Submerged combustion glass manufacturing system and method
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, an exhaust passage through the roof, and at least one baffle plate extending from the roof and configured to extend at least partially between the exhaust passage and material being melted in the melter;
one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material; and
an exhaust structure fluidly connecting only the exhaust passage with an exhaust stack, the exhaust structure comprising a barrier preventing exhaust material from contacting the atmosphere, the barrier defining an exhaust chamber having an interior surface, the exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the melter, the barrier configured to maintain temperature and pressure in the exhaust structure at values sufficient to substantially prevent condensation of exhaust material on the interior surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Submerged combustion glass manufacturing systems include a melter having a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, and an exhaust passage through the roof. One or more submerged combustion burners are mounted in the floor and/or wall structure discharging combustion products under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in the material. The melter exhausts through an exhaust structure connecting the exhaust passage with an exhaust stack. The exhaust structure includes a barrier defining an exhaust chamber having an interior surface, the exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the melter. The barrier maintains temperature and pressure in the exhaust structure at values sufficient to substantially prevent condensation of exhaust material on the interior surface.
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Citations
25 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, an exhaust passage through the roof, and at least one baffle plate extending from the roof and configured to extend at least partially between the exhaust passage and material being melted in the melter; one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material; and an exhaust structure fluidly connecting only the exhaust passage with an exhaust stack, the exhaust structure comprising a barrier preventing exhaust material from contacting the atmosphere, the barrier defining an exhaust chamber having an interior surface, the exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the melter, the barrier configured to maintain temperature and pressure in the exhaust structure at values sufficient to substantially prevent condensation of exhaust material on the interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. 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, a feed inlet in a feed end, a molten glass outlet in an exit end, an exhaust passage through the roof positioned substantially centrally between the feed and exit ends, and at least one baffle plate extending from the roof and configured to extend at least partially between the exhaust passage and material being melted in the melter; one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material; and an exhaust structure fluidly connecting only the exhaust passage with an exhaust stack, the exhaust structure comprising; a barrier preventing exhaust material from contacting the atmosphere, the barrier defining an exhaust chamber having an interior surface, the exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the melter, the barrier configured to maintain temperature and pressure in the exhaust structure at values sufficient to substantially prevent condensation of exhaust material on the interior surface; a liquid-cooled transition structure fluidly connecting the exhaust passage and the exhaust structure; and an air inspirator fluidly connecting the barrier and the exhaust stack. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. 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, an exhaust passage through the roof, and at least one baffle plate extending from the roof and configured to extend at least partially between the exhaust passage and material being melted in the melter; combusting a fuel in one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners discharging combustion products under a level of the glass-forming material being melted in the melter and creating turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material; and exhausting exhaust material from the melter through an exhaust structure fluidly connecting only the exhaust passage with an exhaust stack, the exhaust structure comprising a barrier preventing the exhaust material from contacting the atmosphere, the barrier defining an exhaust chamber having an interior surface, the barrier configured to maintain temperature and pressure in the exhaust structure at values sufficient to substantially prevent the exhaust material from condensing on the interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A submerged combustion method of manufacturing glass 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, an exhaust passage through the roof, and at least one baffle plate extending from the roof and configured to extend at least partially between the exhaust passage and material being melted in the melter; combusting a fuel in one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners discharging combustion products under a level of the glass-forming material being melted in the melter and creating turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material; and exhausting exhaust material from the melter through an exhaust structure fluidly connecting only the exhaust passage with an exhaust stack, wherein the exhaust passage is substantially centrally located between a feed end and an exit end of the melter, and the exhausting of the exhaust material through the exhaust structure comprises exhausting the exhaust material substantially centrally between the feed end and the exit end of the melter, wherein the exhaust structure comprises; a barrier preventing the exhaust material from contacting the atmosphere, the barrier defining an exhaust chamber having an interior surface, the barrier configured to maintain temperature and pressure in the exhaust structure at values sufficient to substantially prevent the exhaust material from condensing on the interior surface; a liquid-cooled transition structure fluidly connecting the exhaust passage and the exhaust structure; and an air inspirator fluidly connecting the barrier and the exhaust stack.
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25. 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, at least one exhaust passage through the roof, and at least one baffle plate extending from the roof and configured to extend at least partially between the exhaust passage and material being melted in the melter; one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor and/or wall structure, the submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material; and at least one exhaust structure fluidly connecting only the at least one exhaust passage with at least one exhaust stack, each of the at least one exhaust structures comprising a respective barrier preventing exhaust material from contacting the atmosphere, each of the barriers defining respective exhaust chambers each having a respective interior surface, each of the exhaust chambers having cross-sectional area greater than that of any of the exhaust stacks to which it is attached but less than the melter, each of the barriers configured to maintain temperature and pressure in the exhaust structures at values sufficient to substantially prevent condensation of exhaust material on the interior surface.
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Specification