molten glass bath 22 directly beneath the skimmer 50 in direct exposure to the undercurrent 62 of the molten glass bath 22. The fining agent(s) are delivered by a carrier gas 68 in which one or more fining agents are suspended as a particulate. The term “directly beneath the skimmer” as used herein refers to a zone 70 (FIG. 7) of the fining chamber 20 defined by sectioning the skimmer 50 where its thickness ST as measured between the upstream face 54 and the downstream face 56 is greatest, and then extending first and second planes 70a, 70b from the upstream and downstream faces 54, 56 of the skimmer 50 where sectioned, respectively, parallel with the centerplane 64 of the skimmer 50 such that the planes 70a, 70b intersect the floor 30 and the upstanding wall 32 of the housing 18. The volume between the skimmer 50, the floor 30, the sidewalls 32c, 32d, and the extended planes 70a, 70b is the zone 70 that is considered to be directly beneath the skimmer 50. By introducing at least one fining agent into this zone 70, smaller gas bubbles can more easily be targeted for removal.

The carrier gas 68 may be introduced into the glass melt 22 directly beneath the skimmer 50 through a plurality of nozzles 72 supported in corresponding openings defined in the floor 30 of the housing 18. Each of the nozzles 72 has a feeder line 74 that fluidly communicates with a carrier gas supply conduit 76. The carrier gas supply conduit 76 supplies the carrier gas 68 from a source (not shown) of the gas 68 external to the fining vessel 10 at an appropriate pressure to ensure that the carrier gas 68 can be dispensed through the glass melt 22. Preferably, to help ensure good exposure of the undercurrent 62 to the carrier gas 68, the gas supply conduit 76 runs along a width W of the fining chamber 20 (FIG. 4) between the lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d and beneath the distal free end 58 of the skimmer 50 within the zone 70 under the skimmer 50, and the nozzles 72 are spaced apart across the width W of the fining chamber 20 to provide a row of carrier gas effervescence that extends transverse to the flow direction F of the molten glass bath 22 and rises upwards from the floor 30 of the housing 18, as depicted in FIG. 6. To help position the carrier

N-9 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) gas supply conduit 76 and the nozzles 72 directly beneath the skimmer 50, the carrier gas supply conduit 76, the feeder lines 74, and the nozzles 72 may be contained within a refractory support block 78 that is received in a channel 80 defined in the floor 30 of the housing 18. The channel 80, as shown, may extend across the width W of the fining chamber 20, and the support block 78 may be slidable from one sidewall 32c, 32d to the other sidewall 32c, 32d for easy insertion and removal.

The carrier gas 68 includes a main gas that supports the particles of the one or more fining agents. The main gas may be air or another non-dissolvable gas including, for example, nitrogen. The one or more fining agents suspended in the main gas may be any compound or a combination of compounds that release fining gases into the molten glass bath 22 when exposed to the thermal environment of the molten gas bath 22. In particular, the fining agent(s) may include a sulfate such as sodium sulfate (salt cake), which decomposes to release O2 and SO2 as the fining gases. Other fining agents that may be carried in the carrier gas 68 include CnOs, WO3, or reactive carbon, aluminum, a carbonate, silicon carbide (SiC), oxidized metal powder, and combinations thereof. The particles of the fining agent(s) may be sized to ensure that they are suspendable within and transportable by the main gas of the carrier gas 68. For instance, the particles of the fining agent(s) may have particle sizes in which a largest particle dimension ranges from 0.05 mm to 5 mm or, more narrowly, from 0.1 mm to 1 mm. The particles of the fining agent(s) may also constitute anywhere from 1 vol% to 30 vol% of the carrier gas 68. The particles of the fining agents(s) are preferably the only particulate matter included within the carrier gas 68 to avoid upsetting the local chemistry of the molten glass bath 22.

The skimmer 50 may separate gas bubbles 82 introduced into the molten glass bath 22 by the input molten glass 12 according to the size of the gas bubbles 82. As discussed above, the input molten glass 12 contains bubbles of various sizes as a result of melting the vitrifiable feed material in the submerged combustion melter 14. The input molten glass 12 has a first density and first concentration of entrained gas bubbles. Here, as a result of submerged combustion melting, the input molten glass 12 typically has a density between 0.75 gm/cm ³ and 1.5 gm/cm ³ , or more narrowly between 0.99 gm/cm ³ and 1.3 gm/cm ³ , and a concentration of entrained gas bubbles ranging from 30 vol% to 60 vol% for soda-lime-silica glass. The gas bubbles carried within the input molten glass 12 and added to the molten glass bath 22 have a diameter that typically ranges from 0.10 mm to 0.9 mm and, more narrowly, from 0.25 mm to 0.8 mm. Compared to gas bubbles

N-10 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) having a diameter of greater than 0.7 mm, gas bubbles having a diameter of 0.7 mm or less are more likely to remain suspended in the deeper regions of the molten glass bath 22 as the molten glass bath 22 flows along the flow direction F. The density and bubble concentration values stated above may be different. For example, if the input molten glass 12 is obtained from a Siemens-style melting furnace, the density and bubble concentration values would likely be greater than, and less than, the above-stated ranges, respectively, for soda-lime-silica glass.

The skimmer 50 can be sized and positioned to achieve the desired separation of the gas bubbles 82. Each of the following three design characteristics of the skimmer 50 effects the size of the bubbles that pass beneath the skimmer 50 and through the submerged passageway 60: (1) a distance SD between the centerplane 64 of the skimmer 50 at the axial free end 58 and the inlet end wall 32a along the flow direction F; (2) the distance TD between the free end 58 of the skimmer 50 and the floor 30 of the housing 18; and (3) the discharge rate RD of the output molten glass 16 through the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10. By increasing the distance SD between the skimmer 50 and the inlet end wall 32a (characteristic 1 above), the bubbles 82 have more time to ascend to the surface 34 of the molten glass batch 22 and burst before reaching the upstream face 54 of the skimmer 50. Likewise, decreasing the distance SD between the skimmer 50 and the inlet end wall 32a provides the bubbles 82 with less time to ascend to the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 and burst. Accordingly, the size of the gas bubbles 82 that are drawn under the skimmer 50 within the undercurrent 62 tends to decrease as the distance SD between the skimmer 50 and the inlet end wall 32a increases.

Additionally, the size of the gas bubbles 82 that are drawn under the skimmer 50 within the undercurrent 62 tends to decrease as the distance TD between the free end 58 of the skimmer 50 and the floor 30 of the housing 18 (characteristic 2 above) decreases, and vice versa. Indeed, as the distance TD between the free end 58 of the skimmer 50 and the floor 30 decreases, the skimmer 50 is submerged deeper into the molten glass bath 22 and the size of the gas bubbles 82 that are drawn under the skimmer 50 within the undercurrent 62 also decreases. Conversely, as the distance TD between the free end 58 of the skimmer 50 and the floor 30 increases, the skimmer 50 is submerged shallower into the molten glass bath 22, and the size of the gas bubbles 82 being drawn under the skimmer 50 within the undercurrent 62 increases since molten glass closer to the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 can now flow beneath the skimmer 50. Lastly, a higher discharge rate RD of the output molten glass 16 (characteristic 3 above) reduces the residence time

N-l l CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) of the molten glass bath 22 and tends to increase the size of the gas bubbles 82 that are drawn under the skimmer 50 within the undercurrent 62, while a lower discharge rate RD of the output molten glass 16 has the opposite effect.

By balancing the three design characteristics set forth above, the skimmer 50 may be sized and positioned so that the gas bubbles 82 that pass beneath the skimmer 50 within the undercurrent contain at least 95% of smaller gas bubbles that have diameters of less than 0.7 mm or, more preferably, less than 0.5 mm. The larger gas bubbles having diameters of 0.7 mm or greater ascend too quickly and eventually rise to the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 upstream of the skimmer 50 and burst. In one implementation of the skimmer 50, in which the glass discharge rate (characteristic 3) is 100 tons per day, the first and second design characteristics set forth above may lie within the ranges detailed below in Table 1 to achieve at least 95% of smaller gas bubbles within the undercurrent 62, although other combinations of characteristics 1-3 are certainly possible.

Table 1: Skimmer Parameters (100 tpd glass discharge rate)

Using the skimmer 50 to separate the gas bubbles 82 so that a contingent of smaller gas bubbles primarily passes beneath the skimmer 50 is advantageous in one respect; that is, the separation ensures that the smaller gas bubbles carried by the undercurrent 62 through the submerged passageway 60 are selectively exposed to the carrier gas 68 and the fining gases produced from the fining agent(s) delivered by the carrier gas 68 into the molten glass bath 22.

The housing 18 of the fining vessel 10 may also support one or more non-submerged burners 84 to heat the molten glass bath 22 and curtail an undesired increase in viscosity. Each of the non-submerged burners 84 combusts a mixture of a fuel and an oxidant. The non-submerged burners 84 may include one or more sidewall burners 84a mounted in one or both of the lateral sidewalls 32c, 32d of the housing 18, one or more roof burners 84b mounted in the roof 28 of the housing 18, or both types of burners 84a, 84b. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of sidewall burners 84a may be mounted in one or both of the sidewalls 32c, 32d in spaced relation

N-12 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) along the flow direction F between the inlet 24 and the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10. Each of the plurality of sidewall burners 84a may be fixedly or pivotably mounted within a burner block. The combustion products 86a emitted from the burners 84a may be aimed into an open atmosphere 88 above the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 or, alternatively, may be aimed toward the molten glass bath 22 so that the combustion products 86a directly impinge the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22. The sidewall burners 84a may be pencil burners or some other suitable burner construction.

In addition to or in lieu of the sidewall bumer(s) 84a, a plurality of roof burners 84b may be mounted in the roof 28 in spaced relation along the flow direction between the inlet 24 and the outlet 26 of the housing 18. In some instances, and depending on the burner design, multiple rows of roof burners 84b may be spaced along the flow direction F of the molten glass bath 22, with each row of burners 84b including two or more burners 84b aligned perpendicular to the flow direction F. Each of the roof burners 84b may be a flat flame burner that supplies low-profile combustion products 86b and heat into the open atmosphere 88 above the surface 34 of the molten glass, or, in an alternate implementation, and as shown here, each burner 84b may be a burner that is fixedly or pivotably mounted within a burner block and aimed to direct its combustion products 86b into direct impingement with the top surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22. If a roof burner 86b of the latter impingement variety is employed, the burner is preferably mounted in the roof 28 of the housing 18 upstream of the skimmer 50 to suppress foam build-up.

The non-submerged burner(s) 84 may be configured so that their combustion products 86 impact the surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 to aid in the fining of particularly foamy molten glass such as, for example, the glass produced in a submerged combustion melter. Foamy glass with a relatively high amount of bubbles can develop a layer of foam that accumulates on top of the molten glass bath 22. A layer of foam of this nature can block radiant heat flow and, as a result, insulate the underlying glass from any heat added to the open atmosphere 88 by non-submerged burners 84 that emit non-impinging combustion products. One way to overcome the challenges posed by foam is to break up or destroy the foam. Direct impingement between the combustion products 86 and the top surface 34 of the molten glass bath 22 can destroy and reduce the volume of any foam layer that may develop on top of the molten glass bath 22, which, in turn, can help improve heat transfer efficiency into the molten glass bath 22.

N-13 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072)

The operation of the fining vessel 10 will now be described in the context of fining glass produced in the upstream submerged combustion melter 14. In general, and referring now to FIG. 1, the submerged combustion melter (SC melter) 14 is fed with a vitrifiable feed material 90 that exhibits a glass-forming formulation. The vitrifiable feed material 90 is melt-reacted inside the SC melter 14 within an agitated glass melt 92 to produce molten glass. Foamy molten glass 94 is discharged from the SC melter 14 out of the glass melt 92. The foamy molten glass 94 is supplied to the fining vessel 10 as the input molten glass 12. The input molten glass 12 combines with and is subsumed by the molten glass bath 22 contained in the fining chamber 20 of the fining vessel 10. The molten glass bath 22 flows along the flow direction F from the inlet 24 of the fining vessel 10 to the outlet 26. As a result of this flow, the undercurrent 62 of the molten glass bath 22 that flows beneath the skimmer 50 is directly exposed to the carrier gas 68 that is introduced through the nozzles 72 and which carries the fining agent(s). The introduction of fining agents into the molten glass bath 22 directly beneath the skimmer 50 can selectively target smaller, more-difficult- to-remove gas bubbles, especially if the skimmer 50 is used to separate the gas bubbles 82 introduced into the molten glass bath 22 from the input molten glass 12 based on bubble size.

The SC melter 14 includes a housing 96 that defines an interior reaction chamber 98. The housing has a roof 100, a floor 102, and a surrounding upstanding wall 104 that connects the roof 100 and the floor 102. The surrounding upstanding wall 104 further includes a front end wall 104a, a back end wall 104b that opposes and is spaced apart from the front end wall 104a, and two opposed lateral sidewalls 104c, 104d that connect the front end wall 104a and the back end wall 104b. The interior reaction chamber 98 of the SC melter 14 holds the glass melt 92 when the melter 14 is operational. At least the floor 102 and the surrounding upstanding wall 104 of the housing 96, as well as the roof 100 if desired, may be constructed from one or more fluid-cooled panels through which a coolant, such as water, may be circulated. The fluid-cooled panels include a glass-side refractory material layer 106 that may be covered by a layer of frozen glass 108 that forms in-situ between an outer skin of the glass melt 92 and the refractory material layer 106. The glass-side refractory material layer 106 may be constructed from any of the refractories disclosed above for the glass-contacting portions of the upstanding wall 32 of the housing 18 of the fining vessel 10.

