Submerged Combustion Glass Melter Batch Densification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Submerged combustion melters face significant challenges with batch loss during the glass melting process, leading to off-specification and inconsistent molten glass due to the entrainment of batch material before it fully melts, which is not effectively addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A process and system that densify the glass batch by removing interstitial gas and capturing fugitive particulate solids to form a densified composition, which is then fed into a turbulent melting zone using submerged combustion burners, reducing the likelihood of batch loss through increased density and compaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If submerged combustion burners are used to melt glass batch, then heating efficiency is improved through intimate contact with combustion gases, but batch loss increases due to entrainment of batch material before it melts
Solution Approach 1:
The batch material is pre-densified by removing interstitial gas before being fed into the melter. This preliminary compaction action reduces the volume and increases the density of the batch, making it less susceptible to entrainment by combustion gases during the melting process, thus resolving the contradiction between efficient heating and batch loss
2Productivity
If batch is fed into turbulent melting zone, then melting rate is increased, but batch loss increases due to violent turbulence and splashing
Solution Approach 1:
By pre-densifying the batch material before it enters the turbulent melting zone, the batch is more resistant to being carried away by the violent turbulence and splashing that occur during high-rate melting, thus maintaining both high productivity and reduced batch loss
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the batch is changed from a loose, aerated condition to a densified, compacted state before melting. This parameter change in density and compaction reduces the batch's susceptibility to entrainment during turbulent melting, allowing high melting rates without excessive batch loss
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed solution significantly reduces batch loss, ensuring consistent glass chemistry and improving the efficiency of the glass melting process by maintaining the densified composition within the melter, thereby enhancing the quality and consistency of the molten glass produced.
Implementation Method 1
passing the initial composition from an initial environment having a first pressure through a second environment having a second pressure higher than the first pressure to form a composition being densified
Implementation Method 2
converting the densified composition into turbulent molten material using at least one submerged combustion burner in the turbulent melting zone
Implementation Method 3
The materials are heated at a high efficiency via the intimate contact with the combustion gases. Using submerged combustion burners produces violent turbulence of the molten material or partially molten material
Data Source
AI summary
Processes and systems for producing molten glass using submerged combustion melters, including densifying an initial composition comprising vitrifiable particulate solids and interstitial gas to form a densified composition comprising the solids by removing a portion of the interstitial gas from the composition. The initial composition is passed from an initial environment having a first pressure through a second environment having a second pressure higher than the first pressure to form a composition being densified. Any fugitive particulate solids escaping from the composition being densified are captured and recombined with the composition being densified to form the densified composition. The densified composition is fed into a feed inlet of a turbulent melting zone of a melter vessel and converted into turbulent molten material using at least one submerged combustion burner in the turbulent melting zone.