Modular Glass Manufacturing System with Submerged Combustion Melter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional glass manufacturing systems are inefficient and costly due to large footprints, long downtime for furnace reconstruction, and frequent color changes, which result in significant energy waste and reduced production flexibility.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a submerged combustion melting (SCM) furnace with modular design and prefabricated components allows for rapid expansion and relocation, reducing the need for extensive infrastructure and enabling more frequent color changes, along with a compact feedstock and cold-end subsystems that eliminate the requirement for large batch houses and warehouses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional glass manufacturing systems use traditional furnaces and batch houses, then glass production can be maintained, but the system occupies a large volumetric envelope and requires extensive infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing system is divided into separate modular subsystems (feedstock subsystem, hot-end subsystem, cold-end subsystem) that can be independently configured and positioned. This segmentation allows each subsystem to be optimized for minimal space while maintaining full functionality, eliminating the need for extensive interconnected infrastructure required by conventional integrated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from conventional horizontal/vertical spatial arrangements to a configuration where subsystems are positioned at different elevation levels (raised platforms, basement levels). This dimensional reorganization reduces the horizontal footprint and volumetric envelope while maintaining all necessary process flows and access points.
2Productivity
If conventional furnaces are used for glass melting, then production can continue, but the furnaces require long downtime for reconstruction and relining
Solution Approach 1:
The hot-end subsystem is designed as a modular, replaceable unit that can be quickly removed and replaced rather than rebuilt in place. This approach trades the high cost and long time of conventional furnace relining for the lower cost and shorter time of swapping pre-fabricated modular subsystems, significantly reducing production downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates movable and reconfigurable components within the hot-end subsystem that allow for rapid adjustment and replacement. This dynamic design enables quick adaptation to production needs and facilitates fast subsystem replacement, eliminating the static, fixed nature of conventional furnaces that require lengthy reconstruction periods.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional batch houses are used for feedstock storage, then adequate storage capacity is provided, but the batch houses are several stories tall and occupy large space
Solution Approach 1:
The feedstock subsystem uses nested or stacked storage configurations where storage containers are arranged vertically on raised platforms or horizontally in compact arrays. This nesting approach maximizes storage capacity within a minimized volumetric envelope, eliminating the need for tall, multi-story batch houses while maintaining adequate feedstock supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes three-dimensional space optimization by positioning feedstock storage at different elevation levels (ground level, raised platforms, basement) rather than requiring all storage in a single vertical structure. This dimensional distribution reduces the peak height and overall volume of the feedstock subsystem while maintaining total storage capacity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If conventional glass manufacturing systems are used, then glass production is maintained, but the systems lack flexibility for frequent color changes and rapid reconfiguration
Solution Approach 1:
The separation into independent modular subsystems allows each unit to be optimized for specific functions and quickly reconfigured or replaced based on production requirements. This segmentation enables rapid color changes by simply adjusting feedstock composition in the feedstock subsystem or replacing the entire hot-end subsystem, without affecting other parts of the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular subsystems are designed with universal interfaces and standardized configurations that allow the same basic subsystem design to serve multiple production scenarios and glass types. This universality enables rapid reconfiguration for different color productions and product types without requiring complex custom modifications, enhancing adaptability while maintaining manageable system complexity.
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
This approach results in a significantly smaller, more flexible, and cost-effective glass manufacturing system capable of producing high-quality glass with reduced energy consumption and increased production flexibility, enabling frequent color changes and rapid system reconfiguration.
Implementation Method 1
submerged combustion burners extending through a floor of the tank to melt the feedstock into molten glass
Implementation Method 2
streaming the molten glass by gravity into a finer
Data Source
AI summary
According to an aspect of the disclosure, a glass manufacturing system includes a hot-end subsystem, including: a submerged combustion melter that melts feedstock to produce molten glass; a stiller that receives the molten glass from the submerged combustion melter and that includes a stilling tank to still the molten glass and that is configured to control outflow of the stilled molten glass to effectively decouple viscosity of the molten glass from the flow rate of the molten glass and thereby control finer molten glass levels; and a finer that is mechanically decoupled from the stiller, and that receives and fines the stilled molten glass to produce fined molten glass. Many other aspects of the system are also disclosed and claimed.