Submerged combustion glass melting systems and methods of use
First Claim
1. A submerged combustion glass manufacturing system comprising:
- a melter comprising a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof;
one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor, roof and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products including water vapor under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material;
one or more of the floor, roof, and wall structure comprising fluid-cooled refractory material and an optional metallic external shell, the fluid-cooled refractory material comprising one or more coolant passages; and
one or more drain conduits configured to drain at least some water condensed from the water vapor from one or more regions of refractory material substantially saturated with the water away from the melter.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Submerged combustion glass manufacturing systems and methods include a melter having a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, and one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor, roof, and/or wall structure discharging combustion products including water vapor under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in the material. The floor, roof, or wall structure may include fluid-cooled refractory material and an optional metallic external shell, or the metallic shell may include coolant passages. One or more conduits drain water condensed from the water vapor from regions of refractory material substantially saturated with the water, and/or from burner supports.
310 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A submerged combustion glass manufacturing system comprising:
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a melter comprising a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof; one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor, roof and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products including water vapor under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material; one or more of the floor, roof, and wall structure comprising fluid-cooled refractory material and an optional metallic external shell, the fluid-cooled refractory material comprising one or more coolant passages; and one or more drain conduits configured to drain at least some water condensed from the water vapor from one or more regions of refractory material substantially saturated with the water away from the melter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A submerged combustion glass manufacturing system comprising:
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a melter comprising a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof; one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor, roof and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products including water vapor under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material, the burners supported by one or more substantially concentric burner holders; one or more of the floor, roof, and wall structure comprising fluid-cooled refractory material and an optional metallic external shell, the fluid-cooled refractory material comprising one or more coolant passages; and one or more drain conduits configured to drain at least some water condensed from the water vapor from the one or more substantially concentric burner holders away from the burner holder. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A submerged combustion glass manufacturing system comprising:
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a melter comprising a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof; one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor, roof and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products including water vapor under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material, the burners supported by one or more substantially concentric burner holders; one or more of the floor, roof, and wall structure comprising refractory material and a fluid-cooled external metallic shell, the fluid-cooled external metallic shell comprising one or more coolant passages; and one or more drain conduits configured to drain at least some water condensed from the water vapor from one or more regions of refractory material substantially saturated with the water away from the melter. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A submerged combustion glass manufacturing system comprising:
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a melter comprising a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof; one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor, roof and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products including water vapor under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material, the burners supported by one or more substantially concentric burner holders; one or more of the floor, roof, and wall structure comprising refractory material and a fluid-cooled external metallic shell, the fluid-cooled external metallic shell comprising one or more coolant passages; and one or more drain conduits configured to drain at least some of the water condensed from the water vapor away from at least one substantially concentric burner holder supporting one or more of the submerged combustion burners. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A submerged combustion glass manufacturing method comprising:
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melting glass-forming materials in a submerged combustion melter, the melter comprising a floor, a roof, and a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, one or more of the floor, roof, and wall structure comprising fluid-cooled refractory material and an optional metallic external shell, the fluid-cooled refractory material comprising one or more coolant passages; combusting a fuel in one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor, roof, and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners discharging combustion products including water vapor under a level of the glass-forming material being melted in the melter and creating turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material, one or more regions of the fluid-cooled refractory material becoming substantially saturated with water from condensed water vapor from combustion products; and draining at least some of the water from the melter. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A submerged combustion glass manufacturing method comprising:
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melting glass-forming materials in a submerged combustion melter, the melter comprising a floor, a roof, and a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, one or more of the floor, roof, and wall structure comprising refractory material and a fluid-cooled external metallic shell, the fluid-cooled external metallic shell comprising one or more coolant passages; combusting a fuel in one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor, roof, and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners discharging combustion products including water vapor under a level of the glass-forming material being melted in the melter and creating turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material, one or more regions of the fluid-cooled refractory material becoming substantially saturated with water from condensed water vapor from combustion products; and draining at least some of the water from the melter. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A submerged combustion glass manufacturing system comprising:
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a melter comprising a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof; one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor, roof and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products including water vapor under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material, the burners supported by one or more substantially concentric burner holders; one or more of the floor, roof, and wall structure comprising refractory material and a fluid-cooled external metallic shell, the fluid-cooled external metallic shell comprising one or more coolant passages; and a clear sight glass and drain conduit configured with at least two valves to allow monitoring of water between at least one the burners and burner holders and periodically drain at least some of the water condensed from the water vapor away from at least one substantially concentric burner holder supporting one or more of the submerged combustion burners.
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38. A submerged combustion glass manufacturing method comprising:
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melting glass-forming materials in a submerged combustion melter, the melter comprising a floor, a roof, and a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, one or more of the floor, roof, and wall structure comprising refractory material and a fluid-cooled external metallic shell, the fluid-cooled external metallic shell comprising one or more coolant passages; combusting a fuel in one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor, roof, and/or wall structure in burner holders, the submerged combustion burners discharging combustion products including water vapor under a level of the glass-forming material being melted in the melter and creating turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material, one or more regions of the fluid-cooled refractory material becoming substantially saturated with water from condensed water vapor from combustion products; monitoring water accumulation between at least one of the submerged combustion burners and its corresponding burner holder using a clear sight glass and drain conduit configured with at least two valves; and periodically draining at least some of the water condensed from the water vapor away from at least one corresponding burner holder supporting the at least one of the submerged combustion burners using the drain conduit.
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Specification