Submerged combustion burner panels, submerged combustion melters including one or more of the panels, and methods of using the same. The burner panel includes a panel body including a fluid-cooled portion and a protective non-fluid cooled portion. An exterior surface defined by the fluid-cooled portion, and an interior surface defined by the protective non-fluid cooled portion, exterior and interior referring to an SCM in which the panel is installed. The fluid-cooled portion has at least one burner support passage of diameter (d1) extending from the exterior surface to a seam where the fluid-cooled and protective non-fluid cooled portions meet supporting at least one fluid-cooled SC burner having a fluid-cooled burner tip attached to a burner body protruding away from the seam. The protective non-fluid-cooled portion has a combustion products flow passage of diameter (d2)<(d1). The burner panels promote burner life and melter campaign length.

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a quartz glass body comprising the process steps i.) Providing a silicon dioxide granulate, ii.) Making a glass melt out of silicon dioxide granulate in an oven and iii.) Making a quartz glass body out of at least part of the glass melt, wherein the oven comprises a standing sinter crucible. The invention further relates to a quartz glass body which is obtainable by this process. The invention further relates to a light guide, an illuminant and a formed body, which are each obtainable by further processing of the quartz glass body.

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a quartz glass body comprising the process steps i.) Providing a silicon dioxide granulate, ii.) Making a glass melt out of silicon dioxide granulate in an oven and iii.) Making a quartz glass body out of at least part of the glass melt, wherein the oven comprises a standing sinter crucible. The invention further relates to a quartz glass body which is obtainable by this process. The invention further relates to a light guide, an illuminant and a formed body, which are each obtainable by further processing of the quartz glass body.

The invention relates to methods and devices for melting furnaces, conveying paths and conveying means for the melt, the melt product and for any type of discharges from a melting furnace and transportation means for the melt, with an extended service life, which in the case of a complete screen, that is to say in the optimum situation, may also be infinite, and/or with increased purity of the melt. This is achieved by the pushing-through or rotating-through of screens, clinkers, coatings, linings, etc., that is to say solid materials which are situated between the melt or melt product or the discharges and the materials situated behind the same which counteract the pressure of the melt, of the melt product or the discharges, for example walls. Here, new pieces of the screens etc. may be added at one free end, and used or worn pieces of the screens can be removed or withdrawn at another free end.

The invention relates to methods and devices for melting furnaces, conveying paths and conveying means for the melt, the melt product and for any type of discharges from a melting furnace and transportation means for the melt, with an extended service life, which in the case of a complete screen, that is to say in the optimum situation, may also be infinite, and/or with increased purity of the melt. This is achieved by the pushing-through or rotating-through of screens, clinkers, coatings, linings, etc., that is to say solid materials which are situated between the melt or melt product or the discharges and the materials situated behind the same which counteract the pressure of the melt, of the melt product or the discharges, for example walls. Here, new pieces of the screens etc. may be added at one free end, and used or worn pieces of the screens can be removed or withdrawn at another free end.

A life of a heating element is extended. A furnace (11) in accordance with the present invention includes: a heating element (21) that generates heat in response to conduction of electricity; and a supply and exhaust system (30) that adjusts an atmosphere inside the furnace (11).

A life of a heating element is extended. A furnace (11) in accordance with the present invention includes: a heating element (21) that generates heat in response to conduction of electricity; and a supply and exhaust system (30) that adjusts an atmosphere inside the furnace (11).

Submerged combustion burners having a burner body, a burner tip connected thereto, and a protective cap and/or cladding layer. Submerged combustion melters including the burners and methods of using them to produce molten glass. The burner body has an external conduit and first and second internal conduits substantially concentric therewith, forming first and second annuli for passing a cooling fluid therethrough. The burner tip body is connected to the burner body at ends of the external and second internal conduits. The burner tip and protective cap and/or cladding layer include a generally central flow passage for a combustible mixture, the flow passage defined by an inner wall of the burner tip and protective cap.

Stirrer (1) for stirring molten glass (16), whereby the stirrer (1) comprisesa shaft (2) having a tip (4) and having a central longitudinal axis (L), andone or more inner stirrer blades (5,6) which are attached to the shaft (2), andone or more outer stirrer blades (7,8) which are attached to the shaft (2), whereby the inner stirrer blades (5,6) are attached closer to the shaft (2) than the outer stirrer blades (7,8), whereby, when considering the stirrer in a cylindrical coordinate system (11), both the one or more inner stirrer blades (5,6) as well as the one or more outer stirrer blades (7,8) are disposed at an angle (?, ?) to the central longitudinal axis (L), whereby said angle (?, ?) is between 0? and 90? not including these values, and are disposed having a least a blade section with a normal vector (N, P, Q, R), on the side directed towards the tip (4), with an angular component (N.sub.A, P.sub.A, Q.sub.A, R.sub.A).

Combustion burner panels, submerged combustion melters including one or more of the panels, and methods of using the same are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the burner panel includes a panel body having a first major surface defined by a lower fluid-cooled portion of the panel body, and a second major surface defined by an upper non-fluid cooled portion of the panel body. The panel body has at least one through passage extending from the first to the second major surface, the through passages accommodating a set of substantially concentric inner and outer conduits. The inner conduit forms a primary passage for fuel or oxidant, and the outer conduit forms a secondary passage between the outer conduit and the inner conduit for fuel or oxidant. A protective member is associated with each set. The burner panels promote burner life and melter campaign length.