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.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method of making molten glass. The apparatus includes a vessel for conveying the molten glass and at least one flange configured to supply an electric current to the vessel through the flange, the flange including a first ring extending completely around the vessel in a closed loop, the first ring comprising a first portion including a first thickness and a second portion including a second thickness different from the first thickness, wherein the first portion and the second portion overlap in a plane of the flange such that at least a portion of the first portion is positioned between at least a portion of the second portion and the vessel wall, and neither the first portion nor the second portion extends completely around the vessel. Also disclosed is a method of making glass using the disclosed flange.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method of making molten glass. The apparatus includes a vessel for conveying the molten glass and at least one flange configured to supply an electric current to the vessel through the flange, the flange including a first ring extending completely around the vessel in a closed loop, the first ring comprising a first portion including a first thickness and a second portion including a second thickness different from the first thickness, wherein the first portion and the second portion overlap in a plane of the flange such that at least a portion of the first portion is positioned between at least a portion of the second portion and the vessel wall, and neither the first portion nor the second portion extends completely around the vessel. Also disclosed is a method of making glass using the disclosed flange.

A gasification system method and apparatus to convert a feed stream containing at least some organic material into synthesis gas having a first region, a second region, a gas solid separator, and a means for controlling the flow of material from the first region to the second region. The feed stream is introduced into the system, and the feed stream is partially oxidized in the first region thereby creating a solid material and a gas material. The method further includes the steps of separating at least a portion of the solid material from the gas material with the gas solid separator, controlling the flow of the solid material into the second region from the first region, and heating the solid material in the second region with an electrical means.

In illustrative implementations of this invention, a crucible kiln heats glass such that the glass becomes or remains molten. A nozzle extrudes the molten glass while one or more actuators actuate movements of the nozzle, a build platform or both. A computer controls these movements such that the extruded molten glass is selectively deposited to form a 3D glass object. The selective deposition of molten glass occurs inside an annealing kiln. The annealing kiln anneals the glass after it is extruded. In some cases, the actuators actuate the crucible kiln and nozzle to move in horizontal x, y directions and actuate the build platform to move in a z-direction. In some cases, fluid flows through a cavity or tubes adjacent to the nozzle tip, in order to cool the nozzle tip and thereby reduce the amount of glass that sticks to the nozzle tip.

Method for manufacturing glass, comprising preparing a mixture of glass raw materials for a glassworks furnace, wherein water, sand and sodium carbonate are mixed in mass proportions of between 0 and 5%, 40 and 65%, and more than 0 and no more than 25% respectively, and, within a time of less than 10 minutes, preferably simultaneously, calcium oxide is added in a mass proportion of between 1 and 20% of the total, the calcium oxide has a granulometry such that more than 97% by mass does not pass through a sieve of 0.125 mm, more than 96% by mass does not pass through a sieve of 0.5 mm, preferably more than 95% by mass does not pass through a sieve of 1 mm.

Method for manufacturing glass, comprising preparing a mixture of glass raw materials for a glassworks furnace, wherein water, sand and sodium carbonate are mixed in mass proportions of between 0 and 5%, 40 and 65%, and more than 0 and no more than 25% respectively, and, within a time of less than 10 minutes, preferably simultaneously, calcium oxide is added in a mass proportion of between 1 and 20% of the total, the calcium oxide has a granulometry such that more than 97% by mass does not pass through a sieve of 0.125 mm, more than 96% by mass does not pass through a sieve of 0.5 mm, preferably more than 95% by mass does not pass through a sieve of 1 mm.

A high zirconia electrically fused cast refractory of high electric resistance having long time durability, less suffering from cracking during production and upon temperature rising, excellent in productivity, less forming zircon crystals even upon heating the refractory in itself and when the refractory is in contact with molten glass, generating less cracks even when undergoing heat cycles during operation of a glass melting furnace is provided. A high zirconia electrically fused cast refractory has, as chemical components, 85 to 95% by weight of ZrO.sub.2, 0.1 to less than 0.8% by weight of Al.sub.2O.sub.3, 3.5 to 10.0% by weight of SiO.sub.2, less than 0.05% by weight of Na.sub.2O and K.sub.2O in total, 0.1 to 1.5% by weight of B.sub.2O.sub.3, 0.1% by weight or less of MgO, 0.01 to 0.2% by weight of CaO, in the case where any one of BaO and SrO is contained, from 0.05 to 3.0% by weight of BaO or 0.01 to 3.0% by weight of SrO, or in the case where both of them are contained, 0.01% by weight or more of SrO and from 0.01% to 3.0% by weight in total of SrO and BaO, 0.1 to 0.7% by weight of SnO.sub.2, 0.3% by weight or less of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 and TiO.sub.2 in total, less than 0.01% by weight of P.sub.2O.sub.5, and less than 0.01% by weight of CuO.

A glass melting plant having a fully electrically heated melt tank and a conditioning channel connected to the melt tank. In order to enable the recovery of wet waste without impairing the glass quality, in addition, a wet waste supply channel is provided, which opens laterally into the conditioning channel, for the melting of wet waste and for supplying the melted wet waste to the glass melt conducted in the conditioning channel. A corresponding method is provided for operating a glass melting plant.

A glass melting plant having a fully electrically heated melt tank and a conditioning channel connected to the melt tank. In order to enable the recovery of wet waste without impairing the glass quality, in addition, a wet waste supply channel is provided, which opens laterally into the conditioning channel, for the melting of wet waste and for supplying the melted wet waste to the glass melt conducted in the conditioning channel. A corresponding method is provided for operating a glass melting plant.