The housing 96 of the SC melter 14 defines a feed material inlet 110, a molten glass outlet 112, and an exhaust vent 114. As shown in FIG. 1, the feed material inlet 110 may be defined in

N-14 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) the roof 100 of the housing 96 adjacent to or a distance from the front end wall 104a, and the molten glass outlet 112 may be defined in the back end wall 104b of the housing 96 adjacent to or a distance above the floor 102, although other locations for the feed material inlet 110 and the molten glass outlet 112 are certainly possible. The feed material inlet 110 provides an entrance to the interior reaction chamber 98 for the delivery of the vitrifiable feed material 90 by way of a batch feeder 116. The batch feeder 116 is configured to introduce a metered amount of the vitrifiable feed material 90 into the interior reaction chamber 98 and may be coupled to the housing 96. The molten glass outlet 112 outlet provides an exit from the interior reaction chamber 98 for the discharge of the foamy molten glass 94 out of the SC melter 14. The exhaust vent 114 is preferably defined in the roof 100 of the housing 96 between the front end wall 104a and the back end wall 104b and is configured to remove gaseous compounds from the interior reaction chamber 98. And, to help prevent the potential loss of some of the vitrifiable feed material 90 through the exhaust vent 114, a partition wall 118 that depends from the roof 100 of the housing 96 and is partially submerged into the glass melt 92 may be positioned between the feed material inlet 110 and the exhaust vent 114.

The SC melter 14 includes one or more submerged burners 120. Each of the one or more submerged burners 120 is mounted in a port 122 defined in the floor 102 (as shown) and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 104 at a portion of the wall 104 that is immersed by the glass melt 92. Each of the submerged bumer(s) 120 forcibly injects a combustible gas mixture G into the glass melt 92 through an output nozzle 124. The combustible gas mixture G comprises fuel and an oxidant. The fuel supplied to the submerged burner(s) 120 is preferably methane or propane, and the oxidant may be pure oxygen or include a high-percentage (> 80 vol%) of oxygen, in which case the burner(s) 120 are oxy-fuel burners, or it may be air or any oxygen-enriched gas. Upon being injected into the glass melt 92, the combustible gas mixture G immediately autoignites to produce combustion products 126 — namely, CO2, CO, H2O, and any uncombusted fuel, oxygen, and/or other gas compounds such as nitrogen — that are discharged into and through the glass melt 92. Anywhere from five to thirty submerged burners 120 are typically installed in the SC melter 14 although more or less burners 120 may be employed depending on the size and melt capacity of the melter 14.

During operation of the SC melter 14, each of the one or more submerged burners 120 individually discharges combustion products 126 directly into and through the glass melt 92. The

N-15 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) glass melt 92 is a volume of molten glass that often weighs between 1 US ton (1 US ton = 2,000 lbs) and 20 US tons and is generally maintained at a constant volume during steady-state operation of the SC melter 14. As the combustion products 126 are thrust into and through the glass melt 92, which create complex flow patterns and severe turbulence, the glass melt 92 is vigorously agitated and experiences rapid heat transfer and intense shearing forces. The combustion products 126 eventually escape the glass melt 92 and are removed from the interior reaction chamber 98 through the exhaust vent 114 along with any other gaseous compounds that may volatize out of the glass melt 92. Additionally, in some circumstances, one or more non-submerged burners (not shown) may be mounted in the roof 100 and/or the surrounding upstanding wall 104 at a location above the glass melt 92 to provide heat to the glass melt 92, either directly by flame impingement or indirectly through radiant heat transfer, and to also facilitate foam suppression and/or destruction.

While the one or more submerged burners 120 are being fired into the glass melt 92, the vitrifiable feed material 90 is controllably introduced into the interior reaction chamber 98 through the feed material inlet 110. Unlike a conventional glass-melting furnace, the vitrifiable feed material 90 does not form a batch blanket that rests on top of the glass melt 92; rather, the vitrifiable feed material 90 is rapidly disbanded and consumed by the agitated glass melt 92. The dispersed vitrifiable feed material 90 is subjected to intense heat transfer and rapid particle dissolution throughout the glass melt 92 due to the vigorous melt agitation and shearing forces induced by the direct injection of the combustion products 126 from the submerged burner(s) 120. This causes the vitrifiable feed material 90 to quickly mix, react, and become chemically integrated into the glass melt 92. However, the agitation and stirring of the glass melt 92 by the direct discharge of the combustion products 126 also promotes bubble formation within the glass melt 92. Consequently, the glass melt 92 is foamy in nature and includes a homogeneous distribution of entrained gas bubbles. The entrained gas bubbles may account for 30 vol% to 60 vol% of the glass melt 92, which renders the density of the glass melt 92 relatively low, typically ranging from 0.75 gm/cm ³ to 1.5 gm/cm ³ , or more narrowly from 0.99 gm/cm ³ to 1.3 gm/cm ³ , for soda-lime-silica glass. The gas bubbles entrained within the glass melt 92 vary in size and may contain any of several gases including CO2, H2O (vapor), N2, SO2, CH4, CO, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

N-16 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072)

The vitrifiable feed material 90 introduced into the interior reaction chamber 98 has a composition that is formulated to provide the glass melt 92, particularly at the molten glass outlet 112, with a predetermined glass chemical composition upon melting. For example, the glass chemical composition of the glass melt 92 may be a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, in which case the vitrifiable feed material 90 may be a physical mixture of virgin raw materials and optionally cullet (i.e., recycled glass) and/or other glass precursors that provides a source of SiC>2, Na2O, and CaO in the correct proportions along with any of the other materials listed below in Table 2 including, most commonly, AI2O3. The exact materials that constitute the vitrifiable feed material 90 are subject to much variation while still being able to achieve the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition as is generally well known in the glass manufacturing industry.

Table 2: Glass Chemical Composition of Soda-Lime-Silica Glass

For example, to achieve a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition in the glass melt 92, the vitrifiable feed material 90 may include primary virgin raw materials such as quartz sand (crystalline SiCh), soda ash (ISfeCCh), and limestone (CaCCh) in the quantities needed to provide the requisite proportions of SiCh, Na2O, and CaO, respectively. Other virgin raw materials may also be included in the vitrifiable feed material 90 to contribute one or more of SiO2, Na2O, CaO and possibly other oxide and/or non-oxide materials in the glass melt 92 depending on the desired chemistry of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition and the color of the glass articles

N-17 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) being formed. These other virgin raw materials may include feldspar, dolomite, and calumite slag. The vitrifiable feed material 90 may even include up to 80 wt% cullet depending on a variety of factors. Additionally, the vitrifiable feed material 90 may include secondary or minor virgin raw materials that provide the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition with colorants, decolorants, and/or redox agents that may be needed, as well as fining agents if such agents are desired to be introduced into the glass melt 92 to complement the fining agents introduced into the molten glass bath 22 within the carrier gas 68.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 3, and 5-7, the foamy molten glass 94 discharged from the SC melter 14 through the molten glass outlet 112 is removed from the glass melt 92 and is chemically homogenized to the desired glass chemical composition, e.g., a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, but with the same relatively low density and entrained volume of gas bubbles as the glass melt 92. The foamy molten glass 94 flows into the fining vessel 10 as the input molten glass 12 either directly or through an intermediate stilling or holding tank that may settle and moderate the flow rate of the input molten glass 12. The input molten glass 12 is introduced into the fining chamber 20 through the inlet 24 and combines with and is subsumed by the molten glass bath 22. The blending of the input molten glass 12 with the molten glass bath 22 introduces the gas bubbles 82 into the glass bath 22. These gas bubbles 82 are removed from the molten glass bath 22 as the glass bath 22 flows in the flow direction F from the inlet 24 of the fining vessel 10 to the outlet 26.

As the molten glass bath 22 flows in the flow direction F, the undercurrent 62 of the glass bath 22 flows beneath the skimmer 50 through the submerged passageway 60 to navigate molten glass past the skimmer 50. The undercurrent 62 is selectively and directly exposed to the fining agent(s) that are introduced into the undercurrent 62 from the carrier gas 68, which, in this particular embodiment, produces a rising row of carrier gas effervescence upon being dispensed into the molten glass bath 22. The fining agent(s) react with the molten glass to release fining gases into the undercurrent 62 and the portion of the molten glass bath 22 downstream of the skimmer 50. These fining gases remove the gas bubbles 82 that pass through the submerged passageway 60 by accelerating the ascension of the gas bubbles 82 or causing the gas within the bubbles 82 to dissolve into the glass matrix of the molten glass bath 22. In that regard, the skimmer 50 may be used to separate the entrained gas bubbles 82 introduced into the molten glass bath 22 as discussed above to ensure that most of the gas bubbles 82 that pass beneath the skimmer 50 are smaller gas bubbles having a diameter of 0.7 mm or less or, more preferably, 0.5 mm or less. As

N-18 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) a result, the density of the molten glass bath 22 increases along the flow direction F of the glass bath 22, and the amount of the fining agent(s) introduced into the molten glass bath 22 may be limited to what is needed to effectively remove the smaller gas bubbles that pass beneath the skimmer 50.

The output molten glass 16 is removed from the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10 and has a second density and a second concentration of entrained gas bubbles. The second density of the output molten glass 16 is greater than the first density of the input molten glass 12, and the second concentration of entrained gas bubbles of the output molten glass 16 is less than the first concentration of entrained gas bubbles of the input molten glass 12. For instance, the output molten glass 16 may have a density of 2.3 gm/cm ³ to 2.5 gm/cm ³ and a concentration of entrained gas bubbles ranging from 0 vol% to 1 vol% or, more narrowly, from 0 vol% to 0.05 vol%, for soda-lime-silica glass. The output molten glass 16 may then be further processed into a glass article such as a glass container. To that end, the output molten glass 16 delivered from the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10 may have a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition as dictated by the formulation of the vitrifiable feed material 90, and a preferred process 150 for forming glass containers from the output molten glass 16 includes a thermal conditioning step 152 and a glass article forming step 154, as illustrated in FIG. 8.

In the thermal conditioning step 152, the output molten glass 16 delivered from the fining vessel 10 is thermally conditioned. This involves cooling the output molten glass 16 at a controlled rate to achieve a glass viscosity suitable for glass forming operations while also achieving a more uniform temperature profile within the output molten glass 16. The output molten glass 16 is preferably cooled to a temperature between 1000°C to 1200°C to provide conditioned molten glass. The thermal conditioning of the output molten glass 16 may be performed in a separate forehearth that receives the output molten glass 16 from the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10. A forehearth is an elongated structure that defines an extended channel along which overhead and/or sidewall mounted burners can consistently and smoothly reduce the temperature of the flowing molten glass. In another embodiment, however, the thermal conditioning of the output molten glass 16 may be performed within the fining vessel 10 at the same time the molten glass bath 22 is being fined. That is, the fining and thermal conditioning steps may be performed simultaneously such that the output molten glass 16 is already thermally conditioned upon exiting the fining vessel 10.

N-19 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072)

Glass containers are formed from the conditioned molten glass in the glass article forming step 154. In some standard container-forming processes, the conditioned molten glass is discharged from the spout 38 at the end of the fining vessel 10 or a similar device at the end of a forehearth as molten glass streams or runners. The molten glass runners are then sheared into individual gobs of a predetermined weight. Each gob is delivered via a gob delivery system into a blank mold of a glass container forming machine. In other glass container forming processes, however, molten glass is streamed directly from the outlet 26 of the fining vessel 10 or an outlet of the forehearth into the blank mold to fill the mold with glass. Once in the blank mold, and with its temperature still between 1000°C and 1200°C, the molten glass gob is pressed or blown into a parison or preform that includes a tubular wall. The parison is then transferred from the blank mold into a blow mold of the glass container forming machine for final shaping into a container. Once the parison is received in the blow mold, the blow mold is closed and the parison is rapidly outwardly blown into the final container shape that matches the contour of the mold cavity using a compressed gas such as compressed air. Other approaches may of course be implemented to form the glass containers besides the press-and-blow and blow-and-blow forming techniques including, for instance, compression or other molding techniques.

The final container formed within the blow mold has an axially closed base and a circumferential wall. The circumferential wall extends from the axially closed base to a mouth that defines an opening to a containment space defined by the axially closed base and the circumferential wall. The glass container is allowed to cool while in contact with the mold walls of the blow mold and is then removed from the blow mold and placed on a conveyor or other transport device. The glass container is then reheated and cooled at a controlled rate in an annealing lehr to relax thermally-induced constraints and remove internal stress points. The annealing of the glass container involves heating the glass container to a temperature above the annealing point of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, which usually lies within the range of 510°C to 550°C, followed by slowly cooling the container at a rate of l°C/min to 10°C/min to a temperature below the strain point of the soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition, which typically lies within the range of 470°C to 500°C. The glass container may be cooled rapidly after it has been cooled to a temperature below the strain point. Any of a variety of coatings may be applied to the surface of the glass container either before (hot-end coatings) or after (cold-end coatings) annealing for a variety of reasons.

N-20 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072)

The glass melting, fining, and glass article forming processes described above are subject to variations without detracting from their purposes or objectives. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3-4, one or more skimmers 160 formed of a refractory material may additionally be included in the fining vessel 10 downstream of the skimmer 50 described above. Each of the additional skimmers 160 may individually be the same type of skimmer as described above in that a carrier gas that includes suspended particles of one or more fining agents may be introduced directly beneath the additional skimmer 160. Alternatively, each of the additional skimmers 160 may be a conventional skimmer that is simply submerged partially into the molten glass bath 22 without any carrier gas and suspended fining agent particles being introduced into the glass bath 22 from below. If additional skimmers 160 are included in the fining vessel 10, in many instances the number of additional skimmers 160 will be somewhere between one and three.

There thus has been disclosed a method of fining glass that satisfies one or more of the objects and aims previously set forth. After being fined, the molten glass may be further processed into glass articles including, for example, glass containers. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

The claims of as-filed US 16/590072 include the following:

1.

A method of fining glass, the method comprising: supplying input molten glass into a fining chamber of a fining vessel, the input molten glass combining with a molten glass bath contained within the fining chamber and introducing entrained gas bubbles into the molten glass bath, the input molten glass having a density and a concentration of gas bubbles; flowing the molten glass bath through the fining chamber in a flow direction, the molten glass bath having an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer, which is partially submerged in the molten glass bath, and through a submerged passageway defined in part by the skimmer; and

N-21 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072) introducing a carrier gas into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer, the carrier gas comprising suspended particles of one or more fining agents.

2.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the carrier gas includes a main gas that supports the suspended particles of the one or more fining agents.

3.

The method set forth in claim 2, wherein the main gas is air or nitrogen.

4.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the one or more fining agents includes a sulfate that decomposes to release O2 and SO2 fining gases.

