Methods and apparatus for producing fibers from igneous rock, including basalt include heating igneous rock by electrical conductive coils to achieve an homogenous melt and forming homogenous fibers from the melt.

An apparatus for manufacturing glass includes a furnace. A doghouse of the furnace receives and melts solid-glass forming material using one or more submerged combustion burners. An elongated tank positioned downstream of the doghouse includes a melting chamber, a refining chamber, and a thermal conditioning. The melting chamber has in inlet through which molten glass is received from the doghouse. The refining chamber is positioned downstream of the melting chamber and receives molten glass from the melting chamber. The thermal conditioning chamber is positioned downstream of the refining chamber and receives molten glass from the refining chamber. Additionally, the thermal conditioning chamber delivers molten glass to a glass forming machine.

An apparatus for manufacturing glass includes a furnace. A doghouse of the furnace receives and melts solid-glass forming material using one or more submerged combustion burners. An elongated tank positioned downstream of the doghouse includes a melting chamber, a refining chamber, and a thermal conditioning. The melting chamber has in inlet through which molten glass is received from the doghouse. The refining chamber is positioned downstream of the melting chamber and receives molten glass from the melting chamber. The thermal conditioning chamber is positioned downstream of the refining chamber and receives molten glass from the refining chamber. Additionally, the thermal conditioning chamber delivers molten glass to a glass forming machine.

Methods and apparatus for producing fibers from igneous rock, including basalt include heating igneous rock by electrical conductive coils to achieve an homogenous melt and forming homogenous fibers from the melt.

A furnace system includes a mixing chamber that receives separate streams of raw material and cullet mix and discharges a combined stream. The mixing chamber tapers from an inlet end to an outlet end. One inlet in the inlet end is configured to receive one of the material and mix and is aligned with an outlet in the outlet end along a vertical axis. Another inlet is configured to receive the other of the material and mix and is offset from the outlet relative to the vertical axis such the material or mix is deposited on a sidewall of the tapered chamber before reaching the outlet. A charger receives the combined stream from the mixing chamber and discharges the mixture into a molten bath in a furnace. A duct system may be used to mix exhaust from the furnace with exhaust from the mixing chamber and charger.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure can include at least one of a method, apparatus and system for the efficient melting of a feedstock to at least one of a molten and vitrified state to be used in a manufacturing system comprised of: a melter to which the feedstock is provided; and a heat recovery system configured to capture exhaust waste heat produced by the melter, wherein the heat recovery system transfers an energy recovered from the exhaust waste heat to pre-heat the feedstock provided to the melter.

A process and apparatus for manufacturing glass. A mixture of solid glass-forming materials comprising at least one fining agent are introduced into a doghouse located upstream of an elongated tank. The glass-forming materials are melted in the doghouse at a temperature at or above a fining-onset temperature of the at least one fining agent by application of heat from one or more submerged combustion burners. The resulting molten glass is relatively foamy and may comprise greater than 25 vol. % gas bubbles. The molten glass is directed from the doghouse into an upstream end of the tank where it is refined to produce molten glass having on average less than 20 seeds per ounce.

A process and apparatus for manufacturing glass. A mixture of solid glass-forming materials comprising at least one fining agent are introduced into a doghouse located upstream of an elongated tank. The glass-forming materials are melted in the doghouse at a temperature at or above a fining-onset temperature of the at least one fining agent by application of heat from one or more submerged combustion burners. The resulting molten glass is relatively foamy and may comprise greater than 25 vol. % gas bubbles. The molten glass is directed from the doghouse into an upstream end of the tank where it is refined to produce molten glass having on average less than 20 seeds per ounce.

A system for preheating batch materials in a glass melting furnace includes: a preheater configured to receive unheated batch materials and to deliver heated batch materials, the preheater including an outlet configured to exhaust fluid from the preheater and an inlet configured to receive exhaust fluid from the glass melting furnace and exhaust fluid recirculated from the outlet of the preheater; a fan configured to provide ambient air to a furnace flue; a valve configured to control an amount of the ambient air to the furnace flue; a temperature sensor configured to sense temperature of exhaust gases in the furnace flue; and a temperature controller configured to control the valve and the fan responsive to the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.

A feedstock charger includes a charger conduit and a feedstock conveyor rotatably and translatably carried in the charger conduit. According to a method of using the feedstock charger, feedstock is supplied to the feedstock conveyor of the feedstock charger, feedstock is allowed to fall through the charger conduit and out of an outlet of the charger conduit, and the feedstock conveyor is rotated and linearly advanced in the charger conduit. Also, a disclosed system includes the feedstock charger is coupled to a submerged combustion melter wherein the charger conduit extends into the melter through a feedstock inlet of the melter.