Glass batch wetting system

• US 3,897,235 A
• Filed: 05/02/1974
• Issued: 07/29/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Diamond Thatcher Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bob G. Wilson
• Inventors: Wilson, Bob G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kellogg, Arthur D.
• Application Number:
  US05/466,334
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 65/27,335,160,161
• US Class Current: 65/335
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/565 by introducing liquids in solid material, e.g. to obtain slurries
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/621 the liquid being fed through the shaft of the stirrer
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/20 Measuring; Control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/21 Measuring
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2112 Level of material in a container or the position or shape of the upper surface of the material
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7179 using sprayers, nozzles or jets
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/75445 using pushers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/80 Forming a predetermined ratio of the substances to be mixed controlling ratio of two or more flows of fluid or fluent material G05D11/02
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 3/00 Charging the melting furnaces

Abstract

A glass batch wetting system for controlling dust pollution in the atmosphere. Glass batch is uniformly wetted immediately prior to its introduction into a glass melting furnace by a hollow fluid dispensing rotating shaft. The shaft is positioned directly within the flow of batch as it moves from a charge hopper to the furnace opening. The rotation of the shaft and amount of fluid addition are varied with the mass flow rate of glass batch into the furnace.

Claims

1. IN A SYSTEM FOR WETTING PARTICULATE MATERIALS BEING CHARGED TO A GLASS MELTING FURNACE COMPRISING:

A HOUSING FRAME, GUIDE MEANS WITHIN SAID HOUSING FRAME FOR DIRECTING PARTICULATE MATERIALS TO AN OPENING IN SAID GLASS FURNACE, SAID GUIDE MEANS INCLUDING A CHUTE HAVING AN OUTLET OPENING, TRANSPORT MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PARTICULATE MATERIALS ALONG AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID GUIDE MEANS FROM SAID CHUTE OUTLET OPENING INTO THE FURNACE OPENING. FLUID EMITTER MEANS COMPRISING A ROTATABLE HOLLOW SHAFT LOCATED WITHIN SAID GUIDE MEANS PROXIMATE SAID CHUTE OUTLET OPENING TO DIRECTLY CONTACT SAID PARTICULATE MATERIALS, SAID SHAFT INCLUDING A MULTIPLICITY OF FLUID OUTLET ORIFICES LOCATED ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF,

2. The system of claim 1 including a fluid control assembly operatively connected to said fluid conductor means and said drive means and including circuit means to activate said drive means in response to the level of molten glass in said furnace.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said fluid control assembly includes a control valve located in said fluid conductor means, a flow meter means positioned in said conductor means downstream from said control valve, and at least one solenoid valve positioned in said conductor means downstream from said flow meter means, said solenoid valve being adapted to open fluid flow when said circuit means activates said drive means to close fluid flow when said circuit means deactivates said drive means.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said shaft includes a series of hollow protuberances and said orifices are located on the side of said protuberances facing a direction opposite to the rotation of said shaft.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein said flow control assembly includes means for introducing a gaseous purging medium into said fluid conductor means.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said transport means includes a counterbalanced rotatable pusher assembly pivotably mounted on said housing frame and having a face plate located proximate said guide means and adapted to engage said particulate matter when said assembly is in a forward position, an eccentric shaft with one end journaled to a portion of said pusher assembly offset from where said assembly is mounted on said housing frame and another end in engagement with a drive shaft eccentric means.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein said protuberances are longitudinally offset from each other and project from about three quadrants of said emitter shaft.