Methods for reducing the oxygen concentration in an enclosure including a platinum-containing vessel through which molten glass is flowing are disclosed. The methods include injecting hydrogen gas into an oxygen-containing atmosphere flowing between the enclosure and a reaction chamber. The atmosphere is heated with a heating element in the reaction chamber, whereupon oxygen in the oxygen-containing atmosphere reacts with the hydrogen. In other embodiments, the hydrogen gas and oxygen-containing atmosphere can be exposed to a catalyst comprising platinum positioned in the reaction chamber.

A method of fining low-density submerged combustion glass is disclosed. The method involves introducing unfined molten glass produced in a submerged combustion melter into a fining chamber of a downstream fining tank. Additionally, additive particles are also introduced into the fining chamber to release one or more fining agents into the molten glass bath contained in the fining chamber to accelerate the removal of bubbles from the molten glass bath. The fining of the molten glass bath as assisted by the one or more fining agents allows for fined glass to be discharged from the fining tank that has fewer bubbles and a greater density than that of the unfined molten glass introduced into the fining tank. Additive particles that include a physical mixture of a glass reactant material and the fining agent(s) are also disclosed.

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.

Methods, systems and apparatus for producing continuous basalt fibers, microfibers, and microspheres from high temperature melts are disclosed. A cold crucible induction furnace is used to super heat crushed basalt rock to form a melt. The melt is cooled prior to forming a fiber. The fiber produced from the superheated melt possesses superior properties not found with conventional basalt fibers produced in gas furnaces. In some implementations, the superheated melt is spun into continuous basalt fibers. In some implementations, the superheated melt is blown into microfibers and microspheres.

A stirrer for glass melting which can be used over a prolonged life expectancy, while maintaining a high strength, even in an environment exposed to a high temperature and an oxygen-containing gas atmosphere for a long period of time, and can prevent the air bubbles from being mixed into the glass melt. A stirrer for glass melting is made of iridium or an iridium-based alloy, and has a rotary shaft and a stirring part, a surface region S1 of the surface of the rotary shaft above the stirring part is covered with a cylindrical cover, the cover has a two-layer structure in which an outer layer made of platinum or a platinum rhodium alloy and an inner layer made of platinum or a platinum rhodium alloy containing metal species are joined together, and oxide particles of metal species are precipitated in a dispersed state on a surface of the inner layer on an opposite side to a surface adjacent to the outer layer, wherein the stirrer for glass melting has a pipe made of iridium or an iridium-based alloy which surrounds at least the surface region S2 of the cover from the lower end of the cover to a predetermined height at an interval.

A stirrer for glass melting which can be used over a prolonged life expectancy, while maintaining a high strength, even in an environment exposed to a high temperature and an oxygen-containing gas atmosphere for a long period of time, and can prevent the air bubbles from being mixed into the glass melt. A stirrer for glass melting is made of iridium or an iridium-based alloy, and has a rotary shaft and a stirring part, a surface region S1 of the surface of the rotary shaft above the stirring part is covered with a cylindrical cover, the cover has a two-layer structure in which an outer layer made of platinum or a platinum rhodium alloy and an inner layer made of platinum or a platinum rhodium alloy containing metal species are joined together, and oxide particles of metal species are precipitated in a dispersed state on a surface of the inner layer on an opposite side to a surface adjacent to the outer layer, wherein the stirrer for glass melting has a pipe made of iridium or an iridium-based alloy which surrounds at least the surface region S2 of the cover from the lower end of the cover to a predetermined height at an interval.

A system and method for stirring molten material such as glass are provided. To prevent sagging of a cover of a stirring system, a portion where deformation or sagging may significantly occur is suspended by a suspension system, so that local sagging and deformation of the cover is suppressed. As a result, a crack which may occur in the cover is suppressed, and therefore, contamination of the molten material is likewise suppressed.

A system and method for stirring molten material such as glass are provided. To prevent sagging of a cover of a stirring system, a portion where deformation or sagging may significantly occur is suspended by a suspension system, so that local sagging and deformation of the cover is suppressed. As a result, a crack which may occur in the cover is suppressed, and therefore, contamination of the molten material is likewise suppressed.

In manufacturing a glass article (GR) by causing a molten glass (GM) to flow through a transfer pipe (12) and to be transferred, the transfer pipe (12) includes: a pipe end portion (14) being an end portion in a pipe axis direction; a pipe-shaped portion (15); and a joining portion (16) configured to join the pipe end portion (14) and the pipe-shaped portion (15) to each other. The pipe end portion (14) includes a flange portion (17) and a curved portion (18) extending from an inner peripheral end (17a) of the flange portion (17) toward the pipe-shaped portion (15) side and being reduced in diameter toward the pipe-shaped portion (15) side. The pipe end portion (14) is made of a material having a smaller creep rupture strength and/or a larger creep strain rate than the pipe-shaped portion (15) at 1,500 C. and 1,000 hours.

Provided is a manufacturing method for a glass article, including: a pre-heating step (S1) of heating a transfer pipe (7); and a transfer step (S4) of causing molten glass to flow through the transfer pipe (7) after the pre-heating step (S1). The transfer pipe (7) includes a main body portion (8) having a tubular shape and a flange portion (9a, 9b) formed on an end portion of the main body portion (8). The main body portion (8) is retained by a refractory (10). In the pre-heating step (S1), the main body portion (8) is heated while the flange portion (9a, 9b) is movably supported so that the flange portion (9a, 9b) is moved in accordance with extension of the main body portion (8).