In embodiments, a melter for melting glass may include an inlet wall, an outlet wall opposite the inlet wall, and sidewalls extending from the inlet wall to the outlet wall. The inlet wall, outlet wall, and sidewalls define a glass melting space enclosed by a floor and a top. In embodiments, the inlet wall may comprise a glass contact wall comprising a glass contact surface facing the glass melting space. A superstructure of the inlet wall comprises a jack arch positioned over the glass contact wall and at least a portion of the glass melting space. A plane of an interior face of the jack arch and a plane of the glass contact surface are off-set in a horizontal direction. A vertical distance from the floor to an underside of the jack arch is less than a vertical distance from the floor to an underside of the top.

In embodiments, a melter for melting glass may include an inlet wall, an outlet wall opposite the inlet wall, and sidewalls extending from the inlet wall to the outlet wall. The inlet wall, outlet wall, and sidewalls define a glass melting space enclosed by a floor and a top. In embodiments, the inlet wall may comprise a glass contact wall comprising a glass contact surface facing the glass melting space. A superstructure of the inlet wall comprises a jack arch positioned over the glass contact wall and at least a portion of the glass melting space. A plane of an interior face of the jack arch and a plane of the glass contact surface are off-set in a horizontal direction. A vertical distance from the floor to an underside of the jack arch is less than a vertical distance from the floor to an underside of the top.

A melt tank for the production of a glass melt having a low portion of bubbles. The melt tank includes an inlet opening, an outlet opening, a floor, at least two side walls that adjoin the floor, a roof. The glass melt having a first bath depth in a melting segment, a second bath depth in a refining segment, and a third bath depth over a threshold between and smaller than the first and second bath depths. An electrical produced first heat energy is supplied via a multiplicity of electrodes that extend into the glass melt and a second heat energy is produced by the combustion of fossil fuel via at least one burner. Also, a method for producing a glass melt.

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.

The invention includes systems and methods for melting materials to make glass and other materials subject to electric melting that improve the capacity of the melters and/or the melt quality and/or the melting costs and/or the life of tank melters. These systems and methods use one or more of boosting with one or more streams of super hot melt coming from one or more boosting melters, cooling one or more components of one or more of the melters normally cooled using water with a high temperature cooling fluid or fluid suspension and protecting the normally high wear areas of refractory linings by covering those high wear areas with one or more strips of a corrosion and oxidation resistant metal or alloy useful above 2400 degrees F.

The invention includes systems and methods for melting materials to make glass and other materials subject to electric melting that improve the capacity of the melters and/or the melt quality and/or the melting costs and/or the life of tank melters. These systems and methods use one or more of boosting with one or more streams of super hot melt coming from one or more boosting melters, cooling one or more components of one or more of the melters normally cooled using water with a high temperature cooling fluid or fluid suspension and protecting the normally high wear areas of refractory linings by covering those high wear areas with one or more strips of a corrosion and oxidation resistant metal or alloy useful above 2400 degrees F.

Disclosed is an apparatus for conditioning molten glass. The apparatus includes a connecting tube assembly having a conduit for conveying the molten glass, the conduit (108) including at least two flanges (112, 114) and a sealing member (118) disposed between the at least two flanges (112, 114) around an outer peripheral region of the flanges, thereby forming an enclosed volume between an outer wall (110) of the conduit, the at least two flanges (112, 114) and the sealing member (118). An atmosphere within the volume may be controlled such that a predetermined partial pressure of hydrogen or a predetermined partial pressure of oxygen may be maintained within the volume. A current may be established between the at least two flanges to heat the conduit.

Disclosed is an apparatus for conditioning molten glass. The apparatus includes a connecting tube assembly having a conduit for conveying the molten glass, the conduit (108) including at least two flanges (112, 114) and a sealing member (118) disposed between the at least two flanges (112, 114) around an outer peripheral region of the flanges, thereby forming an enclosed volume between an outer wall (110) of the conduit, the at least two flanges (112, 114) and the sealing member (118). An atmosphere within the volume may be controlled such that a predetermined partial pressure of hydrogen or a predetermined partial pressure of oxygen may be maintained within the volume. A current may be established between the at least two flanges to heat the conduit.

A melt tank for the production of a glass melt having a low portion of bubbles. The melt tank includes an inlet opening, an outlet opening, a floor, at least two side walls that adjoin the floor, a roof. The glass melt having a first bath depth in a melting segment, a second bath depth in a refining segment, and a third bath depth over a threshold between and smaller than the first and second bath depths. An electrically produced first heat energy is supplied via a multiplicity of electrodes that extend into the glass melt and a second heat energy is produced by the combustion of fossil fuel via at least one burner. Also, a method for producing a glass melt.