Systems and methods for making foamed glass using submerged combustion
First Claim
1. A submerged combustion system comprising:
- a submerged combustion melter comprising a floor having a floor plan, a roof, a sidewall connecting the floor and roof, the floor, roof, and sidewall defining a single turbulent submerged combustion melting zone devoid of a fining zone, and one or more submerged combustion burners positioned uniformly in the melting zone, and an outlet, the melter configured to produce an initial foamy molten glass having a density and comprising bubbles filled primarily with combustion product gases,the melter outlet configured to deliver the initial foamy molten glass directly onto a conveyor without refining, the conveyor configured to move the initial foamy molten glass to a processing apparatus, the conveyor forming a continuous ribbon of molten foamed glass having varying thickness and varying width as the ribbon passes over the conveyor.
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Abstract
Submerged combustion systems and methods of use to produce foamed glass. One system includes a submerged combustion melter having an outlet, the melter configured to produce an initial foamy molten glass having a density and comprising bubbles filled primarily with combustion product gases. The initial foamy molten glass is deposited directly onto or into a transport apparatus that transports the initial foamy molten glass to a downstream processing apparatus. An intermediate stage may be included between the melter and the transport apparatus. One intermediate stage is a channel that includes gas injectors. Another intermediate stage is a channel that produces an upper flow of a less dense glass and a relatively more dense glass lower flow. The upper flow may be processed into foamed glass products, while the more dense flow may be processed into dense glass products.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A submerged combustion system comprising:
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a submerged combustion melter comprising a floor having a floor plan, a roof, a sidewall connecting the floor and roof, the floor, roof, and sidewall defining a single turbulent submerged combustion melting zone devoid of a fining zone, and one or more submerged combustion burners positioned uniformly in the melting zone, and an outlet, the melter configured to produce an initial foamy molten glass having a density and comprising bubbles filled primarily with combustion product gases, the melter outlet configured to deliver the initial foamy molten glass directly onto a conveyor without refining, the conveyor configured to move the initial foamy molten glass to a processing apparatus, the conveyor forming a continuous ribbon of molten foamed glass having varying thickness and varying width as the ribbon passes over the conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A submerged combustion system comprising:
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a submerged combustion melter comprising a floor having a floor plan, a roof, a sidewall connecting the floor and roof, the floor, roof, and sidewall defining a single turbulent submerged combustion melting zone devoid of a fining zone, and one or more submerged combustion burners positioned uniformly in the melting zone, and an outlet, the melter configured to produce an initial foamy molten glass having a density and comprising bubbles filled primarily with combustion product gases, the melter outlet configured to deliver the initial foamy molten glass onto a conveyor without refining, the conveyor configured to move the initial foamy molten glass to a processing apparatus, the system comprising a stage intermediate the melter outlet and the conveyor, the intermediate stage configured to i) receive the initial foamy molten glass directly from the melter outlet; and
ii) allow the initial foamy molten glass to traverse through the intermediate stage and change, while traversing through the intermediate stage, into an initial product composition that comprises less uniformly distributed bubbles than the initial foamy molten glass. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A foamed glass product manufacturing system comprising:
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a submerged combustion melter comprising a floor having a floor plan, a roof, a sidewall connecting the floor and roof, the floor, roof, and sidewall defining a single turbulent submerged combustion melting zone devoid of a fining zone, and one or more submerged combustion burners positioned uniformly in the melting zone, and an outlet, the melter configured to produce an initial foamy molten glass having a density and comprising bubbles filled primarily with combustion product gases, the melter outlet configured to deliver the initial foamy molten glass directly onto a conveyor without refining, the conveyor configured to move the initial foamy molten glass to a processing apparatus, the conveyor configured to accept the initial foamy molten glass on it to form a continuous ribbon of molten foamed glass having varying thickness and varying width, and move the molten foamed glass into position for subsequent shaping into foamed glass products. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A foamed glass manufacturing system comprising:
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a submerged combustion melter comprising a floor having a floor plan, a roof, a sidewall connecting the floor and roof, the floor, roof, and sidewall defining a single turbulent submerged combustion melting zone devoid of a fining zone, and one or more submerged combustion burners positioned uniformly in the melting zone, and an outlet, the melter configured to produce an initial foamy molten glass without refining having a density and comprising bubbles filled primarily with combustion product gases, a refractory or refractory-lined channel configured to receive the initial foamy molten glass from the melter outlet and allow the initial foamy molten glass to traverse through it to a conveyor, the channel comprising one or more gas injectors for injecting a gas into the initial foamy molten glass to form a foamy glass comprising generally decreasing density as measured from the melter outlet to an inlet of the conveyor, and the conveyor configured to accept the foamy molten glass of generally decreasing density on it to form a continuous ribbon of molten foamed glass having varying thickness and varying width and move it to a processing apparatus, optionally through a lehr upstream of the processing equipment.
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Specification