In various embodiments, refractory-metal glass melt electrodes are single-crystalline, at least within an outer layer thereof.

Submerged combustion burners having a burner body and a burner tip connected thereto. 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. A burner tip body is connected to the burner body at ends of the external and second internal conduits. The burner tip includes a generally central flow passage for a combustible mixture, the flow passage defined by an inner wall of the burner tip. The burner tip further has an outer wall and a crown connecting the inner and outer walls. The inner and outer walls, and the crown are comprised of same or different materials having greater corrosion and/or fatigue resistance than at least the external burner conduit.

A method for reconditioning a glass manufacturing system includes establishing a reducing atmosphere in a glass melting vessel and draining a glass melt composition from the melting vessel while the reducing atmosphere is in the vessel. The pressure of the reducing atmosphere is greater than the pressure of the atmosphere surrounding the melting vessel and the reducing atmosphere is established by operating at least one combustion burner in the melting vessel in a fuel-rich condition.

Provided is a manufacturing method for a glass article, including: a filling step (S1) of interposing a powder (P), which is to be diffusion-bonded through heating, between a transfer container (7, 16) and a refractory brick (8a, 8b, 17a, 17b); a pre-heating step (S2) of heating the transfer container (7, 16) after the filling step (S1); and a molten glass supply step (S5) of, while heating the transfer container (7, 16), causing a molten glass (GM) to pass through an inside of the transfer container (7, 16) after the pre-heating step (S2). In this method, the molten glass supply step (S5) includes diffusion-bonding the powder (P) to form a bonded body (10, 20) configured to fix the transfer container (7, 16) to the refractory brick (8a, 8b, 17a, 17b).

Stirrer (1) for stirring molten glass (16), whereby the stirrer (1) comprises a shaft (2) having a tip (4) and having a central longitudinal axis (L), and one or more inner stirrer blades (5,6) which are attached to the shaft (2), and one 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).

Submerged combustion burners having a burner body and a burner tip connected thereto. 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. A burner tip body is connected to the burner body at ends of the external and second internal conduits. The burner tip includes a generally central flow passage for a combustible mixture, the flow passage defined by an inner wall of the burner tip. The burner tip further has an outer wall and a crown connecting the inner and outer walls. The inner and outer walls, and the crown are comprised of same or different materials having greater corrosion and/or fatigue resistance than at least the external burner conduit.

A molten material apparatus can include a container including a wall at least partially defining a containment area and an opening extending through the wall. The molten material apparatus can include a protective sleeve mounted at least partially within the opening of the wall of the container. A thermocouple can be positioned within an internal bore of the protective sleeve. A method of processing molten material can include inserting a thermocouple into a protective sleeve fabricated from a refractory ceramic material, and measuring a temperature of material within a containment area of a container with the thermocouple.

A molten material apparatus can include a container including a wall at least partially defining a containment area and an opening extending through the wall. The molten material apparatus can include a protective sleeve mounted at least partially within the opening of the wall of the container. A thermocouple can be positioned within an internal bore of the protective sleeve. A method of processing molten material can include inserting a thermocouple into a protective sleeve fabricated from a refractory ceramic material, and measuring a temperature of material within a containment area of a container with the thermocouple.

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.