A method and an apparatus for melting down glass are provided. The method includes using microwave radiation for at least part of the energy supply for melting for transforming a batch into a glass melt. The microwave radiation captures at least part of the transition between batch and primary melt. The method and apparatus include melting assembly with a melting tank which has walls within which both the batch for melting and the molten batch can be accommodated as a glass melt, where above the batch and above the glass melt there is at least one microwave-emitting source disposed.

Embodiments disclosed herein include methods and systems for melting or augmenting a melt rate of material in a melter using electromagnetic radiation with a frequency between 0.9 GHz and 10 GHz. In some examples, a power and/or frequency of radiation used may be selected so as to control a temperature of a cold cap in the melter while maintaining emissions from the melter below a threshold level. In this manner, examples described herein may provide for efficient and safe melting and vitrification of radioactive wastes.

Methods and systems for melting or augmenting a melt rate of material in a melter using electromagnetic radiation with a frequency between 0.9 GHz and 10 GHz. In some examples, a power and/or frequency of radiation used may be selected so as to control a temperature of a cold cap in the melter while maintaining emissions from the melter below a threshold level. In this manner, examples described herein may provide for efficient and safe melting and vitrification of radioactive wastes.

A method of making glass products includes: heating material to obtain a glass melt; heating the glass melt in a melting tank having a melting tank bottom, the glass melt having a melt volume, a melt surface, and a viscosity of 10.sup.2 dPas at a temperature above 1580 C. The glass melt is heated such that at least some of the glass melt has a viscosity of 10.sup.2.5 dPas or less. An amount of thermal energy introduced directly into the melt volume is more than 60% of a total amount of thermal energy introduced into the glass melt. A maximum difference between a temperature at a location on the melt surface and a temperature at a location at the melting tank bottom vertically underneath the location on the melt surface is such that a difference in glass melt densities is less than 0.05 g/cm.sup.3 per meter distance between the locations.

Embodiments disclosed herein include methods and systems for melting or augmenting a melt rate of material in a melter using electromagnetic radiation with a frequency between 0.9 GHz and 10 GHz. In some examples, a power and/or frequency of radiation used may be selected so as to control a temperature of a cold cap in the melter while maintaining emissions from the melter below a threshold level. In this manner, examples described herein may provide for efficient and safe melting and vitrification of radioactive wastes.

Methods and systems include melting or augmenting a melt rate of material in a melter using electromagnetic radiation with a frequency between 0.9 GHz and 10 GHz. In some examples, a power and/or frequency of radiation used may be selected so as to control a temperature of a cold cap in the melter while maintaining emissions from the melter below a threshold level. In this manner, examples described herein may provide for efficient and safe melting and vitrification of radioactive wastes.

A method for capturing and evaluating data on a batch blanket on a glass melt in a cold-top melting tank for the melting of glass includes: providing at least one sensor for contactlessly capturing data on the batch blanket at least at an end of a boom of a charger at which batch is applied to the glass melt; repeatedly capturing and storing (a) data of the batch blanket during operation of the melting tank with at least the at least one sensor, data being captured from at least 10 different positions of the batch blanket, and (2) respectively assigning the data to a position of the end of the boom and/or the at least one sensor; and processing the captured data and compiling a topographic map of the batch blanket.