An electrically boosted refractory melting vessel including a back wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall and a bottom wall, the melting vessel comprising a longitudinal center line extending from the back wall to the front wall and an overall width orthogonal to the longitudinal center line extending between an inside surface of the first side wall and an inside surface of the second side wall. The melting vessel also includes a length L between the back wall and the front wall, and a width W between the first side wall and the second side wall orthogonal to the center line. A plurality of electrodes extend into an interior of the melting vessel through a bottom wall of the melting vessel, and L/W is in a range from about 2.0 to about 2.4.

An electrically boosted refractory melting vessel including a back wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a front wall and a bottom wall, the melting vessel comprising a longitudinal center line extending from the back wall to the front wall and an overall width orthogonal to the longitudinal center line extending between an inside surface of the first side wall and an inside surface of the second side wall. The melting vessel also includes a length L between the back wall and the front wall, and a width W between the first side wall and the second side wall orthogonal to the center line. A plurality of electrodes extend into an interior of the melting vessel through a bottom wall of the melting vessel, and L/W is in a range from about 2.0 to about 2.4.

Apparatuses for interfacing with an electrode provided with a melting furnace including a vessel and an electrode. In some embodiments, a support assembly (50) supports the electrode outside of the vessel, and includes a cart (102) or similar apparatus that permits or facilitates selective vertical movement of the electrode and selective transverse movement of the electrode. In some embodiments, a push assembly (52) interfaces with a rear face of the electrode outside of the vessel, and is operable to apply a pushing force onto the rear face. The push assembly can include one or more tracks (e.g., threaded screw) that supports a body between opposing arms of a fixed frame. The body can translate along the tracks to apply a pushing force onto the electrode.

A glass includes SiO.sub.2 in an amount of at least 60.0 wt.-% and an amount of WO.sub.3 from 0.1 ppm to 60.0 ppm. Tungsten is present in such oxidation states that a transmittance of the glass at a wavelength of 260 nm is at least 75.0%.

A glass includes SiO.sub.2 in an amount of at least 60.0 wt.-% and an amount of MoO.sub.3 from 0.1 ppm to 30.0 ppm. Molybdenum is present in such oxidation states that a transmittance at a wavelength of 260 nm is at least 65.0% at a reference thickness of 1.0 mm.

A glass melting furnace including a melt chamber configured to receive a glass melt which forms a glass melt top surface; at least one batch feeder configured to feed batch material into the melt chamber below a level of the glass melt top surface, the batch feeder arranged at a side wall, a back wall, or a bottom of the melt chamber, plural electrodes arranged in the melt chamber below the level of the glass melt top surface and configured to heat the glass melt, the electrodes spaced apart from each other, wherein the electrodes are arranged so that a flow with a horizontal and a vertical component of movement is created in the glass melt, wherein the electrodes are arranged so that a helical flow in the glass melt is created with an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the glass melt top surface.

A glass melting furnace including a melt chamber configured to receive a glass melt which forms a glass melt top surface; at least one batch feeder configured to feed batch material into the melt chamber below a level of the glass melt top surface, the batch feeder arranged at a side wall, a back wall, or a bottom of the melt chamber, plural electrodes arranged in the melt chamber below the level of the glass melt top surface and configured to heat the glass melt, the electrodes spaced apart from each other, wherein the electrodes are arranged so that a flow with a horizontal and a vertical component of movement is created in the glass melt, wherein the electrodes are arranged so that a helical flow in the glass melt is created with an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the glass melt top surface.

An apparatus and method for melting raw batch materials into molten glass includes feeding raw batch materials into a chamber through a feed port, heating the chamber with a plurality of plasma torches positioned above a predetermined level, each plasma torch emitting a plasma flame into the chamber, and melting the raw batch materials into molten glass up to the predetermined level.

An energy-efficient device for refining a glass melt to produce a glass and/or a glass ceramic is provided. The device includes a refining crucible defined at least by lateral walls with a metallic lining as a melt contact surface, so that a melt refining volume is defined by a base surface, a top surface and a circumferential surface; at least one heating device that conductively heats the lining by an electric current in the lining, so that the melt is heated through the lining, the heating device and the lining are connected to one another by a feeding device. The feeding device establishes contact with the lining so that an electric current runs from the top surface to the base surface or from the base surface to the top surface, at least in sections of the lining.

An energy-efficient device for refining a glass melt to produce a glass and/or a glass ceramic is provided. The device includes a refining crucible defined at least by lateral walls with a metallic lining as a melt contact surface, so that a melt refining volume is defined by a base surface, a top surface and a circumferential surface; at least one heating device that conductively heats the lining by an electric current in the lining, so that the melt is heated through the lining, the heating device and the lining are connected to one another by a feeding device. The feeding device establishes contact with the lining so that an electric current runs from the top surface to the base surface or from the base surface to the top surface, at least in sections of the lining.