A system for preheating batch materials in a glass melting furnace includes a preheater having an outlet through which fluid is exhausted and an inlet that receives fluids exhausted from the furnace and recirculated from the preheater outlet. In one embodiment, a cyclonic separator has an inlet in communication with the preheater outlet and an outlet in fluid communication with a fan. A controller controls the speed of the fan responsive to a drop in pressure between the separator inlet and outlet and a temperature at the separator outlet. In other embodiments, controllers control valves that (i) control the amount of fluids exhausted from the preheater that are delivered to a flue and recirculated to the preheater or (ii) control the amount of fluids diverted to charger for the furnace, in response to temperatures in a duct coupled to the preheater inlet.

The present invention discloses a feeding system that comprises a plurality of material tanks having air outlets, a plurality of blowers, a dust remover having an air inlet, and a connecting pipe. Air inlets of the plurality of blowers are in communication with the air outlets of the material tanks in one-to-one correspondence. The first end of the connecting pipe is in communication with the air inlet of the dust remover, and the second end of the connecting pipe is movable between being connected with the air outlet of a first one of the plurality of blowers and being connected with the air outlet of a second one of the plurality of blowers. The disclosed feeding system has a simple structure and zero dust leakage. Also disclosed is a glass production apparatus that comprises the disclosed feeding system.

The present invention discloses a feeding system that comprises a plurality of material tanks having air outlets, a plurality of blowers, a dust remover having an air inlet, and a connecting pipe. Air inlets of the plurality of blowers are in communication with the air outlets of the material tanks in one-to-one correspondence. The first end of the connecting pipe is in communication with the air inlet of the dust remover, and the second end of the connecting pipe is movable between being connected with the air outlet of a first one of the plurality of blowers and being connected with the air outlet of a second one of the plurality of blowers. The disclosed feeding system has a simple structure and zero dust leakage. Also disclosed is a glass production apparatus that comprises the disclosed feeding system.

Continuous flow submerged combustion melter cooling wall panels, including a primary metal plate, and several 90 degree metal pieces welded to the primary metal plate in parallel configuration, each of the 90 degree metal pieces having metal leg plates forming a 90 degree vertex there between. Each metal leg plate has an edge distal to the vertex, the distal edge of the first metal leg plate welded to the first major surface of the primary metal plate, the distal edge of the second metal leg plate welded to the vertex of an adjacent 90 degree metal piece. The plurality of 90 degree metal pieces may have a length (l) such that l<L, each welded to the primary metal plate in staggered configuration to form, along with first and second end plates and a seal plate, a serpentine continuous flow coolant channel.

A hybrid insulation product, and a related system and method of producing the hybrid insulation product in a cost-effective manner are disclosed. The insulation product has superior insulating and flame-retarding properties when compared to fiberglass insulation. The product can be used in blown-in applications, batts production, and board production.

To provide granules for the production of silicate glass, said granules being less likely to adhere even if heated at a high temperature exceeding 800 C. A method for producing granules, which has a step of mixing a glass raw material composition composed essentially of an alkali metal source, an alkaline earth metal source and a powdery silicon source, with water, followed by compression molding, and which is characterized in that the glass raw material composition contains at least 50 mass % of the silicon source, and at least 10 mass % in total of the alkali metal source and the alkaline earth metal source, as calculated as oxides, based on 100 mass % of the silicate glass obtainable from the granules, the alkali metal source contains an alkali metal carbonate, and D90 representing the particle size at a cumulative volume of 90% in the particle size accumulation curve of the alkaline earth metal source is at most 100 m.

A feed assembly having a hollow tubular body and a batch charger disposed within the hollow tubular body is disclosed. The hollow tubular body extends along a central axis from a first end to a second end and, further, comprises a port that tapers from a first port end to a second port end at the second end of the tubular body. The batch charger includes a first charger end proximate the first end of the tubular body and a second charger end proximate the second end of the tubular body. The second charger end is spaced away from the second end of the tubular body to provide a port space within the port. An apparatus that includes a melting chamber and a feed assembly is also disclosed along with a method of feeding batch materials into a melting chamber.

A feed assembly having a hollow tubular body and a batch charger disposed within the hollow tubular body is disclosed. The hollow tubular body extends along a central axis from a first end to a second end and, further, comprises a port that tapers from a first port end to a second port end at the second end of the tubular body. The batch charger includes a first charger end proximate the first end of the tubular body and a second charger end proximate the second end of the tubular body. The second charger end is spaced away from the second end of the tubular body to provide a port space within the port. An apparatus that includes a melting chamber and a feed assembly is also disclosed along with a method of feeding batch materials into a melting chamber.

A method and an apparatus for making a mineral melt having a cyclone furnace and a separating cyclone, said apparatus further having a device for supplying pre-heated particulate mineral material from a bottom of the separating cyclone to an inlet of the cyclone furnace. A material receiving conduit adapted for receiving the pre-heated particulate mineral material from the bottom outlet of the separating cyclone, in which the material receiving conduit has a first pressure. An outlet conduit supplying the particulate mineral material to the inlet of the cyclone furnace having a second pressure, wherein said second pressure is higher than said first pressure, and the particulate mineral material is fluidised and flows from the material receiving conduit to the outlet conduit. A gas-lock valve is provided between said material receiving conduit and said outlet conduit.

Systems and methods for controlling the flow of vitrified material. In at least some embodiments, a vitrified material control system comprises a melt chamber (8) configured to contain a molten material (27) during operation of the control system; a siphon valve (11) configured to facilitate a flow of the molten material from the melt chamber; and a vacuum-generation system (26, 15, 16) configured to controllably deliver a vacuum to the molten material in the melt chamber and to thereby regulate a flow of the molten material from the melt chamber. In other embodiments, methods of controlling a flow of molten vitrified material from a heating device are disclosed. The methods may include, for example, applying a vacuum to the molten material to control a dwell time of the molten material in a vessel of the heating device and regulating the vacuum based on a measured temperature of the molten material.