A glass melt delivery system vessel has at least one sidewall and floor made of a refractory material, such as zirconia, and at least one electrode extending through the refractory material. The at least one electrode is configured to heat a glass melt in contact with the refractory material at an average temperature of at least about 1600 C° without exceeding a breakdown condition of the refractory material in contact with the glass melt.

A manufacturing method for a glass article includes a supply step of supplying a glass raw material onto a surface of a molten glass accommodated in a melting chamber of a glass melting furnace from a supply unit mounted to a front wall of the melting chamber, and a melting step of melting the supplied glass raw material through heating with an electrode immersed in the molten glass in the melting chamber. The method also includes an outflow step of causing the molten glass to flow outside the melting chamber from an outflow port provided at a rear wall of the melting chamber, wherein 60% to 95% of an area of the surface of the molten glass in the melting chamber is covered with the glass raw material supplied in the supply step.

A manufacturing method for a glass article includes a supply step of supplying a glass raw material onto a surface of a molten glass accommodated in a melting chamber of a glass melting furnace from a supply unit mounted to a front wall of the melting chamber, and a melting step of melting the supplied glass raw material through heating with an electrode immersed in the molten glass in the melting chamber. The method also includes an outflow step of causing the molten glass to flow outside the melting chamber from an outflow port provided at a rear wall of the melting chamber, wherein 60% to 95% of an area of the surface of the molten glass in the melting chamber is covered with the glass raw material supplied in the supply step.

Provided is a manufacturing method for a glass article, including: a supply step of supplying glass raw materials (4) onto a molten glass (2) accommodated in a melting chamber (3) of a glass melting furnace (1); a melting step of melting the supplied glass raw materials (4) through heating; and an outflow step of causing the molten glass (2) to flow outside the melting chamber (3), wherein the glass raw materials (4) supplied from one screw feeder (5) and another screw feeder (5), which are adjacent to each other out of a plurality of screw feeders (5), extend in parallel through intermediation of a gap (6) on the molten glass (2), and wherein the glass raw materials (4) are melted through heating only with an electrode (8) and an electrode (9) each immersed in the molten glass (2) in the melting chamber (3).

Provided is a manufacturing method for a glass article, including: a supply step of supplying glass raw materials (4) onto a molten glass (2) accommodated in a melting chamber (3) of a glass melting furnace (1); a melting step of melting the supplied glass raw materials (4) through heating; and an outflow step of causing the molten glass (2) to flow outside the melting chamber (3), wherein the glass raw materials (4) supplied from one screw feeder (5) and another screw feeder (5), which are adjacent to each other out of a plurality of screw feeders (5), extend in parallel through intermediation of a gap (6) on the molten glass (2), and wherein the glass raw materials (4) are melted through heating only with an electrode (8) and an electrode (9) each immersed in the molten glass (2) in the melting chamber (3).

An optimized gasification/vitrification processing system having a gasification unit which converts organic materials to a hydrogen rich gas and ash in communication with a joule heated vitrification unit which converts the ash formed in the gasification unit into glass, and a plasma which converts elemental carbon and products of incomplete combustion formed in the gasification unit into a hydrogen rich gas.

An optimized gasification/vitrification processing system having a gasification unit which converts organic materials to a hydrogen rich gas and ash in communication with a joule heated vitrification unit which converts the ash formed in the gasification unit into glass, and a plasma which converts elemental carbon and products of incomplete combustion formed in the gasification unit into a hydrogen rich gas.

Heating devices can comprise an electrode, a bracket clamped to a rear end portion of the electrode, and a conductive panel comprising an inner face forced toward a rear face of the electrode by the bracket. In further embodiments, methods of assembling the heating device can comprise clamping the bracket to the rear end portion of the electrode and forcing the inner face of the conductive panel toward the rear face of the electrode with the bracket. In further embodiments, apparatus comprising the heating device can comprise a vessel with at least a portion of the electrode received within an opening of at least one wall. In further embodiments, methods can comprise heating molten material within a containment area of the vessel with the electrode and adjusting the position of the electrode relative to the opening of the wall.

Heating devices can comprise an electrode, a bracket clamped to a rear end portion of the electrode, and a conductive panel comprising an inner face forced toward a rear face of the electrode by the bracket. In further embodiments, methods of assembling the heating device can comprise clamping the bracket to the rear end portion of the electrode and forcing the inner face of the conductive panel toward the rear face of the electrode with the bracket. In further embodiments, apparatus comprising the heating device can comprise a vessel with at least a portion of the electrode received within an opening of at least one wall. In further embodiments, methods can comprise heating molten material within a containment area of the vessel with the electrode and adjusting the position of the electrode relative to the opening of the wall.

A method of manufacturing a glass sheet stably reduces a variation in a thermal shrinkage rate to 15 ppm or less. The method includes a melting step of melting, in an electric melting furnace, a glass batch prepared so as to give glass comprising 3 mass % or less of B.sub.2O.sub.3, a forming step of forming a molten glass into a sheet-shaped glass, an annealing step of annealing the sheet-shaped glass in an annealing furnace, and a cutting step of cutting the annealed sheet-shaped glass into predetermined dimensions, to thereby obtain a glass sheet having a -OH value of less than 0.2/mm and a thermal shrinkage rate of 15 ppm or less. The method includes measuring a thermal shrinkage rate of the glass sheet and adjusting a cooling rate of the sheet-shaped glass in the annealing step depending on variation in thermal shrinkage rate with respect to a target value.