An apparatus and methods of refining glass, in a multi-stage, downwardly cascading manner, include a melting chamber housing molten glass and having an outlet, a first refining chamber downstream from the melting chamber and having a first outlet and a first inlet below the outlet of the melting chamber, and a second refining chamber downstream from the first refining chamber and having a second outlet and a second inlet below the first outlet of the first refining chamber. The first refining chamber has a first negative pressure and the second refining chamber has a second negative pressure.

A glass fining system, multi-stage vacuum housing, and method are disclosed. The glass fining system includes a multi-stage vacuum housing comprising a first melt receipt tank configured to receive molten material, where the first melt receipt tank is disposed in a first vacuum chamber; a first refining channel configured to flow the molten material from the first melt receipt tank through a second vacuum chamber; a second melt receipt tank configured to receive the molten material from the first refining channel, where the second melt receipt tank is disposed in a third vacuum chamber; and a second refining channel configured to flow the molten material from the second melt receipt tank and through a fourth vacuum chamber; and a glass melter coupled to the multi-stage vacuum housing.

An apparatus and process for making glass and glass gobs on demand. A sheet of molten glass is provided in a staging section. The sheet of molten glass is held within the staging section when there is no demand for glass articles. When there is a demand for production of glass articles, a portion of the sheet of molten glass is flowed into a gob forming section.

Submerged combustion systems and methods of use to produce glass. One system includes a submerged combustion melter having a roof, a floor, a wall structure connecting the roof and floor, and an outlet, the melter producing an initial foamy molten glass. One or more non-submerged auxiliary burners are positioned in the roof and/or wall structure and configured to deliver combustion products to impact at least a portion of the bubbles with sufficient force and/or heat to burst at least some of the bubbles and form a reduced foam molten glass.

Submerged combustion systems and methods of use to produce glass. One system includes a submerged combustion melter having a roof, a floor, a wall structure connecting the roof and floor, and an outlet, the melter producing an initial foamy molten glass. One or more non-submerged auxiliary burners are positioned in the roof and/or wall structure and configured to deliver combustion products to impact at least a portion of the bubbles with sufficient force and/or heat to burst at least some of the bubbles and form a reduced foam molten glass.

A glass fining system, multi-stage vacuum housing, and method are disclosed. The glass fining system includes a multi-stage vacuum housing comprising a first melt receipt tank configured to receive molten material, where the first melt receipt tank is disposed in a first vacuum chamber; a first refining channel configured to flow the molten material from the first melt receipt tank through a second vacuum chamber; a second melt receipt tank configured to receive the molten material from the first refining channel, where the second melt receipt tank is disposed in a third vacuum chamber; and a second refining channel configured to flow the molten material from the second melt receipt tank and through a fourth vacuum chamber; and a glass melter coupled to the multi-stage vacuum housing.