A gradient fining tank and a method of operating the tank to refine foamy molten glass is disclosed. The gradient fining tank includes a floor, a roof, and two laterally-spaced sidewalls that at least partially define an interior chamber of the tank. The floor of the tank is profiled to provide the tank with an extended shallow portion that defines an inlet to the interior chamber and a deep holding portion that defines an outlet from the interior chamber. An entry section of the floor provides the extended shallow portion of the tank and a transition section and exit section of the floor provide the deep holding portion. A depth of the interior chamber at an outlet end of the deep holding portion is greater than a depth of the interior chamber at the outlet end of the extended shallow portion.

Submerged combustion methods and systems including a melter equipped with an exhaust passage through the ceiling or the sidewall having an aggregate hydraulic diameter. Submerged combustion burners configured to create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material being melted, and produce ejected portions of melted material. An exhaust structure including a liquid-cooled exhaust structure defining a liquid-cooled exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the melter. The exhaust passage and liquid-cooled exhaust structure configured to maintain temperature and pressure of the exhaust, and exhaust velocity through the exhaust passage and the exhaust structure, at values sufficient to prevent the ejected material portions of melted material from being propelled out of the exhaust structure as solidified material, and maintain any molten materials contacting the first interior surface molten so that it flows down the first interior surface into the melter.

Submerged combustion methods and systems including a melter equipped with an exhaust passage through the ceiling or the sidewall having an aggregate hydraulic diameter. Submerged combustion burners configured to create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material being melted, and produce ejected portions of melted material. An exhaust structure including a liquid-cooled exhaust structure defining a liquid-cooled exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the melter. The exhaust passage and liquid-cooled exhaust structure configured to maintain temperature and pressure of the exhaust, and exhaust velocity through the exhaust passage and the exhaust structure, at values sufficient to prevent the ejected material portions of melted material from being propelled out of the exhaust structure as solidified material, and maintain any molten materials contacting the first interior surface molten so that it flows down the first interior surface into the melter.

A method for producing a glass product is provided. The method includes providing a glass melt; hot forming the glass melt to obtain a glass product; and transferring the glass melt from a first region to a second region through a tube. The tube has a part that protrudes with a length into the glass melt in the first region. The part being at a distance from an inner base lying directly thereunder. The length and the distance are configured so that little defective glass gets into the tube and is transferred to the second region.

A large melting furnace suitable for borosilicate glass. The melting furnace includes a melting area, a reinforcing area, an ascending area and a clarifying area. The melting area includes no furnace crown, a surface of molten glass in the melting area is not covered by any wall and exposed for feeding. The reinforcing area includes a first furnace crown, the first furnace crown includes a first partition wall and a second partition wall, and the reinforcing area and the melting area are separated by the first partition wall, and a lower end of the first partition wall goes deep below a surface of molten glass but is not in contact with a bottom of the melting furnace, so as to guarantee that the molten glass in the melting area and the reinforcing area is interconnected.

A large melting furnace suitable for borosilicate glass. The melting furnace includes a melting area, a reinforcing area, an ascending area and a clarifying area. The melting area includes no furnace crown, a surface of molten glass in the melting area is not covered by any wall and exposed for feeding. The reinforcing area includes a first furnace crown, the first furnace crown includes a first partition wall and a second partition wall, and the reinforcing area and the melting area are separated by the first partition wall, and a lower end of the first partition wall goes deep below a surface of molten glass but is not in contact with a bottom of the melting furnace, so as to guarantee that the molten glass in the melting area and the reinforcing area is interconnected.

An electric induction system and method is provided for induction heating and melting of basalt charge for the production of molten process basalt that can be used for molten basalt processes that produce basalt articles of manufacture including cast basalt articles and continuous basalt casting processes for producing basalt articles such as fibers and filaments.

A process and an apparatus for refining molten glass. The apparatus includes a porous body having an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of pores through which molten glass can flow between the inlet and the outlet. The plurality of pores are defined by walls having wall surfaces that are configured to interact with the molten glass as the molten glass flows between the inlet and the outlet to help refine the molten glass.

A process and an apparatus for refining molten glass. The apparatus includes a porous body having an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of pores through which molten glass can flow between the inlet and the outlet. The plurality of pores are defined by walls having wall surfaces that are configured to interact with the molten glass as the molten glass flows between the inlet and the outlet to help refine the molten glass.

The present disclosure relates to a method for cooling a component of a glass melting plant that contacts a glass melt, the corresponding cooling device, as well as the system of the cooling device and the cooled component itself. The method provides that a pipe with an open pipe end at least on one pipe section is introduced into an open cavity in the component with the formation of a peripheral annular space, and a cooling medium is introduced through the pipe into the cavity and is deflected at the base of the cavity, flows back in the annular space, and flows out of the cavity. In its pipe section introduced into the cavity, the pipe has a constriction and has perforations through the pipe walls in the region of the constriction, whereby the cooling medium is accelerated in its passage through the constriction in the inside of the pipe, and a portion of the cooling medium flowing back from the annular space is aspirated into the inside of the pipe.