TH10490A - How to improve efficiency by utilizing flue gas in a glass melting furnace? - Google Patents

Abstract

The raw material is fed into the inlet of the molten section, where it is heated by electrodes in a glass bath. The molten material is then purified under a fossil fuel burner in a purification section, where the maximum temperature of the furnace is maintained, and homogenized in a homogeneity section, from which the purified molten material is drawn. Flue gas from the purification section sweeps across the surface of the molten section against the raw material and is then used to heat the combustion air. The burners in the purification section operate under airless conditions to reduce nitrogen oxides, while the burners in the molten section operate with excess air to ensure complete combustion. (Chemical formula)

Claims (16)

1. The method for melting glass in a glass melting furnace consists of: a. Feeding raw materials to the inlet end of the melting section of the furnace. b. Purifying the molten raw materials in the purification section connected to the melting section. c. Homogeneizing the purified molten raw materials in the homogeneity section connected to the purification section. d. Removing the homogeneous material from the homogeneity section. e. Adding energy through burners under the inlet end. f. Adding the majority of the melting energy by burners placed above the melting section in the purification section. The burners generate flue gas. g. Absorbing the radiation of the flame from the purification section at its boundary by the melting section and above the melting section. h. Dividing the area above the melting section into zones with different temperatures, where the highest temperature is in the purification section. i. Preheating the combustion air by heat exchange with the flue gas. j. Feeding the preheated combustion air to... The burner involves: (ก.) Causing the flue gas to flow across the molten section, against the direction of the raw materials; and (ฐ.) Venting the flue gas out of the furnace near the inlet end. 2. Method of claim 1 where the molten portion in the melt is swept to its surface by the flow of the molten portion against the direction of the raw material. 3. The method of claim 2, where a portion of the molten portion that flows in opposition to the raw material will come from the purification portion. 4. The methodology of Claim 1 also involves operating the burner above the molten section in the purification phase under airless conditions to reduce nitrogen oxide formation, and operating the burner provided in Zone 1 where the exhaust gases continue to flow (Zone II) with excess air to achieve complete combustion. Zone II is located at a lower temperature than Zone I and is situated above the molten section. 5. The method of claim 4, where the temperature in Zone II is defined as approximately 150 degrees Celsius lower than the temperature of Zone I. 6. The method of claim 1 where the raw material consists of a large quantity of glass fragments. 7. The method of claim 6 in which the flue gas, after exiting the heat exchanger, flows through the glass fragments and is cooled, settling at a temperature above the dew point of the fluid components contained within. 8. The method of claim 7 in which the glass fragments are guided so that the inner plate is tilted downward and inward, through which hot flue gas flows through the area between the plates. 9. The method of claim 1 in which the purified molten material is homogenized in a homogenization zone deeper than the interconnected purification zone. 10. The glass melting furnace for producing molten glass baths consists of a melting section with an inlet end and a lower inclined section that slopes downwards towards the inlet end; a pathway for feeding raw materials to the inlet end; electrolytes in the melting section for supplying electrical power to the bath at the inlet end; a purification section with a bath depth less than the melting section and connected to the melting section opposite the inlet end; a homogenization section connected to the purification section opposite the melting section; a burner is located in the purification section for producing flue gas; a cover pathway above the furnace; a thermal radiation shield between the purification section and the melting section; this thermal radiation shield extends from the cover pathway above the bath surface; a pathway for removing flue gas at the inlet end; and a heat exchanger pathway for heating the air used for combustion with flue gas. 11. The furnace of claim 10, where the homogeneous part is deeper than the connected purifying part. 12. The glass melting furnace of claim 10, which is tilted along the length of the melting section, is fixed and the lower part of the purification section is arranged level. 13. The glass melting furnace of claim 10 shall have at least one additional heat shield extending from the cover pathway to the surface of the bath in the melting section. 14. The glass melting furnace of claim 10, where the heat exchanger pathway is a retainer divided into high-temperature and low-temperature sections. 15. The glass melting furnace of claim 10 also includes a mechanism for injecting air bubbles into the purification bath. 16. The glass melting furnace of claim 7 also includes a frit pilot tube for preheating the glass fragments. This pilot tube is positioned so that the plates in the glass fragments are tilted downward and inward, with an opening between them for the entry of the hot combustion air (Clause 16, page 4, illustration 9).