A glass melting furnace and method for introducing batch feed material into a glass melter tank of the glass melting furnace are disclosed. The glass melting furnace comprises the glass melter tank, a feeder tank, and at least one conduit. The glass melter tank defines at least one melter tank inlet, a molten glass outlet, and an exhaust gas outlet, and the feeder tank, which is separate from the glass melter tank, defines a batch feed inlet and a feeder tank outlet. The at least one conduit is in fluid communication with the feeder tank outlet and the melter tank inlet. Moreover, the melter tank inlet is defined below a melt level of a glass melt contained within the glass melter tank and at least partially filling the at least one conduit.

The present invention refers to a method for producing a glass body with high silicic-acid content by drawing a softened glass mass from an elongated, substantially cylindrical crucible in that SiO.sub.2 granules are supplied from above into the crucible, the SiO.sub.2 granules are heated to a softening temperature, so that the softened glass mass which comprises a melt surface is formed, the softened glass mass is drawn off via a bottom opening of the crucible so as to form a glass strand, and the glass strand is cut to length to obtain the glass body, wherein due to the supply of the SiO.sub.2 granules a bulk heap is formed that covers the melt surface in part while leaving a melt edge, and wherein the melt surface is optically detected. To improve the fusion behavior of the granules and to suppress or altogether prevent the formation of a sinter crust, it is suggested according to the invention that during the optical detection of the melt surface the width of at least a sub-section of the melt edge is determined consecutively and is set to a value within a target width range through the supply rate of the SiO.sub.2 granules.

A method of producing a melt includes contacting a first heating element directly with an inside of a solid-liquid mixture layer including a batch raw material of glass and a mixture of solid and liquid phases denatured from the batch raw material to apply thermal energy to the solid-liquid mixture layer by heat transfer from the first heating element, supplying the batch raw material from the above of the solid-liquid mixture layer, and continuously producing a liquid phase melt with a bulk density greater than that of the solid-liquid mixture layer in a lower layer in contact with the solid-liquid mixture layer.

A heater for melting glass includes: a heating member containing carbon (C) configured to emit heat rays upon power feeding; and a tubular member made of metal configured to have one end closed, and to house the heating member. The heating member includes a first heat generating part and a second heat generating part along an extending axis direction of the heater, and the first heat generating part is arranged at a position closer to the one end of the tubular member than is the second heat generating part. Denoting a unit-length resistance of the first heat generating part along the extending axis direction by X (Ω/m), and denoting a unit-length resistance of the second heat generating part by Y (Ω/m),

( 1/30)X<Y<(½)X  Formula (1)

is satisfied.

A heater for melting glass includes: a heating member containing carbon (C) configured to emit heat rays upon power feeding; and a tubular member made of metal configured to have one end closed, and to house the heating member. The heating member includes a first heat generating part and a second heat generating part along an extending axis direction of the heater, and the first heat generating part is arranged at a position closer to the one end of the tubular member than is the second heat generating part. Denoting a unit-length resistance of the first heat generating part along the extending axis direction by X (Ω/m), and denoting a unit-length resistance of the second heat generating part by Y (Ω/m),

( 1/30)X<Y<(½)X  Formula (1)

is satisfied.

A heater includes a heat generating member being conductive and configured to radiate heat rays by being fed with electric power, and a tubular member constituting of a metal and accommodating the heat generating member, wherein the heat generating member is composed of a material containing carbon at 80% or more by mass, the tubular member is composed of a material including one or more selected from platinum, rhodium, tungsten, iridium, and molybdenum, and an insulating material is not provided between the heat generating member and the tubular member.

A heating element for use in a system for melting materials during the production of a glass or ceramic material is disclosed. A method for melting materials during the production of a glass or ceramic material is also disclosed. The heating element comprises a first coupling member configured to couple to a first side of the interior of a melt tank; a second coupling member configured to couple to a second side of the interior of the melt tank; and at least one elongate strip extending between the first coupling member and the second coupling member. The at least one elongate strip is integral with the first coupling member and the second coupling member. The heating element is configured such that during a heating operation, current flows between the first coupling member and the second coupling member of the heating element, along the at least one elongate strip to thereby radiate heat to materials located within the interior of the melt tank.

A heating element for use in a system for melting materials during the production of a glass or ceramic material is disclosed. A method for melting materials during the production of a glass or ceramic material is also disclosed. The heating element comprises a first coupling member configured to couple to a first side of the interior of a melt tank; a second coupling member configured to couple to a second side of the interior of the melt tank; and at least one elongate strip extending between the first coupling member and the second coupling member. The at least one elongate strip is integral with the first coupling member and the second coupling member. The heating element is configured such that during a heating operation, current flows between the first coupling member and the second coupling member of the heating element, along the at least one elongate strip to thereby radiate heat to materials located within the interior of the melt tank.

An apparatus for transferring molten glass includes a wall including a refractory material and a metal layer provided on an inside of the refractory material, the metal layer coming into contact with the molten glass, and the metal layer being configured to guide the molten glass, the apparatus including a heater including a metal cover protruding to an inside of the wall, the metal cover coming into contact with the molten glass, the heater including a heat generating element electrically insulated from the metal cover, and the heat generating element receiving electric power to radiate heat rays to heat the metal cover from an inside.

A system for melting materials during the production of a glass or ceramic material is disclosed. A method for melting materials during the production of a glass or ceramic material is also disclosed. The system comprises a melt tank having an interior with a width and a length; and an electrode array comprising a plurality of elongate electrodes each extending at least partially across the width of the interior of the melt tank in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length of the interior of the melt tank. Each electrode within the electrode array is spaced apart from an adjacent electrode within the electrode array by from about 5 mm to 100 mm. The electrode array is configured such that during a heating operation, current flows between adjacent electrodes within the electrode array, such that heat is radiated from the electrodes to materials located within the interior of the melt tank.