5.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the one or more fining agents includes sodium sulfate, C Ch, WO3, carbon, aluminum, a carbonate, silicon carbide, oxidized metal powder, or combinations thereof.

6.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the fining vessel includes a housing that defines the fining chamber, and wherein the carrier gas is introduced into the molten glass bath from a plurality of nozzles that are supported within a floor of the housing.

7.

The method set forth in claim 6, wherein the plurality of nozzles are spaced apart along a width of the fining chamber beneath the skimmer to provide a row of carrier gas effervescence that extends transverse to the flow direction of the molten glass bath and rises upwards from the floor of the housing.

8.

The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the input molten glass has a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition.

9.

The method set forth in claim 1, further comprising: discharging output molten glass from the fining vessel, the output molten glass having a density that is greater than the density of the input molten glass and further having a concentration of gas bubbles that is less than the concentration of gas bubbles of the input molten glass.

N-22 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072)

10.

A method of producing and fining glass, the method comprising: discharging combustion products from one or more submerged burners directly into a glass melt contained within an interior reaction chamber of a submerged combustion melter, the combustion products discharged from the one or more submerged burners agitating the glass melt; discharging foamy molten glass obtained from the glass melt out of the submerged combustion melter; supplying the foamy molten glass into a fining chamber of a fining vessel as input molten glass, the input molten glass combining with a molten glass bath contained within the fining chamber and introducing entrained gas bubbles into the molten glass bath, the input molten glass having a density and comprising up to 60 vol% bubbles; flowing the molten glass bath through the fining chamber in a flow direction, the molten glass bath having an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer, which is partially submerged in the molten glass bath, and through a submerged passageway defined in part by the skimmer; introducing a carrier gas into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer, the carrier gas comprising suspended particles of one or more fining agents; and discharging output molten glass from the fining vessel, the output molten glass having a density that is greater than the density of the input molten glass and further comprising less than 1 vol% bubbles.

11.

The method set forth in claim 10, wherein the carrier gas includes a main gas that supports the suspended particles of the one or more fining agents.

12.

The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the main gas is air or nitrogen, and the one or more fining agents includes sulfate particles suspended in the main gas, the sulfate particles decomposing in the molten glass bath to release O2 and SO2 fining gases.

13.

The method set forth in claim 10, wherein the one or more fining agents includes sodium sulfate, C Ch, WO3, carbon, aluminum, a carbonate, silicon carbide, oxidized metal powder, or combinations thereof.

N-23 CHAPTER N - 19592 (US 16/590072)

14.

The method set forth in claim 10, wherein the glass melt in the submerged combustion melter and the molten glass bath in the fining vessel have a soda-lime-silica glass chemical composition.

15.

The method set forth in claim 14, further comprising: forming the output molten glass discharged from the fining vessel into at least one glass container having an axially closed base and a circumferential wall, the circumferential wall extending from the axially closed base to a mouth that defines an opening to a containment space defined by the axially closed base and the circumferential wall.

16.

A fining vessel for fining glass, the fining vessel comprising: a housing that defines a fining chamber, the housing having a roof, a floor, and an upstanding wall that connects the roof and the floor, the housing further defining an inlet to the fining chamber and an outlet from the fining chamber; a skimmer extending downwards from the roof of the housing towards the floor of the housing and further extending across the fining chamber between opposed lateral sidewalls of the upstanding wall, the skimmer having a distal free end that together with corresponding portions of the floor and upstanding wall defines a submerged passageway; and a plurality of nozzles supported in the floor of the housing directly beneath the skimmer, each of the nozzles being configured to dispense a carrier gas into the fining chamber, the carrier gas including a main gas that contains suspended particles of one or more fining agents.

N-24 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640)

CHAPTER O: GLASS FEED SYSTEM AND METHOD

This was a provisional patent application under 35 USC §111(b).

Technical Field

This patent application discloses systems and methods for glass container manufacturing and, more particularly, systems and methods for feeding molten glass from a glass feeder to a mold.

Background

During glass container manufacturing, molten glass can be melted in a glass melter, which may include a forehearth and a glass feeder. The glass feeder can control the temperature and quantity of molten glass, which can be formed into glass gobs. The glass gobs can be subsequently formed into various products, for example, glass containers, using forming equipment, for example molding equipment. The molding equipment can use various processes to form the glass containers.

Brief Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.

An apparatus for providing molten glass, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, includes a glass feeder in downstream fluid communication with a glass forehearth, the glass feeder including a conduit configured for directing molten glass from the glass forehearth; and at least one mold configured to receive the molten glass, wherein the glass feeder is configured to provide an uninterrupted glass communication path from an outlet of the glass forehearth to the at least one mold.

A system, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, includes a glass furnace including a glass forehearth, and the above-mentioned apparatus for providing molten glass.

A method of providing glass from a glass melting furnace to at least one mold, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, includes providing an uninterrupted glass communication path from an outlet of the glass melting furnace to the at least one mold; and pressurizing the path at a location downstream of the outlet to move molten glass into the at least one mold.

0-1 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640)

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a system for providing an uninterrupted glass communication path including a glass furnace and an apparatus in fluid communication with the glass furnace, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 having a circumferentially closed conduit for delivering molten glass to at least one mold, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view illustrating the apparatus in FIG. 2 including the conduit for delivering molten glass to the at least one mold and a separation device, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the apparatus in FIGS. 2 and 3, including the conduit for delivering molten glass to at least one mold and including the separation device, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an apparatus including a glass forehearth and a conduit, in the form of a riser pipe, for delivering molten glass to at least one mold, in accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an apparatus having a conduit for delivering molten glass to several molds, where the conduit includes a throat and a vertical riser pipe in communication with pressure means, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a blank plunger, a neck ring, and a mold positioned for receiving molten glass from the conduit shown in FIGS. 2 through 6, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of the blank plunger, neck ring, and the mold, the mold positioned for receiving molten glass from the conduit, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

0-2 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640)

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a neck ring and a mold receiving a charge of molten glass from the conduit, where the mold includes at least one vacuum passage, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a mold and a blank plunger, where the mold receives a charge of molten glass from the conduit, and where the blank plunger includes at least one vacuum passage, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating various elements of a system, including the apparatus shown in FIGS. 2 through 10, for delivering molten glass to the mold, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram showing various steps of a method for delivering molten glass to at least one mold, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.

An accompanying Appendix includes additional drawings, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Detailed Description

In accordance with at least one aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus, system, and method is provided for flowing molten glass from a glass feeder to at least one mold through a conduit.

Silica-based glass (soda-lime-silica glass) as well as other types of glass are prevalent in the manufacture of glass containers and other articles. Molten glass used to make such articles can be prepared by reacting and melting a batch of glass-forming materials in a refractory lined, continuously operated glass furnace, tank, and/or pot. The batch of glass-forming materials can typically be introduced into the furnace by being deposited into a pool of molten glass already in the furnace. The batch is gradually melted into the pool by continuous application of heat. After the batch has been melted, refined, and homogenized within the furnace, the resulting molten glass can typically be directed to a forehearth, where it can be thermally conditioned by being cooled to a suitable temperature for forming. A feeder located at a downstream end of the forehearth can be used to measure out predetermined amounts of molten glass known as “gobs,” which may be delivered to a mold using gravity. The gobs may then be formed into individual glass articles using a glass forming machine.

Equipment for forming glass gobs or glass blanks can require valuable space in a system, building, or plant because the equipment generally requires gravity to feed a glass gob to a

0-3 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) forming machine, thus requiring vertical space. Additionally, equipment for forming glass containers may involve glass-to-metal contact, for example funnels, distributors, troughs, deflectors, chutes, and the like. This glass-on-metal contact can create commercial variations in the glass gobs, blanks, and/or containers, which can be undesirable.

Further, some suction feed forming systems use vacuum alone to fill a blank mold, which may be in contact with a relatively large open surface of molten glass in an open pot. However, using an open pot can lead to large energy losses from the open surface of the molten glass, and a cold spot can remain on the surface of the glass each time the blank mold touches the molten glass surface. Using an open pot can also lead to commercial variations in a final glass container.

When vacuum alone does not provide enough pressure to fill the blank mold, additional pressure may be applied to a glass stream to overcome friction and gravity. Yet, applying pressure should be in a direction of the blank mold and not in a direction of a forehearth because it may create an undesirable intermittent rise in molten glass level or a wave in the forehearth. A one-way valve may be utilized to prevent backflow, but a valve for immersion in molten glass may result in excessive wear.

Consequently, the present disclosure is directed to a system, apparatus, and method that provides an uninterrupted glass communication path from a glass melting furnace through a glass feeder including a conduit directly into at least one mold, which can eliminate a need for at least some delivery equipment reducing the associated large height requirements and also reducing or eliminating commercial variations due to glass-on-metal contact.

The disclosed apparatus, system, and method do not require a large height difference between a glass forehearth and the corresponding mold(s) as in other systems because a molten glass level in the glass forehearth can be at a same or similar height level as in the mold(s). Additionally, the need for many components in gob feeding systems (e.g., a combination of funnels, distributors, troughs, and deflectors) can be eliminated, thus minimizing the amount of vertical space needed. Also, the apparatus and system herein enable the furnace and/or forehearth to be built at ground level, which increases safety of the apparatus and system (e.g., reduced threat of dropping glass). Moreover, the system and apparatus can be configured to minimize energy loss, cold spots on the surface of the molten glass, and equipment and maintenance costs. Finally, the apparatus, system, and/or method of the present disclosure

0-4 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) may facilitate supply of a more uniform distribution of glass throughout walls of a glass container that may, in turn, enable a reduction in wall thickness of the glass container.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 10 for providing an uninterrupted glass communication path. The system 10 can include a glass furnace 12 for melting glass for forming glass containers and/or other glass articles, for example. The glass furnace 12 can further include a melter 14, a molten glass conditioner 16, and/or a glass forehearth 18 coupled in fluid communication. In an embodiment, the conditioner 16 and the forehearth 18 may be parts of a single apparatus. Additionally, the system 10 can include an apparatus 20 for providing molten glass, which can further include a glass feeder 22, and at least one mold 24 fluidly coupled to the glass feeder 22. The glass feeder 22 can be in downstream fluid communication with the glass forehearth 18, where the glass feeder 22 can include an uninterrupted glass communication path from an outlet 19 of the forehearth 18 to the at least one mold 24.

Shown in FIG. 1, the glass melter 14 can include a melter where a glass batch is fed at a slow, controlled rate using a batch processing system. For example, the glass melter 14 may include a submerged combustion melter (SCM) or other suitable type of a furnace/melter for melting glass. The SCM can include submerged combustion burners mounted in floors or sidewalls of the SCM that fire fuel and oxidant mixtures directly into and under the surface of molten glass in the SCM. The fuel and oxidant mixtures can then combust to provide heat for melting the glass batch.

The conditioner 16 can be in fluid communication with the glass melter 14 and can condition molten glass from the glass melter 14. For example, the conditioner 16 can remove foam or gas bubbles from the bulk of the molten glass caused by the melting process. In any case, the conditioner 16 may include a finer, refiner, or any other apparatus suitable to condition molten glass.

Also shown in FIG. 1, the glass furnace 12 can include the glass forehearth 18 in fluid communication with the glass melter 14 and/or the conditioner 16. The forehearth 18 can include a refractory channel through which fined molten glass received from the conditioner 16 can flow. The forehearth 18 can be configured to condition and heat/cool the molten glass to a uniform temperature and viscosity suitable for downstream forming operations. As used herein, the term “forehearth” includes any chamber, vessel, container, or the like to hold and convey molten glass therein and therethrough.

0-5 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640)

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the apparatus 20 for providing an uninterrupted glass communication path 26 and/or flowing molten glass to the at least one mold 24, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. The apparatus 10 can include the glass feeder 22, which can be fluidly and/or mechanically coupled to the glass forehearth 18. The glass feeder 22 can be configured for receiving molten glass from the forehearth 18 and dispensing the molten glass in a desired quantity to the at least one mold 24. In some instances, the glass feeder 22 may comprise a heater (e.g., induction, electrical resistance, gas flame, or microwave) for melting glass and/or maintaining temperature of a glass melt.

An uninterrupted glass communication path 26 may include a fluid path along which a molten glass stream 28 can flow from the glass forehearth 18 to the at least one mold 24. The uninterrupted glass communication path can allow the molten glass stream 28 to have continuity along the path, for example a direct and unimpeded molten glass stream 28 with minimal air gaps, for example, less than 5 mm. Along the uninterrupted glass communication path, the molten glass stream 28 can be subject to continuous and/or intermittent application of pressure and/or flow, can have different viscosities along the path, and/or can be in steadystate flow. The embodiments herein illustrate some examples of the molten glass stream 28 flowing along an uninterrupted glass communication path. As used herein, the term “uninterrupted” means that there are no valves or similar flow blocking members in the communication path from a forehearth and/or a glass feeder to a mold. Such flow blocking members do not include shears configured to separate and shear molten glass or any other device(s) suitable to separate a molten glass mold charge from a molten glass stream.

Illustrated in FIG. 2, the glass feeder 22 may include a feeder plunger 32 configured to provide extrusion force and dispense the molten glass 30 received from the glass forehearth 18. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, molten glass 30 can be moved to a conduit 34 in a downward direction from the feeder plunger 32, although it will be appreciated that the molten glass can be moved in other configuration (e.g., horizontally). The feeder plunger 32 can be moved downward through, lifted from, and/or rotated within a tube 36 or conduit-shaped segment of the forehearth 18 and/or the glass feeder 22 to control the flow of the molten glass stream 28. The feeder plunger 32 may be reversible, reciprocable, and/or retractable so that the flow of the molten glass stream 28 can be slowed, stopped, and/or reversed. In one example, the feeder plunger 32 may include a reciprocable and/or oscillating plunger. In this

0-6 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) example, the feeder plunger 32 may include at least one plunger flange 38 disposed (e.g., circumferentially) around the plunger 32, which, when the plunger 32 is moved, provides pumping action to the molten glass 30. In another example, the feeder plunger 32 may include a screw plunger that can be rotated and/or axially reciprocated to obtain a forward, net zero, and/or reverse molten glass flow. When the screw plunger is used, the plunger may include threads that at least partially create an expelling force to the molten glass 30 as the plunger is rotated. It will be appreciated that the feeder plunger 32 may include other suitable types of plungers, for example a stirring-type plunger (e.g., having paddles or blades) and/or a smooth cylinder plunger (e.g., having no threads, paddles, or blades).

