Claims
- 1. A continuous process for melting inorganic raw materials to produce molten glass in a generally cylindrical continuously rotating chamber comprising the following steps:
- a. feeding the raw materials into the chamber;
- b. providing a flame of high intensity heat produced by the combustion of fuel with a gas containing about 50 to about 100 percent by volume oxygen and directing the flame into the chamber in such a manner that the raw materials are melted; and
- c. rotating said chamber at a sufficient speed and cooling the exterior of the chamber with a liquid coolant in such a manner that the inner surface of the chamber is coated with a layer of molten glass, the layer is solidified, and a solidified layer of glass is maintained throughout the process whereby the solidified layer essentially prevents impurities from the inner surface of the chamber from entering the melt; and
- d. withdrawing molten glass.
- 2. The process defined in claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the chamber is lined with a layer of refractory and the refractory layer is coated with the layer of glass.
- 3. The process defined in claim 2 wherein the cooling is effected by directing a plurality of cooling fluid streams at the exterior of the chamber.
- 4. The process defined in claim 3 wherein the cooling fluid streams are directed in such a manner that the solidified layer of glass contains a plurality of annular ridges corresponding to the locations on the exterior of the chamber at which the streams are directed.
- 5. The process defined in claim 1 wherein the glass is a silicate glass.
- 6. The process defined in claim 2 wherein the glass is a silicate glass.
- 7. The process defined in claim 4 wherein the glass is a silicate glass.
- 8. The process defined in claim 5 wherein the cooling fluid is water.
- 9. The process defined in claim 6 wherein the cooling fluid is water.
- 10. The process defined in claim 7 wherein the cooling fluid is water.
- 11. The process defined in claim 2 wherein the refractory layer has a maximum thickness determined according to the following equation: ##EQU2## wherein: X = the maximum thickness in feet
- K = the average thermal conductivity of the refractory layer between T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 in BTU per square foot of refractory area per .degree. F per hour per foot of refractory thickness
- T.sub.1 = the flow point temperature of the glass in .degree. F
- T.sub.2 = the average temperature of the external surface of the chamber in .degree. F
- C = the average rate of removal of the heat from the external surface of the chamber in BTU per hour per square foot of surface
- 12. The process defined in claim 9 wherein the refractory layer has a maximum thickness determined according to the following equation: ##EQU3## wherein: X = the maximum thickness in feet
- K = the average thermal conductivity of the refractory layer between T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 in BTU per square foot of refractory area per .degree. F per hour per foot of refractory thickness
- T.sub.1 = the flow point temperature of the glass in .degree. F
- T.sub.2 = the average temperature of the external surface of the chamber in .degree. F
- C = the average rate of removal of the heat from the external surface of the chamber in BTU per hour per square foot of surface.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 701,677, filed July 1, 1976 now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 519,188, filed on Oct. 30, 1974 now abandoned, which is incorporated by reference herein.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
519188 |
Oct 1974 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
701677 |
Jul 1976 |
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