Analysis of the working of a high-productivity flat-glass furnace using a physical modeling method

The mass exchange of molten glass in a high-productivity flat glass melting furnace was studied. The design and regime parameters at which an increase in productivity from 600 to 800 ton/day, and even to 1000 ton/day, would be possible without degrading the conditions under which the melting homogenisation and fining of the glass takes place were determined using a physical model. The variable parameters were the furnace productivity (600, 800 and 1000 ton/day) and the temperature of the glass in the bottom layers of the melting tank (1250, 1325, and 1400 C). Analysis of the results showed that a higher productivity leads to a weakening of the convective component of the currents. It was shown that an increase in the melt temperature in the bottom layers of the tank, through the use of thermal insulation at the bottom, is a powerful way of intensifying the homogenisation and fining of the glass. The furnace productivity can be raised from 600 to 800-1000 ton/day, but this degrades the glass fining conditions; in order to intensify the homogenisation and fining process, it is necessary to increase the melt temperature in the bottom layers to 1370 C, possibly by increasing the thermal resistance of the heat insulation at the bottom of the tank. 4 refs.