Referring to FIG. 2, the glass feeder 22 can include the conduit 34 configured to receive molten glass moved by the feeder plunger 32 and to direct the molten glass along the uninterrupted glass communication path 26 to at least one orifice 40 in fluid communication with the conduit 34. The conduit 34 may include a pipe, channel, or other path for conveying the molten glass 30, having an entrance 42 and an exit 44 through which the molten glass 30 can flow uninterrupted as the feeder plunger 32 moves the molten glass 30. In the example depicted in FIG. 2, the conduit 34 can include a circumferentially-closed conduit having straight and curved segments that, when combined, extend approximately 180° (e.g. between 135° and 225° including all ranges, sub-ranges, endpoints, and values in that range) from the conduit entrance 42 to the conduit exit 44, at which location the flow of the molten glass stream 28 is upward. As used herein, the terms upward and upwardly include at an angle anywhere between plus or minus 45° from vertical. In another example, the conduit 34 may include a circumferentially-closed conduit that is continuously curved from the entrance 42 to the orifice 40 and may not include any straight segments. In another example, the conduit 34 may be substantially straight and/or horizontally-oriented. It is contemplated that the conduit 34 may include other suitable configurations and arrangements for directing the molten glass stream 28.

The path 26 may have a variable transverse cross-sectional area, for instance, to account for head losses and to achieve a desirable mass flow rate. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the path 26 may neck down at a location relatively distal with respect to the forehearth 18 and relatively proximate with respect to the mold 24. More specifically, the path 26 may include a reduced diameter adapter between an end 46 of the conduit 34 and an inlet of the orifice 40.

0-7 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640)

The adapter may be necked down such that it has a conical upstream portion and a cylindrical downstream portion, as illustrated, or any other geometry and/or size suitable to facilitate desired mass flow rate of glass along the path 26. Likewise, the orifice 40 may be necked down at a downstream end thereof according to a conical shape, as illustrated, or according to any other shape and/or size suitable to facilitate desired mass flow rate of glass along the path 26. As shown in the drawing Appendix, the necked down portion of the path 26 may include sequential necked down portions of a downstream end of the conduit 34, and a necked down portion of the orifice 40 at a downstream end thereof.

FIG. 2 illustrates the orifice 40 coupled to and in fluid communication with the exit 44 of the conduit 34. It will be appreciated that more than one conduit may be used. “Orifice” is a term of art and includes a device through which molten glass passes and that controls or influences some quality or characteristic of the molten glass passing therethrough. In one example, a glass feeder orifice may include an affirmatively heated, metal, cylindrical device that may be resistance-heated, induction-heated, or heated in any other suitable manner. In another example, a glass feeder orifice may include a ceramic ring having a precision-sized inner diameter to control an outer diameter of molten glass flowing therethrough. In any case, the orifice 40 can be integrally formed with and/or coupled to the conduit 34 and can include an opening through which the molten glass stream 28 from the conduit 34 can flow into the at least one mold 24. The orifice 40 may provide a constant and/or measured flow of the molten glass stream 28 to the at least one mold 24. In some instances, the orifice 40 may provide heat and/or cooling to the molten glass stream 28. For example, the orifice 40 may comprise a heating device for providing heat to the molten glass, for example, to reduced viscosity of the molten glass. In another example, the orifice 40 may include a cooling jacket for providing cooling to increase viscosity of the molten glass. Additionally, the orifice 40 may include a variety of cross-sectional shapes and/or configurations, for example circular, elliptical, square, triangular, oval, and so forth. The orifice 40 may be an individual component or may be integral with and/or incorporated into the end 46 of the conduit 34. When an individual component, the orifice 40 may be configured to be replaced and/or exchanged to control the flow rate of the molten glass stream 28 using different diameters or shapes. The orifice 40 can comprise a variety of materials, for example a platinum-heated orifice, a molybdenum orifice, or a coated molybdenum orifice.

0-8 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640)

Depending on the materials used for the orifice 40 and for the mold 24, an air gap may be provided between an outlet end of the orifice 40 and an inlet end of the mold 24. For example, when the mold 24 is composed of Inconel, and the orifice 40 is composed of platinum, then the respective ends of the mold 24 and the orifice 40 can be in direct contact, such that the air gap is unnecessary. But, in another example, when the orifice 40 is composed of platinum and the mold 24 is composed of iron and the respective ends are in direct contact with one another, an alloy forms at the interface. The alloy has a melting temperature below the operating temperature of the orifice 40, such that the orifice 40 will begin to erode, melt, or otherwise fail. To prevent this from happening, the air gap can be provided between the respective ends of the orifice 40 and the mold 24 in a range between 0.01 mm and 5 mm, including all ranges, sub-ranges, values, and endpoints of that range. In operation, molten glass should not leak out of the air gap because, following the path of least resistance, molten glass will flow upwardly into the mold under vacuum pulled from a location downstream of the air gap. In another embodiment, a sleeve or other surrounding structure could be provided around the outlet end of the orifice 40 and the inlet end of the mold 24 to prevent or inhibit leakage of molten glass through the air gap. The geometry of the sleeve would correspond to the geometry of the mold 24 and the orifice 40 (i.e. straight cylindrical, stepped cylindrical, or the like) and would be composed of Inconel or any other material suitable to avoid erosion, melting, or failure of the orifice 40. In an additional embodiment, an insulator, for instance, a thermal gasket, may be provided between the respective ends of the orifice 40 and the mold 24 to prevent or inhibit leakage of molten glass between the mold 24 and the orifice 40.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the orifice 40 can be configured so that the molten glass stream 28 flows upwardly into the mold 24. It will be appreciated that the orifice 40 may include other arrangements. For example, the orifice 40 may be oriented so that the molten glass stream 28 flows at an angle (e.g., 45° from vertical) into the mold 24.

In some instances, the orifice 40 can be disposed at a height of a molten glass level 48 (e.g., an open free surface) in the glass forehearth 18. This may prevent accidental glass flow through the orifice 40 from excess head pressure in the conduit 34. In other instances, the orifice 40 can be located above or below the molten glass level 48 in the glass forehearth 18, which can also serve to at least partially regulate flow rate of the molten glass stream 28 using negative and/or positive pressure, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2, the

0-9 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) orifice 40 is shown below the glass level 48. It will be appreciated that the orifice 40 may include other suitable materials and configurations.

Referring to FIG. 2, the apparatus 10 can include the mold 24. The mold 24 may include, for example, a parison mold and/or a blank mold and can be in fluid communication with and configured to couple to and/or abut the conduit 34 and/or the orifice 40. Additionally, the mold 24 can be configured to be removable/repositionable.

In the implementation illustrated in FIG. 2, the mold 24 may be oriented so that the molten glass stream 28 can flow from the orifice 40 upward into the mold 24 and a chamber 50 of the mold 24. Such an upright orientation with a neck and neck finish portion of the mold 24 above a body portion of the mold 24, is in contrast with some types of molds that are oriented such that neck and neck finish portions of the molds are below body portions of the molds and such that molten glass is received downwardly into such molds. In some sense, therefore, the mold 24 might be considered “inverted” from such prior mold configurations. The same goes for the orifice 40. In any event, the mold 24 and/or the orifice 40 may be in any orientation; rightside up, upside down, inverted, etc. The chamber 50 can include space within the mold 24 into which the molten glass stream 28 can be at least partially formed into a glass container. Once a pre-determined amount of molten glass has been dispensed upwardly into the mold 24, the feeder plunger 32 can be stopped, reversed, and/or retracted to control the flow of the molten glass stream 28. In some instances, as the feeder plunger 32 is stopped and/or reversed, the mold 24 may be lifted away and/or removed from the orifice 40 and/or the conduit 34 in order to neck down the molten glass in the mold 24 from the molten glass stream 28 in the conduit 34.

Referring to FIG. 3, an apparatus 120 can comprise a glass feeder 122 having a separation device 152. FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the glass feeder 122 with the separation device 152 shown in FIG. 3. These embodiments are similar in many respects to the embodiment of FIG. 2, and like numerals among the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawing figures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments are incorporated into one another, and description of subject matter common to the embodiments generally may not be repeated here.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the separation device 152 may be used to separate a molten glass charge in a mold 124 from a molten glass stream. In one example, the separation device

0-10 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640)

152 can include shears configured to separate and shear the glass. In other examples, the separation device 152 may include a focused laser beam, a high-pressure waterjet, and/or any other device(s) suitable to separate the molten glass charge from the molten glass stream. The separation device 152 may separate the molten glass disposed in the mold 124 from the molten glass stream prior to and/or while the mold 124 is lifted or otherwise moved away from a moldcharging position over a conduit 134 and/or an orifice 140.

The mold 124 may be moved by any equipment suitable to move a glass mold. For example, one or more mold arms may be coupled to the mold 124 so as to move the entire mold away from its mold-charging position over the conduit 134 and/or the orifice 140, and/or so as to open halves of the mold 124 away from one another to release a parison formed in the mold 124. In turn, the mold arms may be moved by one or more pneumatic, hydraulic, and/or electric cylinders or other actuators that may be part of mold transport equipment that may be used to open the mold 124, and/or move the mold 124 to and away from its mold-charging position. In the illustrated example, the mold 124 may be rotated about an axis that is offset from but parallel to a longitudinal axis of the mold 124. Also, or instead, the mold 124 may be translated to and away from its mold-charging position. In any event, when the mold 124 is moved, a gather or charge of molten glass in the mold 124 tends to be retained in the mold 124 because of the glass viscosity, glass surface tension, glass friction against the mold 124, vacuum pulled through the mold 124, a neck ring of the mold 124 holding a neck portion of the gather/charge, and/or geometry of the mold 124. This is also true once the molten glass stream is severed from the mold gather/charge inside the mold 124. After a desired amount of molten glass is gathered in the mold 124, the mold transport equipment moves the mold 124, the separation device 152 severs the molten glass stream, a blank plunger retracts, a baffle (not shown) then moves into place under the mold 124 to close the mold 124, and air or other gas is blown around the blank plunger and into the gather/charge to define a glass blank or parison against the blank mold. Thereafter, the mold 124 may be opened, whereafter the parison is suspended by the neck ring, and then the parison may be slightly blown again in open air according to a parison puff operation. In any case, the parison is transferred to a downstream blow mold station to be blown into final container shape against a blow mold in accordance with any equipment and techniques suitable to produce a glass container. Those of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the baffle may be moved by the mold transport equipment

0-11 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) and/or any other pneumatic, hydraulic, and/or electric cylinders or other actuators suitable to move a blank mold baffle.

Illustrated in FIG. 5, an apparatus 220 and a glass feeder 222 are shown for providing an uninterrupted glass communication path 226. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiments of FIGS. 2 through 4, and like numerals among the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawing figures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments are incorporated into one another, and description of subject matter common to the embodiments generally may not be repeated here.

The apparatus 220, as shown in FIG. 5, may not include a feeder plunger and may rely on hydraulic pressure and/or some other means for flowing a molten glass stream 228. The glass feeder 222 can include a conduit 234 that comprises a feeder riser pipe 254, which may be coupled to and/or be in fluid communication with a glass forehearth 218 having molten glass 230. The feeder riser pipe 254 may extend from a forehearth outlet 219 to a conduit exit 244 (e.g., approximately 90°), at which location the molten glass stream 228 can flow upward into a mold 224. In some instances, the conduit exit 244 may be located below/undemeath a molten glass level 248 in the glass forehearth 218, which can provide a pressure differential for flowing the molten glass stream 228 through the conduit 234. It is contemplated that the conduit exit 244 may also be disposed at or above the molten glass level 248 and, in some instances, a pressure at the conduit exit 244 may be substantially the same or less than a pressure at the molten glass level 248 in the glass forehearth 218.

FIG. 6 illustrates a forehearth 318 having molten glass 330 and an apparatus 320 in glass communication with the forehearth 318 for providing an uninterrupted glass communication path 326, where a molten glass stream 328 can be fed through a horizontal conduit 334 to at least one mold 324a, 324b, 324c. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiments of FIGS. 2 through 5, and like numerals among the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawing figures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments are incorporated into one another, and description of subject matter common to the embodiments generally may not be repeated here.

In FIG. 6, the apparatus 320 can be coupled to and/or in fluid communication with the forehearth 318 and can include a glass feeder 322 and the horizontally arranged conduit 334 through which the molten glass stream 328 can flow from the forehearth 318 to at least one

0-12 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) orifice 340a, 340b, 340c along the uninterrupted glass communication path 326. A molten glass level 348 in the forehearth 318 may be the same or about the same height as an outlet of the at least one orifice 340a, 340b, 340c and/or an inlet of the mold 324a, 324b, 324c. In one example, the level 348 may be within plus or minus 0 to 5 millimeters including all ranges, sub-ranges, endpoints, and values in that range. Three orifices 340a, 340b, 340c are shown configured for providing the molten glass stream 328 to respective molds 324a, 324b, 324c. However, it is contemplated that the glass feeder 322 may include other numbers of orifices (e.g., one orifice, two orifices, four orifices, and so forth).

FIG. 6 illustrates the conduit 334 including a throat 358 disposed between the forehearth 318 and the molds 324a, 324b, 324c. The throat 358 can be integrally formed with the conduit 334 and can have a reduced cross-sectional area compared with a remaining portion of the conduit 334. The throat 358 can be configured to provide a flow resistance to the molten glass stream 328 within the conduit 334. In some instances, the flow resistance can be passively provided by the throat 358 using the reduced cross-sectional area and/or a pre-determined length of the throat 358. In other instances, the flow resistance to flowing the molten glass stream 328 within the conduit 334 can be actively provided, for example, using a heating or cooling thermal device 360 in addition to or instead of the reduced cross-sectional area.

In an example, the thermal device 360 can include an inductive heater configured to cycle on and off. When turned on, the inductive heater can provide heat to the throat 358 and to the molten glass stream 328 within the throat 358, which can decrease viscosity and flow resistance of the molten glass stream 328. When turned off, the thermal device 360 does not provide heat to the throat 358 or the molten glass stream 328 within the throat 358, and the molten glass stream 328 can cool, thus increasing viscosity and flow resistance. Any other suitable type of thermal device may be used, for example gas burners, resistance heaters, or the like. Additionally, the conduit 334 may include cooled walls, for example, fluid-cooled jackets, more specifically, water-cooled or air-cooled jackets. Those of ordinary skill in the art are familiar with cooling of equipment that carries molten glass and will recognize the aforementioned techniques and equipment and other techniques and equipment suitable for cooling the conduit.

Referring to FIG. 6, a riser 362 can be coupled to the conduit 334 at a location 364 between the throat 358 and the orifices 340a, 340b, 340c. The riser 362 can include and/or be in

0-13 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) communication with a pressure device 366 configured for providing continuous and/or intermittent pressure to the molten glass stream 328 in the conduit 334. The pressure can at least partially create a pressure differential to flow the molten glass stream 328 in the conduit 334 to the orifices 340a, 340b, 340c and/or the molds 324a, 324b, 324c.

In one embodiment, the pressure device 366 may include a plunger mounted in the riser 362. The plunger can act (e.g., push) on the molten glass stream 328 in the conduit 334 and provide pressure to flow the molten glass stream 328 in a direction toward the orifices 340a, 340b, 340c and the molds 324a, 324b, 324c. As the plunger provides pressure, the throat 358 may also provide flow resistance, thus causing the molten glass stream 328 to flow in a direction with less pressure and/or flow resistances toward the molds 324a, 324b, 324c.

In another embodiment, the pressure device 366 may include an air source and/or a vacuum source. In this embodiment, the air source and/or the vacuum source can act on the molten glass stream 328 by providing pressurized air or other suitable gas and/or a vacuum. The pressurized air and/or gas vacuum can provide a pressure differential in the molten glass stream 328 in the conduit 334 between the riser 362 and the orifices 340a, 340b, 340c and control flow of the molten glass stream 328 toward or from the orifices 340a, 340b, 340c, respectively.

In an implementation of the apparatus 320 and the glass feeder 322 shown in FIG. 6, the molten glass stream 328 can flow from the forehearth 318 through the conduit 334. As the molten glass stream 328 flows through the conduit 334, it flows through the throat 358, which can provide flow resistance to the molten glass stream 328. The molten glass stream 328 can then flow from the throat 358 and through the orifices 340a, 340b, 340c and into a respective mold 324a, 324b, 324c. When pressure is applied to the molten glass stream 328 by the pressure device 366, the pressure can cause the molten glass stream 328 to flow in the conduit 334 toward and through the orifices 340a, 340b, 340c. Because the throat 358 restricts flow, e.g., is smaller in cross-sectional area than the conduit 334 from the throat 358 to the orifices 340a, 340b, 340c, the flow resistance causes a greater pressure between the forehearth 318 and the throat 358 than between the throat 358 and the orifices 340a, 340b, 340c. Lower pressure between the throat 358 and the orifices 340a, 340b, 340c causes most or all of the molten glass stream 328 to flow toward the orifices 340a, 340b, 340c instead of flowing through the throat 358 and toward the forehearth 318. The direction of flow caused by the pressure differential

0-14 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) allows for the uninterrupted glass communication path 326 from the forehearth 318 through the conduit 334 and the orifices 340a, 340b, 340c.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a glass feeder 422. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiment of FIGS. 2 through 6, and like numerals among the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawing figures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments are incorporated into one another, and description of subject matter common to the embodiments generally may not be repeated here.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, a mold 424 can be positionable directly against a conduit 434 of the glass feeder 422, from which a molten glass stream 428 can directly flow upwardly into the mold 424. Alternatively, as discussed with respect to other embodiments disclosed herein, an orifice could be interposed between the glass feeder conduit 434 and the mold 424. In any case, the mold 424 can be configured to include and/or receive a blank plunger 468 for at least partially forming a glass container from a charge of glass received from the molten glass stream 428. In some embodiments, the mold 424 can be lifted from the conduit 434, the molten glass in the mold 424 can be sheared, and the mold 424 can then be closed and/or moved. The resulting glass charge, blank, and/or parison may then be transferred to a final or downstream molding station (e.g., a blow mold). In some embodiments, the final or downstream molding station can be moved instead to receive the glass charge, blank, and/or parison formed by the mold 424.

FIG. 8 illustrates the blank plunger 468 shown in FIG. 7 positioned against one end 470 of the mold 424 to create a vacuum seal. A portion of the blank plunger 468 can be configured for at least partially forming a neck of a parison using a neck ring 472.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a mold 524 that includes a blank plunger 568 positioned partially in a chamber 550 of the mold 524. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiment of FIGS. 2 through 8, and like numerals among the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawing figures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments are incorporated into one another, and description of subject matter common to the embodiments generally may not be repeated here.

0-15 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640)

In the embodiment in FIG. 9, the mold 524 can include a plurality of vacuum passages 574a, 574b formed within the mold 524 for providing a vacuum to the chamber 550. The vacuum provided through the vacuum passages 574a, 574b can at least partially serve to draw a molten glass charge from a molten glass stream 528 into the chamber 550 and against a wall of the chamber 550 for at least partially forming a glass article and/or a parison. A portion of the mold 524 may also include a neck ring 577 for forming a neck finish on the glass article and/or the parison. The vacuum passages 574a, 574b can be provided between the mold 524 and the neck ring 577, and/or through the neck ring 577 and/or the mold 524. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that, according to the present disclosure, molten glass can be extruded into the mold 524 from a location below the mold 524 (with or without the neck ring 577 in position) and instead of supplying a glass gob into the mold 524 from a location above the mold 524.

Additionally, in this embodiment, a separate orifice need not be used; rather a downstream end of the conduit 534 may incorporate structural and/or functional features of an orifice. FIG. 9 illustrates a temperature regulating device 576 coupled and/or disposed proximate to at least a portion of an end 546 of a conduit 534 for heating and/or cooling the end 546. Temperatureregulating the end 546 can serve to maintain temperature of and/or provide a homogenous temperature profile to the molten glass stream 528 passing through the end 546. In one example, the temperature regulating device 576 can include an electrical resistance heater, where heating elements and/or coils are disposed outside but proximate to the end 546. In another example, the temperature regulating device 576 can be integrally formed with the conduit 534 (e.g., the conduit 534 and the temperature regulating device 576 comprises platinum through which an electrical current is passed). In another example, the temperature regulating device 576 can include a microwave heater. In other examples, the temperature regulating device 576 can include other suitable heater types, a cooling device (e.g., cooling coils), or other temperature regulating equipment suitable for regulating temperature (e.g., an inductive heater, a direct resistance heater, insulation, and the like).

FIG. 10 illustrates a mold 624 where at least one vacuum passage 678 can extend through a portion of a blank plunger 668 for providing a vacuum to a chamber 650. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiment of FIGS. 2 through 9, and like numerals among the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several

0-16 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) views of the drawing figures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments are incorporated into one another, and description of subject matter common to the embodiments generally may not be repeated here.

Referring to FIG. 10, the vacuum provided by the at least one vacuum passage 678 can draw a molten glass stream 628 and/or a glass charge through an end 646 of the conduit 634 and/or an orifice into the chamber 650 and against the wall of the chamber 650 for at least partially forming the parison. It will be appreciated that the blank plunger 668 may include additional vacuum passage numbers and/or configurations.

Referring to FIG. 11, the system 10 may include an apparatus 720, a sensor 780, a final mold station 782 (e.g., a blow mold or other finish mold configured to receive the glass parison or blank from the apparatus 720), and/or a vacuum source 784. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiment of FIGS. 2 through 10, and like numerals among the embodiments generally designate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawing figures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments are incorporated into one another, and description of subject matter common to the embodiments generally may not be repeated here.

When included in the system 10 shown in FIG. 11, the sensor 780 may be positioned in communication with and/or with a field-of-view into the mold 24. The sensor 780 can be configured to detect an amount of molten glass within the mold 24. When the sensor 780 detects that a predetermined amount of molten glass has been dispensed in the mold 24, a controller (not shown) coupled to the sensor 780 and the apparatus 20 can be used to stop the molten glass stream 28 for example, by sending an off signal to a drive mechanism of a plunger, a pressure source, and/or a vacuum source. Some examples of the sensor 780 may include an optical sensor, a thermocouple, a vacuum sensor, and/or an electrical resistance sensor. It is contemplated that other suitable sensors may be incorporated into a control scheme of the system 10.

Illustrated in FIG. 11, the vacuum source 784 can be configured to provide vacuum to the mold 24 and/or the chamber 50. The vacuum source 784 may be operably coupled to the mold 24 (e.g., hoses, tubing), and may provide a vacuum by way of at least one vacuum passage 574a, 574b (e.g., a channel formed in the mold 24) and/or at least one vacuum passage 678 (e.g., a channel formed in the blank plunger 668). The vacuum source 784 may include a

0-17 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) vacuum pump coupled to a vacuum reservoir, for example, although it will be appreciated that other vacuum sources may be implemented. The vacuum provided by the vacuum source 784 may include any level of vacuum below the pressure above the molten glass level 48 in the system 10.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a method 800 for providing molten glass 30 from a glass melting furnace 12 to at least one mold 24. For purposes of illustration and clarity, method 800 will be described in the context of the systems and the apparatuses described above and illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 11. It will be appreciated, however, that the application of the present methodology is not meant to be limited solely to such an arrangement, but rather method 800 may find application with any number of arrangements (i.e., steps of method 800 may be performed by components of the system and the apparatuses other than those described below, or arrangements of the system and the apparatuses other than that described above).

Method 800 comprises a step 802 of providing an uninterrupted glass communication path 26 from the outlet 19 of the glass melting furnace 12 to at least one mold 24. Providing the uninterrupted glass communication path 26 can include providing the conduit 34 extending from the forehearth 18 to the at least one orifice 40, where the molten glass stream 28 can flow through the conduit 34 without any break, gap, valve, and/or other interruption. For example, the uninterrupted glass communication path 26 may include a path from the forehearth 18 and/or the feeder plunger 32, through the conduit 34 and/or the throat 358, and/or through the at least one orifice 40, where the path may not include any valves or other mechanical impediments. In another example, there may be little to no air gaps in the molten glass stream 28. In instances where a feeder plunger 32 is used, the glass communication path 26 can also be uninterrupted because the molten glass stream 28 can continuously flow from the forehearth 18, past/through the feeder plunger 32, and through the conduit 34 unimpeded.

Method 800 comprises a step 804 of pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 26 at a location downstream of the outlet 19 to move the molten glass stream 28 into the at least one mold 24. Pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 26 may include providing a force and/or a path for moving the molten glass stream 28, for example, using a feeder plunger 32 and/or conduit 34. When the feeder plunger 32 is used, pressurizing the molten glass stream 28 may include advancing or rotating the feeder plunger 32 to apply an extrusion force to the molten glass 30 from the glass forehearth 18 parallel with the path 26

0-18 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) and to move the resulting molten glass stream 28 into and through the conduit 34. In the case of a screw plunger, pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 26 may include advancing the feeder plunger 32 by rotating the screw plunger at a desired rate. When a reciprocating plunger is used, the feeder plunger 32 may be advanced, for example, by reciprocating the feeder plunger 32 (e.g., acting as a piston). Advancement of the feeder plunger 32 may be controlled by an actuator and controller.

In another example, pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 226 may include using head pressure from the molten glass level 248 in the glass forehearth 218 to flow the molten glass stream 228 through the conduit 234. In this example, the exit 244 of the glass feeder 222 can be disposed below the molten glass level 248, where the height difference between the conduit exit 244 and the molten glass level 248 creates a pressure differential, which can cause the molten glass 230 to flow from the glass forehearth 218 into and through the conduit 234. It is contemplated that pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 226 and/or the molten glass stream 228 from the glass forehearth 218 into the conduit 234 may utilize other suitable equipment and/or processes.

In one specific implementation, pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 26 may include flowing the molten glass stream 28 into the conduit 34 vertically downward from the glass forehearth 18, through the conduit 34, and upward through the orifice 40 and into the mold 24. In another specific implementation, pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 326 may include flowing the molten glass stream 328 into the conduit 334 horizontally from the glass forehearth 318, through the conduit 334, and upward through the orifice 340 and into at least one mold 324. It will be appreciated that pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 326 may include flowing the molten glass stream 328 in a variety of suitable configurations and directions.

In another implementation, pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 326 can include using the pressure device 366 to provide continuous and/or intermittent pressure at a location 364 downstream from the throat 358 and transverse to the path 26 for moving the molten glass stream 328 through the conduit 334. For example, pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 326 may include using a plunger to provide pressure through the riser 362. In another example, pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 326 may include supplying pressurized air via the riser 362.

0-19 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640)

In some instances, pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 26 may include using the vacuum source 784 to provide a vacuum to the mold 24. The vacuum within the mold 24 can serve to at least partially draw the molten glass stream 28 from the conduit 34 into the chamber 50 of the mold 24. For example, providing the vacuum to the mold 24 may include providing the vacuum to at least one vacuum passage 574a, 574b, 678. Additionally, providing a vacuum to the mold 24 may include starting, stopping, and/or adjusting the amount of vacuum provided. In some instances, providing the vacuum to the mold 24 may include positioning the blank plunger 468 into and/or against the mold 424 to create, maintain, and/or release a vacuum seal within the chamber 50.

Additionally, pressurizing the uninterrupted glass communication path 26 can include using the orifice 40 for restricting flow or using the temperature regulating device 576 (e.g., for regulating temperature and viscosity of the molten glass) to at least partially control the flow rate of the molten glass stream 28. Advancement of the feeder plunger 32, control of the orifice 40, and/or control of the pressure device 366 may be controlled by an actuator and controller (not shown).

In some instances, method 800 may comprise a step 806 of monitoring a quantity of molten glass in the mold 24. In one instance, monitoring the quantity of molten glass in the mold 24 can include using the sensor 780, which may be disposed with a field-of-view into one end of the mold 24 (e.g., an end that is distal from an end that is configured to receive molten glass from the orifice 40). The sensor 780 can detect the molten glass using, for example, infrared light. A controller can receive information from the sensor 780 and can determine the level of the molten glass within the mold 24.

Method 800 may comprise a step 808 of stopping advancement of the molten glass stream 28 when a predetermined amount of molten glass is in the mold 24. In embodiments where a feeder plunger 32 is used, the feeder plunger 32 can be stopped, reversed, and/or retracted to control the flow of molten glass into the mold 24. Additionally, stopping the advancement of the molten glass stream 28 may include adjusting the vacuum source 784 to provide less vacuum within the mold 24 or more vacuum in the conduit 34.

In some implementations, method 800 may include a step 810 of moving the mold 24 away from the conduit 34 and/or the orifice 40 to expose the molten glass in the mold 24. The mold 24 may be coupled to an arm or other equipment that can move and/or rotate the mold 24 from

0-20 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) the conduit 34 and/or orifice 40 to a subsequent process step, for example, a parison blow position and then to the final mold station 782. The mold 24 and/or the arm can be moved using a controller and/or an actuator coupled to the controller.

Additionally, method 800 may comprise a step 812 of separating the molten glass between the conduit 34 and/or orifice 40 and the mold 24 using the separation device 152. For example, prior to and/or during moving the mold 24 with a charge of molten glass, the separation device 152 can shear and/or otherwise separate the molten glass in the mold 24 from the molten glass stream 28 in the conduit 34 and/or the orifice 40. It will be appreciated that separating the molten glass can include using other suitable equipment and/or techniques.

The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

The claims of as-filed 63/085640 include the following:

1.

An apparatus for providing molten glass, comprising: a glass feeder in downstream fluid communication with a glass forehearth, the glass feeder including a conduit configured for directing molten glass from the glass forehearth; and at least one mold configured to receive the molten glass, wherein the glass feeder is configured to provide an uninterrupted glass communication path from an outlet of the glass forehearth to the at least one mold.

2.

The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the uninterrupted molten glass stream has no air gap or an air gap of less than five millimeters.

3.

The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the glass feeder includes a feeder plunger.

0-21 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640)

4.

The apparatus in claim 3, wherein the feeder plunger moves parallel to the uninterrupted glass communication path.

5.

The apparatus in claim 3, wherein the feeder plunger moves transverse to the uninterrupted glass communication path.

6.

The apparatus in claim 3, wherein the feeder plunger includes at least one of a screw plunger or a reciprocating plunger.

7.

The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the conduit is temperature controlled.

8.

The apparatus in claim 1, wherein a pressure of the molten glass proximate to an end of the conduit is at a pressure of a molten glass level in the glass forehearth.

9.

The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the at least one mold includes a blank plunger.

10.

The apparatus in claim 9, wherein the blank plunger includes at least one vacuum passage.

11.

The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the at least one mold includes at least one vacuum passage configured to provide a vacuum to a chamber of the mold.

12.

The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the conduit includes a throat portion with a reduced cross-section area disposed downstream of the outlet.

13.

The apparatus in claim 12, wherein the throat portion is heated.

14.

The apparatus in claim 1, wherein an exit of the conduit is disposed at least one of at or below a molten glass level in the glass forehearth.

0-22 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640)

15.

The apparatus in claim 1, further comprising: a separation device configured to separate glass in the mold from the molten glass in the glass feeder.

16.

The apparatus in claim 1, further comprising: at least one orifice coupled to the conduit.

17.

The apparatus in claim 16, wherein the at least one orifice is heated.

18.

The apparatus in claim 16, wherein the at least one orifice includes a heated platinum orifice.

19.

The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the at least one mold is configured to receive the molten glass upwardly from the conduit.

20.

A system, comprising: a glass furnace including a glass forehearth; and an apparatus for providing molten glass, set forth in claim 1.

21.

The system in claim 20, further comprising: a final mold station configured to receive a glass charge from the at least one mold.

22.

The system in claim 20, further comprising: a sensor configured to detect an amount of glass in the at least one mold.

23.

A method of providing glass from a glass melting furnace to at least one mold, comprising: providing an uninterrupted glass communication path from an outlet of the glass melting furnace to the at least one mold; and

0-23 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640) pressurizing the path at a location downstream of the outlet to move molten glass into the at least one mold.

24.

The method in claim 23, wherein pressurizing the path includes applying pressure in a direction parallel with the path.

25.

The method in claim 24, wherein applying pressure includes using a plunger that moves along the path.

26.

The method in claim 23, wherein pressurizing the path includes applying pressure transverse to the path.

27.

The method in claim 26, wherein applying pressure includes using a plunger that moves transverse to the path.

28.

The method in claim 26, wherein applying pressure includes applying air pressure in a direction transverse to the path.

29.

The method in claim 23, wherein the path includes a conduit, and a throat portion with a reduced cross-section area disposed between the outlet and the location downstream of the outlet.

30.

The method in claim 29, wherein the throat portion is heated.

31.

The method in claim 29, wherein an exit of the conduit is disposed at least one of at or below a molten glass level in the glass forehearth.

32.

The method in claim 23, wherein the molten glass flows upward into the at least one mold.

0-24 CHAPTER O - 19526 (US 63/085640)

33.

The method in claim 23, wherein pressurizing the path includes using a vacuum source to draw the molten glass into the at least one mold.

34. The method in claim 23, wherein the at least one mold includes a blank plunger having at least one vacuum passage.

35.

The method in claim 23, wherein the mold includes at least one vacuum passage.

36. The method in claim 23, further comprising: monitoring a quantity of molten glass in the at least one mold; and stopping the advancement of the molten glass stream when a predetermined amount of molten glass is in the at least one mold.

37. The method in claim 23, further comprising: moving the at least one mold away from the conduit to expose the molten glass; and separating the molten glass between the conduit and the at least one mold using a separation device.

0-25 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644)

CHAPTER P: CULLET AND CULLET WATER HANDLING SYSTEM

This was a provisional patent application under 35 USC §111(b).

Technical Field

This patent application discloses systems and methods for glassware manufacturing and, more particularly, a system for handling glassware manufacturing waste.

Background

Glass container manufacturing processes can include using a glassware forming machine to shape and form glass containers from molten glass. During the forming process, a stream of the molten glass can be separated into a glass gob, formed into a parison, and shaped into a container. Additionally, the glass gobs, parisons, containers, or pieces thereof may be rejected due to various reasons. These rejected materials, along with streams of molten waste glass, are known as internal cullet and can be recycled to a glass melter to produce molten glass.

Brief Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.

A glassware manufacturing system, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, comprises an architectural installation having a forming floor and no basement beneath the forming floor; a glassware forming machine carried on the forming floor; a molten glass feeder configured to provide molten glass to the glassware forming machine; and a glassware manufacturing waste handling system, including: a sump pit in the forming floor; a waste liquid trench substantially surrounding the glassware forming machine and flowing to the sump pit; and at least one of a cullet material handler or a molten waste glass sluice, configured to receive molten glass from the molten glass feeder and hot glassware rejects from the glassware forming machine. In some instances, the glassware manufacturing system may include an enclosure over the cullet trench, steam removal ductwork, an annealing lehr, a cold cullet return conveyor, a reject conveyor, a cullet crusher, a molten glass chute, and/or an operator pitch chute.

A glassware manufacturing waste handling system, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, comprises a sump pit in a forming floor of an architectural installation, where the architectural installation has no basement beneath the forming floor; a waste liquid trench substantially surrounding a glassware forming machine carried on the forming floor, the waste

P-1 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) liquid trench flowing to the sump pit; and at least one of a cullet material handler or a molten waste glass sluice, configured to receive molten glass from a molten glass feeder and hot glassware rejects from the glassware forming machine.

A method for handling glassware manufacturing waste, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, comprises providing process water to a glassware forming machine carried by a forming floor, where the process water drains from the glassware forming machine to the forming floor; collecting the process water from the forming floor using a waste liquid trench and a sump pit formed in the forming floor; collecting cullet from the glassware forming machine using at least one of a cullet material handler or a molten waste glass sluice disposed adjacent to the glassware forming machine; and recycling the process water from the sump pit to the glassware forming machine. In some implementations, the method may include treating the process water from the sump pit.

A molten waste glass handling sluice, in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, extends along a longitudinal axis, and includes a base; a platform carried above the base and including an upper wall having a plurality of apertures to deliver fluid from a location below the upper wall to a location above the upper wall; side walls extending in a direction upwardly away from the upper wall; an upstream inlet to receive hot molten glass; and a downstream outlet to transmit cooled glass.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a schematic top plan view of a glassware manufacturing system and a glassware manufacturing waste handling system, according to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the glassware manufacturing system and glassware manufacturing waste handling system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a cullet material handler, an enclosure, and a cullet trench utilized in the glassware manufacturing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic, fragmentary, isometric view of a waste glass handling sluice according to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;

P-2 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644)

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing various steps of an illustrative embodiment of a method for using the glassware manufacturing system, the glassware manufacturing waste handling system, and the components thereof shown in FIGS. 1 through 4; and

FIG. 6 is a glassware manufacturing system according to the prior art.

Detailed Description

In accordance with at least one aspect of the disclosure, a glassware manufacturing system contains and recycles process water within the system, limits internal cullet handling to a forming floor, and minimizes the volume and improves the quality of process water, thereby reducing environmental disposal costs and improving safety in a glassware forming area. External cullet arises from post-consumer recycling of glass products. Internal cullet arises from waste glass in a glass factory, including waste gobs or charges of molten glass from a gob or charge feeder spout, or streams of molten glass from a glass melter, a finer, a forehearth, or the gob or charge feeder spout, or hot glassware rejects, or cold glassware rejects.

Conventional glassware forming systems often combine manual or semi-automatic methods for handling glass cullet (e.g., steel hoppers, drag chains into bunkers, fork trucks, and the like) in a basement under glassware forming machines. The forming systems can include a system that allows process water and/or other material to gravity flow through collection pans, pipes, and chutes onto the basement floor and into an API oil-water separator pit. Oils and grease can be skimmed from the collected process water, and the remaining process water can be recycled back into the system. As part of this process, some process water may escape the basement with the cullet and has the potential to be comingled with storm or other water. This requires collection and conveyance of the escaped water back to the basement, where increased water volumes, due to comingling with storm water, can upset the system water balance and result in excess water that must be hauled off for environmental disposal at extra expense.

Consequently, the present disclosure is directed to a glassware manufacturing system, and a glassware manufacturing waste handling system that includes an automated and closed cullet and cullet water handling system. By using the systems and methods disclosed herein, the glassware manufacturing system can be contained within a production building without a basement. Additionally, the cullet, process, and/or shear water can be collected and recycled

P-3 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) within the system to minimize cost from environmental disposal, and cullet handling can be limited to the forming floor.

Referring generally to FIGS. 1 through 3, a glassware manufacturing system 10 and glassware manufacturing waste handling system 12 are shown in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. The glassware manufacturing system 10 can comprise an architectural installation 14, a glassware forming machine 16 carried on a forming floor 18 of the installation 14, a glass furnace forehearth 20, and a glassware manufacturing waste handling system 12. Although not shown, the system 10 also may include a submerged combustion melting (SCM) furnace or “melter” and a molten glass finer between the melter and the forehearth 20.

Additionally, the architectural installation 14 can include a concrete foundation establishing the forming floor 18. The architectural installation 14 may also include a factory building (not shown) on the foundation including walls, a roof, and/or an upper level or raised platform above the forming floor 18. The architectural installation 14 can be configured to support and shelter a compact, single-level glassware manufacturing system 10. For example, the architectural installation 14 can be configured to carry glassware forming equipment.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the architectural installation 14 has no basement beneath the forming floor 18 as utilized in conventional systems. In conventional glassware forming systems, a basement is required because traditional cullet chutes use large amounts of high pressure water to keep the steel chutes cool and maintain the flow of rejected or streaming glass into a basement, where the water and cullet are collected. Generally, the level of the water and cullet collecting equipment has been at least one full level below a forming machine. However, utilizing a basement may be less efficient compared to implementing the glassware manufacturing system 10 disclosed herein because using the glassware manufacturing system 10 can reduce the amount of capital investment needed, allow for reductions in process equipment labor requirements, and increase up-time across the glassware forming process. As used herein, the term “basement” includes the lowest habitable level of the glass factory below a forming floor of the factory and can include a first level or a below grade or below ground level portion that may require excavation of earthen material. In contrast, according to the present disclosure, no basement is required, such that the

P-4 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) architectural installation 14 includes a concrete slab with earthen material directly underneath the slab, wherein the slab establishes the forming floor 18.

In some embodiments, and with reference to FIG. 2, the forming floor 18 can be sloped to direct process water and/or other liquids on the forming floor 18 away from process equipment. In the context of this disclosure, process water may include shear spray water, cooling water, cullet water, quench water, and the like. For example, the forming floor 18 can be sloped away from a glassware forming machine 16 to a waste liquid trench 22. The forming floor 18 can be sloped or crowned such that liquid efficiently flows but does not create a safety hazard within the glassware manufacturing system 10. It is contemplated that the forming floor 18 may be sloped or crowned just enough to facilitate runoff of liquids, like water, lubricants, or the like.

With continued reference to FIG. 2, the glassware manufacturing system 10 can include the glassware forming machine 16 carried on the forming floor 18. The glassware forming machine 16 can include a machine that holds and moves molten glass, often in the form of a glass gob, and shapes the molten glass to form glassware (e.g., containers). In one example, the glassware forming machine 16 may include an individual section (IS) machine comprising a bank of identical sections, each of which contains a complete set of equipment to form a glass container. The sections may be in a row and may be fed molten glass from a forehearth and moving chutes. The glassware forming machine 16 can be completely housed by the architectural installation 14. It will be appreciated that other types of forming machines may be used in the glassware manufacturing system 10.

The glassware manufacturing system 10 can include a glass furnace forehearth 20 having a molten glass feeder 24 configured to provide molten glass 26 to the glassware forming machine 16. The glass furnace forehearth 20 can be located downstream of a melting furnace (not shown) and may be part of a hot-end subsystem. The glass furnace forehearth 20 can receive molten glass from the furnace and cool the molten glass to a uniform temperature and viscosity suitable for downstream forming operations.

With continued reference to FIG. 2, the molten glass feeder 24 can be located at a downstream end of the glass furnace forehearth 20 and is configured to produce molten glass portions. In the illustrated embodiment, the molten glass feeder 24 can receive the molten glass from the glass furnace forehearth 20, produce a continuous stream of molten glass, and

P-5 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) separate the stream into discrete glass gobs that freefall into gob handling equipment (not shown), which may include a series of distributors, scoops, chutes, deflectors, and funnels. The gob handling equipment may also include ancillary lubrication equipment to apply lubricants to the gob handling equipment and liquid separators to separate or otherwise process the lubricants. The molten glass feeder 24 and gob handling equipment can be configured to provide glass gobs to the glassware forming machine 16.

In another embodiment, not presently illustrated, the molten glass feeder 24 can receive the molten glass from the glass furnace forehearth 20, produce a continuous stream of molten glass that that is fed downwardly into a molten glass transport cup and thereafter severed to produce a discrete portion of molten glass carried in the cup and separated from the molten glass stream. In this embodiment, the glass-filled cup is thereafter moved to the glassware forming machine 16, over a mold, and either inverted to dump the glass in the mold, split open to dump the glass in the mold, or opened at an openable bottom end to dump the glass in the mold.

In a further embodiment, not presently illustrated, the molten glass feeder 24 can receive the molten glass from the glass furnace forehearth 20, produce a continuous stream of molten glass that is directly injected into an inverted mold, and then severed to produce a discrete portion of molten glass carried in the cup and separated from the molten glass stream. In this embodiment, no gob handling equipment and no molten glass cup are used; instead, the molten glass is delivered directly into the mold.

Accordingly, the terminology “molten glass portion” includes a molten glass gob, gather, stream, chunk, charge, mold charge, and the like. In one example, a molten glass portion may include a molten glass gob cut from a stream of molten glass produced by a gob feeder and then dropped into gob handling equipment, a transport cup, or a mold. In other examples, a molten glass portion may include a stream of molten glass delivered from an upstream continuous supply of molten glass, and thereafter separated from the upstream continuous supply of molten glass in any suitable manner.

Additionally, and with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the glassware manufacturing system 10 can include the glassware manufacturing waste handling system 12, which can further include a shear spray collection system 13 (FIG. 1), a sump pit 28 (FIG. 2), the waste liquid trench 22, and a cullet material handler 30. The glassware manufacturing waste handling system 12 can

P-6 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) be used to remove, handle, and/or recycle process liquid, for example, water, oil, and other materials, used during forming processes, and for removing cullet and glassware rejects.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the glassware manufacturing waste handling system 12 can include the sump pit 28 in the forming floor 18. The sump pit 28 can include a pit or lowest-most volume in the forming floor 18 for collecting the process water and other liquid resulting from the forming process. When the forming floor 18 is sloped or crowned, the sump pit 28 can be located at a low portion of the forming floor 18 so that the liquid can generally flow from the glassware forming machine 16 and equipment to the sump pit 28. The sump pit 28 may include means, for example a pump (not shown), for further transferring the liquid for treatment and/or other handling. For example, the liquid waste in the sump pit 28 can be transferred for treatment, for example, using a pump, and then can be recycled. In some instances, the sump pit 28 may include an oil-water separator (e.g., an API oil-water separator) and/or other treatment means. In this way, the glassware manufacturing system 10 can include a closed or open recirculating loop for treating and/or recycling the process water and other liquid, which can contribute to reducing human intervention in the forming process and potential negative environmental impact while improving safety and process stability.

The glassware manufacturing waste handling system 12 can include a waste liquid trench 22 substantially surrounding the glassware forming machine 16 and flowing to the sump pit 28. As used herein, the phrase “substantially surround” means extending between 240 and 360 angular degrees around including all ranges, sub-ranges, and values including endpoints of that range. The waste liquid trench 22 can be carried by and integrally formed in the forming floor 18. When the forming floor 18 is sloped, the liquid can fall onto the forming floor 18 from the glassware forming machine 16, flow down the sloped forming floor 18 to the waste liquid trench 22, and flow through the waste liquid trench 22 to the sump pit 28. In FIG. 1, the waste liquid trench 22 forms a rectangle and completely surrounds the glassware forming machine 16. It will be appreciated that the waste liquid trench 22 may include other configurations and may include more than one trench that flows to the sump pit 28. For example, the waste liquid trench 22 may also substantially surround and/or be located adjacent to other equipment within the glassware manufacturing system 10, for example steam removal ductwork 32.

Shown in FIG. 1, the glassware manufacturing waste handling system 12 can include the cullet material handler 30 configured to receive discrete molten glass portions and unused

P-7 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) molten glass streams from the molten glass feeder 24. Although not illustrated, the handler 30 also may be configured to receive molten glass streams from the SCM furnace and/or the finer when it is desired to drain or “dump” molten glass therefrom, for example, to accommodate a glass color changeover, equipment maintenance, equipment relocation, or the like. Any suitable conduit, sluice, or the like may be used to communicate drains, outlets, or the like of the SCM furnace and/or the finer to the handler 30. The handler 30 is also configured to receive hot glassware rejects from the glassware forming machine 16, cold glassware rejects from a cold cullet return conveyor 48, and the like. The cullet material handler 30 may include a cullet drag chain, which may include a chain conveyor comprising a continuous chain arrangement with a series of single pendants, where the chain arrangement can be driven by a motor to convey the rejected molten glass portions, the unused molten glass streams, the cold glassware rejects, and/or the hot glassware rejects. In an example, the cullet drag chain can include a stainless steel hinged drag chain that is suitable for exposure to heat and a humid environment. It is contemplated that the cullet material handler 30 can include other types of conveyors configured to handle hot glass and glass cullet, for example a belt conveyor, a pneumatic conveyor, or any other type of material handler suitable for use in moving cullet.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 2, as the molten glass feeder 24 distributes glass gobs to the glassware forming machine 16, some of the glass gobs may be rejected due to commercial variations. At least some of the rejected glass gobs may be transferred from the molten glass feeder 24 and/or the glassware forming machine 16 to the cullet material handler 30 by way of a waste molten glass chute 34. The waste molten glass chute 34 may include a chute or sloping channel or enclosure through which rejected mold charges can fall and be directed to the cullet material handler 30. The waste molten glass chute 34 may include material suitable for handling high temperatures and/or corrosion. In some instances, the waste molten glass chute 34 may be enclosed and/or cooled.

Additionally, and with reference to FIG. 2, as the glassware forming machine 16 forms the glassware, some of the hot glassware may be rejected due to commercial variations. A reject conveyor 36 can be configured to transport hot glassware rejects from the glassware forming machine 16 and/or a glassware conveyor 38 to the cullet material handler 30. The reject conveyor 36 can be located downstream from the glassware forming machine 16 and upstream from an annealing lehr 40. The reject conveyor 36 may include a belt conveyor, a chain

P-8 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) conveyor, and the like. In some instances, the reject conveyor 36 may be covered and/or enclosed for containing the cullet to the reject conveyor 36. Additionally, the reject conveyor 36 may include an air assist plate and/or may include high temperature plating. When glassware from the glassware forming machine 16 is rejected, the rejected glassware can be blown from the glassware conveyor 38 and to the reject conveyor 36 upstream from the annealing lehr 40.

A cullet trench 42 may be formed integrally and within the forming floor 18 and may be located proximate to the glassware forming machine 16. As used herein, the term “proximate” means between two inches and twenty feet including all ranges, sub-ranges, endpoints, and values of that range. In specific examples, the cullet material handler 30 can be partially recessed in the cullet trench 42 or can be fully recessed in the cullet trench 42. Placing the cullet material handler 30 at least partially recessed in a cullet trench 42 can improve access and safety around the glassware forming machine 16. In some instances, the cullet material handler 30 may be mounted to and disposed at or above a level of the forming floor 18.

With reference to FIG. 3, the cullet material handler 30 can include an enclosure 44 over the cullet trench 42 to establish a cullet trench conduit 46. The enclosure 44 can include a cover (e.g., stainless steel cover) that covers at least the top portion of the cullet material handler 30 and can be configured to contain glass cullet to the cullet material handler 30 and contain steam within the cullet trench conduit 46. The steam may be produced from watercoolingjackets, evaporated process water, and from other forming processes.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, steam removal ductwork 32 can be in fluid communication with the cullet trench conduit 46 to remove the steam from the cullet trench conduit 46. The steam removal ductwork 32 can include ducting (e.g., stainless steel sheet metal and the like) and/or other conduit that couples to the enclosure 44 and/or steam removal fans (not shown) for moving the steam and/or other gases from the cullet trench conduit 46 to outside the glassware manufacturing system 10. It will be appreciated that the steam removal ductwork 32 can include other materials that may be suitable for high-temperature and/or corrosive environments. Removing the steam can serve to improve system safety by improving visibility.

With reference to FIG. 2, the shear spray collection system 13 can include a shear spray collector 15 under the feeder 24 to collect shear spray water. In one embodiment, the shear

P-9 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) spray collector 15 may include a funnel, tray, or pan that may be in fluid communication with the cullet trench, for example, via the mold charge chute. In another embodiment, the shear spray collection system 13 may be independent from the cullet quench water collection equipment such that shear spray water can be processed and recycled independently of the cullet quench water.

In some implementations, and with reference to FIG. 1, an annealing lehr 40 can be disposed downstream of the glassware forming machine 16 and can be configured for annealing glassware formed by the glassware forming machine 16. The annealing lehr 40 can include a gas-fired oven where the glassware conveyor 38 transports glassware from the glassware forming machine 16 and extends longitudinally through the oven. Additionally, a pusher (not shown) can be configured to push long, transversely extending rows of glassware into the annealing lehr 40.

The glassware manufacturing system 10 can include a cold cullet return conveyor 48 configured to receive cold glassware rejects and cullet from the glassware conveyor 38 and/or a lehr reject conveyor 41 at a location downstream from the annealing lehr 40. The lehr reject conveyor 41 and/or the cold cullet return conveyor 48 may include a belt conveyor, a chain conveyor, and/or another type of conveyor suitable for conveying the cold glassware rejects and cullet to the cullet material handler 30.

The glassware manufacturing system 10 may include a cullet crusher 50 on the forming floor 18 and disposed between the cullet material handler 30 and the cold cullet return conveyor 48. The cullet crusher 50 can be configured to crush and further break rejected glassware and cullet received from the cold cullet return conveyor 48 and can direct the resulting cullet to the cullet material handler 30. The cullet crusher 50 can include, for example, a high speed rotor with wear resistant tips and a crushing chamber, which the rejected glassware can be thrown against. It is contemplated that other types of cullet crushers may be used in the glassware manufacturing system 10, for example, a cylinder/piston impact crusher, hammer mill, rotating breaker bars, rotating drum and breaker plate, or the like.

In some implementations, the glassware manufacturing system 10 may include an operator pitch chute 52 with bottle crushing equipment 54 configured to receive hot glassware rejects from the glassware forming machine 16. The operator pitch chute 52 and/or the bottle crushing equipment 54 can be disposed adjacent, or proximate, to the glassware forming machine 16.

P-10 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644)

Glassware rejected by an operator can be placed into the operator pitch chute 52 and crushed by the bottle crushing equipment 54. The bottle crushing equipment 54 may include a bottle or cullet crusher, and the resulting cullet can be recycled. Similar to the cullet crusher 50, the bottle crushing equipment 54 may include a high speed rotor and a crushing chamber for crushing the rejected glassware to form glass cullet, or any other suitable crushers.

With reference to FIG. 4, a waste glass handling sluice 56 is provided to receive molten glass gobs and/or streams at an upstream location, and cool and convey such molten glass to a downstream location, for example, in solidified form. In the illustrated embodiment, the sluice 56 is configured to be carried on an upper surface of a forming floor or in a shallow trench in the upper surface of the forming floor. Therefore, the location of the sluice 56 represents a significant departure from conventional arrangements wherein waste molten glass is conveyed down through a forming floor and into a water tank in a basement beneath the forming floor. Nonetheless, in other embodiments, the sluice 56 could be located in the basement of a conventional glass factory architectural installation. In any case, the construction and arrangement of the sluice 56 represents a significant departure from conventional waste molten glass quenching tanks, as described below.

The sluice 56 extends along a longitudinal axis, and includes a base 58 configured to be carried on or by a forming floor of an architectural installation, and a table or platform 60 carried above the base and configured to convey waste glass from an upstream location to a downstream location. The sluice 56 also includes an upstream inlet 62 to receive hot molten glass, and a downstream outlet 64 to transmit cooled, preferably solidified, glass. The sluice 56 also may include vibrators 66 operatively coupled to the platform 60 to vibrate the platform 60 for assisting with moving waste glass in a downstream direction, and vibration isolators 68 operatively coupled between the base 58 and the platform 60 to reduce transmission of vibrations outside of the sluice 56.

The base 58 may include a rectangular frame, as illustrated, and may be fastened or otherwise coupled directly to the forming floor. In other embodiments, the base 58 may include four or more pedestals; one at each comer of the sluice platform. In any embodiment, the base 58 may be adjustable to adjust an angle of declination of the platform 60. For example, the base 58 may include adjustable legs 59 between the forming floor on the one hand and

P-11 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) corners of the frame or the pedestals on the other, to raise or lower one or more comers of the sluice platform 60.

The platform 60 includes an upper wall 70 to support, distribute, and convey glass in a downstream direction, and side walls 72 extending in a direction upwardly away from the upper wall 70 to guide and retain glass along and on the upper wall 70. The platform 60 also may include a cover 73 extending between the side walls 72 and spaced above the platform 60, and also the steam removal ductwork and related equipment described above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. The upper wall 70 has a plurality of apertures 74 to allow fluid to flow therethrough from a location below the upper wall 70 to a location above the upper wall 70. The platform 60 also includes one or more fluid ducts 76a, b,c beneath the upper wall 70 of the platform 60 to communicate fluid to the plurality of apertures 74. In the illustrated embodiment, the fluid duct(s) 76a, b,c may be constituted by a space between the upper wall 70, a lower wall 78 beneath the upper wall 70, and side walls 80 and end walls 81 extending therebetween. In other embodiments, the fluid duct(s) 76a, b,c may be constituted from V- shaped lower trough connected to the upper wall, or any other configuration suitable for use with an apparatus that conveys molten glass. The plurality of fluid ducts 76a, b,c beneath the upper wall of the platform can communicate fluid to the plurality of apertures 74 according to a plurality of different parameter values. For example, an upstream fluid duct 76a may be supplied with a fluid at a first pressure and flow rate, a downstream fluid duct 76c may be supplied with a fluid at a second pressure and flow rate, and so on. Likewise, in this regard, the apertures 74 corresponding to any given fluid duct of the plurality of fluid ducts may be different in quantity and/or size to convey fluid according to different parameter values. The fluid may be a gas or a liquid, for example, air or water, but can be any fluid suitable for use in cooling and/or conveying glass.

The upstream inlet 62 includes a deflector panel 82 having an upstream end 82a and a downstream end 82b at a lower elevation than the upstream end 82a such that the deflector panel 82 is declined at an oblique angle with respect to horizontal. The deflector panel 82 may be a fluid-cooled panel including a molten glass contact wall 84 to receive molten glass and convey the molten glass downwardly toward the upper wall 70 of the platform 60. The deflector panel 82 also may include a plurality of other walls including side walls 86 and a lower wall 88 to define an internal fluid chamber between the walls, and a fluid inlet and a

P-12 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) fluid outlet to receive cooled fluid into the fluid chamber and transmit warmed fluid out of the fluid chamber. The internal fluid chamber may include a serpentine fluid passage between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The upstream inlet also may include a plurality of compressed air nozzles 90 directed toward the molten glass contact wall 84 of the deflector panel 82 to provide external cooling to the deflector panel 82. The upstream inlet 62 also includes inlet side walls 92 on opposite sides of the deflector panel 82 and an inlet front wall 94 extending between the side walls 92 and spaced downstream of the downstream end of the deflector panel 82.

The vibrators 66 may be mounted to a lower surface of the platform 60, or to any other portions of the platform 60 suitable to impart vibrations to the platform 60 to facilitate conveyance of molten glass in a downstream direction along the sluice 56. The vibrators 66 may include pneumatic vibrators, hydraulic vibrators, electric vibrators, or any other vibrator types suitable to facilitate conveyance of molten glass in a downstream direction along the sluice 56.

The vibration isolators 68 may be coupled to a lower surface of the base 58, or to any other portions of the base 58 suitable to promote confine the vibrations from the vibrators 66 to the platform 60. The vibration isolators 68 may include coil springs, leaf springs, shock absorbers, hydraulic dampeners, viscoelastic components, or any other devices suitable to promote isolation of the vibrations from the vibrators 66 to the platform 60.

With reference to FIG. 1, and although not specifically illustrated in FIG. 1, the sluice 56 of FIG. 4 may be positioned between the waste liquid trench 22 and the cullet trench 42, alongside the cullet trench 42. In another embodiment, the sluice 56 may be positioned alongside the cullet trench 42 on a side of the cullet trench 42 opposite that of the waste liquid trench 22. In a further embodiment, the sluice 56 may be positioned above and parallel to the cullet trench 42. In an additional embodiment, the sluice 56 may replace the cullet trench 42. In any embodiment, the waste molten glass chute 34 is positioned such that its downstream outlet transmits molten glass to the upstream inlet 62 of the sluice 56 and, more particularly, to the deflector 82 of the sluice 56.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a method 100 for handling glassware manufacturing waste using the glassware manufacturing system 10 and glassware manufacturing waste handling system 12 described herein. For purposes of illustration and clarity, method 100 will be

P-13 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) described in the context of the glassware manufacturing system 10 described above and generally illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4. It will be appreciated, however, that the application of the present methodology is not meant to be limited solely to such an arrangement, but rather method 100 may find application with any number of arrangements (i.e., steps of method 100 may be performed by components of the glassware manufacturing system 10 other than those described below, or arrangements of the glassware manufacturing system 10 other than that described above).

Method 100 comprises a step 110 of providing process water to the glassware forming machine 16 carried by the forming floor 18, where the process water drains from the glassware forming machine 16 to the forming floor 18. In the context of this disclosure, providing process water may include providing process water, cullet water, shear spray water, cooling water to the waste molten glass chute 34, and/or any other liquid to the glassware forming machine 16. In an example, process water can be provided to the glassware forming machine 16 by way of spray nozzles or other devices for use as shear water (e.g., to cool shears), cooling water (e.g., to cool the waste molten glass chute 34), and so forth. The process water can be provided to the glassware forming machine 16 and can then drain by gravity from the glassware forming machine 16 to the forming floor 18. In some instances, the provided process water can be recycled from water previously used in a glassware manufacturing process, and may be treated and recycled from the sump pit 28.

Method 100 comprises a step 120 of collecting the process water from the forming floor 16 using a waste liquid trench 22 and a sump pit 28 formed in the forming floor 16. After the process water drains from the glassware forming machine 16 to the forming floor 18, the water can flow to the waste liquid trench 22. In instances when the forming floor 16 has a pitch or is sloped or crowned, the pitch, slope or crown of the forming floor 16 can assist with providing and directing the process water flow. As the water flows to and is collected by the water liquid trench 22, the water liquid trench 22 can carry and direct the water to the sump pit 28, where the water can be collected and contained for treatment, further use and recycling, and/or disposal. In some instances, collecting the water can include collecting the water from other equipment in addition to the glassware forming machine 16, for example the cullet material handler 30.

P-14 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644)

Method 100 comprises a step 130 of collecting cullet from the glassware forming machine 16. In one embodiment, the method includes using the cullet material handler 30 to collect the cullet, where the cullet material handler 30 is disposed adjacent, or proximate, to the glassware forming machine 16. The cullet can be provided to the cullet material handler 30 using the waste molten glass chute 34, a reject conveyor 36, and/or other equipment used in the industry for handling cullet. In another embodiment, the method also or instead includes using the sluice 56 to collect the cullet, where the sluice 56 is disposed adjacent, or proximate, to the glassware forming machine 16. The cullet can be provided to the sluice 56 using the waste molten glass chute 34, a reject conveyor 36, and/or other equipment used in the industry for handling cullet.

Method 100 comprises a step 140 of recycling the process water from the sump pit 28 to the glassware forming machine 16. In this step, the water in the sump pit 28 can be pumped/provided to the glassware forming machine 16 using a pump (not shown) or other means. For example, the water can be pumped through plumbing to the glassware forming machine 16 including at least one spray nozzle. In some implementations, additional water can be added to the process water for compensating for process water losses, for example due to evaporation. In this way, the glassware manufacturing system 10 can be generally a closed loop with regard to providing the recycled process water.

In some instances, method 100 may comprise a step 150 of treating the process water from the sump pit 28. Process water collected by the sump pit 28 may include materials and/or debris (e.g., oil, dirt, small glass pieces, suspended solids, and the like) from the glassware forming process that may be undesirable. In these cases, the collected process water may be treated so that cleaner water may be recycled to the glassware forming machine 16. For example, the sump pit 28 may include an API oil-water separator. Treating the process water with an API oil-water separator can include separating gross amounts of oil and/or suspended solids from the collected water. Other methods for treating the process water may include filtration using a filter. It is contemplated that the water collected by the sump pit 28 may be treated using other equipment and processes.

FIG. 6 illustrates a prior art glassware manufacturing system, including an architectural installation having a forming floor and a basement beneath the forming floor. A glassware forming machine is carried on the forming floor, and an annealing lehr is carried on the forming

P-15 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) floor downstream of the forming machine. A forehearth is located above the forming machine and is coupled to a molten glass feeder configured to provide glass gobs to the glassware forming machine. A glassware manufacturing waste handling system includes a hot gob chute extending from the feeder, through the forming floor, and into a gondola in the basement, and a shear spray collection pan for dumping shear spray into the basement via the hot gob chute or otherwise. The waste handling system also includes a hot cullet return chute extending from a hot container conveyor, through the forming floor, and into a gondola in the basement, and a cold cullet return chute extending from a cold container conveyor, through the forming floor, and into another gondola in the basement. The waste handling system also includes floor drains extending from an upper surface of the forming floor to the basement for draining waste liquids onto the basement floor and into an American Petroleum Institute (API) pit for oil/water separation.

There thus has been disclosed a glassware manufacturing system, a glassware manufacturing waste handling system, and a method for containing and recycling process water and limiting cullet handling to the forming floor. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, the subject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated by reference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

The claims of as-filed US 63/085644 include the following:

1.

A glassware manufacturing system, comprising: an architectural installation having a forming floor and no basement beneath the forming floor; a glassware forming machine carried on the forming floor; a molten glass feeder configured to provide molten glass to the glassware forming machine; and a glassware manufacturing waste handling system, including: a sump pit in the forming floor;

P-16 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) a waste liquid trench substantially surrounding the glassware forming machine and flowing to the sump pit; and at least one of a cullet material handler or a molten waste glass sluice, configured to receive molten glass from the molten glass feeder and hot glassware rejects from the glassware forming machine.

2.

The system of claim 1, wherein the forming floor is sloped or crowned from the glassware forming machine to the waste liquid trench.

3.

The system of claim 1, wherein the glassware forming machine is an individual section machine.

4.

The system of claim 1, wherein the cullet material handler and/or the molten waste glass sluice is at least partially recessed in a cullet trench.

5.

The system of claim 1, wherein the cullet material handler and/or the molten waste glass sluice is mounted to the forming floor mounted and disposed at a level of the forming floor.

6.

The system of claim 1, wherein the cullet material handler includes a steel-hinged drag chain.

7.

The system of claim 1, wherein liquid waste collected by the sump pit is recycled to the system.

8.

The system of claim 4, further comprising: an enclosure over the cullet trench to establish a cullet trench conduit; and steam removal ductwork in fluid communication with the cullet trench conduit to remove steam from the cullet trench conduit.

P-17 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644)

9.

The system of claim 1, further comprising: an annealing lehr downstream of the glassware forming machine.

10.

The system of claim 9, further comprising: a cold cullet return conveyor on the forming floor configured to receive cold glassware rejects from a location downstream of the annealing lehr.

11.

The system of claim 1, further comprising: a reject conveyor configured to transport the hot glassware rejects from the glassware forming machine to the cullet material handler.

12.

The system of claim 11, wherein the reject conveyor includes an air assist plate.

13.

The system of claim 11, wherein the reject conveyor includes high temperature plating.

14.

The system of claim 1, further comprising: a cullet crusher on the forming floor.

15.

The system of claim 14, wherein the cullet crusher is disposed between the cullet material handler and a cold cullet return conveyor.

16.

The system of claim 1, further comprising: an operator pitch chute with bottle crushing equipment configured to receive hot glassware rejects from the glassware forming machine.

17.

The system of claim 1, further comprising: a waste molten glass chute configured to direct rejected mold charges from the glassware forming machine to the cullet material handler and/or the molten waste glass sluice.

P-18 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644)

18.

A glassware manufacturing waste handling system, comprising: a sump pit in a forming floor of an architectural installation, where the architectural installation has no basement beneath the forming floor; a waste liquid trench substantially surrounding a glassware forming machine carried on the forming floor, the waste liquid trench flowing to the sump pit; and at least one of a cullet material handler or a molten waste glass sluice, configured to receive molten glass from a molten glass feeder and hot glassware rejects from the glassware forming machine.

19.

The system of claim 18, wherein the forming floor is sloped from the glassware forming machine to the waste liquid trench.

20.

The system of claim 18, wherein liquid waste collected by the sump pit is recycled to a glassware manufacturing system.

21.

A method for handling glassware manufacturing waste, comprising: providing process water to a glassware forming machine carried by a forming floor, where the process water drains from the glassware forming machine to the forming floor; collecting the process water from the forming floor using a waste liquid trench and a sump pit formed in the forming floor; collecting cullet from the glassware forming machine using at least one of a cullet material handler or a molten waste glass sluice disposed adjacent to the glassware forming machine; and recycling the process water from the sump pit to the glassware forming machine.

22.

The method for handling glassware manufacturing waste set forth in claim 21, further comprising: treating the process water from the sump pit.

P-19 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644)

23.

A molten waste glass handling sluice extending along a longitudinal axis, and comprising: a base; a platform carried above the base and including an upper wall having a plurality of apertures to deliver fluid from a location below the upper wall to a location above the upper wall; side walls extending in a direction upwardly away from the upper wall; an upstream inlet to receive hot molten glass; and a downstream outlet to transmit cooled glass.

24.

The waste glass handling sluice of claim 23, wherein the base is adjustable to adjust an angle of declination of the platform.

25.

The waste glass handling sluice of claim 23, wherein the platform also includes a fluid duct beneath the upper wall of the platform to communicate fluid to the plurality of apertures.

26.

The waste glass handling sluice of claim 23, wherein the platform also includes a plurality of fluid ducts beneath the upper wall of the platform to communicate fluid to the plurality of apertures according to a plurality of different parameter values.

27.

The waste glass handling sluice of claim 23, wherein the upstream inlet includes a deflector panel having an upstream end and a downstream end at a lower elevation than the upstream end such that the deflector panel is declined at an oblique angle with respect to horizontal.

28.

The waste glass handling sluice of claim 27, wherein the deflector panel is fluid-cooled and includes a molten glass contact wall to receive molten glass and convey the molten glass downwardly toward the upper wall of the platform, and a plurality of other walls to define an internal fluid chamber between the walls, and a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet

P-20 CHAPTER P - 19577 (US 63/085644) to receive cooled fluid into the fluid chamber and transmit warmed fluid out of the fluid chamber.

29.

The waste glass handling sluice of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of compressed air nozzles directed toward the molten glass contact wall of the deflector panel to provide external cooling to the deflector panel.

30.

The waste glass handling sluice of claim 27, wherein the upstream inlet also includes inlet side walls on opposite sides of the deflector panel and an inlet front wall extending between the side walls and spaced downstream of the downstream end of the deflector panel.

31.

The waste glass handling sluice of claim 23, further comprising a cover extending between the side walls and spaced above the platform.

32.

The waste glass handling sluice of claim 23, further comprising vibrators operatively coupled to the platform to vibrate the platform.

33.

The waste glass handling sluice of claim 32, further comprising vibration isolators operatively coupled between the base and the platform.

P-21